Well I got to use a steelhead on a deer for the first time today, was also my first mechanical. Got an almost pass thru quatering away from above. Hit it behind the shoulder & it came out the other side low in the neck. Seems to have deflected a bit but certainly did its job.
It got bent up pretty bad & I was wondering if this is a common occurance? I usually use thunderheads & they keep going unless I hit a rock or something. Usually just draw them over a stone a couple times to bring back the edge & keep hunting with them.
Are mechs a one shot deal?
I may use them again as I have 2 more but in all honesty I think the fixed blade heads penetrate better. I'm sure I hit some bone but havent skinned the animal yet so I'm not sure what it hit but feel a thunderhead would have come away unharmed & probably ended up stuck in the ground behind the deer.

If you want to try a new broadhead get some slick tricks. Best broadhead made IMHO. I would put a slick trick up against a Rocket any day or any other head for that matter. I have that much confidence in them.

I had some rocket steel head 125's laying around so I used them to take a doe this year at 35 yards and while it certainly did its job and I got a complete pass through the entrance hole was a little small. I also really hate having to clean out a mechanical head after the shot and have to buy new blades and replace them every time I use one.

There was a post on these boards somewhere about that same topic, mechanical deflecting or moving around alot once they entered into the body cavity.

Steelheads

I took a an Elk and an 8 pointer this year with the 125's . Elk ran 26 yards and my whitetail I had a pass through so to me they work good. the heads were shot and I would not consider reusing them. I would take a fixed any day over mech. but I could not get my thunder heads to fly so.... I guess thats another issue.

I am totally convinced that IF a Steelhead didn't pass through than NO OTHER B-HEAD that struck that exact spot would have either! Test after test have concluded that you just can't beat their penetration! I will admit however, that I treat all my b-heads as disposable, one shot deals.

I shot a 5x5 bull with a 125 rocket steelhead..It dropped him in his tracks..my arrow deflecting and shattering one of his vertabre might af had something to do with that but it still looked cool.It was my first bowkill.The same year I had clean pass through on whitetail..He made it 40 yards..The next year I hit a nice 6x6 right in the shoulder blade...My arrow stuck in about 4 inches..I watched him go down the hill stop grab the arrow and pull it out...I've switched back to fixed blade..

You'v seen tests where a mech out penetrated a fixed blade?

I won't condemn them because of one shot on one deer but I feel real safe saying a thunderhead would have come out the bottom of my deer not the front.
Since I origionally posted ths thread I'v asked alot of questons about mechanicals & have been told numerous times by guys that like them that they often seem to choose theyre own paths thru a deer. They find this acceptable I guess. I'm not sure I do.
Thanks for all the feedback.