X-Act Mechanical Broadhead

[picasso]

Hi everyone,
I am a bit new to this forum and to X-bow hunting and I am looking for some info please.
I have a Phoenix X-bow and am looking for a hunting tip that works well with my 20" carbon Firebolt arrows. I am now using the Wasp 100 grain fixed broadhead but I am not pleased with the groupng or consistency of this combination.
According to the Excalibur website, it seems that there are no 100 grain fixed broadheads that are consistantly accurate and that if you want a 100 grain tip, then the X-Act mechanical broadhead seems to be the only 100 grain mechanical 'approved' by Excalibur.
Has anybody out there ever tried the the X-Act 100 grain tip and if so, how do you practice with them without destroying them?
The reason that I wanted a 100 grain is strictly for speed.
Thanks for your input.

Picasso

[vixenmaster]

They mayhave practice BH. 100 gr BH's that are accurate Slick Trick mag-Montec G5 & Magnus Stingers all will group 1 1/2" out at 40 yds. I don't shoot that fer but practice out to 50 yds.

[sumner4991]

I agree with bstout . . .if you want speed and accuracy, then go with a mechanical. Try the Rocket Hammerheads, Rocket Steelhead or the Rocket Sidewinder.

Here is the website.

http://www.trophyridge.com/broadheads/

No need to practice with these as long as you spin test them. They will shoot EXACTLY in the same hole as your field tips.

[spike]

I have used the XAct for the past two years, successfully. No problems with the blades not deploying or deploying before hitting. Good exit holes.

I practice with 100 gr field points - I have found that they fly the same (in terms of POI) as the XActs.

[picasso]

Thanks to all of you for your input.
I'm thinking that if I use the 100 grain X-act mechanical , that the point of impact will be the same as a 100 grain field tip.
Would I be correct in assuming this? That way there would be no need to actually practice with the obviously more expensive X-Act mechanicals.

Picasso

[bluemoon]

No personal experience with them, but no reason to think they wouldn't be good. Excal wouldn't market them otherwise.

That said... I would heartily dispute the myth that no 100 grain fixed broadhead can be consistently accurate. After 20+ years of vertical bow & crossbow hunting, my experience is that ANY well made head can be accurate. The biggest key is having the arrows completely in-line from stem to stern. Be happy to tell you more on how I go about it if you want to pm me.

[sumner4991]

I would heartily dispute the myth that no 100 grain fixed broadhead can be consistently accurate. After 20+ years of vertical bow & crossbow hunting, my experience is that ANY well made head can be accurate. The biggest key is having the arrows completely in-line from stem to stern. Be happy to tell you more on how I go about it if you want to pm me.

I'd love to hear how it's done.

First of all you can throw away all the years experience without a crossbow. You can also throw away all the years of shooting sub 300+ FPS.

A crossbow doesn't tune like a compound. The only thing you can do with your arrows is make sure they are straight, the broadhead not wobbling and the fletching is good. The key to good flight at high speeds with an arrow is no planing. Unfortunately, fixed blades have planing issues. One way to combat that is with a higher FOC and thus take away speed. I tried a lot of stuff . . .helps some,but, you will never get the consistancy you get with a mechanical.

I have had many issues with some very good fixed blade broadheads trying to get consistant accuracy at high speeds. Even some that came in the Excalibur package.

Sure, ANY broadhead can be accurate . . .just depends on your tolerance level and your range.

[bluemoon]

No thanks, I won't be throwing away that experience. Worked too hard to get it. And once that arrow leaves the string it doesn't matter if shot from a longbow compound or crossbow.

If anything there are less variables with the crossbow, especially Excals. Tuning is complete when they assemble it at the factory.

Wouldn't know about the mystical 300 fps barrier. Fastest vert I ever shot did ~270. My Ibex is getting ~280. So feel free to call bull**** on me if you exceed 300. I won't argue since I haven't done it.

Hunting accuracy to me is not hesitating to take a clean shot at a whitetail under 35 yards, & knowing that if I miss the vitals it aint the broadheads fault. I'd not hesitate to shoot at 50 with my current setup were it not for string jump fears.

Most heads I've been able to cut fletching at 30 yards, with a few exceptions like the big old-style Snuffers. Even those I could keep well within a pie plate.

Knew someone would insist that it can't be done. That's why I said to pm if he is interested. Didn't want to have to "prove" my experience over the internet.

[sumner4991]

bluemoon . . .I didn't say it couldn't be done. I said I'd love to hear how.

High speeds are just a different animal and hitting a pie pan isn't good enough for me. Experience with slow speeds goes out the window. I thought my 30 years experience would help me out when I bought the Exomax. If anything the experience hindered me. Took me a while to break my old beliefs.

I get 1" groups at 40 yards with my Stricknines all day long. I've not found a fixed blade that comes close at 340 FPS. The Slick Tricks are good to 30 yards, even then I'll get the occasional shot outside my 2" circle.

Maybe I just haven't tried enough broadheads. I quit testing after finding the 2" cut , 3 blades that drop deer within 50 yards, everytime. It just doesn't get any better. Of course, my tracking skills are getting weak.

[bluemoon]

I must be getting old. 280 fps became slow & I didn't even notice.

Pie plate don't cut it for me either. That's why I don't shoot the old style 1-9\16" snuffers anymore. Only head I ever gave up on.

Look, you found your solution & that's great. But I've seen too many fist-sized groups of fixed head tipped arrows shot from 40+ yards to believe that all 100 grain heads are incapable of good accuracy.

My reply to the original post assumed that being able to hit an apple every time at 40 yards is considered good hunting accuracy. Maybe my standards are too lax.

Will step out of this thread now; was never my intention to hijack it.

[sumner4991]

And once that arrow leaves the string it doesn't matter if shot from a longbow compound or crossbow.

This statement is incorrect. Know why?

Speed vs. accuracy with a 100 grain fixed blade broadhead. As a projectile reaches faster and faster speeds, they need better and better areodynamics in order to fly straight. A spearhead is just fine at slow speeds. However, once greater speeds are obtained, then the projectile eventually has to look more like the nose of a missle.

300 FPS is about the breaking point for a fixed blade broadhead. Maybe, just maybe, we can squeek out a few more FPS . . .however, it looks like we are getting close to the limit on the fixed heads.

Manufacturers have tried several things to keep them flying straight. They started by making them shorter and smaller. Smaller blades seem like the perfect answer to reduce the planing effect. However, you give up cutting surface and end up losing deer.

New designs, like the Atom Broadhead, keep showing up. Maybe someone will break through the barrier. Who knows.

We need more cutting surface and less planing. Otherwise, there is no need for the speed.

[sumner4991]

First of all you can throw away all the years experience without a crossbow. You can also throw away all the years of shooting sub 300+ FPS.

It wasn't very long ago the guys shooting 230 fps were saying the same thing to the folks shooting 190 fps. They weren't experienced with *fast* arrows so how could they know anything about arrow flight or archery at all?

As bow's continue to gain speed, the *speed* crowd will be claiming a 350 fps bow & arrow isn't fast. If you don't shoot something over 500 fps you're inexperienced and don't understand speed.

They'll soon be here.

The *really* smart guys.

They're on their way!

Bob, you are right again. They will come and they will be correct. I will not debate a subject I have not experienced . . .well, I will try not to.

How do we apply the law of diminishing returns in relation to archery? I guess we need to determine the breaking point . . .you know, the speed at which a projectile reaches in which it isn't archery anymore. We will need to call it something else. We may have reached that speed already.

When we start using a modified projectile, then it isn't archery anymore, right? I don't know. Same goes for ML.

It will be interesting to see where it stops . . .if ever . . .

[sumner4991]

They will come and they will be correct.

They'll come alright because there's always been a steady flow of them.

As far as being correct...it's extremely rare when a newcomer (relatively speaking) discovers something that a long time archer doesn't already know.

Speed or not!

I disagree. Sure, they could be wrong. However, I'd never be able to prove it without doing some testing.

It's a specialized area. I am best at 340 fps with a crossbow. Because I shoot my Exomax the most of the two bows I have. If I tried to out shoot/debate someone that spends the most of their time shooting a recurve at 175 FPS, then I'd be hopeless trying to compete on their terms. Same would hold true with guys shooting arrows at 500 FPS.

Speed makes a difference, we all know that. There are some grey areas where both fixed blades and mechanicals will work just fine. However, it's stinking hard to get consistant groups with fixed blades going over 300 FPS. Everything has to be perfect, including the wind. Not so much with mechanicals. Just the physical characteristics of the broadhead. Mechanicals are simply more forgiving at any speed, but, it can be seen much better over 300 FPS.

Newcomers are more likely to discover things because they have not encountered the "limits" yet. It's hard to keep your mind open to new ideas. Especially after doing something for 20-30 years. Sure, new things are harder to find, but, they are out there waiting on someone.

Most of the "new" things on this forum came from the younger crowd. Well, I guess that would depend on your definition of young.