I don't want this to turn into a fixed vs mechanical debate. I simply want to understand why a lot of people start out with " if you shoot mechanical's make sure your not using a low poundage bow".
I have shot spitfire's for close to fifteen year's. I shot them out of my old Horton crossbow long before i owned an Excalibur. It shot a blazing 242fps and i had a pass through on every deer i ever shot with it. I've killed several deer with my Vixen & spitfire's and quite a few deer & hogs with my Ibex when i had it.
The only two times i didn't get a pass through with my spit's where on a high front shoulder shot with my Vortex...my bad shot placement and a 200lb hog with my Ibex. But i still busted the far shoulder.
Now i'm not advocating hunting moose or grizzly's with low poundage bows and mechs but if you take ethical shot's at ethical ranges today's quality mechanical's will get the job done.
Opinion's may vary!!
Bulldog m380 blackout
Micro 355
Matrix 350LE
Vixen II
Proud member of the Georgia Meat Hunter's Association
"Shooting tomorrow's trophy's...today"
I shoot spitfires out of my 330 all the time only lost one to a shoulder hit as you stated . I wouldnt shoot a giant trauma or one of the biggest swhackers (2 in) out of it i think you need more power for them biggies.i really like the cabellas lazer strike 2 broadhead its a american made spitfire knockoff with an o ring design . It seems to not use a lot of energy opening up. I used them this year on my buck 10 yard recovery and there almost half the price of a spit.
Vixen 2, metal ibex,Phoenix,sapphire,matrix 330 ,matrix 355 ,vortex and baby grand piano y25 relayer.
Trigger tecs,leupold crossbones and nikon bolts.
Zombie slayers and mostly swat broadheads.
Ive had spitfires for several years but this is the first year I actually used them. Took a quartering-to shot at my buck and was ting to hold tight to his shoulder but my arrow actually hit him in the shoulder and blew clean through. The buck crashed 30 yards away and I never did find my arrow. My 330 shoots my 387gr arrows at 324 fps. I think even some lower poundage xbows will do fine as long as it has an appropriate power stroke and arrow weight.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Php 4:13
I wouldn't try it with an FOC or the crossbow trauma. A 2" cut might suffice for pass-throughs on deer, but I would not be tempted try a 3" cut out of a Vixen or a Phoenix.
georgiaboy wrote: It shot a blazing 242fps and i had a pass through on every deer i ever shot with it.
That is BLAZING.
My vertical recurve makes a whopping 148 fps and impacts (at 20 yards) with massive thump of (almost - if the arrow has a tail wind) 30 pounds of KE.
And I shoot mechanicals with that.
I replaced my Horton (175 Legacy) with the Vix II about six years ago and have been shooting mechanicals with that since I got it and it's only making 272 fps.
I do test many broadheads (mechanical) and have rigged up a method for detecting "how many pounds to deploy". Once they are open the blades do the cutting and will pass through if you have enough "umph" left.
As long as you stick to heads that don't gobble power opening up, you can shoot them in the lighter bows without any issue.
Graham
Micro 340TD, 17" Gold Tip Ballistics (180 gr inserts) - 125 gr Iron Will/VPA/TOTA (504 grains total/21.6% FOC) @ 301 FPS
