Mechanical or fixed blade?

[Big]

Let's assume that my set-up (Matthews SQ2, Beman ICS 400 arrows) is as tuned as it's going to get.  My groups with Thuderhead 100s are not as tight as with field points.  I was thinking of trying Spitfire mechanicals, but I've heard many say that they've lost deer because the mechs didn't open (how they know they didn't open, I don't know).  I had great success in the past with a much slower bow and Muzzy 90 grainers.

Do mechanicals work?  What has your experience been?

[Arrroman]

Sometimes you have to think "outside of the box" in order to get good results. I shoot 100grain fieldpoints but I couldn't get 100grain Thunderheads to hit the same hole. I tried 85grain Steelforce and they did hit the same hole as the 100grain fieldpoints. I'm still not comfortable with the use of mechanicals, I'm working my way up to the idea of trying them for turkeys though. There is no substitute for proper shot placement or practice, or a properly tuned bow. Good luck hunting!

[Daveinthebush]

I also have to use 100 grain field points to get the 125 Thunderheads to hit the same point of aim.  

I only use fixed.  After a couple of bad experiences with expandables I never use them now.  I think that one of the early flaws in the design was the length of the tip.  If the entrance angle was too steep, the blades were catching before the point causing the arrow to cant on entering.

I have driven a 125 Thunderhead though the rear thigh bone of a deer breaking it, on into the paunch and out the other side breaking the other leg.  The head was still sharp and useable.

[01magnatec]

my experience with mechanicals has been great so far. Two deer killed spitfires in the past two years!! One deer dropped on the spot and the other went about 30 yards and piled up.
I would like to explore the broadhead world a little more but i'm not about to change something good!!!
Never opening?!?!?  I say if the blades didn't open it's because there was dirt or debris stuck in between the blades and jammed them shut. Other than that, there is no reason for them to not open. And to know if one didn't open, i don't know how someone could say that after its been in the deer.

[Arrroman]

Its abundantly clear that many people have used expandable heads successfully on game,but that doesn't mean that they are better than a fixed head. I've had dust and dirt and grime seize up my pocket knives in the past, why couldn't it happen with an expandable? Moisture, dirt, corrosion, rain, freezing temperatures, and Murphy's Law are enough to make me wonder what will happen when using these heads. On the other hand if you use a razorsharp cut on contact head you know the edges are there and can predict the outcome. Good luck hunting!

[willis5]

I won't go to expandables unless I have problems with fixed blades. I want fewer moving parts and proven (to me alone) equipment.

[ahunter55]

Been bowhunting many years & I beleive the FEWER moving parts in your hunting equiptment means fewer problems.
I have shot probably almost every type head made in the last 40 years either hunting or seeing how it works but when I head for the woods I beleive a good fixed blade is best.  I have shot the Rocky Mountain Razor since they came out in the 70s when I go into the field-I see no reason to change but I still like to fool around with trying new tackle.
Good luck.

[willis5]

fewer moving parts the better until PROVEN. that is why I won't use a pendulum sight... but I am using a drop away rest... Muzzy Zero Effect proved it's durability and worth to me.

[Whodaheck99]

The first year Spitfire came out, about 8 to 10 years ago.  I try them out. I was ground hunting with a bow. I had a 11 pointer, at about 8 yards. I came to a full draw, and release the arrow. It hit right behind the left shoulder, and came out it right shoulder socket. The buck ran off, and I gave it a half hour. I looked for the arrow, found good blood on the arrow, but the blades were close. I push the blades open, and there was no blood, or meat, or lung in the blades. I had a poor blood trail, for about 30 yards. I started to make circles. I looked for about 3 hours, then my light died. I went back the next day, and looked for about 5 hours. No deer. When back 3 days later and saw Hawks circle. About 300 yards away. So I went for a walk. I found the deer. As big a a whale, and green. After that I just use Thunderheads. No moving parts, It is a no brainer. FIXED BLADES ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!

[Sam]

Big- I think the only reason most guys go to a mechanical blade is out of laziness! I have found that my Thunderheads 125's also will not shoot at the same point of impact as my field tips.All I do is when hunting time grows near I set up my bow to shoot the 125's and all I will shoot then is broadheads,either in a sand pit at the club or out of our tree stand there also. I have done this for years and it works! I will not even think of going to a mechanical head because of the bad reports that are out . Granted sometimes under perfect conditions they work fine but who gets perfect shots everytime! My Thunderheads work! It just takes alittle extra work to get them to shoot where my field tips group. Stay with what works! Just my 2 cents.

[01magnatec]

:eek:   WOW, you guys that had "problems" with spitfires and other mechanicals REALLY had problems.
I have read from other sites that people don't like them just because they don't think they work, or they cost too much money, or they "heard" bad reports.

Well, to each his own.  I have had good luck with spitfires so i'll stick with them. I won't say anything negative about fixed though because i have used them and they have held up well practicing. Never shot any deer with them though.

[willis5]

If your field tips are flying like lasers, but your broadheads are not hitting the same point, I have heard that moving your nock point and or rest will get them closer together... if your bow is paper tuned with field tips won't moving these things screw up your arrow flight? I have not had any problems with this yet, so I haven't had to change... I am just wondering.

[JeffG]

Unless you were all ready to shell out for new broadheads, why not try tuning the ones you have? Here are a couple sites that give good tips... :wink:

http://www.martinarchery.com/manual/supertun.html

http://bmb.org.au/kb/kb-superfinetuning.htm

[njirilodge]

Guys this is certainly an enteresting topic and one that I spend a lot of timeon. I have my own place in S.A. and thus shoot most weeks. I have taken obout 30 + Warthogs 2 Impala 1 gemsbuck 1 Wildebeest with the Rocket steelhead 125g and have had great results. If it were not a cost issue then I would hunt them all the time as they go exactly where my field points do. I also found this article in our latest Bowhunting mag. which I am sure you will find good reading
 Over the years there has been extensive debate on the effectiveness of fixed blades and mechanical broadheads. Questions such as which one is best suited to particular-sized animals, and is the fixed broadhead the only one to use, continue to abound.
   Our friendship circle has between six months and five years of bowhunting experience. We all hunt with mechanical broadheads, although some of us have used fixed broadheads previously and still keep them in our bow boxes. After studying videos by well-known bowhunter Gary Bogner, who used 100-grain Spitfire open-on-impact broadheads on plains game (such as sable, waterbuck and hartebeest), we decided at the start of the 2002 hunting season to use mechanicals.
   The aim of this article is not to convince anyone to use mechanicals. We merely wish to point out that they can be used successfully, provided hunters do their homework properly.
   Remember, it does not matter what you use to hunt; shot placement is of the utmost importance.

Differences between fixed and mechanical broadheads
Mechanical broadhead
Advantages:
1. The mechanical shoots at the same point of aim as the fieldpoint.
2. The bow needs to be tuned only once using fieldpoint.
3. Different heads can be used with a variety of cutting diameters. For example, you can use three different mechanical heads on one hunt: a 100-grain Steelhead, 100-grain Spitfire or 100-grain Hammerhead. The Steelhead has the smallest diameter (1¼ inches), while the Hammerhead has a cutting diameter of two inches.
4. Confidence in our bows has increased, because our hunting arrow shoots at the same point of aim as our practice arrows.
5. The bow shooting mechanicals is always tuned, even for hunts at short notice.
6. Fieldpoints, judopoints and mechanicals can be shot with no problem, because they all shoot at the same point of aim.
Disadvantages:
1. Hunters must shoot with high poundage and a bit of speed and arrow weight is necessary to ensure enough kinetic energy to open the blades.
2. Blades need to be replaced regularly.

Fixed broadhead
Advantages:
1. Less poundage is needed to hunt.
2. The fixed broadhead is stronger than the mechanical broadhead.
3. The fixed broadhead can be used more than once most of the time, after sharpening.
Disadvantages:
1. String cuts – it often happens before or during a hunt that hunters accidentally cut their bowstring with a very sharp broadhead.
2. The bow must be tuned when changing from fieldpoint to fixed broadhead.

The results
Animals taken during the 2002 season:
 Blue wildebeest (4)
 Kudu (2)
 Impala (12)
 Warthog (18)
 Bushpig (4)
 Baboon (6)
 Jackal (2)
 Duiker (1)
 Bushbuck (1)
      All these animals were taken with one-shot kills (see photos). No animals were wounded. Who knows what lies ahead for 2003? It might be yet another good year for us.
Good Hunting
Chris Brand
www.njirilodge.com

[JeffG]

The results
Animals taken during the 2002 season:
 Blue wildebeest (4)
 Kudu (2)
 Impala (12)
 Warthog (1
 Bushpig (4)
 Baboon (6)
 Jackal (2)
 Duiker (1)
 Bushbuck (1)

Ok, njirilodge, I am about as jealous as  could be,  :grin: you are very fortunate to have this type of atmosphere.

Thank you for the reply, it was very well thought out, and brought up some very good points.  Most of the time, when we are talking about just our own hunting gear, and our own hunts, we are not too objective...

[Arrroman]

I believe that proper shot placement and confidence in the equiptment that you are using is the key to success here. Both mechanicals and cut-on-contact broadheads can work. There is definately alot less bowtuning involved in screwing on a lowprofile expandable and having it hit the same hole as a fieldpoint, compared to finding the correct size and weight cut-on-contact broadhead to match. I generally have to use a lighter weight cut-on contact broadhead in order to have the arrows hit the same hole with the fieldpoint. When you are confident in your bowtune and that your arrows are going to perform all that is left is proper shot placement. Good luck hunting!

[Big]

Thank you, everyone, for your input, especially Sam; I'm with you, now.  After experimenting, my arrows fly very well with Muzzy 125s (fixed-blade; Muzzy doesn't need to make expandables).  They go where my field points go, and my groups actually seem to be tighter!  Probably has to do with the heavier broadhead moving the arrow's center of mass forward.  Why the 125gr broadheads go where the 100gr field points go is beyond me.  Anyhow, killed a buck with a Muzzy 125 on Monday, so I guess I found what works for me.

[woodsdweller]

i have been shooting rockets mec. for 5 years and love them. wouldnt shoot a fixed blade again. never lost a deer and have taken 10 in the last 5. shot placement abd sharp blades. i have taken them quarting away and have not had a one deflect...

[01magnatec]

I didn't realize this but i bought a pack of Spitfires the other day and inside they have a warning in there. It says the following:

THE SPITFIRE BLADES USUALLY SNAP CLOSED AFTER PASSING THROUGH A FOAM TARGET OR FAME ANIMAL. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE BLADES DID NOT OPEN.

And they have still photos of the head going in and stopping.  They do not lie. the blades DID open and closed slightly.

They even have an experiment that you can do to prove it:

To see the cut from the open blades, tape a piece of paper to the back of a foam target that is 6 inches thick or less. Shoot an arrow at the front side of the target. Notice the cuts from the open blades in the paper even though the blades may have shut after exiting the target!!

[SingleShotShorty]

I have shot several mechanical heads and fixed three blade heads but alway's go back to my beloved Zwickey 2 blade eskimos with bleeders. I guess I I have finally decided to KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID works best for me besides after shooting an animal all you have to do is hit the blade on a stone and shoot another animal. And you don't have to buy those expensive replacement blades. I have killed whitetail and elk with Zwickey heads and alway have gotten complete pass thru shots. Works for me.

[CWG]

Fixed, for me.
I found a nice 8 point on my property two days ago. From the looks of the wound it was an expanding point of some kind.
Shot in the right rear hind quarter it bled to death, I'm sure it took half a mile or more to do it.

Put it where it supposed to go and the deer will drop quick. I would think a mech head could fail to open correctly, mud dirt etc Fixed points if sharp do one hell of a job

[Myk]

I switched to mechanicals mid-season this year. Lack of blood on a perfectly hit buck that I found after 150yds convinced me that a deer I didn't find years ago was a good hit.

The doe I hit with the mechanicals dropped within 50yds. Cutting diameter kills.
I don't care about field point flight, I'll still use fixed blades to fine tune my bow. I want the extra diameter.

I was always against mechanicals because of stories I've heard. Now that I've experienced them I don't see myself going back.

[pete50]

I have used only the 100g shockwave NAP broadheads for the past two seasons. I have taken three deer with them, with none wounded and lost. One deer was DOA at the hit, two ran 20-30 yards respectively with HUGE blood trails. Nice that they are not expensive and they fly to the same point as my field points. I am a novice archer and could not get my fixed bladed heads to fly right. Could be laziness though. I cant see changing as all the shots passed through.

[Hound_Dog55]

I know this reply is really late but I had the good fortune of shooting deer with both the Thunderhead 100 and the Spitfire 100  just a week ago :grin: . I had almost identical shot placement on both. I had much better blood from the Spitfire :eek: . I never thought a mechanical would outperform a fixed blade but this one sure did. Shot clean through both deer and had two blood trails from the spitfire one from the thunderhead.

[Bowhunter57]

Big,
I would have to agree with Arrowman on the shot placement.

Archery is full of personal choices and that's what makes it so appealing to everyone.

I refuse to shoot mechanical broadheads for deer or large game in general. A mechanical broadhead CAN fail to open and it only has to do it one time. There are no second chances with that first shot...you can't recall the arrow after it has been released.

However, if you are set on shooting mechanicals, don't get carried away with the large cutting diameter. If you were using a 1 1/8" cutting diameter on a fixed blade broadhead, then purchase a simular cutting diameter with the mechanical of your choice.

Sometimes we all get caught up in the sales pitch of "what's new", new technology has it's own appeal and often peer pressure enters into it too. I've been using cut-on-contact broadheads, am having good success with them and don't want that to change.

Good luck with your choices!
Good hunting, Bowhunter57