2-blade vs 3-blade mechanicals

[Wyatt.Carter]

Hey all,

Fairly new to the forum. Just wanted to hear everyones thoughts on 2 vs 3 blade mechanicals. I was a big fan of the G5 T3 (3 blade) but they stopped making it. The new g5 deadmeats, which are similar, seem a little spendy. I switched to the SEVR 2.1 (2blade) which seem like a good head but i'm not sure how i feel about having 2 blades instead of 3. Depending on the angle of the blades (i'm imagining) you might miss a major artery etc. if a marginal shot is made. Be curious anyones thoughts/experiences. ( Spare us all the "don't make a bad shot and it wont matter etc.etc.")

Cheers,

 

[Catahoula]

Mechanicals I’ve used only three blade heads in the past seasons.

 

[MattB]

I've predominantly used Vortex 2 blade 2" and have gotten considerably better blood trails than with 1"-1 1/8" 4 blades. I wouldnt think too much about whether an extra blade would cut an artery, etc. My opinion is if you need 3 blades versus 2, you've pro ably made a lousy shot. And on those, I like bigger holes. Good luck.

 

[Planopurist]

I’ve only shot 3-blade heads, both mechanical and fixed. I’m not entirely opposed to 2-blades. I think having at least 2 planes (4-blade, 2-blades with bleeders, hybrids) or 3 planes (3-blades) of cutting, makes for a more difficult hole to cover, plug, or coagulate with hide, fat, entrails, or blood. Also, 2-3 blades gives you extra chances to have cutting surfaces continue to do damage if one blade breaks upon heavy bone impact. Pivoting blades like that of the Sevr hopefully address the latter. I really wanted to try it, but I read too many mixed reports on the Sevr.

Although, I really love my success with the NAP Spitfire Maxx, and I’m interested in the Rage Trypan, I’m planning to try the Solid Legend fixed blade.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Planopurist]

I’ve only shot 3-blade heads, both mechanical and fixed. I’m not entirely opposed to 2-blades. I think having at least 2 planes (4-blade, 2-blades with bleeders, hybrids) or 3 planes (3-blades) of cutting, makes for a more difficult hole to cover, plug, or coagulate with hide, fat, entrails, or blood. Also, 2-3 blades gives you extra chances to have cutting surfaces continue to do damage if one blade breaks upon heavy bone impact. Pivoting blades like that of the Sevr hopefully address the latter. I really wanted to try it, but I read too many mixed reports on the Sevr.

Although, I really love my success with the NAP Spitfire Maxx, and I’m interested in the Rage Trypan, I’m planning to try the Solid Legend fixed blade.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Wyatt.Carter]

I’ve only shot 3-blade heads, both mechanical and fixed. I’m not entirely opposed to 2-blades. I think having at least 2 planes (4-blade, 2-blades with bleeders, hybrids) or 3 planes (3-blades) of cutting, makes for a more difficult hole to cover, plug, or coagulate with hide, fat, entrails, or blood. Also, 2-3 blades gives you extra chances to have cutting surfaces continue to do damage if one blade breaks upon heavy bone impact. Pivoting blades like that of the Sevr hopefully address the latter. I really wanted to try it, but I read too many mixed reports on the Sevr.

Although, I really love my success with the NAP Spitfire Maxx, and I’m interested in the Rage Trypan, I’m planning to try the Solid Legend fixed blade.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I share a lot of your feelings, I thing 3+blade holes are harder to close up but on the other hand the 2blades these days seem to have larger cuts

 

[willfrye027]

I used to shoot swhackers, never had an issue with blood trails or quick kills. I did have one fail to penetrate a shoulder blade. Then I shot 250gr single bevel 2 blade from a recurve for awhile, no issues there either. Wife also killed one with a two blade eskilite last year. 16 deer with two blades and I don’t think having another blade or bleeders would have helped any of them. A few of those kills were through shoulder blade and I doubt a 3 blade mech would make it through unless you had some crazy KE.

 

[Wyatt.Carter]

I used to shoot swhackers, never had an issue with blood trails or quick kills. I did have one fail to penetrate a shoulder blade. Then I shot 250gr single bevel 2 blade from a recurve for awhile, no issues there either. Wife also killed one with a two blade eskilite last year. 16 deer with two blades and I don’t think having another blade or bleeders would have helped any of them. A few of those kills were through shoulder blade and I doubt a 3 blade mech would make it through unless you had some crazy KE.

Some good thoughts here,, 2 blade might be a good compromise for cut diameter while still retaining some penetration.

 

[willfrye027]

Some good thoughts here,, 2 blade might be a good compromise for cut diameter while still retaining some penetration.

All theoretical...but when you talk about the possibility of missing a big artery with a two blade that you would otherwise hit with a three blade. There are very few anatomical areas where there is one isolated big artery that you would need to hit to make the kill...abdominal aorta or maybe femoral. Everywhere else, if there is one big blood vessel then there is going to be another one in close proximity. Miss the thoracic aorta? No worries, the IVC is right there next to or behind it. Blood vessels get smaller the farther away from the heart and lungs you are. If you are looking in 3D, it’s more like a web of vessels. Suffice to say, if your arrow is in the right area you are absolutely hitting several big vessels and medium vessels as well regardless of blade number.

On the flip side, say you hit the deer farther back. If you’ve got a big 2in wide cut, you may get “lucky” and clip something closer to the kill zone. I barely clipped a bucks aorta with a 2in wide swacker. Barely nicked it and he tipped over in sight of me. Would not have got it with anything less than a 2in wide cut.

My theory is, if you make a good shot then it’s going to die no matter what. If you make a bad hit, I want a wider cut to hopefully get lucky and encounter something major that I otherwise would not have hit.

I will say that I think a single bevel or a three blade might give better blood trails than a straight 2. But I have never lost a deer due to the blood trail being poor so I don’t really shoot for blood trails which are very unpredictable anyways.

 

[Planopurist]

I share a lot of your feelings, I thing 3+blade holes are harder to close up but on the other hand the 2blades these days seem to have larger cuts

That NAP Spitfire Maxx is 1-3/4” cut diameter. I like it. Just stay off the biggest part of the shoulder bone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MattB]

All theoretical...but when you talk about the possibility of missing a big artery with a two blade that you would otherwise hit with a three blade. There are very few anatomical areas where there is one isolated big artery that you would need to hit to make the kill...abdominal aorta or maybe femoral. Everywhere else, if there is one big blood vessel then there is going to be another one in close proximity. Miss the thoracic aorta? No worries, the IVC is right there next to or behind it. Blood vessels get smaller the farther away from the heart and lungs you are. If you are looking in 3D, it’s more like a web of vessels. Suffice to say, if your arrow is in the right area you are absolutely hitting several big vessels and medium vessels as well regardless of blade number.

On the flip side, say you hit the deer farther back. If you’ve got a big 2in wide cut, you may get “lucky” and clip something closer to the kill zone. I barely clipped a bucks aorta with a 2in wide swacker. Barely nicked it and he tipped over in sight of me. Would not have got it with anything less than a 2in wide cut.

My theory is, if you make a good shot then it’s going to die no matter what. If you make a bad hit, I want a wider cut to hopefully get lucky and encounter something major that I otherwise would not have hit.

I will say that I think a single bevel or a three blade might give better blood trails than a straight 2. But I have never lost a deer due to the blood trail being poor so I don’t really shoot for blood trails which are very unpredictable anyways.

I agree with pretty much all of that, practically and theoretically. My experience is if I miss the vitals, I would rather have a larger cutting diameter in one plane than more blades.

 

[Zac]

I think two vs three blade has more to do with the style of head deployment than it does the cut. If you prefer a rear deploying head your gonna be stuck with mostly two blades with the exception of the G5 head. The over the top deployment designs like Grim Reaper can handle up to 4 blades fairly easily.

 

[5MilesBack]

For me I won't use a 2-blade that isn't at least a 2" cut. And for a 3-blade I want a 1.5" cut. This is for elk. Anything smaller than "those cuts" and I'd rather use a fixed blade.

 

[Wyatt.Carter]

All theoretical...but when you talk about the possibility of missing a big artery with a two blade that you would otherwise hit with a three blade. There are very few anatomical areas where there is one isolated big artery that you would need to hit to make the kill...abdominal aorta or maybe femoral. Everywhere else, if there is one big blood vessel then there is going to be another one in close proximity. Miss the thoracic aorta? No worries, the IVC is right there next to or behind it. Blood vessels get smaller the farther away from the heart and lungs you are. If you are looking in 3D, it’s more like a web of vessels. Suffice to say, if your arrow is in the right area you are absolutely hitting several big vessels and medium vessels as well regardless of blade number.

On the flip side, say you hit the deer farther back. If you’ve got a big 2in wide cut, you may get “lucky” and clip something closer to the kill zone. I barely clipped a bucks aorta with a 2in wide swacker. Barely nicked it and he tipped over in sight of me. Would not have got it with anything less than a 2in wide cut.

My theory is, if you make a good shot then it’s going to die no matter what. If you make a bad hit, I want a wider cut to hopefully get lucky and encounter something major that I otherwise would not have hit.

I will say that I think a single bevel or a three blade might give better blood trails than a straight 2. But I have never lost a deer due to the blood trail being poor so I don’t really shoot for blood trails which are very unpredictable anyways.

All good thoughts, thanks for the response man. 2 blades on average seem to have a wider cut for sure .. what do they say..? Bigger is better

 

[5MilesBack]

2 blades on average seem to have a wider cut for sure .. what do they say..? Bigger is better

I tried an Ulmer Edge (2-blade 1.5" cut) a few years ago on a big bull. Shot was quartering away from the right side, so liver and one lung most likely. It also blew through the offside humerus bone on exit. It was near last light and we lost blood in the dark so came back in the morning. Well, that bull bedded down and the wound sealed up. Not another drop of blood after he bedded. This was his bed.

 

[Block]

I killed my first archery buck with the Dead Meats and it worked great BUT I will never shoot that broadhead again becuz they make noise / rattle in ur quiver. The blades all move. The only way to fix it would be to put a dab of wax or something on each blade. Really lame.

Iv had great luck with Rage Hypos tho I hear the horror stories and hope I’m not next haha.

My GF shot a nice buck in the shoulder at 15 yards with the grim reaper 3 blade mechanical and i honestly feel like that deer would have been dead with almost ANY other broadhead. The way that head expands from the front is like putting on the brakes. She needed another 1/2” or so of penetration.

So far still searching haha no perfect head out there. I do really really like the idea of the SEVR locking in place for practice. Becuz everyone is flat out full of shit acting like their broadhead flys the same as a field point outside of 70 yards

 

[Swampcruiser]

I shot a Mule deer a couple years ago that had a bent half deployed rage in its ribs and half of a lightweight GT Velocity arrow - just gotta have the energy. I quite using mechs after this.

 

[Swampcruiser]

Irony was I killed it with a NAP killzone 3 blade mech. Never again.

 

[Wyatt.Carter]

I killed my first archery buck with the Dead Meats and it worked great BUT I will never shoot that broadhead again becuz they make noise / rattle in ur quiver. The blades all move. The only way to fix it would be to put a dab of wax or something on each blade. Really lame.

Iv had great luck with Rage Hypos tho I hear the horror stories and hope I’m not next haha.

My GF shot a nice buck in the shoulder at 15 yards with the grim reaper 3 blade mechanical and i honestly feel like that deer would have been dead with almost ANY other broadhead. The way that head expands from the front is like putting on the brakes. She needed another 1/2” or so of penetration.

So far still searching haha no perfect head out there. I do really really like the idea of the SEVR locking in place for practice. Becuz everyone is flat out full of shit acting like their broadhead flys the same as a field point outside of 70 yards

It is a major plus for the sevr.. just don't miss the target

 

[5MilesBack]

It is a major plus for the sevr.. just don't miss the target

I don't care for the fact that those Sevr blades rotate.

I always sacrifice at least one head sometimes two to verify how they shoot. The first time I tried the 125gr Spitfires I spun all three on the spinner and they were all perfect. Then I checked blade sharpness.........great. Then I shot the same head four times at 60 yards and all four times it was inside the 3" bullseye. I was sold. Killed a 300"+ bull that September at timberline at........59 yards.