I've killed deer with both mech.'s and fixed bladed heads, my 2 cents why take that chance with a mech. to many great heads out there (fixed) that will fly like your field points.

On a close shot broadside they are marginal at best. A friend that I get to hunt with on occasion hit a nice doe at 25 yards quartering away. The mechanical broadhead glanced off the ribcage and sliced the side of the deer open about 8 inches. He noticed the deer running over the top of the ridge with its insides hanging out. He tracked the doe for more than 200 yards until he found it piled up along a creek. My opinion of mechanicals: JUNK for the hunter? that won't take the time to tune a fixed, quality broadhead.

I've never had any problems nor heard of any problems , except by folks on here. Pick the right mechanical and it's far better than "marginal at best". Thunderheads are great heads for close range. Long range shots on windy days is where you'll pay the price. I've found Muzzys to have less of a problem with wind planing on long shots than Thunderheads.

Which is why we don't take long range shots in unfavorable conditions. Right?

I had just the opposite happen. 2 years ago I was using Wasp Jak Hammers and on two shots at the same buck and 1 shot on a nice doe the blades opened in flight giving such bad arrow flight that all three shots weren't even close. So when I got home I tested the heads on my targets and the blades opened in flight every time. So this is why I'llnever shot anything but Muzzy's from now on.

I believe you have to pay the price for a good mech. I shoot Spitfires. They absolutely have done the job i have asked of them. Abuddy of mine took the cheap route and bought some piece of crap and paid for it. We found the deer with a hole about the size of a nickle. I too have thought about switching just for the comfort level, just not sure yet.

I have used both fixed and mechanicals and both have performed well. Every deer that I have hit with a mechanical head was a pass through and has dropped within 40 yards. As far as target practice, both Paul and Bees have good advice. I have looked at the Spifires after going through the target and they were closed. I figured out the braking force on the shaft was slamming the blades back into the closed position. I could see foam under the blade. The Scorpion XP's use an O-Ring so it is pretty evident that they opened. With any design you use, you must clean them after every shot or else the foam will build up and jam the blades. As was stated previously, always check your mechanicals to make sure that the blades move freely.

After saying all that, I started bowhunting with the Thunderheads, went to mechanicals and now I am using the Wasp Sharpshooters because I like the cut-on-contact blade design. I'm sure next season a new design will come out and I will try that. I just like to fiddle with new stuff.

Absolutely! But a long range shot for me is 40 yards , and it doesn't take much wind to throw my Thunderheads off.
Randy Ulmer did a pretty good article on that problem a couple years ago , wish I could find it.