I have shot 3 does with the 2 blade Rage this year, all were complete pass-thrus, and they made it a total 30 yard between them, with 1 dropping 10' from where I shot her.

Last year I used MX3's, and had 1 pass-thru, and 2 partials, and they were not marginal hits.

I can almost 99% sure guarantee a slightly heavier arrow will give you better KE and Momentum...but the difference wont be a deal breaker though...we are talking <5 ft/lbs KE.....Im willing to bet in real world terms, it wont accomplish what you are wanting out of rage heads...but it will give you better numbers regardless if you get complete pass thrus from rage.

The only way to know for sure, is to shoot your arrow, and one in the high 400 range through a chrono back to back from your bow....then use the speeds in a KE formula to see the difference....programs like OT2 and AA can help guestimate the difference without real world chrono speeds, but they arent always the most accurate. It will likely only gain you 2-3 ft/lbs of KE....but the number will go up from a 360 to say 480 arrow from your bow, Id put money on it.

Neglible difference, I admit, but then again any difference when we have 70+ ft/lbs KE to begin with is neglible.

Less mass (broadhead/arrow size) and more weight penetrates better. Think of it this way. If you have a 100 lb stick pin with a razor sharp tip on it, and someone lowers this slowly onto your body, do you think it will get a complete pass thru? Now take a 100 lb wooden stake with arazor sharp tip, but bigger in circumference, and do the same experiment. The stake will likely not get a pass thru due to the mass of it, even though the weight is the same. This is exactly why I prefer a 100gr Mag Slick Trick on the end of a AXIS ST 500. (Less mass in broadhead and arrow, but same weight when combined.) This, plus KE, = Pass Thru. How fast the arrow gets there does not determine how hard it hits (or what it hits). jmho

LT

You make a good point on arrow diameter, but this has NOTHING whatsoever to do with mass. 500 grains is 500 grains, whether it is 1 mm wide arrow or 2" wide arrow.

You are kiddin' right? If an one arrow is wider than another, there is more surface mass (Not weight mass). If the same "weight" arrow has more "surface" mass it will take more KE for a pass thru.A smaller "surface" mass arrow, will out penetrate a larger "surface" mass arrow of the same weight every time. This, considering you do not have a 2" cutting surface trying to plow all the way thru a deer's body. I am speaking of using Fixed heads.

Sorta like trying to shove a greasy BB up a Bull's ass compared to shoving a bowling ball up same said Bull's ass. It will slide in a lot easier if it is smaller.

LT

KE is easily calculable. Add 120gr to my current arrow.....chrono it....and there ya go.

Now explain the difference in "momentum" and how that becomes more "optimal" when the KE goes DOWN (which you must know it WILL DO when you add 120 gr of arrow weight). This says nothing to spine issues, either. You're either going to have to add it at the head (FOC AND spine issues?) or in the shaft/fletching area (FOC AND spine issues?).

by surface mass, i think you mean surface area. weight and mass are basically the same thing.

I still think the penetration problem would be solved by smaller cutting diameter and a sharper blade angle, not necessarily a heavier arrow.

Whengivingthe "diminishing return" argument on momentum, are you saying that there is a point when momentum will actually decrease whenincreasing weight (assuming the arrow is still coming off the bow )?

FWIW, I do believe there is a threshold of mininum arrow speed that should be used for hunting.

No. But use some common sense.

I am.