Mechanical Broadhead Recommendations (Sevr, Deadmeat, etc.)

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Mar 12, 2019
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Hi guys,

I just got back from a "successful" pronghorn hunt that has me rethinking my broadhead choice. I am currently using a four blade with a cut of 1 and 1/16 inches. They fly really well especially out to range.

The problem I have is that the animal didn't die right away despite a well placed shot. The animal was slightly quartered away and the entry was basically at the bottom of a ten ring on a 3D target. The exit was a bit lower and near the elbow. The animal was eventually recovered (there's a story there that I'm not ready to share), but after the initial shot he ran 150 yards or so and bedded down, despite blood coming out both wounds. I was overall unimpressed by the blood trail he left. If this were a mule deer in thick timber (my next hunt) I might not have found him. During field dressing it looked like I got both lungs and narrowly missed the heart (there were also bubbles on the arrow). I've heard that antelope are frail and die easily, but this was just not what I experienced.

As a result, I am rethinking my broadhead choice. I am taking a hard look at the Sevr 2.1'' and the G5 Deadmeat. While certainly the shot could have been placed a bit higher, I think a larger cut would have put him down quicker. Like I said, it looked like I missed the heart by fractions of an inch it seems.

Here's a list of questions I have:
1. My bow generates roughly 75-80 ft-lbs. of energy. I'm just making sure that that's enough for a big mechanical head being shot at a mule deer.
2. What fletchings do you run with a mechanical like the ones I have listed? I am currently running a four fletch, but am debating going to a slightly larger three fletch and also going for an aggressive helical. Since the mechanical head is compact I wont have the blades to fight against the spin if that makes sense.
3. For the Deadmeat, do the BMP points really fly like the actual mechanical head or is that marketing BS? I like the feature of the Sevrs where you can put them in practice mode and ensure they won't open.

Thanks in advance for the help. For the record, I'm not at all blaming the broadhead for what happened, but a bigger head might have made for a cleaner kill.
 
I use the Rage Chisel broadheads and really like them. Every deer I've shot with them have died within 60 yards or so. They had a complete pass through each time. I reccomend them.
 
I've failed to recover lung hit animals before. If not much tissue of the lung or lungs is hit, they sometimes don't lose blood fast enough, and they recover. Like if the very edge of the lungs are clipped. Also, and more importantly, if your blades are not razor sharp, the blood does not flow as freely, so they don't bleed out as fast, and can move further before finally expiring.
 
I think you'll go round in circles trying to find a broadhead that will give great bloodtrails and penetration under every circumstance, mechanical or not.

I'm using NAP Killzones and have had great bloodtrails compared to what I was getting with 3 blade fixed.

I'm sure its just a matter of time until I hit too far forward and feel like I should go back to fixed.
 
I use the Rage Chisel broadheads and really like them. Every deer I've shot with them have died within 60 yards or so. They had a complete pass through each time. I reccomend them.


+1 on the Rage Chisel tip. I hear the Trypan is pretty legit as well, but I have no personal experience with them.
 

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I am trying mechanicals for the first time this year, that said, I was loaned by a friend the new Rage X-treme 4-blade. They are sold for @ $30 for a 2 pack. they have a 7/8" wide 2-blade style head at the top. and then 90 degrees from that are the 2 "mechanical" blades that open up to a 2.3" cut. The crew I bow hunt with all use them with great success, and the broad head definitely leaves a large and very visible blood trail. I love my Slick Tricks, but I am going to try these, so we'll see what happens. They are quiet, accurate and pretty durable from what I've seen practicing with them so far. Good luck with whatever you choose.
 
I saw your story and its a tough one but their is no archery hunter that doesnt have a skeleton in their closet maybe not quite like that but the challenge in archery makes it so great
IMO their is no perfect broad head and everyone has an opinion I dont like the mechanicals and some love em dont let a bad experience fluster you keep shooting and get back on the horse
 
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I saw your story and its a tough one but their is no archery hunter that doesnt have a skeleton in their closet maybe not quite like that but the challenge in archery makes it so great
IMO their is no perfect broad head and everyone has an opinion I dont like the mechanicals and some love em dont let a bad experience fluster you keep shooting and get back on the horse
This.
 
Back when I bowhunted, I had a lot of success with the Rage expandable. The worst broad heads I used were the old Muzzy fixed blades. My issues with those may have been operator error. I think a dull broadhead (even just slightly) exponentially increases your chances of a bad experience. I don’t shoot the heads I’m shooting at an animal prior to that shot. I kept one or two for practice only. I have heard, but have no evidence of whether it’s true, that vessels and arteries will roll over a dull blade instead of being cut. That would explain some of what Ibsaw with the muzzles.
 
^^^ this. Capillaries and ventricles are pushed flat with a dull blade, but maintain a cross sectional circular/ovoid shape with a sharp one. I practice with all my broadheads to tune them to the arrow they are attached to, and once they fly perfect, I mark the vane "T" for tuned, then sharpen the blades. To test sharpness, Hold a sheet of copy paper in front of you in one hand and draw the blade from base to tip cutting the paper in half. If the paper tears at all, the blade is too dull. These arrows are set aside for hunting and I practice with different arrows.
 
^^^ this. Capillaries and ventricles are pushed flat with a dull blade, but maintain a cross sectional circular/ovoid shape with a sharp one. I practice with all my broadheads to tune them to the arrow they are attached to, and once they fly perfect, I mark the vane "T" for tuned, then sharpen the blades. To test sharpness, Hold a sheet of copy paper in front of you in one hand and draw the blade from base to tip cutting the paper in half. If the paper tears at all, the blade is too dull. These arrows are set aside for hunting and I practice with different arrows.

Man, now I feel dumb. When I built up my hunting arrows, I spin tested everything and just trusted the sharpness out of the box. The particular head I'm using has replaceable blades and I don't think is necessarily designed to be sharpened (instead you just replace the blades).

That said, I just took one out of the box. Three out of the four blades failed the copy paper test. I think even if I stick with a fixed blade, I'm going to be looking elsewhere.
 
Don't sweat it man. Some broadheads are very sharp out of the box, some are not so much. this even goes for replacement blades. I've found muzzy replacement blades to be inconsistent - some packs fine and others sub par
 
I wouldn't call antelope frail. They're pretty tough little critters. I've arrowed 4 through the heart and lungs, all but one ran about 100-150yds before going down. They are extremely fast; might die in 12 seconds but they can cover a lot of ground in about 10.

Anyway, for a good sharp mech on deer-sized game you should look at NAP Spitfires.
 
Not all double lung shots are created equal. Use a helical fletch on your broadheads. I'll take a three fletch with a lot of helical any day of the week over a straight or only slightly offset four fletch.

I use Slick Trick 125 grain heads. Plenty sharp out of the box. There are a number of very good heads out there. Mechanicals can make a very large hole, or they can fail and create a disastrous situation.

Good luck.
 
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