Mechanical or Fixed? Best of each?

Taking a poll of you fellas before I buy new heads...

Do you prefer mechanicals or fixed, and which one and why?

I've shot Muzzy 3-Blade 100gr all but one year of my hunting life. They aren't broke, so I don't really know why I want to fix em, I guess I'm just seeking to "upgrade" if that can be done.

Fixed; if you wanted to try something diff but similar, get 3 Toxic's & try 'em out... I like the blood trails I get out of Toxic's vs 3-blade Muzzy's myself... Honestly, tho, I wouldn't fix what's not broken...

I was a hold out on mechanicals for years. I never liked them because of durability issues and the retaining mechanisms (o-rings, rubberbands and clips). After hunting with someone that still shot the old school Gators and seeing for myself the advantages of having the 2" cut, I started looking around. I settled on the NAP Killzones because they have an internal clip that doesn't need to be replaced every time it's shot. I've taken 5 with them and they have performed well. Another head I'm going to try out is the NAP Slingblade. It's like an updated Gator. One of the advantages it has over the Killzone is the blades free float. I can't get the local deer to cooperate so I can test one out though.

fixedeverydamntime......


I shoot 200gr STOS and 180gr German Kenitics Silverflames. The Silverflames are by a mile lead the best broadhead ever made. They will remain razor sharp far longer than any other head made.

Fixed all the way. Slick Trick Magnums or QAD exodus. Tried out the slick trick razor tricks this year and they did the job as well. Both heads fly just like field points. Plan on trying the Magnus Stinger buzzcut next year. Any of these will treat you right.

Fixed

fixed for this guy

I used Thunderheads for years. This year I tried the NAP Killzones. I shot a doe at 20 yards hard quartering away. The arrow passed thru about 6 or 8 inches. I didn't like the fact at 20 yards I didn't get a full pass thru. So now I am trying out the Ramcats. My son killed a doe a few weeks ago, hard quartering away shot and he got a complete passthru. I like the 2 inch cut, but I like my chances with fixed blade better. If the doe I shot had been a big buck, I'm not sure I would have recovered him. Maybe maybe not. But I feel the fixed blades get way more penetration than the mechanicals. Just my opinion.

I am a fan of fixed. I shot Muzzy for years and I switched to Ram Cats last year and love them. They fly just like field points, no difference, and they do DAMAGE. The only drawback is you have to make sure they will fit your quiver. Ram Cat makes a quiver but it weighs a ton.

Good stuff fellas.

Thunderhead 100s

I've shot most every head on the market and there are some very good heads out there. Ive been bowhunting for 35 years and I've never cared for the jacknife expandables. With that being said I started shooting Rage 10 years ago and they have been amazing for me, countless kills, zero failures and 100 % recovery rate. The Hypodermics are the best one to date imo.

What's the cost $ for Muzzy 3 blade that works? What's the cost ($$$) for other broadheads that may or may not work?

Fixed head there is nothing to "not work" other than shot placement!

So at the root of my question is that I'm probably changing bows. Will be going to a faster bow, shorter axle to axle. Now it probably won't be much different, but I'm thinking I'll go from the 280's to the 310's. Do fixed heads tend to plane at those higher speeds? How important is it to "tune" the heads to the fletchings?

3 blade Muzzy. 100 or 125 grain. I've shot them in compounds and now crossbows. Just not much negative about them.

Dont know if this helps or not but; I started bow hunting this year with a bow that was rated at 316 fps, I was shooting the 3 blade Muzzy trocar fixed blade and there was no difference between them and a field point. When I upgraded to a faster bow(355 fps) they were flying differently and I had to tune the broad heads to the arrow.

Muzzy have a bad reputation for having to really tune them. I have just paper tuned bows and my slick tricks fly the same as fp. I think people get away with bows thst are not properly tuned by shooting mechanicals but even then your bow is not achieving it's maximum capabilities. Do yourself a favor and buy some slick tricks and than me later. To answer your question though. I shot a speed bow for a year...hated the draw cycle but bought it for cheap. Was shooting 308fps and slick tricks shot perfectly out of it with no problem just like they did out off the bow before that that was shooting in the 270s. Bow I just got rid of shot 286 and shot them perfect. I have not had a bow that required knats butt detail tuning for tricks.

Said for years I would never shoot a mechanical head because of the chance of failure. My FIL and another friend of mine shoot professionally and kept talking about Grim Reapers so I said what the heck and gave them a shot. That was about 5 years ago and have been shooting them ever since. No problems what so ever for me, unbelievable blood trails (if you need them) and complete pass thrus so far. Only 1 deer made it out of sight and it only made it about 40yd. Biggest deer I've shot with them was 220lb 9pt in Missouri. Blew thru him and stuck up 6"in the ground. Tried the 2" whitetail specials by reaper but blades seem to break too easy, really like the 1 3/8 cut the best. That's my $0.02

I shoot Grim Reapers and Rage. Hard to beat either. As a matter of fact, I have a Reaper Razor Tip nocked right now!

Thunderhead 125's for me. Killed a few elk and have zero complaints. Mechanicals here are illegal and I probably wouldn't change if they were.

I shoot mechanicals... I would like to try the slick tricks, but really U would like a fix blade that is just a 2 blade. Kinda like an old arrow head...

NAP Killzones Trophy Taker

What is your reasoning for wanting fixed blades with only two blades? The cutting area would not be near as big as a 3 or 4 blade.

I believe that 3 and 4 blade heads have a greater tendency to close than a two blade cut.

if yer talking about the cut hole thats backerds as a crawfish.

A two blade head will out penetrate any three or four blade head, everything else equal.

I never said they wouldn't out penetrate. I said they don't have the cutting area. Two blades arent going to put as big a hole as a 3 or 4 blad. They may slice longer but the actual hole will not be as big. Yes they will out penetratearly though.

So you think a two blade cut has a greater chance of closing than a 3-4 blade?

I was talking about a two blade fixed head actually, but the science is the same a two blade head will out penetrate a three or four blade head...less drag. I have shot three blade mechanicals and fixed and found that the penetration I got was not what I wanted to see, esp with big three blade fixed heads.

You may want to check the sharpness of the blades. I have yet to have a fixed head not pass through a deer and burry half the arrow in the dirt. Shot a deer this year quartered hard away. Slipped arrow in behind ribs and came out in front of deers shoulder. This what with a slick trick razor trick. Shot a 250+ lb buck in Kentucky quartered to me shot him on the inside of his shoulder and busted straight through a rib complete pass through. A three blade fixed will always out penetrate a three blade mechanical unless it is some super dull head. There are tones of penetration tests all over the internet.

son, I don't need schooling on sharpening or checking sharpness on my broadheads. I have had really poor penetration with Magnus Snuffers, a big three blade fixed head...and sharpened very sharp. I refuse to use any three blade for anything but cockroaches...

Funny reply!

Wasn't saying you needed schooling on anything. Just telling you my experience. You can shoot whatever you want to shoot makes no difference to me whatsoever. I don't need to be called son either. I have only one dad and it isn't you.

Had a complete pass through at 20yds, went through the ribs on both sides using Muzzy Trocar (3 blade)great blood trail. Had the same result from a Rage Chisel Tip with 3 blades but not as much of a blood trail.

I shoot a mechanical 100 grain Ulmer Edge by trophy taker. Any decent heads gonna fly like a field point at 20 yards- these do the same at 60 plus. I've killed deer,ram and pigs with them. No regrets. For fixed, I like RamCat. Also an awesome broad head.

I don't disagree with you. I shoot two blade because I believe it's s greater chance at a pass through and that it will be harder for the holes to close up

A fella named Dr Ashby has done way extensive research on broadhead performance, aimed at larger African game, but the science is the same. A well constructed two blade on a heavy shaft will penetrate best,

A target point CAN kill a deer quickly IF placed perfectly thru the brain...but I usually try to shoot a combo that will kill under any shot I'm presented, not just the perfect ones.

Closing up??? That is new to me. So some of you all actually have a wound that won't bleed because of the number of blades?

No I have not had it happen. But I think one 2+ inch slice horizontal, vertical, diangnal ect is better than 3 or 4 cuts.

To each his own I guess. They shoot two blade in Africa for penetration purposes. A slit will close easier than 3 or 4 slits. Just my opinion though. More cuts means more damage, more damage means more blood, more blood means dead deer quicker. Look at hole size comparison from a magnus stinger to any 4 blade fixed head. How can a hole that is bigger close up easier? Not wrapping my head around this at all.

research has shown that penetration is the number one factor in determining the fatality of a hit.

Well when I have a 3 or 4 blade head that don't penetrate I'll switch to silverflames. Until then I'll shoot tricks. A lot of people shoot tricks in Africa too.kill the same animals with the same pass throughs.

the side cuts can stick together because of clotting and over all fixed 3-4 blades do not cut 2 inches

Nope 3 nor 4 blades cut two inches, but lets look at these two inch cuts. It is a 2in cut in two directions right? So how much surface area is that? Now compare that to the surface area of a 4 blade with 1/18 cut in every direction? Which actually covers the most surface area and leaves the biggest hole?

2 blade 2" cut



4 blade 1 1/8" cut



Which would you say is the bigger hole?

I haven't read this but the holes a 2 inch 2 blade make are just ungodly it looks like you hit them with an axe

I can find pics online of tricks that show much bigger holes. Just like I find pics of rage that look tiny. People can shoot what they want to shoot. I will continue to shoot what I like and what has worked.

As long as you do your part whatever broad head you use will do its part. I shoot a 3 blade mechanical because that's my preference.

The angle of the shot can make a difference on the size a fixed head will make. The above pics are on deer I shot. The 2" cut was a 35 yarder and the 1 1/8" was a 20 yarder. Both deer were broadside.

Here is a 3 blade 1 1/8" cut at 25 yards quartering away, exited through the offside shoulder:





The 2" cut will punch a bigger hole and offer more room for error. This I have seen first hand. This was my reason for swapping to them. The 2" cut and the 1 1/8" cut will both kill them deader than hell if you put it where you are supposed to.

Fixed Simmons Interseptor 190Grain

I have shot Grim Reapers for years now. I use the 1 3/8 cut. My bow is flinging a 400 grain arrow at a pretty modest speed of about 260 fps. Despite that I have had exactly one fail to pass all the way through a deer and stick in the ground. That was a 230 pound buck up in Illinois. I shot him a little too far forward and centered the shoulder bone of his offside shoulder. He died within 50 yards of my tree. The Reaper was buried in the bone so deep I had too use pliers and a hammer to get it out. I doubt any head fixed or otherwise would have gone all the way through the center of that bone.

This🔝⬆⬆⬆⬆

Shoots rage and a fox d blade back to back into a deer shoulder and tell me who h one fails first.

Snuffers on my trad bow. g5 on my x-bow.

I have always been curious as to what cuts end up on actual game when shot. With all the questions on fixed vs mechanical we should get started a picture thread with actual holes in game. With the variety of heads everyone shoots around here would be cool to see how each one performs.

Swhacker 100gr. I haven't had one to not open. I've killed deer with "less-than-perfect shots" that would have done zero damage had I been using a fixed blade. Tracking distance is usually 50 yards max. If you are going with an expandable blade, this is by far the only one on the market that makes sense to me. The blades don't even start cutting until they are inside the deer (look up their videos for a demo). You don't lose any energy to your blades having to cut through hair and hide before getting inside the deer. The only possible downfall that I can really think of is that the entrance wound isn't always that big. so if you don't get a pass through shot, you may have trouble finding blood...especially if your entrance wound is anywhere in the back or between the shoulders.

I prefer fixed. Trophy Taker Shuttle T Lock Black Ops last couple of years. used to use Montecs. Black Ops easier to tune and penetrate incredibly.

I've always shot fixed, but I got a new bow and DADGUM these fixed heads are LOUD!!! They make a very noticeable wind noise in flight, I mean VERY noticeable.

Pretty sure I'm going with some mechanicals after this season, just simply for the noise factor.

I shoot a hybrid head called Bipolar.

all fixed head do not whistle in flight, mater of fact most don't.