Expandables-Rocket and rages

[bluecollar$]

I've shot rockets for a while and had good success. Not many pass throughs on quartering deer, but kill shots none the less. Well the Montana trip sealed it for me. After an 8 yard shot @ a slightly quatering buck and only one hole I'm done with'em. The deer balled up within 60 yards thanks to a heart shot but the arrow should have come out.

I tested a few montecs and they shot just as good so its back to good old fixed blades.

On another note: I tried the 2 blade Rage on a doe.She was antsy and 35 yards out quartering away. I shot and she spun a little and I watched the lumenock deflect hard to the right off of her body:eek: The deer never left the field and after getting my arrow it had about 5 hairs on it...

I'm convinced a broadside shot with them would be deadly but I won't play that game again. I also heard a very similiar story today about them.
No doubt they open a gash but I won't use them anymore.

[Nanuk]

I just bought (reluctantly) Tru Fire brand going to try'em ,I been shooting Muzzy's almost 15 Yrs and never had a problem , thru the years I've tried several different cut on contact and expandables ie Spitfire and same results , unless broadside deflection play's a big role . I 'll keep you posted on how they work Good Luck and Congrats on your success in Montana :thup:

[MattG]

What are your Kenetic Enery #'s i.e. foot lbs of kinetic energy? I forget the exact formula but easy enough to figure out, need the weight of your arrow and fps speed. The rule of thumb I've always used when it comes to mechanicals or not is atleast 70 ft. lbs. of kinetic energy minimum, or you could just go by a bow poundage of 70 lbs. minimum if you don't want to figure out your true ke #'s and 420 grain arrow min. If you're shooting less, use fixed blades and tune your bow to fly them true, but if you're shooting a canon, nothing kills like the wide cut expandables. The need for speed has hurt a lot of the mechanicals reputation, light arrows just don't equate to enough KE for good penetration no mattter how fast they're going. To make it simple, use the rule of 420 grains minimum arrow weight and 70 lbs. draw weight when chosing mechanical broadheads and you shouldn't have a problem.

Also the rearward opening expandables help to cut down on deflection on quartering shots, though i've seen many bucks killed with quartering shots using the old spitfires also but i killed my biggest on the no, no quartering too shot using the old rocky mountain revolutions that were rearward opening and got a complete passthru going in high above the shoulder and out the gut slicing the inside ham on the way out, my bro killed a big 10 pt. with the same shot using spitfires, so they don't allways deflect, a lot depends on shot placement & KE

[BarnesX.308]

I have been using Shock Waves for as long as I can remember. 100 grains and excellent performance.

Kinetic energy is velocity(fps) squared times weight (grains) divided by 450,000 (I might be off by a little on the 450,000 but not enough to make more than a couple ft/lbs of energy difference). ;)

[Nanuk]

Maybe you guys can help me out, being you know a hell of a lot more then I do . I shoot a 72 lb draw weight with 30" A/C/C 3-60 with a 125 grain Muzzy or the new Tru-Fire's . Does this sound like a good set up or should I opt for the heavier 3-71 A/C/C ? :huh: :bow:

[HUNTIN-NUT]

I used to use Rockets all the time with similar results - dead deer but no pass throughs. I switched to Thunderheads a couple years back for elk hunting and have had all pass throughs on deer but have this year switched again to the 4 blade magnus stingers. These things are terrific - devasting and penetrate fantastically, Friend shot a bull elk quarterring to with one and went diagnally through the elk and passed through. 75 yards later dead elk. Sealed the deal for me and they fly great. That being said - I have heard nothing but great things about the rage heads but have not tried them

[Broadhead]

Well i switched to rage 2 blade this year and first night i shot a 75lb doe and she ran about 40 yard's and fell over. Went over to her and arrow was still in her with no pass thru with a 15yd shot broadside, pulled arrow out and no blades on broadhead (brand new just took them out of the pack the day before) Great hole going in but not sure what happened to the blades, butcher never found them either. By the way i am shooting a switchback at 70lb w/Easton axis st.

Same night son shooting a 62 lb pull Hoyt powertec at a 7 pt buck <20 yds broadside hit back 3 ribs and only gets about 6-8" of penitration luckily deer ran by a friend and he was able to put it down.

After reading more about them on their website find that for lesser poundage bows they recommend 3 blade because they give better penitration, wish that was noted on the retail packaging. It is my fault for not researching them better before switching.