Rage Never Opened UP!!
 

On two separate occasions this last week I had personal experience of the rage 3blade and 2blade not opening up at all on animals. It seriously looked like the deer was shot with a field point. Absolutely no cut marks from blades. This happened to my friends buck that I filmed for him and my fathers buck that he shot the day after. Both had the same effects… very very little blood, no cut marks and both passed through! We had to track both bucks over a quarter mile and when we finally caught up to them they were still alive (not good). Good thing we were able to find them both but if it weren’t for almost perfect shots by both I know we wouldn’t have found these deer.

Don't even know why I started this thread because all you will hear is FIXED BLADES ARE THE BEST and thats why you dont shoot mechanicals. Just letting you know haha keep on pushing!!!!!

i know if you read the reviews on cabelas, alot of people have the same problem.

I use a fixed blade Cabela's brand broadhead.

I was debating on switching to rage for next season. After your account, I think I'll stick with fixed blade, although I may switch to another brand.

my hunting group had nothing but problems with them. i switched to ap spitfires and have had good luck with them.

I have been shooting the rages since they hit the market and have been harvesting numerous deer every year and never had that problem. I swear by them...were they old or new? Thats nutz and cant blame u for wanting to change.

I believe you
 

I know, because it's mechanical. And mechanicals may not always work. And many of us may not check out each broadhead arrow that is put in the quiver. Some of us may just assume the mechanical is going to open every time.

Good reminder to me to keep checking each mechanical I put on the arrow and put in the quiver. Plus I really enjoy saving money. I've been using the same mechanical brand for over fifteen years. And I had a problem a couple of times, beforehand, if I didn't check before using.

Thanks for reminding me so strongly. Even I need the reminders.

My dog and I track wounded deer and I have been developing doubts about the overall efficacy of Rage broadheads (and similar mechanicals). I think that the benefits of short tracking jobs with a good hit are outweighed by the risk of loss with a poor hit/poor penetration or(?) malfunction.

I had considered giving them a try, but for now I will stick with my ST's.

-fsh

Doesn't everyone ever remember what they teach ya in hunters safety? A safety is a mechanical device and may fail so keep your muzzel pointed in a safe direction all the time. Well mech bh is a mechanical device that may fail at any time so please leave them at home or don't buy then and get yourself a good fb bh. ;)

Everyone learns. Ive heard so many people over the years who use to shoot mech and say never again after something fails. I've almost never heard anyone say that about a fixed blade and if they do its a cheap walmart one and the blades fell off cuz it was made like junk.

You didn't happen to take pictures of the entrance and exit wounds, did you?

Even if they didn't open up (not sure how they couldn't) they still cut at least a 3/4" which is only a 1/4" smaller than some fixed. The reason I say this is fixed guys will say if you hit them right with their 1" fixed a deer will go down quick but on your 2 occasions, 3/4" on almost perfect hits with complete passthroughs, the deer went over 1/4 mile and were still alive when you find them? Seems a little strange, don't you think?

How does a 1" diameter head put them down quick and dead and a non opening Rage that still cuts 3/4" not kill them?

Not trying to start an argument just trying to understand.

What is so strange is how guys like you care so much about proving or disproving a guys experience. Now that's one a person has to be suspect of.

I have been a 2 blade rage user since it came out. Works on every deer i harvested. never dissapointed me. gave great blood trial. a few pass through as well. no deer went pass 50 yards i can say that. but yeah, if it ain't working out, a change is always good. good luck.

Thats because you're using the blue practice head:happy0157:Just Kidding

Not disproving but trying to understand how a 1" fixed can put a deer down dead extremly quick on a good shot but a 3/4" Rage that didn't open on a "almost perfect shot" can't put a deer down quick, the deer went over a quarter mile, let alone even kill the deer. The deer was still alive when they found the deer.

It's 1/4" difference in diameter and according to all the fixed guys when you compare your 1-1 1/4" diameter fixed to a 2" diameter head (a 3/4-1" difference) you all say "that little bit doesn't matter" and/or "well if you hit them where you're suppose to it doesn't matter".


Again, I'm not trying to disprove it happened I'm trying understand:

Why a small fixed head (1" diameter) can kill a deer quick but a 3/4" diameter can't? when the deer is hit almost perfect and you get a passthrough.

If it didn't open up, wouldn't the front of the blades that are supposed to catch and push back (the unsharpened parts) the blades create a "pathway" for the back of the sharpened blades to flow through the tissue, bone, vitals? It might be just my way of thinking but i think anything that the back unopened blades would potentially cut would be pushed out of the way by the front dull parts, and not allow good clean cuts to cause hemmorage.

My cousin shot one last weekend that didn't open either. He tracked the doe over 300 yards on a double lung shot and when he got there she was still alive. It happens and that is why I have never shot a mechanical and never will. I don't see any reason at all to shoot a mechanical head. None whatsoever.

Meat seekers!!!!!!!!!!

Man some of you guys are seriously miracle workers! I will be truly excited when I find an animal that a rage didn't open on...

Sorry for your experience. Fortunately u found the critters! Good thing u found them and know that they didn't open too so u know it wasn't just a bad shot etc.

Because that small diameter fixed blade is razor sharp and is cutting going in, going through, and exiting. Razor sharp blades cut cleanly and cause massive hemorrhaging while a mechanical that didn't open up would act much like a field tip. It would do very little damage and the damage that it did do would be rips and tears instead of clean cuts and would allow the wounds to clot very very quickly thus allowing the animal to travel long distances before eventually succumbing to his wounds, possibly days or weeks later.

So is the compound bow, releases, and fall away rests. I guess we shouldnt hunt with those either?

love to see the film or pictures,in all my years of using mechanicals not one failure or lack of penatration.

even with my 2 inch cut vortexs the swing type heads or cheap allen heads not one failure thats shooting about 4-6 deer a year..

only problems i had with rages were the blades always would open with the slightest bump cant see them not opening,the 3 blades and the cost..used them once and they worked good for me..

I can see it happening. Before I spent the money on spitfires I thought I could get away with a cheaper brand. Well the 5 pt I shot I had a clean pass through, it was a 3 blade. 1 blade opened up full, 1 only half way and 1 not at all. I found him mabey 60 yards away dead but after looking at the whole I knew it was time to spend the money. But now I even have to 2nd guess the spitfires although I have never had a problem with them. Mechanical is mechanicle and failures I guess will happen.

On mine though, I spray a lubericant on it and work it it in.

Switched from montecs to Rage a few years ago. Shot a lot of deer with them with no problems at all. I often wonder if people dont check them taking them in and out of the quiver to make sure they are set.

Wow.....why would anyone even want to chance shooting something that might not open up. Personally I don't know how the blades wouldn't open up an the rage, are you using steel o-ring's. But either way I hate those heads. They are a one shot broadhead, they open up in the quiver if you bump them and personally they don't leave great blood trails

Lets not make this into a rage bashing please!!!! I just wanted to share with you guys/girls two honest accounts on the rage broadheads. Remember I have had great success with the rage but for the first time I have seen problems. Just wanted to inform you and Im going to take pictures when I can get over to my dads house!


This had nothing to do with not checking blades or anything with improper set up (trust me)!! Also ill stick up for the people who like mechanicals by saying this…. ISN’T YOUR WHOLE BOW A MECHANICAL DEVICE? Or you guys must shoot recurves, my bad. Personal preference to shoot whatever you want…. Again this is my experience and I just wanted to share, NOT bash!!! Ill have hopefully sometime soon.

Yeah, and those people who drive trucks to get to the woods. Trucks Man!!!! Trucks have hundreds of moving parts!!!!!! Any one could fail and put you down beside the highway or cause your death!!!!! Wake up people!!!!

Climbing stands????? Are you serious??? It's a mechanical device!!!! Why would anyone use one???? Wake up people!!!!

Compound bows???? Oh my God don't even get me started!!! It has moving parts man! MOVING PARTS!!!!! How clear does it have to be for ya man?????!!!!

Don't even get me started on guns. They couldn't possibly work more than what 25% of the time. I mean they're a mechanical device. Right?

There is only one sure fire no fail way to hunt, buck naked with a sharpened stick. Why take a chance man. If you aren't hunting buck naked with just a sharpened stick then you are headed for heart break man.

LOL! you guys are a riot.

I'll just say this. I have personally killed deer with 3 different mech heads. (Lot of different fixed heads too) I personally know at least 12 other bow hunters that have used 4 or 5 different mech heads as well. We have had some likes and dislikes with some. BUT, not a single one of us have ever had one of any kind fail to open. The "ONLY" place I ever encounter these claims is on the internet. And quite frankly I'm highly suspicious of most of these claims. The first suspicious thing is that in virtually every one of these "it didn't open" stories it was a "perfect shot". LOL! Never hear anyone say, " I shot him dead in the @$$ and I think the head didn't open". LOL! No it's always a perfect hit and the deer either got away or had to be tracked to Antarctica (despite being double lunged). Never mind that if you put a field tip through both lungs the deer would be dead pretty quickly. You might not have a good blood trail, but a collapsed lung is just as nonfunctional regardless of the type hole you put in it.

Amazing to me that 13 or so bow hunters could kill dozens of deer with mech heads with not a single problem and yet some on the internet claim failure rates of 30, 50, sweet hallelujah even 100 percent. LOL! It defies logic.

Never had a problem with mine, work great.

that kinda sucks... at least you found them!!!!

show us some pictures if possible!

That's really weird. I used Rages for one year and had the exact opposite problem-- they opened up in my quiver walking to my stand, which made me nervous that they would open up from the vibration of the string on a shot. I couldn't deal with it, been shooting G5 strikers ever since.

You said in the first post you video taped it...

It seems like people either think Rages are the Bees Knees or they are the worst thing on the planet. Those who think they are the Bees Knees can't figure out why others don't like them.

Personally, I am sticking with fixed blades. Fairly hard for a fixed blade to not open up.

Now that your going to change...what FB's u looking at??? Curious...i'm facinated and kind of addicted to the "new broadhead" craze....i'm always looking at the new heads and wondering...haha. I've heard alot of good things about the G5's FB. good luck

are you using the kind the slip slightly under the rubber band? the 2 blades, they cant fall!!!! they are so sensitive when i put them in my quiver they open!!!!!! i just got a nine point with my rage today

Well I can tell you that it is not impossible for the blades not to open, but it is a once and a million shot. I placed a shot on a spring gobbler and it was a bad one. It went through both eyes. Dropped it where is stood but the blades did not open. Now that is a rare case and I have pics of it. Do I believe that you can hit a deer in the vitals and it did not open, well lets just say that I would have to see the pics. I think that we can agree on 1 thing, there are a ton of blades out there for all of us to give a try and find the ones that we like. I'll stick with the rage until I am disappointed. 3 years and going. I just wish that I came out with this design because I'd be havin a whole lot of fun...

I shoot two blades and to me it seems impossible (the way they are designed) to not open up on impact.

I only have one thing to say, GRIMREAPERS!!!! I have taken over 43 animals, deer, bear, hogs and a Gold Series Catalina Ram and have NEVER lost one!!! They perform as they advertise, watch them drop!!!
I have had less than 5 animals travel over 75yds and never over 125 yds, less than ideal hits. They don't use rubberbands to hold them closed. They have a trocar tip that smashes bone like an ax.
They make a video that shows them using several brands of fixed and expandable heads shooting into plywood, steel drums, angle shots, etc... They all failed compared to the GR's. You won't go wrong.

Enough Said!!!!! Looks just like the buck that was also shot with the 2 blade. Sorry to burst your rage loving bubbles because it broke mine, but it does happen guys. This is an exit hole of a 3 BLADE. One blade was bent over extremely bad. No way you can tell me that opened. Only 3/4 exit. Again not trying to start a debate. I am strictly telling the true... No reason for me to lie to people I don't even know!

I will get those pictures as soon as I can!!!

Like I said in my earlier post, GrimReapers. I just took my 5th deer this year this morning, a 2 year old doe, with the same GR broadhead. Went only 50 yds and the only thing I have done is take it apart, clean it, put back together and re-sharpen. Killing again!!!!! Nuf said!!!!

I've found that my rage is good for one shot then needs to be cleaned to make sure the blades will swing freely. Once taken apart, cleaned and put back together they work fine.

It's simple to test. Move the blades out from under the o-ring, they should simply fall into place. If they don't somehting is preventing it, take apart, clean, replace and they work again.

You really need to do this to re-sharpen/replace the blades after a shot anyway.

Someday someone must explain to me the physics of how a rage broadhead won't open. I just don't see how it can't. You can barely touch a blade and it's opening! How in the world is it not going to open at a deer going 300fps?

Sucks to have a bad experience with a broadhead. I have been shooting the rage 2 blades for 2 years now. Harvested 4 deer none ran over 40 yards. All pass throughs except the 6 pt I spined. Shot distances were from 15 yards to 32 yards. The 6 pt I shot in the spine the rage went through the thickest part of the spine and I was able to pull it out the other side with just my hands. My experience has been nothing but outstanding with them. Better blood trails then any of the fixed blade heads I have used.