When I first took up archery, I wasn't a kid anymore and was on that steep learning curve.

The guy I trusted at the bow shop suggested I give the Rocky Mtn. Sniper a try. As a mech, a bit more forgiving in flight if your bow not precisely tuned or shooting form a bit ragged.

The "slip cam" design (which is now the Rage design) I liked, less chances of just one blade deploying and getting a non-penetrating hit.

Shot my first wall hanger with one, went 25 yards. I've watched two others take a few steps, wobble, and topple.

Now when the first Rages came out, clearly the Snypers were built better. Much better. But the more recent vintages of Rage seem to be improved over the 1st gen version.

I shoot a Mathews Z7 set at 60#, and Carbon Express arrows. My shots are going to be 30 yards or less. A Snyper or Rage has never been an issue, so I figure why change what has worked?

I got enough other areas of my archery world that need my attention first! 😁

 

When I first took up archery, I wasn't a kid anymore and was on that steep learning curve.

The guy I trusted at the bow shop suggested I give the Rocky Mtn. Sniper a try. As a mech, a bit more forgiving in flight if your bow not precisely tuned or shooting form a bit ragged.

The "slip cam" design (which is now the Rage design) I liked, less chances of just one blade deploying and getting a non-penetrating hit.

Shot my first wall hanger with one, went 25 yards. I've watched two others take a few steps, wobble, and topple.

Now when the first Rages came out, clearly the Snypers were built better. Much better. But the more recent vintages of Rage seem to be improved over the 1st gen version.

I shoot a Mathews Z7 set at 60#, and Carbon Express arrows. My shots are going to be 30 yards or less. A Snyper or Rage has never been an issue, so I figure why change what has worked?

I got enough other areas of my archery world that need my attention first! 😁

When I first took up archery, I wasn't a kid anymore and was on that steep learning curve.

The guy I trusted at the bow shop suggested I give the Rocky Mtn. Sniper a try. As a mech, a bit more forgiving in flight if your bow not precisely tuned or shooting form a bit ragged.

The "slip cam" design (which is now the Rage design) I liked, less chances of just one blade deploying and getting a non-penetrating hit.

Shot my first wall hanger with one, went 25 yards. I've watched two others take a few steps, wobble, and topple.

Now when the first Rages came out, clearly the Snypers were built better. Much better. But the more recent vintages of Rage seem to be improved over the 1st gen version.

I shoot a Mathews Z7 set at 60#, and Carbon Express arrows. My shots are going to be 30 yards or less. A Snyper or Rage has never been an issue, so I figure why change what has worked?

I got enough other areas of my archery world that need my attention first! 😁

Thanks for sharing your experience! It’s always interesting to hear how certain broadheads perform in real-world hunting scenarios. I’ve been curious about the ‘slip cam’ design myself and how it compares to the newer Rage heads.

Sounds like you’ve found a reliable setup with the Snypers and your Mathews Z7, sometimes sticking with what consistently works is better than chasing every new release. 😄

Out of curiosity, have you noticed any differences in flight or accuracy between the earlier Snypers and the newer Rages at the 25–30 yard range, or do they all feel pretty much the same to you?”

 

I stand with both. I struggle between both so I carry both fixed and expandables in my quiver. I love the reliability of a fixed head with a well tuned bow and shooters form which both need to be spot on to shoot a fixed head. Mechanicals are very forgiving with an out of tune bow and out of form shooter so I feel that this is what got the train rolling for expandable when they first came out years ago. I “think” the first expandable was a puckets blood trailer?

In my opinion it’s tough to beat a well designed fixed head for penetration and over all toughness when compared to most expandables. Blades tend to be thinner on expandables and they need moving parts which moving parts fail from time to time. With that said years ago about 15 of us got together to test each of our preferred broadheads on a strength test on cabinet grade 3/4” plywood. I was shooting G5 T3 expandables. I was the only one to shoot the same broadhead 3 times thru the plywood before a blade snapped off/bent. Second place was a slick truck when a blade snapped on the second shot.
All broadheads have come a long way over the years and it’s still an internet battle between the 2 but in the end each of us shoot what we feel confident in and in the event we lose one we can say @we should have been shooting the other “. lol.

 

I stand with both. I struggle between both so I carry both fixed and expandables in my quiver. I love the reliability of a fixed head with a well tuned bow and shooters form which both need to be spot on to shoot a fixed head. Mechanicals are very forgiving with an out of tune bow and out of form shooter so I feel that this is what got the train rolling for expandable when they first came out years ago. I “think” the first expandable was a puckets blood trailer?

In my opinion it’s tough to beat a well designed fixed head for penetration and over all toughness when compared to most expandables. Blades tend to be thinner on expandables and they need moving parts which moving parts fail from time to time. With that said years ago about 15 of us got together to test each of our preferred broadheads on a strength test on cabinet grade 3/4” plywood. I was shooting G5 T3 expandables. I was the only one to shoot the same broadhead 3 times thru the plywood before a blade snapped off/bent. Second place was a slick truck when a blade snapped on the second shot.
All broadheads have come a long way over the years and it’s still an internet battle between the 2 but in the end each of us shoot what we feel confident in and in the event we lose one we can say @we should have been shooting the other “. lol.

I love how you laid out the pros and cons of both fixed and expandable heads. It really comes down to confidence and knowing your setup inside and out. That plywood test sounds like a blast, definitely shows how tough a well-made fixed head can be, but also that some expandables hold up surprisingly well.

I think you hit the nail on the head: it really just comes down to what you trust in the field. At the end of the day, the best broadhead is the one you can consistently place accurately and shoot with confidence. 😄

Out of curiosity, in your own hunts, have you leaned more toward one type over the other, or do you still carry both depending on the situation?

 

1. 70's to 90's used 4 blade 148 grain Razor backs with compounds bows, Bear and various High Country bows 89-72 Lbs. 2219 aluminum arrows.
2. 2090 to 2015 used New Archery Products 125 grain Thunderheads from Mathews Switchback 72-54 Lbs 2314 aluminum arrows.
3. 2017+- to present 100gr. Rage or 125 Thunderheads with Barnett and then Ravin R 10 crossbows (100 gr. Rage.)

To this day no issues with performance......Hoping for a couple of more good years to continue the testing...

 

1. 70's to 90's used 4 blade 148 grain Razor backs with compounds bows, Bear and various High Country bows 89-72 Lbs. 2219 aluminum arrows.
2. 2090 to 2015 used New Archery Products 125 grain Thunderheads from Mathews Switchback 72-54 Lbs 2314 aluminum arrows.
3. 2017+- to present 100gr. Rage or 125 Thunderheads with Barnett and then Ravin R 10 crossbows (100 gr. Rage.)

To this day no issues with performance......Hoping for a couple of more good years to continue the testing...

It’s impressive to see how you’ve adapted with changing technology, from 4-blade Razorbacks to modern Rages and Thunderheads. Sounds like you’ve got a great system dialed in that’s been reliable through multiple setups.

I love that you’re still testing and refining after all these years, there’s always something new to learn in archery. Do you notice any big differences in penetration or flight between the old aluminum arrows and the modern carbon setups, or has consistency been pretty steady for you?

 

I shoot low poundage so it is strictly fixed heads for me. Ive had great success with exodus heads though I find them a little finicky to shoot. The best flight ive had from any fixed heads are magnus stingers and the slick trick razor, viper, or standard. Those heads are amazing and straight up put deer down.

 

Aluminum is a great arrow, but with the spine needs of today's bows you are shooting one heavy arrow with the arrow size you need

 

Shot 100g expandables for years. Nap spitfires, grim reapers etc.
Lowered my poundage on newest bow and went with fixed 150g Magnus stingers and buzzcuts.
Both have worked fine for me. I just like the less moving parts of the fixed blades currently.

 

I shoot fixed blade, thunderheads mostly, those things are truly razor sharp. Good hits, bad hits, terrible hits, doesn't matter, I usually see them fall. My bow is well tuned and I shoot them as well as a feild point, so I see no need to use mechanicals.

I did shoot one buck with a mechanical. I'd borrowed a crossbow mid season due to an injury, and it was set up to shoot mechanicals. I hit a buck a little high and a little far back, but he only went about 80 yards. Three blade, Shwacker, iirc, it worked well.

 

Three blade, Shwacker, iirc, it worked well.

I had to look up iirc.
ihhni

 

Ok, from the time the archery bug bit me hard in 1988, I have shot the same broadhead and more than 140 archery deer can attest to its functionality and performance. I will never ever use a mechanical, no point. Now I have hard core archers switch, only to switch back again and 99% of them were performance issues, not opening, terrible penetration and broken blades. Not my opinion, many seasoned accomplished bowhunters and they will never go back either. So my opinion is very small. So no mechanicals for me.

 

i used NAP thunderheads for years. then one time i got a new bow, that thing wouldnt shoot thunderheads no matter what i did. switched to mechanicals and solved that problem fast.

then i switched to a recurve and used bear razorheads. shoulder problem has me using a crossbow and i am back to mechanicals. NAP spitfires....fly like darts

 

Rocket Steelhead 100g. One of the first mechanicals to come out. Many deer down over the decades. Never let me down. Still have a couple packs of them. Hopefully many more deer go down and I finish up with them. Elite bow, whisker biscuit, 60#.
goes through them like butter.

 

Back around 1999 I picked up a pack of steelheads because of the hype I read about them.They did penetrate well but I shot a buck and two does with them and sheared off blades every single time.The buck was the worst and longest track job of my life.I also felt that they were as dull as a butter knife.Maybe I just got a bad batch.I did send them back and they replaced the blades for free.I just saw them the other day in a box.

 

I'm shooting the Sevr 1.5 mechanicals. They are awesome! I've killed a handful of deer with them in the last few years, with no issues, so I will continue to use them.

 

Hunt with the crossbow now due to past triceps surgeries. Also limited by territory and switched to ladder stands. Working very well so far...

 

I can't get good penetration using mechanicals. Never lost a buck, but hate only getting 1 hole. This year I'll only have fixed heads in my quiver.

 

What mechanical broadhead did you test and what equipment were you shooting?

 

Were the replacement and different? Did the Co. offer any reason or just replace bad broad head with more bad broad heads.....Good you did not buy a parachute from them......

 

They just replaced the blades.

I'm not a mechanical fan at all.I used them for years.Killed dozens of deer with them but never saw a single advantage unless you shoot in high winds,which I don't.

 

I've used Rocket hammerheads,sidewinders,steelhead,wasp jackhammers,Nap spitfires and grim reapers.I was never able to reuse a single one,except the spitfires but the blades needed to be replaced.I get a lot tags and kill a lot of deer.A one and done BH doesn't cut the mustard for me.On top of that,they always seemed to react much more to a hit with a mechanical.

 

The ferule was strong but the blades were just connected in a very weak way with a small set screw.People loved them but they failed three times on me.I have a buddy that swore by them.

 

I've been hunting with a crossbow now for the last 7 years. In that time, I have taken 4 buck and 5 doe with it. It is a PSE rdx365. I have never lost a deer or tracked it for more than 40ish yards. The tips I use are both fixed and mechanical. Muzzy Trocar HBX Hybrid 100gr Crossbow Expandable Broadheads. And believe me, they are devastating.