Rocket Ultimate steel test result update.
07-20-2003, 06:03 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Vinton VA
Posts: 2,978
Rocket Ultimate steel test result update.
Rocket ultimate steel 100 grain/ Black ferule
Accuracy: 5points
Cutting diameter: 1point
Blades: 3 points
Plywood: 5 points
Tire: 3 points
Steel drum: 5 points
Non-mechanical head 2 points
Total Score 24 with a blade sharpness rating of A
This is my third attempt at the 100grain Rocket Ultimate steel. The first to times I found blade loss to be a major problem. These heads had the silver colored ferules. The Improved heads now have the black colored ferules. It would appear rocket has addressed the problem with blade loss to some degree anyway. I found accuracy to be excellent. The one thing these little heads will do is shoot. Blade sharpness is outstanding as well. In the first set of heads I found the blades fit loosely in the ferule and even had one come out in a soft foam target. The new heads have a much tighter fit, so much so that you may have a little trouble fitting them together. This I think is a small price to pay for better blade retention. The first thing I did was shoot into the tire. I lost one blade of the three. This is a big improvement over the first heads I tested, which lost all three blades. In the plywood the head held onto the blades just fine, and completely penetrated the board. The steel drum still proved too much though. The head fully penetrated both sides but lost all three blades in the process. The blades made it through the front side, but were ripped out when they hit the back wall. This is somewhat different than the first set of tests where the blades were broken off before the head made it through the first side.
It seems that Rocket did take notice of the problems with the first run of 100grain heads and took some corrective measures. I am glad to see this happen. While the head is not perfect, and it could be improved even more my strengthening the tabs at the back of the blades, I feel confident that it would hold together on most game. The steel drum is an extreme tests, and one that many heads do very well on, but it is probably the least relevant to “real world hunting conditions”.
As a side not if you look at the steel drum score and compare it with my rating system you will see I gave the head a five. In the first run of tests I couldn’t in good conscious, give it a 5 when the head not only lost blades in the drum, but everything else it was shot into. This time around that is what the rating system calls for and since the head did better overall I felt better about giving it the 5, especially since this time it at least made it through the first side with the blades intact.
Bottom line, while there is still, room for improvement, the black ferule heads are a much better product and one I feel confident would perform under most conditions.
This test was for the 100 grn black ferule head only. I recently tested the 75 grn version and found it had the same problems as the first run of silver colored heads. I believe the problem is the severe angle of the blades as well as the blade " tab" s breaking off. I thouhgt I should include this for those considering the 75 grn head.
Accuracy: 5points
Cutting diameter: 1point
Blades: 3 points
Plywood: 5 points
Tire: 3 points
Steel drum: 5 points
Non-mechanical head 2 points
Total Score 24 with a blade sharpness rating of A
This is my third attempt at the 100grain Rocket Ultimate steel. The first to times I found blade loss to be a major problem. These heads had the silver colored ferules. The Improved heads now have the black colored ferules. It would appear rocket has addressed the problem with blade loss to some degree anyway. I found accuracy to be excellent. The one thing these little heads will do is shoot. Blade sharpness is outstanding as well. In the first set of heads I found the blades fit loosely in the ferule and even had one come out in a soft foam target. The new heads have a much tighter fit, so much so that you may have a little trouble fitting them together. This I think is a small price to pay for better blade retention. The first thing I did was shoot into the tire. I lost one blade of the three. This is a big improvement over the first heads I tested, which lost all three blades. In the plywood the head held onto the blades just fine, and completely penetrated the board. The steel drum still proved too much though. The head fully penetrated both sides but lost all three blades in the process. The blades made it through the front side, but were ripped out when they hit the back wall. This is somewhat different than the first set of tests where the blades were broken off before the head made it through the first side.
It seems that Rocket did take notice of the problems with the first run of 100grain heads and took some corrective measures. I am glad to see this happen. While the head is not perfect, and it could be improved even more my strengthening the tabs at the back of the blades, I feel confident that it would hold together on most game. The steel drum is an extreme tests, and one that many heads do very well on, but it is probably the least relevant to “real world hunting conditions”.
As a side not if you look at the steel drum score and compare it with my rating system you will see I gave the head a five. In the first run of tests I couldn’t in good conscious, give it a 5 when the head not only lost blades in the drum, but everything else it was shot into. This time around that is what the rating system calls for and since the head did better overall I felt better about giving it the 5, especially since this time it at least made it through the first side with the blades intact.
Bottom line, while there is still, room for improvement, the black ferule heads are a much better product and one I feel confident would perform under most conditions.
This test was for the 100 grn black ferule head only. I recently tested the 75 grn version and found it had the same problems as the first run of silver colored heads. I believe the problem is the severe angle of the blades as well as the blade " tab" s breaking off. I thouhgt I should include this for those considering the 75 grn head.
07-20-2003, 09:34 PM
#3
Join Date: May 2003
Location:
Posts: 131
RE: Rocket Ultimate steel test result update.
What is your Scoring system 5 being the highest? Also have you tested rocket slammer heads 90gr?And if yes were can I see the report? I know that I and other hunters really appreciate the hardwork,money and time you have spent to produce these reports. With them I can compare and see which broadhead is the best for my setup and our likeing. I do not have the time or money To even try something like this and wanted to thank for you broadhead testing it has help me become a better hunter.
07-21-2003, 04:00 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Vinton VA
Posts: 2,978
RE: Rocket Ultimate steel test result update.
I would say that the improved ultiamte steels would work for deer, but as with any head this small I would exspect blood trails to be sparce, of course alot of that depends on the hit as well. they are still not my first choice, but I now feel better about recomending them to those that really want to give them a try.
The scores depend on the test material, some goes as high as 6 while others only up to 4. I have not teste the slammerhead by name, but have tested the miniblaster 3L with the pathfinder point. This is almost the very same head. You should find the results on this page or maybe around page two. Overall it' s a very good head.
The scores depend on the test material, some goes as high as 6 while others only up to 4. I have not teste the slammerhead by name, but have tested the miniblaster 3L with the pathfinder point. This is almost the very same head. You should find the results on this page or maybe around page two. Overall it' s a very good head.
