Mechanical broadheads

[Spacemansams]

Wanted to get some opinions on what you guys think about mechanicals for elk hunting. This is the first year mech heads are legal in Oregon and just looking for some hands on info

 

[J_hol]

I would not recommend it.

This is coming from someone who has killed a P&Y bull three years in a row with mechanicals. I have been using Rage hypodermics for all three bulls but the penetration and arrow travel in the animal is not acceptable, I'm switching back to fixed blades. When they work, they work really well and when they don't, you lose animals. My hunting partner lost a great bull last year on a great shot, we'll never know what happened. If you don't have a perfect broadside shot and that arrow comes in at an angle, it's hard to know exactly what that arrow will do. Looking at elk that i have shot/called in that have been shot with mechanicals (probably 7 bulls in the last 3 or so years), the penetration is unreliable and pass-throughs are hard to come by. That said the entry holes are insanely large and they CAN kill very quickly.

 

[[email protected]]

I think that having both in the quiver is ok and using a capable high momentum setup plus your brain on shot angle no problems. If you have the perfect angle stick a mech through him if it’s anything but the most perfect angle stick with fixed.

 

[Sled]

i like them for longer shots and the confidence i get knowing they'll hit the mark. i'm selective on the ones i use though. i like cut on contact so if they don't open they will still penetrate and kill. if they work as advertised then the hole gets bigger. in the past i've had 3 mechs, one judo tip and one fixed blade. i usually carry a spare BH to replace the judo tip if i'm hunting multi day. sure is nice to have a grouse for dinner when you didn't fill your elk tag that day.

 

[BigHink66]

I think carrying both as a solution for the type of shot that presents itself is a surefire way to miss out on your opportunity while trying to change to a different arrow.

I also think that you guys should explore tuning your arrows to the bow rather than just looking for a perfect bullet hole in paper and calling that your tuning. I can't understand how you cannot get fixed blades to fly if your arrows are properly spined and tuned to you bow.

 

[Rob5589]

Curious, why you want to switch?

 

[Sled]

I think carrying both as a solution for the type of shot that presents itself is a surefire way to miss out on your opportunity while trying to change to a different arrow.

I also think that you guys should explore tuning your arrows to the bow rather than just looking for a perfect bullet hole in paper and calling that your tuning. I can't understand how you cannot get fixed blades to fly if your arrows are properly spined and tuned to you bow.

I'm a heavy tinkerer. If I tuned the way I want to I'd be tuning all the time and not shooting. Some are better at tuning than others. Fixed blades fly close to my field points but that's to good enough for me. I often start chasing my tail during the final tuning and get frustrated. Without a trusted shop I prefer to work within my limits and feel happy about harvesting elk with cut on contact mechanicals when distance is needed.

But in an ideal world i'd be throwing fixed broadheads 60+ yards into a sub 2" group. My mechanicals do that well past my hunting distance. With my old setup I could stay on a pie plate at 140 with them. Sure made me feel better about a 50 yard shot.

 

[fatlander]

I'm a heavy tinkerer. If I tuned the way I want to I'd be tuning all the time and not shooting. Some are better at tuning than others. Fixed blades fly close to my field points but that's to good enough for me. I often start chasing my tail during the final tuning and get frustrated. Without a trusted shop I prefer to work within my limits and feel happy about harvesting elk with cut on contact mechanicals when distance is needed.

But in an ideal world i'd be throwing fixed broadheads 60+ yards into a sub 2" group. My mechanicals do that well past my hunting distance. With my old setup I could stay on a pie plate at 140 with them. Sure made me feel better about a 50 yard shot.

You can shoot sub 2” groups at 60 yards and less than 10” at 140 yards but can’t tune your bow to shoot broadheads? No way dude. I’m calling complete utter bull on that.

You should consider shooting professionally if you shoot like you say you can . . . .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Newtosavage]

Just say no to mechnaicals. If you can't get a fixed blade to fly with your field points, then you need to learn to tune your bow.

 

[crazywednesday]

no bueno

Can you kill an elk with mechanicals? Yes, but I wouldn't advise it. Set yourself up with some quality fixed blade like cutthroat broadheads.

 

[buck_shot11]

I'm shooting rage trypans this year and not looking back. I fought with this question myself for years and have come to peace with my decision to shoot mechs for elk. There is plenty of data on every broadhead on the market and more opinions than that. Shoot what you are comfortable with and don't look back.

 

[Brendan]

Just say no to mechnaicals. If you can't get a fixed blade to fly with your field points, then you need to learn to tune your bow.

no bueno

Can you kill an elk with mechanicals? Yes, but I wouldn't advise it. Set yourself up with some quality fixed blade like cutthroat broadheads.

I'll post the counter point to both of these. It's all about the situation.

I can and do tune my bow to shoot fixed blades. Then I choose mechanicals after fixed blades are flying well.

And, cutthroat is way too small, doesn't do enough damage, and all I'm getting is something that goes further into the ground on the other side of the animal. If I get a liver / single Lung shot, any 100% broadside shot, any 100% frontal shot - I'm better off with a big mechanical that does more damage.

(Point of reference, I actually do shoot both depending on the situation. I'm shooting almost 90# of KE, and I do realize a shoulder shot or any shot that hits bone I'd still be better off with a fixed blade...)

 

[5MilesBack]

I think it's interesting that when someone says they shoot mechanicals others immediately assume that they can't or aren't BH tuned with a fixed blade.

I always have fixed and mechanical heads in my quiver.

But for guys pulling light weight and short draw lengths, they definitely have to take more into account when selecting arrows, BH, shot angles, and distance.

 

[nnmarcher]

I'm only a single data point, but I shot my bull last year with a Rage Hypodermic. The shot was broadside and I got a great pass through. Massive entry and exit hole... he didn't make it far. I will probably carry both in my quiver this year and try to judge the shot as best I can beforehand.

 

[wildwilderness]

Shoot what you are most confident in. I have only killed elk with fixed (wac’em) blade. I have also seen a few killed with mechanical. If you go the mech rout I would say get a smaller cutting diameter, especially if it’s a three blade. Fixed blade has always penetrated better from my experience and on a big bull you need all the penetration you can get. Especially on angled shots

 

[Sled]

You can shoot sub 2” groups at 60 yards and less than 10” at 140 yards but can’t tune your bow to shoot broadheads? No way dude. I’m calling complete utter bull on that.

You should consider shooting professionally if you shoot like you say you can . . . .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When I'm on I shoot quite well. I'm not as consistent as I'd like to be but most days an 18" block will get me out to 160. I'm not good enough to go pro, not do I have the desire.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I have used 1-3/8 cut Grim Reaper Razortips for years and years with great results. The last couple years I have used Grim Reaper Fatal Steels with the same results.

Esse quam videri

 

[adamantine]

Such a difficult subject because there will never be an “answer”.

Shot my first bull with a mech, didn’t fully penetrate and spent a while but eventually found him. I’m done.

Two since then have been “tiny” 1 1/16” fixed blades. Zipped right through, left two holes, both elk down within 50 yards.

I’ve never understood the “cutting width” anxiety. A 1 1/16 with bleeders has 75%+ the cutting area as a big two blade mech, works anywhere at any angle, and if you can’t tune them to 80yds+ you shouldn’t be taking that shot anyway. That mech will not atone for bad shooting or shot placement, those are realities of elk hunting.

 

[Sled]

Such a difficult subject because there will never be an “answer”.

Shot my first bull with a mech, didn’t fully penetrate and spent a while but eventually found him. I’m done.

Two since then have been “tiny” 1 1/16” fixed blades. Zipped right through, left two holes, both elk down within 50 yards.

I’ve never understood the “cutting width” anxiety. A 1 1/16 with bleeders has 75%+ the cutting area as a big two blade mech, works anywhere at any angle, and if you can’t tune them to 80yds+ you shouldn’t be taking that shot anyway. That mech will not atone for bad shooting or shot placement, those are realities of elk hunting.

I've often wondered how many mechanical failures are due to deflections on low probability shots or long bone impact.

Was your shot broadside?

 

[adamantine]

I've often wondered how many mechanical failures are due to deflections on low probability shots or long bone impact.

Was your shot broadside?

Actually quartering toward me, arrow went straight, caught one lung. He was at 32 yards but I just wasn’t that stable given first elk syndrome. Shooting 29” 67lbs so it had plenty of oooomph, just stopped penetrating about 6 inches before fletching.

If I was going to shoot a mech now I’d shoot that 1.5 sevr. The only way to truly know where your arrow is going is to shoot it with the Broadhead on the arrow and then sharpen Broadhead without removing. The sevr seems to allow you to do that with a mech which is awesome.