Which do you value more. Blades that do not fully deploy on impact and cut better inside. Or blades that cut a bigger entry that have taken some abuse once they enter the cavity. One will leave a horrible blood trail if it doesn't pass through, while the other will leave reasonable blood without a pass throughout.

 

So the reapers blades actually get through the hide and then open inside?

 

If the flying meat clever does everything right, hit's a soft cavity that it can fly through, deploys without issue, and from a bow generating enough force (like your 70# bow)... then yeah, it will make giant holes like the animal was hit with an RPG instead of an arrow and the crime scene won't require much tracking. It's like a deer drops their transmission.

If everything doesn't go as planned, or other equipment isn't in favor, a cut on contact 3 blade will be effective and much safer bet. It's a proven, virtually fail proof, way of taking down any animal.

 

I didn't like the Springs and the crazy blade replacement system of the Reapers. What a PITA! I only shot one deer with them and it really did fall in sight......maybe that's not just a slogan.........lol. All kidding aside I think the Reapers are great IF you have enough power to drive them home.......you do so I'd go with them over a wider 2 blade.

If you find the blade swap to be as painful as I did you can always start loading up the empty spots in your quiver with the Rage heads and then compare them for yourself.........that's better anyway than asking us. They'll fly the same, you already own both and you want to know so the wheels are in motion.

 

I ve used both. Edge goes to Reapers. Alot more durable. Better penetration. Way better on shoulders. Reapers do take time to open. Figure 2 inches into the ribs before deployment. If you have a high hit you may not catch the front lung as solid as you would like.

 

Yeah the deer i've shot with grimreapers died quickly but like literally not very good blood trails. Rage i've always had decent blood.

 

Hopefully you have the NC Rage. Luck jut did a video on them and they seem to hold up very well compared to the Trypan.

 

Those tests are silly it’s like saying I need a shopping bag to carry a loaf of bread and then testing it on a 100lb brick

 

I have only killed with Reapers. My experience with the blood trails is that they looked like a murder scene. I don't replace blades, as mechanicals are one and done to me.

I own 125gr Rage Hypos I'm going to try soon

With your DL and DW, any mechanical should work fine for you

 

I say get a quarter and flip it. Heads is Rage and tails is Grims... Let fate decide.

 

I’ve been interested in the Grim Reapers but already have several heads I’m looking to try this year, including the Hades Pro Series from GR, so other heads will have to wait till next year for me. Rage has just never really interested me, I feel like there are other, better quality options in the same price range, but that’s not to say they don’t work, just don’t interest me.

I’d agree with 620FPS though, with your specs, its a flip of the coin.

I would grab any arrow that bareshafts and flys straight and true (as that’s important for mech as well as fixed). My preference is 450 grains as a minimum (again, my personal preference, many other shoot lower TAW and are successful). Then go kill stuff, shoot a doe or two with both if you have the opportunity to and then decide which you like on your own.


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I have killed a few deer with the GR but have always had little to no blood with them. 2 straight pass throughs and 1 where i got a good portion of my arrow in it. All three died within 75 yards of me but had little to no blood. Shot multiple deer with Rage Xtreme's and have found every deer with at least a decent blood trail to follow. I lost the biggest buck of my life last year using the carni-four GR head. Hit was just a touch back and had 0 blood on impact. Arrow was buried to the veins well. I'm at 65lbs with a 30" draw as well so i have plenty behind the arrow. After last year with my 4th deer with little to no blood using GR i won't go back personally. I'll stick with Rage from here on out. Success with both but i would rather have a blood trail to follow in my opinion.

 

I tried the 3 blade expandable grim reapers and shot an elk early season and wow the entry hole looked like it was shot with a rifle... left a good blood trail...

 

I shoot rage and have no experience with the reapers. I've had multiple marginal hits with the rage hypo ans still recovered the animals. Only one I didn't recover I think I shot in the shoulder.

 

If you are shooting a 2 inch cut head and not getting a good blood trail you are either gut shooting the deer or hitting them high.. high hits take a while to start dropping blood because they have to fill the cavity first.

 

If you’re considering an expandable and want to compromise a little, consider looking at a SEVR 1.5…. Better penetration, simpler deploy system, nifty pivoting blades in case one blade hits bone it won’t kill momentum, and it also has a practice mode so you can shoot them without the blades deploying. I haven’t used them myself, but it looks like a superior product

 

I have similar stats as you and have shot deer with both options. Flip a coin or put both in your quiver like I do. I have zero complaints with either option and they're my 2 favorite mechanicals.

-Dan

 

I have always had great success with the grim reapers