RE: PaDavy - Failed Mechanical head maybe PIC
 

Guys, I'm just the messenger here !!

The story seems to be that the deer was shot quartering to a bit, and the shot was good palcement right behind the shoulder. The entry hole wasn't a big ole three blade slash like it should have been, and when the head was inspected (carefully it seems) it appears only one blade opened up.

Now, this guy is shooting a 65# bow and carbon arrows - he should have gotten more than 8" penetration I would think. The little O-ring can either break off completely or slide down the shaft. Also, forgetting that ring would probabaly result in the head opening during flight, and if I remember about the shockwave, the blades easily open.

Could possibly this head hit shoulder bone, and bend the ferrule in such a way as to bind those two blade up so they wouldn't slide back ? I had some Vortex once and if you torqued the blades just a bit, they would hold a lot better inside the ferrule during flight - almost to the point of not even requiring a rubber band to hold them in place. I am not doubting this head failed, I don't think that PaDavy would lie about that.


Stealthycat's Photo's

RE: PaDavy - Failed Mechanical head maybe PIC
 

Oh and one other thing. I never claimed it "failed". I was only looking for input on what I found. I have no prior experience with mechanicals and was looking for constructive comments. If in fact the blades often go back in, now I know. Remember the deer was retrieved. I felt it went farther then it should, but then again all my previous kills have been with a gun, this is my first bow kill.

Edited by - padavy on 10/07/2002 09:25:49

RE: PaDavy - Failed Mechanical head maybe PIC
 

PaDavy - Maybe my bad then, I thought you were saying that only one blade had opened ??
Stealthycat's Photo's

RE: PaDavy - Failed Mechanical head maybe PIC
 

Stealthy,

I was really asking more then saying (failure that is), but no problem. At least you asked for clarification (unlike others, nudge nudge <img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle>). I sent the pic to NAP along with a note asking their input as well (as to whether it was likely that the blades had opened and closed again based on the hit). Again, my interest is constructive input. I'd be more then happy to supply any other info.

Thanks for posting the pic.......and sorry you had to defend yourself to the in-house &quot;experts&quot; <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

RE: PaDavy - Failed Mechanical head maybe PIC
 

PaDavy I edited the topic and added &quot;maybe&quot; too.

Mechanicals CAN fail, I have confidence in that. How they can is another story but too many people have said the same.

I am a nut when it comes to broadhead performance, penetration etc etc. I like to hear what everybody experiences. I used a Shockwave last year, compound, and the entry hole was huge, big slices and lots of blood.
Stealthycat's Photo's

RE: PaDavy - Failed Mechanical head maybe PIC
 

I didn't mean to be harsh and point fingers at anyone, I just don't see the failure here. The blades being closed are no indication either way if they opened, I've recovered heads from inside deer, and they're usually closed when I get to them. Hitting a shoulder blade will definitely hinder penetration, and I think stealthycat's guess as to the ferrul being bent is a good possibility, but that can be said for ferrul damage on bone with a lot of heads. Blades fall out with fixed blade heads. If the blades fall back easily now, I'd think it was undamaged. Seems here everything worked well, although penetration was an issue, but without shooting the same deer at the exact same spot with a fixed blade head, it's hard to draw conclusions. Bones stop, deflect, or slow broadheads shot out of a 65lb bow with carbon arrows all the time, so don't blame it on this head. I know, that's what I shoot.
Not sure how far you expected the deer to go, but some fall after 20yds with a lung shot, some go up to 150yds, in my opinion. If someone knows why, I'd sure like to know. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
Most importantly, congratulations on your first bow kill, are you hooked or what? If you still have concerns, try a Muzzy like the man said, I use the Shockwaves and Muzzy interchangeably, they are the two best heads for me.


&quot;In heaven, even the fish have antlers&quot;

RE: PaDavy - Failed Mechanical head maybe PIC
 

PA Davy, there was a thread on this forum a little while ago in which someone had emailed NAP about their mechanical heads and received a response. I tried to find it to post the link but couldn't. Anyway, in the response from NAP their rep said that if the arrow comes to a sudden stop whether in going through a broadhead target or in an animal the blades can sling forward back into a closed position. This may be them covering their behinds, but that was their response. One way to check to see if the blades did in fact open would be to check in the slots where the blades rest in the closed position. If they opened there would be hair, blood, and tissue in those slots. This had been the case of every mechanical I have used on a deer. If there is no tissue then that is a pretty good indicator that they didn't open. Check it out and let us know what you find.

RE: PaDavy - Failed Mechanical head maybe PIC
 

PaDavy,

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>The blades to me see to have the same tension as a new head that has had the O-ring removed. <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

When I don't have the black rubber ring to hold the blads down they open freely. I mean no pressure needed to be applied to open them. If you have had resistance with the blads without the rubber ring then that could or should of been a reason to not use that one head. Mine (shockwaves) open and close freely by just tipping upside down. You just might of had some malfunction after shooting them before hunting with them. Just a thought.

Brian

RE: PaDavy - Failed Mechanical head maybe PIC
 

Can you give us a rough estimation of how far the deer went? A long way doesn't really say much. I'm still sticking with 6pts first post...anytime I've fired a mech though a BH target the blades are closed sticking throught the other side. It's easy to identify that they opened because of the slices from the blades. Did you look to see if there were slices inthe lung tissue.

A few more ????S

Did the deer snap the arrow of while running or did it stop and pull/snap it off with it's mouth?

Did you find the flecthing end of the arrow and was there teeth marks?

Either way, you recovered the deer....Congrats! I hope she's some tasty eating.

RE: PaDavy - Failed Mechanical head maybe PIC
 

I have never had any experience with the nap....but both my rocket sidewinders and jak-hammer wasp opened on contact and did the job....when i recovered my buck, it had a perfect broadhead cut....maybe its time to experience a new broadhead