Mecanical Broadheads (FOC's) Suck!

[Kegbelly]

Cevans are these the correct pics?

[Peacemaker]

I have been using rage mechanicals that have never failed to open. I had an inexplicable miss on my first use in 2012....which I blamed on premature opening so since them I have banded them with dental rubber bands. Never a miss, and never a failure to open, since. Any bad shots were clearly operator error; though I would like to blame the equipment, I can't.

[Tom]

If that is the exit hole, then, in my opinion, the blades all opened from the size of hole. If the blades did not open, the hole would only be the size of your little finger, not what looks like a hole you could put your thumb into.

Without having a complete pass through, the KE from the arrow stopping would close the blades. If the blade tracks are completly clean, then I would say they might not have opened, but I would think the tracks would have debree in it.

As for the tracking required, any hit which is back, can easily require longer tracking. Many will not shoot at a moving or walking deer (I will take the shot if conditions are correct) just because the time it takes for the arrow to get to the deer after it is shot. The point of impact will change.

Tom

[wabi]

Congratulations on recovering the buck!!!!!!!

I had a mechanical (Wasp JakHammer) fail to open on one several years ago. I did recover him (heart shot), but I went back to fixed blades after that experience.

[cevans]

You peeps take it for all you want. Call me a liar,,I really don't give a rats ass. The blades didn't open. This is the end of this. Done with this post. Stuff it. I am back to fixed and enjoy your mechanicals.

[paulaboutform]

I haven't shot expandable broadheads out of my crossbow but I've tried a number of them with my compounds. I used them because of their accuracy and my lack of understanding about bow tuning at the time. I did have good success with rocket steelheads but had bad results from spitfires and the worst was the rage 3 blade. The young boar I heart shot looked like the deer cevans shot. I had a 7/8" hole from entry, through the heart, and exit. It also failed to open but I did recover the pig as it died within five steps toward me. Cevans, I understand your frustration so I hope you don't feel attacked. Each to their own and I hope the mechanical fans have continued success with them. My thought is that if I can achieve field point accuracy with my fixed blades with no chance of mechanical failure that's the route I choose. Besides, when I'm coring animals with five inches of cutting surface with a deadly accurate fixed blade head that works for me.

[Tom]

You peeps take it for all you want. Call me a liar,,I really don't give a rats ass. The blades didn't open. This is the end of this. Done with this post. Stuff it. I am back to fixed and enjoy your mechanicals.

cevans your response is uncalled for. I never called you a liar, nor do I believe anyone else did.

Mechanical heads are not for everyone. The do require maintance and care. If you do not look after and take care of a mechanical head, then you will probbally have failures.

I like mechanicals because there is less wondering in the point of impact caused by wind like I found with the larger cutting surface fixed heads.

Again, a head which does not open only punches a small hole, not something you could put your thumb into.

Tom

[vixenmaster]

cevans, i can understand yer frustration about the BH & the way you feel it failed. Chalk it up to a learned lesson as you did recover the deer. Now yer path forward is to decide which fixed blade BH you want or either go back to or try? I have half dz or more BH's i am jus usin up weedin thru testing what ever you wish to call it. Hey mech. are not fer everyone. I don't mind usin them but i have an Ace in the hole, me furbabies blood trail them.

[macbe]

If that is the exit hole, then, in my opinion, the blades all opened from the size of hole. If the blades did not open, the hole would only be the size of your little finger, not what looks like a hole you could put your thumb into.

Without having a complete pass through, the KE from the arrow stopping would close the blades. If the blade tracks are completly clean, then I would say they might not have opened, but I would think the tracks would have debree in it.

As for the tracking required, any hit which is back, can easily require longer tracking. Many will not shoot at a moving or walking deer (I will take the shot if conditions are correct) just because the time it takes for the arrow to get to the deer after it is shot. The point of impact will change.

Tom

that cannot be the right picture,that looks like a neck shot
he said he it liver

[Kegbelly]

If that is the exit hole, then, in my opinion, the blades all opened from the size of hole. If the blades did not open, the hole would only be the size of your little finger, not what looks like a hole you could put your thumb into.

Without having a complete pass through, the KE from the arrow stopping would close the blades. If the blade tracks are completly clean, then I would say they might not have opened, but I would think the tracks would have debree in it.

As for the tracking required, any hit which is back, can easily require longer tracking. Many will not shoot at a moving or walking deer (I will take the shot if conditions are correct) just because the time it takes for the arrow to get to the deer after it is shot. The point of impact will change.

Tom

that cannot be the right picture,that looks like a neck shot
he said he it liver

I asked if these were the correct pictures but got no reply....let's make sure we're looking at the right images before we go getting all testy

[flightattendant100]

He aint gonna get splinters ridin' the fence is he?

[PA_DeerHunter]

The OP said that he heard a loud "kawhack" when the arrow hit the deer. This "kawhack" is typical of this type of broadhead WHEN it deploys. The "Kawhack" you hear are the blades slamming open onto the back of the ferrule. You don't hear a "kawhack" from a field point or fixed blade broadhead.

And a liver-shot deer can and will run a long way. 300 yards is not out of the question. Iv'e seen rifle shot deer (liver hits) run farther.

As another poster has said, an arrow that doesn't pass completely through a deer will come to a screeching halt. That yours did so after passing through the far side of the deer means that those blades would have slammed closed, giving the appearance that the blades never deployed.

If you're going to slam a broadhead for failing to open, then at least provide a clear picture of the exit hole to show everyone that the blades never opened. Bad luck may not always be as bad as we think. I say those blades opened, and the "kawhack" is the evidence. A broadhead that is closed is valid evidence IF the exit wound is the same size as the entrance wound.

[nchunterkw]

[quote="paulaboutform"]My thought is that if I can achieve field point accuracy with my fixed blades with no chance of mechanical failure that's the route I choose. quote]

Couldn't have said it better.

Tom,
I have to disagree that a little bit of wind is going to cause a fixed blade to fly off POI. They are already moving ~300fps. Something in the alignment or the arrow setup causes that. And it is also my opinion that the small hole an undeployed FOC would make in a target would look much bigger in a live animal. The skin stretches etc. All my Slick Trick holes are much bigger than the BH diameter because of this.

[mingle]

Congratulations on recovering the buck!!!!!!!

I had a mechanical (Wasp JakHammer) fail to open on one several years ago. I did recover him (heart shot), but I went back to fixed blades after that experience.

Been using jak hammers along time always worked for me with vertical bow,Shot a doe this year with my excal and a jak hammer with 2 bands and it worked well.I was told 2 use 2 o rings buy wasp so I did was wondering if just1 would be better,my xbow shoots about 350 fps..

[Tom]

My thought is that if I can achieve field point accuracy with my fixed blades with no chance of mechanical failure that's the route I choose. quote]

Couldn't have said it better.

Tom,
I have to disagree that a little bit of wind is going to cause a fixed blade to fly off POI. They are already moving ~300fps. Something in the alignment or the arrow setup causes that. And it is also my opinion that the small hole an undeployed FOC would make in a target would look much bigger in a live animal. The skin stretches etc. All my Slick Trick holes are much bigger than the BH diameter because of this.

A cross wind WILL AFFECT the POI with a larger cutting surface head. The fixed blades will act as wings and catch air. The more of a cross wind, causes more of an Affect on the POI.

I really noticed this problem when I started turkey hunting with the bow. You need to be more accurate as the target area is smaller. My setup was pretty good as I have on more then one occasion demistrated the accuracy of my bow out to 60 yards. And this shooting was not off a bench, it was from what I call chair shooting as I might shoot when hunting.

Tom