Fixed Blade Broadheads VS Mechanicals

[Shaka_Gnar]

Been putting in a lot of thought into this and trying to decide.... Not sure if I can be persuaded to shoot a mechanical. Just seems to have to many things working against it. Maybe I'm over thinking it.

 

[CHGray]

What are you hunting? I shoot good ole Rages and they’ve blown clean through every whitetail and hog I’ve flung one at.

 

[Shaka_Gnar]

Whats your arrow weight?

Elk, antelope and deer. The country I hunt can sometimes have a lot of branches over hanging and I'm always worried a mechanical will open with hitting a blade of grass even.

 

[BBob]

Maybe I'm over thinking it.

Shoot them or don't. You're not going to find consensus here. I'm a mech shooter and have been for decades. They work for me but may not work for you.

 

[guylaga]

I have shot animals with a fixed blade and watched them run 20 yds and tip over, and other times they ran 1/2 a mile. If I had used a mechanical that 1/2 mile track job would very likely have been much shorter.

Ive shot animals with a mechanical and the blood trails could be followed by Ray Charles, vs another time where there was only a pin drop 50yd from the shot and it was only by grid searching I was able to recover a deer. If I had used a fixed blade and got two holes instead of one I feel that would have ended up being a much faster recovery.

You have to decide what do you want from a broad head?

Penetration above all else, easy of re-sharpening - Go with a fixed blade.

Cut diameter, Forgiveness (if your shot doesn't quite hit where you aim and you only nick the vitals), Blood Trail (shot location dependent), Accuracy (debatable out of a well tuned bow) - Go with a mechanical.

I have decided to carry both in my quiver and what I use depends on the situation.

 

[twall13]

I have decided to carry both in my quiver and what I use depends on the situation.

This is the route I'm leaning as well. As long as you can get your bow tuned so they both fly the same I think having both gives you a bit more flexibility depending on the situation.

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[billysmals]

Count me in on the carry both! I feel like it gives me options. I usually primarily lean to first fixed blades, but I really like having the mechs for long follow up shots. But if it's windy and I don't feel comfortable I can opt for a mech first. I run a 3 fixed, 2 mech. I haven't found it's hard to get a mech to fly well if the fixed are flying well.

 

[nphunter]

Mechanicals for me, I’ve put them through a half dozen good bull. I do also carry a fixed incase I’m at close range and there is a chance for a deflection.

Mechanicals fly better when your form isn’t perfect which is often in a hunting situation. I’ve had zero penetration issues with multiple different mechanicals at many ranges. 70lbs, 27.5” draw and 450-500gr arrows.

 

[aachey]

They both have their pro’s and con’s. You should go with whatever is most accurate for you AND gives you the most confidence.

 

[TylerDurden3]

I like the Mechanicals because of the accuracy. Have had much better luck grouping them at different distances. That’s what I’m comfortable with so that’s what I use.

 

[vladkgb]

Give that a listen, based on real data from hundreds of bow hunters.

TLDW: Mechanicals optimize for accuracy, while fixed optimize for penetration. In the field, there are many uncontrolled variables that can affect the accuracy of a fixed blade, like wind, grip torque, accidental face pressure. A fixed penetrates better, but it doesn't change the size of the vitals, you still have to hit them to take an animal down. This is why I shoot mechanicals to optimize for accuracy in all conditions.

 

[butcherboy]

I’m a fixed blade guy and have been for 35 years. The only problem I ever had was shooting old bear razor heads back in the late 80’s to about 1993. Of course in those days there was no to very little bow tuning going on other than rest adjustments. Everything had metal cables and the teardrop attachment for your string. I’ve shot my current broadhead (QAD exodus) out to 80 yds with no problems. If you feel like you need to shoot both then go for it. If I shot a mechanical I would look for one that has swept back blades.

 

[Marble]

I just carry both. Each has it's good and bad points.



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[wapitibob]

I've had better blood and faster kills with spitfires than I've had with any fixed head, and all but one Bull shot with the spitfire's were pass thru. Not very scientific as kills were over the last 50 years and everything has been changing; wheels to cams, arrow mtl and weight, as well as broadhead designs.

 

[MtnRedy27]

I’m a fixed blade archer through and through! QAD Exodus is my go to! Great broadhead!

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I just carry both. Each has it's good and bad points.



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+1. There are draw backs to carrying both though as well. One year I had a bull come in fast. I knew it would be a frontal or quartering to, grabbed what I thought was my fixed blade arrow, instead it was a sevr 2.1. Arrow deflected bad. I recovered the bull but took a while. I also think if I didn’t have a 30” draw and shooting a 550g arrow at 80lbs, I wouldn’t have recovered it at all.
I now fletch my arrows different colors, one for fixed, one for mechanical, one for grouse, as an extra precaution.

 

[Robinhedd]

I’m partial to Magnus Stinger 125 broadheads, tough as they come and fly very true. Magnus also backs them up with a lifetime warranty. That’s solid in my book! Robinhedd

 

[ddd-shooter]

I've had better blood and faster kills with spitfires than I've had with any fixed head, and all but one Bull shot with the spitfire's were pass thru. Not very scientific as kills were over the last 50 years and everything has been changing; wheels to cams, arrow mtl and weight, as well as broadhead designs.

Love the spitfire!!

 

[Beendare]

The problem with these comparisons; they are not factoring in real world.

Both Designs are equal when it comes to accuracy if you BH tune your bow....so saying a mech head is more accurate is not true.
The mech has a tiny advantage on shots over 70y....and I suppose many guys are setting up for these type of shots.
The mech might be more accurate for a guy that doesn't BH tune....and many guys assume thats the case .....then find out later they were wrong.

Both designs are good mainly due to the killing power of a bow shot arrow.

An inefficient BH design tends to be more effective if it has a decent weight arrow behind it...along with perfect arrow flight. A very efficient BH design also needs good arrow flight but these can turn any arrow into a penetrating monster.

Pick your poison....both work.

 

[butcherboy]

If I wasn’t hooked on QAD then I would shoot a Magnus, tooth of the arrow, annihilator, or a Simmons