Are they any good???

BEAR

I can't beleave no one has posted this usely a very hot topic. its a can of worms that always gets heated.

I have a set of three in my quiver. They are  back-ups to my fixed blades. I've never shot at a deer with them. The few times I shot at my target they looked like they opened up but I still don't trust em enough to be my "first line" arrows.

DD

When I posted this I thought I'd get more action going.  but the thread went dead.  I have been hunting them exclusively for about 6 years.  I've killed 12 bg animals with them, including whitetail, mule, and 'lope.  they work well for me.  never had any failures.  And the larger "hole" really does kill much better.  I have hunted with lots of fixed blades, most the ancient Bear Razorheads (still use them--tradition?).  But I have come to the conclusion the mechanicals are clearly better.  True, they are more expensive, but how many does a person use a year, three!  The ones I use are $34 for a 3-pak.  Small $$$$ when I think of the gas I burn scouting deer.

BEAR

Nice to see you posting Varmint Caller.

Waksupi, never used them on an elk nor a moose.  The BearRazorheads have always been good for me, except a shoulder ball-joint shot that the arrow head just stuck in the ball and never broke anything, on a whitetail.

Nothing will make up for a poor shoot.  But on antelope and deer, I've had clear shoot thru and 12 one shot kills.  My brothers started using them, and I followed reluctantly, just to be able to utilize one arrow for all three of us on long remote trips.  My one brother neck shot an 'lope at about 22 yards and it broke the neck and protruded about 5 inches out the other side.  The chisel points on the main point section  are awesome bone breakers.

I think most points manufactured today are good if placement is right.

BEAR

BEAR

I'm kinda surprised you didn't get more reaction out of this thread.  I know several folks who love them.  Me, not just yet.  I've been shooting some 3 blade muzzy 125 gr. broadheads for about 7 years and they have worked on deer, turkey, boar and similar critters without incident.  However, I became a little disappointed the other day on the range when I found that some of the ferrules were bent so I'm considering switching and the mechanicals are getting a hard look for next year.

The most impressive thing to me is the wide cutting diameter.  I don't know but the cutting diameter of the fixed blade broadheads seems to be getting smaller and smaller.  I like big gaping holes in critters I've stuck with an arrow and 2 inch cutting diameters are something that is more common with mechanical broadheads than fixed blades.  I worry about them not opening but I think most folks are finding that the issue, for most manufacturers, is on the resolved side of things.

I'll probably look over the archery catalogs some more in the post season months ahead and try and find one that I like and gobble a couple up on end-of-season sales (if there are any) and use them for archery season 2007.

Here's a pretty good site for you to look at various broadhead tests.  The good stuff is subscription only but you can get an idea on the featured broadheads listed.

http://www.broadheadtests.com/ - http://www.broadheadtests.com/

Mountaineer,  I'd have thought we would have had a good bit more comments also.

If you are changing some advantages of the mechanical heads are:

Higher velocity at target.

Lower profile thru brush, I hunt heavy woods.

Large cutting diameter, you can actually see the hole on impact and I've watched large quantities of blood coming out the in-side within a second of impact.

They shoot to the point of impact with your target arrows, so much easier to practice and sight-in.  No need to change your sight back and forth.  (I actually use to have two identical sights, one for broadheads and one for targets and would change the bracket back-and -forth).

I use Rocket Sidewinder-3 (100 grains 1 1/2" cut).  Never had a failure on game or targets.  I always use a string tracker and the combo also works perfectly.  Closest shot has been 5 yards, longest was 53 yards (Unusual for me, but I was in Wyoming) .

I have always shot thru on game, and I have noticed that the blades do swing back sometimes on impact after they are thru the target in wood or hard ground.

BEAR

after typing the above, I went to my tree stand and 3 hours later shot a 130# doe at 20 yards.  I was about 1 1/2 inches too far forward and hit the front left "shoulder/arm joint.  Mechanical head worked perfect, broke the bone and penetrated into the lung.  Deer ran 23 yards when hit and died.

My string tracker also worked good but the arrow broke at the deer jumped headlong into a multi floral rose jungle.

Steaks are getting butchered and frozen now.

BEAR