Mechanical or Fixed

mjbrady

Twelve Pointer
Ask yourself this....which one has better steel, will not fail, can be sharpened, gives the best chance at recovering the deer when you make a bad shot or the deer moves?
Ok, I asked myself those very questions to make me think about my answers.
Which one has better steel? The mechanical models I shoot are Titanium and thus the end result is a stronger alloy with less density. Mechanical wins

Will not fail? In theory the fixed head wins this one. But, I gotta sayevery bow fired is a mechanical device that can fail.

Can be sharpened? Mechanical blades can be replaced, so to me this is a moot point. I guess Tie.

Gives the best chance at recovering the deer when you make a bad shot or deer moves? Well in my experience bowhunting, in these very scenarios a larger, wider cut has the better likelihood of cutting something more valuable than a smaller counterpart. Nicking the heart muscle is better than missing it all together. Nicking the liver vs missing it is better. So my opinion is larger cut in a less desirable place is better than a smaller cut in the same location. Mechanical wins

So based on those questions and answers I’d say mechanical wins or at least does no worse than tie.
 

Tipmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Ask yourself this....which one has better steel, will not fail, can be sharpened, gives the best chance at recovering the deer when you make a bad shot or the deer moves?
You're right...we should outlaw all mechanicals this instant and while we're at it, 3/4 of the fixed heads. Only things we should be allowed to hunt with are gigantic single bevel broadheads that cost about a hundred a pop.
 

Tipmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Ok, I asked myself those very questions to make me think about my answers.
Which one has better steel? The mechanical models I shoot are Titanium and thus the end result is a stronger alloy with less density. Mechanical wins

Will not fail? In theory the fixed head wins this one. But, I gotta sayevery bow fired is a mechanical device that can fail.

Can be sharpened? Mechanical blades can be replaced, so to me this is a moot point. I guess Tie.

Gives the best chance at recovering the deer when you make a bad shot or deer moves? Well in my experience bowhunting, in these very scenarios a larger, wider cut has the better likelihood of cutting something more valuable than a smaller counterpart. Nicking the heart muscle is better than missing it all together. Nicking the liver vs missing it is better. So my opinion is larger cut in a less desirable place is better than a smaller cut in the same location. Mechanical wins

So based on those questions and answers I’d say mechanical wins or at least does no worse than tie.
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pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Ask yourself this....which one has better steel, will not fail, can be sharpened, gives the best chance at recovering the deer when you make a bad shot or the deer moves?
I went to a heavier set up this year. Not stupid heavy, but heavier, mostly because I have a heavier, tougher critter in my future plans.

That being said, I don’t care what you’re shooting, it won’t make up for poor marksmanship, or lack of practice. You can shoot the sharpest broadhead made out of the best steel known to man, and if you can’t put it where it needs to be, it’s no better than a paperweight.

Any reasonably sharp broadhead in the “boiler room” will kill a deer quickly.
 

Triggermortis

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I went to a heavier set up this year. Not stupid heavy, but heavier, mostly because I have a heavier, tougher critter in my future plans.

That being said, I don’t care what you’re shooting, it won’t make up for poor marksmanship, or lack of practice. You can shoot the sharpest broadhead made out of the best steel known to man, and if you can’t put it where it needs to be, it’s no better than a paperweight.

Any reasonably sharp broadhead in the “boiler room” will kill a deer quickly.
Boiler room. In my first days bow hunting one of my friends , a successful gun hunter, began hunting with a bow and his first year me and a friend helped him follow up on 3 deer. All shots kill zone, but we were tracking well hit deer farther than expected before recovery. I asked him what head he was using - field points! We just hadn’t noticed, we were green as well and only knew 3 or 4 other guys who bowhunted.
Not his or ours finest moment, but placement is what is paramount. He switched to Mohawks and things greatly improved. If you think today’s mechanical heads are suspect you would lose sleep over those…….
 

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Boiler room. In my first days bow hunting one of my friends , a successful gun hunter, began hunting with a bow and his first year me and a friend helped him follow up on 3 deer. All shots kill zone, but we were tracking well hit deer farther than expected before recovery. I asked him what head he was using - field points! We just hadn’t noticed, we were green as well and only knew 3 or 4 other guys who bowhunted.
Not his or ours finest moment, but placement is what is paramount. He switched to Mohawks and things greatly improved. If you think today’s mechanical heads are suspect you would lose sleep over those…….
There was an idiot that was busted for spotlighting from the road at night in Georgia some years back that was using a crossbow with field points to shoot deer in the head. Apparently he was very successful with that set up. I believe that Ga DNR confiscated 20 something sets of antlers and several mounts from him.
 

agsnchunt

Old Mossy Horns
Boiler room. In my first days bow hunting one of my friends , a successful gun hunter, began hunting with a bow and his first year me and a friend helped him follow up on 3 deer. All shots kill zone, but we were tracking well hit deer farther than expected before recovery. I asked him what head he was using - field points! We just hadn’t noticed, we were green as well and only knew 3 or 4 other guys who bowhunted.
Not his or ours finest moment, but placement is what is paramount. He switched to Mohawks and things greatly improved. If you think today’s mechanical heads are suspect you would lose sleep over those…….

ive always wondered what a chisel tipped field point would do at today’s arrow speeds.
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
I had issues with rage opening before contact with my Xbow (xbow rages). Picked up Nap Spitfire double cross, and was impressed. Shot same poi as my field points and absolutely destroyed my broad head target. If I were to go back to fixed it would be a g5 montec
 

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
I’ve shot just about everything at this point. Currently I use rage but have been less than impressed with the results I’ve seen so far, other than how well the fly. Next year I think I’m going to Cutthroat or Iron Will heads and a heavier arrow setup.
 

Longrifle

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I shot Muzzy fixed blades with great success from my compound, gonna rely on them with my longbow....
 

Hank

Old Mossy Horns
I made the switch to 150 Grain VPA Single Bevels. I’ve killed deer with fixed and I’ve killed them with Mechanicals, but being able to resharpen my broadheads was a big plus.
 

agsnchunt

Old Mossy Horns
being able to resharpen my broadheads was a big plus.

There has been discussion of sharpening, but I think you're the first person to bring up this very important point.

I don't even know what brand of mechanical I've recently used, but I had a bunch of extra replacement blades. Other than that you could try to resharpen the blades, which in my mind weren't nearly as sharp as I can get on a fixed, but I'm not sure how easily that would be done or how sharp you could get them. I did sharpen the chisel points at least once a year.
 

Hank

Old Mossy Horns
There has been discussion of sharpening, but I think you're the first person to bring up this very important point.

I don't even know what brand of mechanical I've recently used, but I had a bunch of extra replacement blades. Other than that you could try to resharpen the blades, which in my mind weren't nearly as sharp as I can get on a fixed, but I'm not sure how easily that would be done or how sharp you could get them. I did sharpen the chisel points at least once a year.
I purchased the Stay Sharp 35 degree jig for my VPAs and also purchased the Grey guide that Stay Sharp offers for the Magnus blades.
 

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agsnchunt

Old Mossy Horns
I purchased the Stay Sharp 35 degree jig for my VPAs and also purchased the Grey guide that Stay Sharp offers for the Magnus blades.

Nice. I'm a terrible sharpener of anything that isn't a chain saw. I should invest in some jigs and guides.

any thoughts on single bevel v double? At first glance I would think sharp is sharp, but I know my initial thoughts on a lot of things are off-base.
 

Hank

Old Mossy Horns
Nice. I'm a terrible sharpener of anything that isn't a chain saw. I should invest in some jigs and guides.

any thoughts on single bevel v double? At first glance I would think sharp is sharp, but I know my initial thoughts on a lot of things are off-base.
My opinion, either one will do the trick so long as they are extremely sharp. The reason I went with the VPA is because it’s not Iron Will expensive and it has really good steel. The single bevel also rotates once it hits the animal, I noticed this when shooting my target at home. It seemed to rotate 90 degrees, and that rotating will break bones.
 

LIZZRD

Eight Pointer
I was curious about mechanicals, large blades cutting large holes seems like a good thing.
I always thought kinetic energy was the x factor to making them a cut above the fixed blades.
I never pulled more than 60lbs. in my life and I have short arrows so never tried a mech. blade.
100 gr. Thunderheads at 50 lbs. nowadays .
 

genbud78

Ten Pointer
I use fixed Slick Tricks on my xbow. I used Rage before but every one I shot was a one and done. The ferrules cracked or chipped and the blades bent terribly. The blade could be replaced but the heads didn't fly right being off balance. I shot one with the slick trick last year and you'd have never known other than dulling the blades. They are easily sharpened and reused so I'll stick with them. They do plane a smidge but not enough to make a huge difference. The mechanicals definitely flew better for me but having to pay 10-15 bucks everytime I shoot one is ridiculous. IMO
 

Hunterreed

Twelve Pointer
Like waddell says the broad head is going to work if you stay away from heavy bone. I have never had a broad head fail even hitting the spine it cut enough nerve to stop a deer for a finish shot. Worst trouble I've had is when the angle of a shot fails to cut both lungs or missed the heart. Deer can go a long ways on one lung. Hitting that shoulder on the opposite side preventing complete pass through causes the arrow to stay in plugging the entrance hole and leaves less blood. A shot exiting out the gut leaves even less. A broad side double lung shot is going to have an arrow blow through most every time no matter what broad head is used mechanical or fixed and the arrow doesn't need to be super heavy. It always comes down to shot placement. Every thing else is secondary
 

genbud78

Ten Pointer
Like waddell says the broad head is going to work if you stay away from heavy bone. I have never had a broad head fail even hitting the spine it cut enough nerve to stop a deer for a finish shot. Worst trouble I've had is when the angle of a shot fails to cut both lungs or missed the heart. Deer can go a long ways on one lung. Hitting that shoulder on the opposite side preventing complete pass through causes the arrow to stay in plugging the entrance hole and leaves less blood. A shot exiting out the gut leaves even less. A broad side double lung shot is going to have an arrow blow through most every time no matter what broad head is used mechanical or fixed and the arrow doesn't need to be super heavy. It always comes down to shot placement. Every thing else is secondary
I had guts plug one last year and there wasn't a single drop of blood except on the bolt itself. Fortunately, she fell in sight so it all worked out. Would have been a pain looking if she'd run too far
 

Hunterreed

Twelve Pointer
I had guts plug one last year and there wasn't a single drop of blood except on the bolt itself. Fortunately, she fell in sight so it all worked out. Would have been a pain looking if she'd run too far
Happened to me a few times,last time was a shot at 32 yards were the deer reacted to the shot and turned towards me instead of away and by the time the bolt got there the full broadside shot became a quartering towards me shot. Only passed through one lung,hit liver and out the guts. Watched the deer lay down about 60 yards away and waited for it to die but when the rest of the deer walked of 15 minutes later it got up and followed them. No blood trail at all. Went to the last place I could see where they went which was about 90 yards from stand and heard the deer stand up. Backed out for two hours,went back in the dark and the deer was sitting upright to weak to stand but still alive and alert. They don't bleed good without that exit wound shooting arrows,like a gas can they got to be vented
 

QBD2

Old Mossy Horns
^ To be fair, they bleed the same if the exit hole is plugged or not. Where the amount of blood differs, is on the ground.
 

Banjo

Old Mossy Horns
Personal preference. Both will kill deer if the shot is right on. I have killed deer with both.
 

LIZZRD

Eight Pointer
Waddell's mention a broken off arrow gave me a great memory of a early buck kill for me.
This big body 7pt. was going to walk right under me from behind. Plenty of time to pull , then right turn onto him as he passed.
Stopped him with a grunt and let my 26" arrow go. Damn, seemed like it only stuck in 10" deep. He bolted another 40-50 foot, started walking, then stubbling then fell over and broke my arrow. Somehow I have misplaced or lost that arrow. It had broken at 12".
 

QBD2

Old Mossy Horns
Well, I’m gonna try a different broadhead for the first time in ~20 years. Been shooting the OG spitfires, chisel tip 1.5”. Ordered some spitfire maxx CoC 1.75” to try.

I’m in no way unhappy with the OG’s, but I had to order some anyway🤷‍♂️
 

Wirehead

Eight Pointer
Rage 2 blade. Specifically, hypodermics this year. The wound is absolutely devastating and never an errant shot due to fixed blade tuning.

That said, any game larger / tougher skin than a white tail and I’d be using fixed blade… I think.
 
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