Mechanical VS Fixed Blade
 

What do you think works best mechanical or fixed blade broadheads I've used both and I've heard the arguements from both sides I want to hear everyone elses opinion and experiences. I now prefer fixed because they seem to to more damage when inside a running deer.

i quit using mechanical bh's a few years ago, i only used fixed bh's now and havnt been disappointed once, they go through and through and always make a canoe outta its victims.

I have not shot either because I just purchased my bow. I will keep a close eye on this to see what everyone else has to say.

Hands down, fixed. Mechs have too many chances to fail.

fixed - cut on contact.

The fixed blades are good, and they work great. I used them this year. I plan on, however, using the spitfires next season, and I have seen the shot holes from them and well. . . .wow.
Can't wait to see how they work. . . . . .
in the end. . . Win: mechanical
BigBuck95:pcwhack:

B

hey bigbuck just FYI the spitfires are the reason I switch back to fixed blade. My uncle and I hunt together and he has lost two big bucks because of them. The first may be just bad luck. He had the deer right under his stand and burried the arrow upto the nock right between the shoulder blades and somehow missed the vitals. We believe that after the shot fixed blades do alot of damage when lodge inside the chest cavity and the chances would have been alot better having a fixed blade in the chest like that. The second buck was quartering towards him his shot was a little further back than he wanted but still could have hit the liver or other major organ. He watched his buck with blood just spraying everywhere start walking in circles like it was going to drop instead it actually reached Back and pulled the arrow out. That would never happen with a fixed blade he actually would most likely finIshed him self off. With a mechanical when the blades open they only cut one way and then close when pulled on. But if you can make a perfect shot everytime you've got nothing to worry about a double lung shot is the same no matter what you use.

With all due respect, poor shot selection in both cases in my honest opinion. It's a bit of a stretch to blame the broadhead in either case. I personally never count on my equipment to help compensate for poor shots/choices, but to each his own. I have used both mechanicals (spitfires) and fixed blade (thunderheads) with good success and have never lost a Deer with either that I would blame on the broadhead. I'm going to try the 2 blade Rage broadheads this year, so it's back to mechanical for me. IMHO most (but not all!) Deer are lost due to operator error, not equipment failure.

i have used both with no problems

I agree with you completly I even said he made poor shots but what iam saying is that I believe he would of had a better chance if the arrow stayed in and continued to do more damage as the deer was running or pulling on it. And like i also said if you make a good shot there's no difference in what you use. But in my opinion fixed blades are more forgiving when a bad hit is made.

I tried two different varieties of mechanical and was disappointed in both. There was a significant loss in penetration, especially on a shot I hit the shoulder blade.

I've gone back to 100gr Thunderheads and never been disappointed. Once I had one catch a twig with a blade and go off-target, but that's one of many shots.

I think mechanical broadheads put a bigger hole in one obviously, but I'm going to buy fixed blade because when you shoot something with it, it's not broke or bent. So if you are wanting to put a big hole in the animal, I'd go with mechanical but if you want to keep the broadheads and use them over and over, and kill the deer, turkey, etc. go with the fixed blade.

The age old question it seems like on this website..Here's my insight...I've used both fixed and mechanical...I made the switched this past hunting season for the reason that I couldn't get my Muzzy MX-3s to group out past 15 yards..So I did my research on the net, asking other people, on here and other forums as well..I came to the conclusion that I would buy Grim Reaper Razorcut broadheads..I shot 7 deer with them this year, and got 6 pass throughs, the other I spined her and it broke off..The farthest shot being a step under 50 yards..They fly true and they are nasty after impact..Of the 7, I watched 5 fall, and none of my kills this year went past 80 yards..With all that being said however, its your own choice, and if you find any broadhead you can put in the 12 ring consistently then you will be fine..They can't go far if you put it behind the shoulder..That is all

I use the (Blood Runner), Love it, however I have'nt hit shoulder with em' yet. They do make a big hole.

the spitfires were the last chance a mechanical broad head had to keep me in a mechanicle group..after a perfect shot on a hog, and the penetration was ridiculas at best and that sucker brought my arrow back and left it under my feeder the next day..i swore then that i would never use a mechanical bh again. as i hear people rage about rage products, i have never used them, but have seen sum pics where it looks like someone chopped at the deer with the infamous light saber from star wars.

I killed two deer with the same broadhead this season and could have killed a third with it. I use 100 gr. Spitfires. I just clean them up and sharpen the blades. Just about every deer I kill with them are complete pass throughs, making it easy to reuse them.

Obviously it wasn't a perfect shot. You hit a deer or hog with a Spitfire in the lung area, your going to get a pass through. I can only remember one shot for me that wasn't a pass through, and it was my fault. What grain were you using with the hog and what were you pulling? I would probably go with 125 gr. on a hog. I shoot nothing but 100 gr. at deer and have never had a problem with penetration. The Spitfire leaves a good entry hole and a huge exit hole. I switcehd from Muzzys to Spitfires and am glad I did.

Fixed for me,I like to be able to resharpen and use again.

Spitfire broadhead. If you hit-em in the right spot you can use a practise point.

Until Muzzy goes out of business, I'll keep shooting em.

I like rage broadheads because of the penetration and giant holes it leaves in deer.

It mainly depends on what broadhead you use, rocket broadheads (expandable), bend easily and you have to buy more, although they do leave a good size hole, but they bend easily.

I switched from Muzzy to Rage and it has been the best switch I have made in all of my years of bowhunting.The rages are more accurate and shoot alot better and have a bigger cutting diameter than those muzzys.

I can not really say, I've never shot an expandable.

[QUOTE][What do you think works best mechanical or fixed blade broadheads I've used both and I've heard the arguements from both sides I want to hear everyone elses opinion and experiences. I now prefer fixed because they seem to to more damage when inside a running deer./QUOTE] IF you're arrows with fixed blade broadheads are staying inside, NOT PASSING THROUGH, a deer sized critter, then you'd best stick with fixed/COC broadheads because apparently you're setup isn't producing much KE to start with, and going to any of the mechs. would only make penetration worse.
I prefer COC broadheads. I always get complete pass throughs, even on elk, and that's what I prefer. I prefer to be able to locate my arrow after a shot and have a chance to determine how good the shot was from the evidence left on the shaft. And IMO, two holes are better than one!

All it takes is 1 time for a mechanical to not open and you will kick yourself for not using fixed. If you can't get a fixed bh to group right then your bow is out of tune. I perfectly tuned bow will shoot a fixed bh exactly where the field point goes. I suggest a fixed. I wouldn't buy something that is not 100% opening everytime, especially when they make such good fixed. Just my opinions. Thunderhead or Muzzy.

[QUOTE=Howler;3563021]his setup was a Hoyt with a 70 pound draw weight 400 grain arrows with 125 grain broadheads and the shots were all under 25 yards. Tell me that's not a set up for pass throughs. With 125 grain thunderheads I've seen both shoulders broken with one arrow. Still with spitfires no pass through just can't handle the bone as well as the thunder heads do.

I shoot Rage 3-blade... They are the cats a**!! My personal opinion is to shoot what you feel comfortable, if you question mechanicals then go with fixed and vise versa... I shot fixed for all my year until about 2 years ago when the hype of the Rage came out (I was one of those that swore by fixed blades) and I tried them with great success... They are point blank accurate and leave one heck of a hole in an animal... I started shooting Thunderheads and didn't really care for them, then I went to Muzzy's and once again not a fan.. Then I started shooting the G5 montecs, these are by far my favorite fixed blade but didn't care for the bloodtrails.. So I switch to mechanicals and now shoot the Rage!! I have killed and seen plenty of deer killed with the rage broadhead to believe in them, they are the real deal and that is the truth...

[QUOTEI now prefer fixed because they seem to to more damage when inside a running deer.][/QUOTE] Which is it then Oldbucks, YOUR set up or your friends set-up? You've now changed your story!! You started off the thread saying that YOU NOW PREFER FIXED!! And then in your last post you say "his set-up"! So which is it, yours or his or........
Either way, if a fixed blade COC broadhead is staying in a deer, then either both shoulders were hit or you're having penetration issues from lack of tuning or something. I get pass throughs on elk with a 375 gr. arrow with 100 gr. Magnus snuffers, including a complete pass through on an elk at 51 yards last year. SO, you tell me how it is that you or your freind can't get an arrow through a whitetail at 25 yards. Don't make since now does it! Somethings amiss!!

This one time at band camp....!

Do your homework-know your bow-have confidence shooting it. Keep it close, keep it personal, keep it tight, hit em under the spine and through the ribs. Do this and any broadhead shot from a well tuned bow with sufficient KE will get the job done.

And for the record, my mechs suit me just fine. I could not have killed those animals taken with my bow any better!

"That's all I have to say about that"- Forrest Gump

Which is it then Oldbucks, YOUR set up or your friends set-up? You've now changed your story!! You started off the thread saying that YOU NOW PREFER FIXED!! And then in your last post you say "his set-up"! So which is it, yours or his or........
Either way, if a fixed blade COC broadhead is staying in a deer, then either both shoulders were hit or you're having penetration issues from lack of tuning or something. I get pass throughs on elk with a 375 gr. arrow with 100 gr. Magnus snuffers, including a complete pass through on an elk at 51 yards last year. SO, you tell me how it is that you or your freind can't get an arrow through a whitetail at 25 yards. Don't make since now does it! Somethings amiss!![/QUOTE]

Sorry for being a little confusing I've used both types with success but the reason why I switched is because of my hunting buddy. I explained in another reply what had happened to him with mechanicals and then explained his setup in another reply. If you read all of the post it's tough to follow but it's all there. Based off what I have seen tracking and from what he has told me I decided to stick with a fixed it just made more sense to me.

that's what i've been using for 3yrs. now. the only time they haven't woked for me was when the deer was at an extreme angle( to which now i know i shouldn't have taken the shot) but it did kill the deer because i found it 3 days later about 1 mile away. other then that i have never had a problem.....and for the hole they leave, you got it right.....wow!

I use Rage2 and I have shot aout 25 deer with them with no problems. They are well-suited to my hunting which is mostly suburban. Because of the suburban geography contraints, I want the shortest possible blood trails. For the same reason, I also don't take long or iffy shots.

sorry i forgot to add that i was talking about the spitfires. plus i have been able to re-use them without replacing any of the blades so far. they work for me and do a great job so i have no reason to try something else!

I shot Mechanical's for years, still keep one in my quiver from time to time, but I've been shooting ST's the last few, and been very happy with them.

I've shot deer w/ Wasp Jak-Hammers, Spitfires, NAP Shockwave, and even Eastman/Carbon Express Wal-Mart Expandables. All did the job appropriately, and render animals dead w/ good shot placement, once I was saved by the LARGE cutting diameter as my shot was off mark d/t a deer jumping big time.

I've killed deer w/ Muzzy, TH'd, ST's (both std. and Magnums), and again, the Walmart Special Eastman Fixed BH. Each of them likewise did it's job when it was time to do it's job.

Of all the BH's I've shot, only ONE is extremely durable, and completely reusable after EVERY kill.....that BH is a Slick Trick. For that reason, they are the BH that is in my quiver. They fly great, are tough as hell, and do the work they were made to do.

No BH I've ever shot FAILED, only the ARCHER failed by not putting the BH where it was supposed to be!!!! :confused0024:

I just shot my first deer this october and I used the rage now I will say they are a bit frustrating at times because of the O-ring system that holds the blades in but there is no denying that when I shot high and back on my deer that it was the broadhead that killed him the hole was tremendous and he made it maybe seventy yards. On a bad shot I think that is good thing. Also I have run into minor variations in accuracy when shooting fixed blades. But i will tell you one thing i would go to the store look at the broadheads pick out the one that you feel gives you the most confidence because if you are not confident with your equiptment you wont be comfortable with your shot and that is when mistakes happen.

I like fixed blade. My reason is I beleive in keeping it simple in all aspects of the hunt. Just like anything else, the more moving parts the more that can go wrong.

alls i got to say is ive killed more deer with my mechanical head than fixed blade heads. my vortex heads have never failed me with many years of use.they are my number 1 choice.

I had an older bow that I hunted with for 23 years and used aluminum arrows and 3 blade wasp fixed broadheads. They hit where I aimed and I never had any problems and lost count of the deer I killed with them. I had it set at 50 lbs draw weight and it only 40 or 50% let off and most shots were pass throughs. I can only remember 2 or 3 that dropped within 40 or 50 yards with one going only 15 yards. 5 years ago I switched to a newer, faster bow, turned the weight up to 65lbs and started using carbon arrows and mechanical broadheads. Out of the 14 deer I've killed with it, I've literally watched 10 or 11 of them drop within 40 yards and only had a couple to go more than 100 yards. All were pass throughs and left very easy to follow bloodtrails. It would be hard for me to switch back to fixed broadheads at this point. I would never even consider using a mechanical out of the old bow because I just don't think it would have enough energy to give me a pass through. Who knows, as I get older and have to lower my poundage on the newer bow, I may go back to fixed blades.

Quite the topic. Rages have worked fine for me as do Slick Tricks. There are so many great heads today.