Thinking about expandables
 

Thinking about rocket aerohead expandables. can you trust them , are they that good at bringing down game , and how do you practice and check your pins with them?

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

I dont trust any type of expandable
except for maybe the snipers.

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

aimatdeer:
This question will no doubt bring a bunch of responses about the merits of expandable vs. fixed. I for one shoot fixed, but I do know that there are many reliable expandable heads that will bring down game just fine. I've never shot the rocket heads, but to sight in any head, you have to sacrifice one of them and just shoot it at any target you normally shoot at.
Hopefully, someone else here can tell you more about the Rockets.

Good luck with your changeover!

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

Some are excellent and some are junk. Some work great with only higher Kinetic energy setups, some will work well with Lower KE setups. It really depends on what your looking for and your setup. Rocket heads in general are good. They fly well and open quickly. The blade sharpness should be better however. Practicing with mechanicals can be done, and depending on the model you can use dental floss to tie down the blades. It's really hard to answer your question without knowing first the heads your interested in, and then what the specs are for your setup. Draw wieght, length, arrow weight, speed, bow make and model etc. You can visit my website www.broadheadtests.com and get some info but we really need to know more about your setup before we can offer good advice.

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

if you have any doubt in your mind , if a mechanical will work or not, then you should not use them.

Mechanicals will work, better, out of a well tuned bow. for setups with KE in the 55 ft lb range don't go any larger than 1 1/4 inch cut.
A two blade offers less resistance than a three blade therefore a two blade should penetrate better than a three blade.

Like any other broadhead they will not make up for bad shot placement.

Most stories about mechanical broadhead failure is bad shot placement, even though the teller of the tale will deny it.

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

My son took a 15 yard shot from a treestand at a 7-point buck on Wednesday using the new TEKAN from Montec. He said he could not believe the damage to the heart and lungs. The buck dropped dead 25 yards from his stand. This is the first deer he killed using any kind of expandable as we have both had success in the past with the Montec G5.

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

I shoot a 370 grain arrow at 286fps...total of about 67 lbs of KE.

I had issues with the Bigger fixed blades that I've used it he past...planing and wind shearing all over the dang place. I could shoot field tips and shave fletch at 40 yards....My Stingers corkscrewed down at 20. Snuffers were 7-8" in any direction but never in the same spot, Muzzys were a little better but not much.

4" offset feathers...I went with a compact head. Rocket Ultimate Steel in the 75 grain. 1" cut and shaving sharp....mean looking little things.

Everything I hit I blow waaaay through.....problem is lack of blood. Hole's to small for my liking. Everything's died within 30 yards or so but I've made good shots and heard or seen them fall. But blood even na double lung with a low exit was scanty at best.

I need a bigger cutting diameter.
Enter the Rocket Wolverine. 75 grains (didn't want to have to resight at all...middle of the season here) and 1 1/4" cutting diameter. Amazing how much a 1/4 " can make. Blood everywhere and spewing.

Only shot one with them so far but but they fly great and did what I was looking to the to do so....

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

I switched from 125 thunderhead fixed blades to 125 spitfire mech. The deer I shot with the spifire put a 3 inc rip in the exit side and pieces of lungs and meat were hanging out and all over the ground.

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

I won't trust one myself. They have not been out long enough to prove themselves. There are so many decent fixed blade broadheads today I can't see why anyone would need them. If your getting poor arrow flight - I'd work on that first!

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

I use 100 gr. jackhammer SST's. 1 3/4" cut I believe. I had complete passthrough on a doe yesterday AM and she bled like crazy. It looked like she had been shot with a .30-06. I love them!
Brian

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

As above I also use the Jack Hammer SST 100 gr. I have not seen to many post on these but I have nothing so far but great quick humain kills. Until these fail I will stick with Mech.

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

I had a really bad experience (during a practice session) with one particular expandable several years back. Because of that I refused to try another one for many years. About three years ago I gave the Rocket Steelhead 100 a try and I have never looked back. Folks do have issues with the number of threads on them and their blade sharpness....and justifiably so...but I have yet to have a single problem with them...and have taken two more deer so far this year with them to add to my tally.

Great heads in my opinion.

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

Eleven shots at deer with Rocket Aeroheads, and eleven deer down within 75 yards -- most within 45. Three shots at turkeys, and three turkeys collected.

I did try an NAP Spitfire this season just for kicks, and took a big doe with it last week. I love how sharp the "diamonized" blades are, or whatever they call them. But having said that, I center-punched both lungs on her and didn't get the blood trail I'm accustomed to with my Rockets. I throw that in there because 5shot's right; Rocket needs to put sharper blades on their heads. Why am I still using them, then? It's hard to argue with results.

On the first turkey I took with a Rocket, I aimed at the base of her neck and hit just a touch high. All that was left attaching her neck to her body was a thin piece of skin. If it'll open up and do that kind of damage on a turkey neck, they'll do anything you ask of them.

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

http://www.bowonlyoutdoors.com/broadheads.html

There is also another test where they shot fixed and mechanical through sheets of plywood and into a tire the expandables did very well some where ruined others held up. from the pictures I wass looking at the expandables had better penetration than the fixed blades. I have read other articles stating you should use expandables with an 1-1/4" cutting diameter you could go up to 1-1/2" and do well. It said anything much larger than that had issues with opening up. Also less messing around tuning expandables they fly closer to your field points less horizontal drift than fixed blades.

Remember:

BOWHUNTING IS NOT A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH...... IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT!!!!! (PLAGIARIZED FROM A DUCK HUNTER)

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

No problem in thinking about them. Just don't buy any.
:D

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

I have no experience with the Rockets , however I've had excellent success with the Spitfires and Snypers. If you choose a good mechanical and do everything on your end during crunch time you'll never go back to fixed blades!

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

I've tried many different designs and I'm here to tell ya that you will NOT find a more reliable and more devastating design than the Rockets! I have alot of experience with different models in the Rocket line and they have ALWAYS performed exceptionally. My fav is the Steelhead 100 and I couldn't imagine anything they couldn't shoot through? In fact, I have been fortunate enough to take two dozen whitetails with 'em thus far. Some of these bucks have weighed in excess of 300# and still EVERY shot (with the exception of a spine shot) was a total pass-through! I would also like to add that not one single deer took more than 60 yards on me! They are just awesome b-heads and based on my own experience as well as feedback from some very successful hunters around here, a fixed blade stands a better chance of letting you down that a Rocket Steelhead!

I also know that many folks seem to be under the impression that mechs can't take quartering shots because of blade deployment issues? This is also false when it come to the Steelheads! In fact I have taken many shots at about as many different angles as would be ethical and again.... they have always performed flawlessly! Here is a very recent pic. This deer was taken sharply quartering away, the new Steelhead 100XP struck and sliced through the last 2 ribs on the left sideand penetrated the deer 3/4 length ways and exited just ahead of the front right shoulder! The arrow then went several feet behind the deer before imbedding in a ol' rottn log...... now THAT is what a persona should expect from a Rocket! This is the entry wound to prove the angle

RE: Thinking about expandables
 

Rocky Mtn. Snyper, great broadhead, I had good luck with them today, shot a nice 12pt this morning, leave a nasty entrance hole, and a nasty exit hole, and one heck of a blood trail!