You know how I feel about the issue too, Frank. In my case, I prefer to think of myself not as a 'diehard fixed blade shooter' but someone who is VERY conservative when it comes to what I care to take hunting. Call it karma, destiny or whatever, but after what I went thru with the little buggers, I am convinced mechanicals are not for me.

The only time I've ever had problems getting fixed blade heads to fly perfectly is when I've had them mounted on those cheezy carbon arrows. (That sound you hear in the background is the can opener. Can o' Worms Soup. [8D])

rockets and similar heads open when they hit hair. your enterence hole will be the same size as the exit hole

Don't worry Arthur. I know you favorite setup is a 70 lb bow, pendulum sight and drop away rest ofcourse, shooting 350 grain carbon arrows tipped with 2.5 inch cutting diameter expandables.....

Now, if you folks really want to see Arthur get fired up then I should start a thread about folks using umbrellas on the 3D course.....


As for the slow motion test of broadheads...I have a digital camcorder with some fancy editing software. I may be able to pull it off. I would be willing to give it a try.

Arthur P:

Glad to hear that you too have not had major problems with fixed blades to fly true. For a brief moment I started to believe that it was "Lady Luck" that has been with me all these years.

Although I know I have to tweak a few things for the broadheads after I have shot in with the fieldpoints, I have never had any of the problems that seem to be so prevalent for many of today's shooters. I suspect that many of the problems some seem to have may be a result of trying to push a fixed blade too hard and too fast, especially when mounted on a lightweight setup.

You know what I call umbrellas on a 3D course, Frank? Expandable suppositories.

C903, I've been wondering for quite awhile now when fixed blade heads became so difficult to shoot. I never noticed it, myself. But then, instead of trying to shoot target weight arrows as fast as they'll shoot for hunting, I shoot hunting weight arrows at fairly slow speeds. Slow, at least, by today's standards.

That is what has me so curious, although a mechanical is said to open upon impact, even as fast as they could open....the arrow is already moving at a rate of speed, depending of course on how fast the bow shoots that arrow. Oh well.

Frank, I hope you are able to find out something using the camcorder, that would be interesting.

I will see what I can do this weekend. I would prefer to do this out of doors because of the lighting issue. I have read some past threads about folks trying to do this type of stuff with drop away rests and it sounds difficult. I will give it a try though. I just wish I could find a place on the web that would let me store video files. It would make posting a link to it so much easier.

Something else to think about....considering how the blades open up I would think it almost impossible for them to be full open before entering the animal unless the speed of the head is significantly reduced because of the loss of Kinetic energy upon entering the animal. Maybe the footage will prove me wrong.

Arthur,

...I like that term. But you have to admit that recent discussions of some current archery equipment is tame compared to past discussions on 3D behavior...

I think it is time to start a new thread that you and C903 will just love to comment on.

Maybe this will answer your question. I don't shoot them but Len has tried several brands over the past couple years. He has a set up with a lot of "UMP" behind it ( 78 or 80 foot pounds). All he's shot with mechanicals had entry holes as large as any shot with my Thunderheads. He had one deer last year that was "danger close", angled toward and below him. He picked a spot right behind the front shoulder. The arrow hit the deers ear on the way by. The mechanical put a picture perfect 3 bladed X through the thin part of the ear before drilling through the lungs. This was a small deer and a thin ear, but it opened fully going by.

The arrow is moving forward but the tips of the blades, as they open are not moving forward. They "grab" the target, and open as the arrow and broad head body continue forward. When the blades are done swinging back, the arrow has moved forward an inch or two - the blade tips are still outside the skin. Not untill they are done swinging back, do they move forward with the arrow and create that hole.

Just a side note to the main topic, but:

Is that not EXACTLY why so many people think mechanicals 'outpenetrate' or penetrate just as well as fixed blade heads? They shoot a Muzzy and a Rocket into the same block of foam and there is the same amount of shaft sticking out of the foam. So, the Rocket obviously penetrated just as well as the Muzzy. Right?

Wrong.

If you're talking about penetration of the insert, then yes, but what about depth of penetration to the back of the blades - the full cut diameter of each head - the part that really does the work? The back of the blades is a half inch IN FRONT of the insert on the Muzzys. The back of the blades are a good inch BEHIND the insert on the Rockets. Even though there's just as much arrow shaft sticking out of the foam on the Rocket shaft, the depth of full cut is deeper with the Muzzy.