GMMAT

I agree, wholeheartedly. IMO, there isn't 10% (I think that's GROSSLY high, but I'll be nice) of bowhunters going afield who have a clue how to achieve bow/arrow tune.

They know if they put a fixed blade BH on the business end, they get poor flight. So, what's a quick band-aid? Answer is....they can screw on a mech. head and at least their FP's and BH's will impact together.

I've said it before and I'll say it again......OUT OF A WELL-TUNED BOW, producing adequate for FPKE for the quarry being pursued....there isn't a more devastating wound channel produced ....than with the large mechanicals.

I don't see the above paragraph occurring very much, though.

stabnslab_WI

My grandparents have a little sporting section in their store and carry rage broadheads for one reason and one reason only. They make money!!! Other then that they are sick of people coming in and saying that the blades are dull, not deploying, I wounded two deer last week with them. I was one of those people couple years ago when rage first came out. I will never go back to them. I switched to rage only because the Marketing sold me!! I thought they were the next best thing to sliced bread. Any ways, we'll not display them next year in our sporting section. Slick tricks, Muzzy, Magnus and Rocky Mountain heads only.

annika3

I'll give it a go.

They fly truer at distances 0-100 yards.
They fly better in windy conditions.
They fly better on a poor release
They fly better on a slightly torqued bow
You get bigger entrance (rear opening) and exit holes that will give you better blood trails more consistently.

I have been doing this for 30+ years also and I used fixed for the first 19-20 years and rear opening expandables got me to switch. First the Rocky Mt Revolution, then the Snyper and now Rage.

I shoot a Switchback at 260-270lbs, so certainly not fast by today's standards and have taken down 6 mature bucks ranging from 270-330lbs liveweight and all passthroughs.

I will agree that many use mechanicals because they can't get fixed to fly but if they are not going to take the time what scenario is better:

A fixed flying erratic?
or
A mechanical that can still hit its mark?

GMMAT

I'll give you two choices.....

1. BH "A" doesn't fly true....and forces the hunter to tune his bow.
or
2. BH "B" flies true and gives the hunter the false impression he IS in tune.

Todd1700

If you are serious I will explain their advantages.

1. They fly like field tips. And that is an all together different thing than just getting your fixed heads to group with your field tips. Flying "LIKE" a field tip means that they do not affect the flight of the arrow or fight the vanes for control of the arrow under any circumstances. Bad form, slight torque of the bow, windy day, etc, etc. This makes them more accurate. Not saying for a minute that you cannot shoot a fixed head accurately. I use and kill deer with fixed heads too. I can shoot with near perfect form in my front yard consistently. But 25 foot up a tree in thick clothing on a windy day when the temps are in the 30's and I need to kneel down to shoot under a limb, that can throw perfect form off a bit. Fixed blade broadheads are problem amplifiers. If you are only shooting out to 20 yards then you have little to worry about. But if you take longer shots there is no doubt for those truly anal about accuracy that mech heads are more accurate.

2. Bigger holes. If you have the power then why not make a bigger hole? If your bow is driving a 1 1/8 inch diameter head 6 inches into the dirt on the other side of deer then why waste that energy making deep holes in the ground. Why not put a 2 inch wide hole through them and settle for your arrow only being buried 3 inches in the ground. After all there are no bonus points I am aware of for deeper ground penetration. And when it comes to bigger cutting diameter mech heads are king. Could you find a large diameter 3 blade fixed head intended for use in compound bows? Maybe. I'm honestly not sure anymore. They used to make some big over-sized 3 blade fixed heads way back when compounds were maxing out at speeds in the 230 fps range. Now that that number is up near and sometimes over 300 fps those big heads seem to have gone the way of the Dodo. And with good reason. I'm sure they would be a pain to tune for good arrow flight at 280 to 300 fps. They would also greatly exacerbate even the tiniest glitch in form by an order of magnitude over standard fixed heads. Mech heads can offer you a big cutting diameter and field point accuracy at the same time. Also all other things being equal, bigger heads mean more tissue cut, greater likelihood of nicking veins/arteries and a big hole less likely to become clogged with fat, hair, etc,. And in most cases that should yield a better blood trail. I've shot deer perfectly with 3 and 4 blade Muzzys and didn't find a thimble full of blood between my arrow and where the deer lay dead. When I put a Grim Reaper expandable through a deer I can follow the blood trail at a fast trot.

They are not for everyone. If your bow doesn't have the power to get pass throughs with mechs then don't use them. If you are just using them as a way around tuning your bow then I call foul on that as well. But if you tune your bow like I do and you have the power they are great.

Todd1700

Nope, sorry. Most of those type guys will not be moved to tune their bow but rather will simply move the sights to match where the broadheads hit. Seen it many times.

GMMAT

^^And this guy doesn't know he's out of tune?

You can't fix stupid.

burniegoeasily

One last thing and ill get out of this peeing contest.

Fixed heads fly like field points when the arrow and bow are tuned, plan and simple.

annika3

But those same guys in #1 will not tune as long as they are hitting somewhat close to there FPs.

I don't like either one but I will take a rear opening BH that flies and hits its mark over a fixed that flies erratic.

annika3

I agree, most of the time you can get fixed to fly like FP but what happens to that fixed on a poor release? a slightly torqued bow? in windy conditions?