[1canvas]

Fixed are consistent performers, expandables are less consistent. When I shot heavier poundage I shot mostly expandables with good results. I always keep my blades scary sharp and never depend on factory sharpness, but did limit my shots to near broadside, no real high angles, and 30 yards limit. All of my deer dropped in sight. The fixed head can never produce the wound of a sharp expandable.
But now with lower poundage I mostly stick with fixed heads but also use Rage +P 1 1/2”.

 

[tryn2hunt]

Most expandables will have a larger cutting diameter. However, there is always a chance that an expandable won't properly open. I am the opposite of you, as I have always used expandables, and recently started using fixed blade heads. I have been lucky in that I have not experienced an expandable not open properly. My shots are normally 20-25 yards, and as stated above, my shots with an expandable are at a broadside target.

 

[crankn101]

Rage, any angle all the time.

 

[hoyt fo life555]

For some reason I cant bring my self to shoot one broad head, or even one type of head. I witnessed a lot of animals killed with mech. long before I would give them a try, never seen one hypo or trypan ( I have seen others lose blades, brake) not open, or brake apart, lose blades. Once I gave them a try , I found I really liked them. Better, shorter blood trails seem to be the norm. But I still can’t get my self to use them all the time. And mech.s convinced me two wider ( bigger) holes helps a hole lot. :wink: And now I use both mech. and the largest fixed heads I can get two holes with. Seems to work great, imo.

 

[Gixxer1237]

Fixed. I had no luck with mechanicals. Fixed for me.

 

[Beartraxx]

I've used both types fixed as well as mechanicals. I shoot fixed and likely will be going back to a cut on contact this upcoming season.
The only mechanical head I would ever hunt with again is the original Rocket Steelhead.

 

[Lien2]

Ive used fixed broadheads my entire archery life, Thunderheads to be exact. Im open to changing, what are the pros and cons of both?

If you searched this topic........you will have months of reading ahead of you.

 

[The Old Guy]

I have used Thunderheads on heavy arrows, Rage on light arrows, both kill deer, both don't penetrate when you hit shoulder. The take away; don't worry about your broad head or arrow, worry about your shot placement.

 

[45freezer]

I've used both types fixed as well as mechanicals. I shoot fixed and likely will be going back to a cut on contact this upcoming season.
The only mechanical head I would ever hunt with again is the original Rocket Steelhead.

Rocket hammerheads are deadly as well...have had blades break in a target before though which is why I'm considering switching to fixed blades after spring bear, never in an animal but so far I've had good luck sliding right in between ribs. Anyone had a blade break off on a mechanical hitting ribs before?

 

[pir8archery]

fixed only for me. too many chances for things to go wrong with the mech blades.

 

[Alaska at heart]

I've bowhunted over 4 decades and used fixed blade BH's exclusively until about five years ago. My bias was based on what others related rather than my own trial and experience. So I got a pack of Ulmer Edge and shot at doe, which didn't work out well. I swore off of them for another year and then over the summer picked up a pack of NAP Spitfires for spring turkey hunting. That fall I put one in my quiver and decided on a whim to take a poke at another doe.....very good results. Many deer and a couple turkeys later, Spitfires have yet to let me down in any manner. I still carry at least one fixed BH in my quiver, but have proven to myself at least that a good mechanical has it place.

 

[Normash Shwacks]

Mech..... Pros..... more forgiving and Better arrow flight In the Heat of the Moment.
Big holes. More blood. More damage. Blades open after entering so blades aren't dull before they even get in the body cavity ( on some types of mechs.) Zero kickout on angled hits resulting in more penetration. They don't whistle in flight. There's many different types of mechanical heads. Some are better than others. I'm sure there's more pros.
Mech cons. They're mechanical more things can go wrong. On most of them it's pretty easy to mitigate the things that can go wrong. Some guys just can't get over it I'm kind of the same way with a drop away arrow rest.

Fixed head pros.... some guys like them.

In my opinion if you're going to hit him. hit him hard and that means use a big mechanical.

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[thirdhandman]

So many horror stories started by fixed blade companies, repeated by others and have stated as fact and yet never tried using one. :bs: Like anything else there are good and bad in mechanical broadheads too. I started in the 1970's with Razor bac 5, then Thunderhead, then a few others and ended up with Muzzy's. Jay Ledichty the designer of the GR broadheads showed me the proper way to install and inspect the Grim reapers. I tried a Grim Reaper 1 3/8" Razor Tip in 2001. First animal I killed was a P&Y bear. A 310 grain arrow broadhead combination flying at 240 fps. completely passed though the bear. So much for needing to have x amount of KE to go through a deer. I have taken well over 100 deer, bear, elk, wart hog, blue wildebeaste to name a few, without a single issue.
One thing for certain, every animal I killed with a Grim Reaper 1 3/8" Razor Tip had much bigger holes coming out than I ever had with a fixed blade.
Check the broadhead for proper blade opening and closing when you put it on the arrow. Then check it again just before you put it on the string. Do that and the GR 1 3/8" Razor Tip will open flawlessly every time, or at least that has been my experience after trying them on over 100 animals.:wink:

 

[Huntright]

Mechanicals for me. Never had an issue.

 

[sjj1856]

I went over to mechanical heads 3 years ago. Was using 7/8" sonics before that and never had any issue but wanted to change it up. Got a pack of NAP Killzone and the first deer I shot with them went about 30 yards with a huge blood trail. That was the longest recovery I have had with Killzones. The shortest was actually closer to me than where I shot it. The doe ran up a steep embankment about 20 yards and fell down into a creek right in front of my stand. 20 yard shot and I had to go about 10 yards from my stand to get it.

 

[deadquiet]

Mech..... Pros..... more forgiving and Better arrow flight In the Heat of the Moment.
Big holes. More blood. More damage. Blades open after entering so blades aren't dull before they even get in the body cavity ( on some types of mechs.) Zero kickout on angled hits resulting in more penetration. They don't whistle in flight. There's many different types of mechanical heads. Some are better than others. I'm sure there's more pros.
Mech cons. They're mechanical more things can go wrong. On most of them it's pretty easy to mitigate the things that can go wrong. Some guys just can't get over it I'm kind of the same way with a drop away arrow rest.

Fixed head pros.... some guys like them.

In my opinion if you're going to hit him. hit him hard and that means use a big mechanical.

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Very biased are we?...…..lol. There are good fixed and good mechanicals IMO. The fixed have pro's too...….you just don't see them or don't want to admit them I guess???

Anyway like ALL things in archery they do both have pro's & con's. But what muddies the water is all the misleading stuff and lack of info. I have had great success and not so great success with both......so many variables in the real world if you are really honest.

I have news for everyone you can get great blood trails or poor ones using the same head...…….lol. It's about shot placement and lady luck to some extent. If you don't see that you really haven't taken to many animals to notice.

 

[Chase15]

I really like the grim reaper carni 4’s for white tails. Have used qad exxodus swept blades for elk with good success


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[Trmcrae]

It depends what you are shooting. if you are shooting elk, a solid broadhead is going to penetrate better and not lose as much energy at impact.

 

[da white shoe]

If you have enough bow and enough arrow weight...

This is my choice.

https://redirect.viglink.com/?forma...lts - Page 5&txt=https://youtu.be/oFhoyh11gIo