I shoot Tunderhead 100 gr. and have not had any problems. My buddy got me into archery and I just followed suit, as he uses Thunderhead 125 gr.
I did have a convesation with a very successful hunting buddy about broad heads. He said at one of the archery seminars, they showed three things that stuck in my mind...
#1) As everyone knows, accuracy and placement is key, which is only had by practice!
#2) The importance of the actual cutting edge (blade) being razor sharp!
A demonstration showed two different - 4" balls of rubber bands and them shooting each rubber band ball with a dull razor broad head and the other with a sharp razor broadhead. He said it was amazing when they unwound the rubber band balls and how the dull razor test proved to have 30% less cut rubber bands (they counted).
#3) Larger diameter mechanicals give you square inches of cutting power! So If my 1 1/4" cut dia. Thunderhead (example) is 1/16" away from a major artery, that could kill the deer within 50 yards, wouldn't you want to have the advantage of the larger diameter to take him quickly?

I've been thinking about switching to the largest diamter mechanicals I could find for the past handful of years, but everytime I look into my bow case and see brand new broad heads shinning at me, I get too cheap to take the plunge.

I hear ya loud and clear, but I just hate to see anyone have false hope that a wider cutting dia. can allow them to take or make shots that are not up to par so to speak.

Agreed and this has been stated in countless threads by Rob, MeanV, Gmmat, Mobow, myslef and many others.


If you see that much agreement on a subject ya better grasp it as the truth.

We all may shoot different heads for different reasons. But we agree that nearly all the quality made fixed blades will fly just as good from a tuned bow as a quality expandable will!

Yes they should be used as a crutch for marginal shots.........you guys are missing the point and it doesn't mean that anyone is AIMING for a less than desirable shot, it means that THEY HAPPEN.
They happen to EVERYBODY. A little too far back, a little too high, but for the most part if you hit marginally it will be back........deer move FORWARD or down 99% of the time when shooting at them. They take an extra step just as you release: ARROW GOES BACK.

So I ask everyone who is downing these big cutting diameters, why wouldn't you want to give yourself an extra margin for error if things don't go perfectly?

These aren't a green light to shoot a deer anywhere, who on earth is saying that?
THEY ARE A CRUTCH IF YOU HIT MARGINALLY. That's a fact and the reason I want a huge cutting diameter.

I couldn't give a flyin crap about the shoulder blade, not one........I want the head that will hammer a deer out in record time if I do my part and put it where it belongs, but I also want every last bit of cutting diameter my bow will shove through a deer when that extra step occurs and the placement has you worried. I want that lateral reaching cutting diameter if he ducks a bit on the shot and the hit is high in the chest.

This "I don't want to use them as a band aid" mentality is all wrong. OF COURSE YOU WANT TO USE THEM AS A BAND AID.
Not for being lazy and not tuning your bow properly, not for wanting to intentionally get away with poor shot selection, but to maybe throw a band aid on a slight screw up that could mean the difference between a found animal and one that will haunt you for the rest of your life.

Shoot your 2 or3 or 4 blade fixed heads, that's great if they compliment your set up. Remember too not everyone SHOULD be shooting these things,and different heads compliment different set upsbut I say it everytime, every year........if you aren't shooting the largest cutting diameter head that your bow will consistently put through a deer you are wasting energy and an obvious advantage that is sitting right in front of your nose.

And people will bite that nose off to spite their face. [&o]

Ok, Matt I hear ya. In other words don't use them as a crutch or band aid for things such as un-tuned bow or poor flight of the arrow. I understand that the larger cutting dia. is a plus, it does give you the advantage of hitting more arteries. However, it does for SOME, especially guys that are new to bowhunting, give themthe mentality that it is not as important to be as accurate as possible b/c of the larger cut. I know this to be fact with 3 people at the shop that I go to. New guys and they have been swept away the huge holes that these heads leave. Im not downing them, they are devastating, no argument there, you are experienced you can't shoot well, as well as many otherson here, i just don't thinksome the new guys understand that the larger cut is not an excuse to to rush a shot or be less careful about placement. Matt, I know you are smart enough to know that a well placed Muzzy will kill a deer just as fast as a Rage, it just may not look as devastating.

Vabowmen,
When I first started in 96', I wasjust getting started had to turn to my buddies at the archery club as to what was the head to use. With them all using a Vortex, I too bought Vortex and have killed more animals with these than I can count, without failure. So, today I still shoot them and until they fail me I will not be looking for a different bh. I don't shoot them b/c they correct any shooting error, cut a bigger hole. I shoot them b/c they have always been dependable and I am the kind of guy that don't change just to change, there has to be a reason. Another thing, you won't see me arguing that mechanicals are the only way to go. I believe, that as a hunter in the field you have got to have confidence in your equipment, I have it in mine. I also shoot a longbow some and have hunted and taken animals with it, using a fb magnus. They will both kill animals, in my experiences the vortex's do a lot more damage. I also know some guys that use mechanicals that have had lots of problems, all mechanicals are not created equal, just as all fixed blades are not created equal.

In my above post I mention being off by 1/16" from a major artery that could lead to a quicker kill or better yet, finding the kill at all...
Ponder this...
No one can be perfectly sure that their arrow will fly through the air without factors like friction, wind, humidity, temperture changes (all small, but contributing factors) or....
The tragectory of your arrow and picking the wrong spot, animal stance and a miniscule deflection by hitting a rib (example).
More... Not practicing enough from your tree stand (flat targets are way easier - yes!), the heart pounding experience when that animal is ACTUALLY in front of you!
This lends to probably the most important, which is our breathing and of course we can't control that, otherwise we would be dead - right? ha-ha!
This is soley a question of asking yourself, IF, something can contribute to being off your target by a 3/8" would a larger diameter arrow help!!! (1 1/4 vs. 2")
~ When you cut yourself do you bleed more from a smaller cut of the same depth or a longer cut?
* When you have cut yourself, have you ever said "wow - that was close to an artery"?
>How many emergency room horrors have you seen that the person survived a close call, the little girl who feel while running with a screw driver. The screw driver was buried just above her eye and 3 plus inch deep into her brain with no long term effects, that's amazing how a fraction of an inch and either she would be blind or dead or have brain damage? Kind - of - close, hah?

oil patch, I believe you are right. I have killed lots of deer over a 17 yr period with Muzzy heads and Im trying to find out about Rage, Montec, and Slick Trick heads. Im kind of old school so I don't know much about these new heads. Muzzy have not failed me, I have failed them before with poor shot placement. My friend shot a deer back in 95 with a Punch Cutter head and we never found her, the blades did not open. That cured me of Mech heads. I may change from Muzzy heads to a fixed head that flies more accuratley.