Brian, I have used the " Wasp Jac-hammer " for the past 3 years with great success. The reason I went the " Jac-hammer " was it's .036 blade thickness and it's 1 3/4 cutting diameter. I shoot 70# and always pass through with a great blood trail. Wasp now has the "Jac-hammer " select a cut so you can change the cutting diameter from 1 3/4 to 1 1/2.

 

Brian,

I like the NAP shockwave for no other reason that it proved succesful in some at home tests I did (shooting into a box packed tight with magazines, board, sand bank, etc) and a field test on a deer. Worked great at all times and will likely be on my set up again seeing as how I have a couple packages sitting around un-oppened.

 

I also shoot the NAP Shockwave, and have had great results in the field. I did a test in my back yard with with newspaper. I placed two doubled over sheets 6" apart in front of my target. When the blades hit the second sheet they cut through clean, telling me that they opened when they hit the first sheet.

I have also had great results in the field on the last four deer that I have hit with them. The only bad experience that I have had was when I hit too far back on one, and the broadhead pulled the stomach lining into the exit wound. It made for a pretty hard blood trail to follow, but I managed to find the buck. I take the blame for that one though, if I had been more patient, I would have hit the chest cavity.

 

I went from Thunderheads(125gr)to Vortex (125gr)and had mixed results, I shoot my bow at 65# 29in draw. Two opened and two did not,three deer were recovered within 50 yds,the fourth was recovered but tracked for about a half mile(Deer jumped as I released and hit too far back).Last season I switched back to a fixed head (Savora 125)and had a double lung heart shot that went thirty yds max,I think I'm going to stay with them. I just lost confidence in them after my hunting partner had some bad experiences using them.
The two that didn't open one was a good shot the other was the one that jumped .

 

I'm having excellant results using the Revolution from Rocky Mountain. I switched from the regular to the Titanium this year. So far I'm 3 for 3 in the last two years. It shoots straight, and it leaves excellant blood trails.

 

I tried mechanical broadheads because they fly the same as your field points (or closer than "regular" broadheads). I read and heard good things about "rocket" aeroheads so i tried the mini- blaster 75 grain. So far I've taken 2 bucks with them and i can't complain. Both were good heart/lung shots and distance traveled was 50 yds on the first buck (double lung pass through) and the second went maybe 30 yds. (top of heart/lung shot). Both blood trails were good but were weak at the point of impact. So far so good although I have to admit i don't really care for the "o" rings that have to be used to prevent them from opening on release. Also both recovered broadheads looked like they were good as new(No breakage or bending). I would recommend rockets.

 

I also went from thunderheads 125's to Vortex 125 (and back to Thunderheads).

One thing I noticed was durability was low with the Vortex. When they only come 3 to a pack their cost was quite high compared to a fixed blade type.

On the 2 kills that I used Vortex one was a little high, but the blade opened and just nicked the lung. Without the Vortex that deer would probably still be walking around. Using the Vortex afforded me the bigger cutting diameter, and it made the kill. A Thunderhead would not have killed this deer with the point of impact and angle of this shot.

That being said, the arrow passed through and the broadhead buried itself in the ground. Upon inspection of the broadhead I found the body of it had crumpled.

On the other deer I shot it also passed through and hit the tree behind it, and it bent beyond repair.

I bet if you cleanly miss and hit the dirt the blades would also need to be replaced. I don't know though...

Thnderheads are just so much more durable. I went back to using them.

 

Thanks for all the input so far.
I was a bit of a non believer in mechanicals but after purchasing a new bow and switching to carbon arrows I had a very difficult time getting fixed blades to fly with any consistancy. After much time spent trying to tweek three different brands and styles of fixed blades I tryed the NAP Spitfire mechanical.
Since the switch I have harvested 4 deer. With all four, including a doe this year that was shot a bit too far forward, the Spitfires performed flawlessly. I am a believer in them for whitetails and the confidence they provide in my accuracy is hard to measure but it is worth a ton in the field. Nothing replaces time spent practicing and I have more time to practice now that I do not have to tweek my broadheads.
I do believe that fixed blades continue to be the better choice for most situations especially tough skinned and mean animals (hogs, buffalo, rhinos, elephants,lawyers, etc..). Thanks again and good shooting.

 

don't forget ex-wives

 

spitfire gets my vote 4 deer 2years in 30yards 30+ i shoot zwickey eskimo 2 pins set up for them at 35 &40

 

I also use the shockwave broad heads. I haven't taken a deer with them so I really don't know how well they work personally on the animal. They fly great!! The only thing wrong with them is everytime I would practice with them, the little black o-ring broke, everytime! And that thing was not easy to put on there. Sometimes the spare you put on there breaks. Any one have or had this problem with the shockwave broads?

 

Shooter,

The easy way to put the o-ring on the shockwave is to put a field tip on your arrow, and slide the o-ring over the tip, and onto the shaft of the arrow. After you do this take out your field tip, and install your broadhead, and slide the o-ring down onto the broadhead. This will make it a much easier task.

 

Shooter: Another thing to save you from the hassle of changing O-rings and from replacing broken ones is to tie the blades down with dental floss. I did this and not only did the dental floss save me from the hassle of o-rings, but it also added some life to the blades. The dental floss wore out after awhile, but it was an easy fix. Give it try, you'll be inpressed.

 

I have taken three deer with the spitfires never had a problem. One I hit in the spine, and one hit the front shoulder blasted through one shoulder and hit the other side disabled both front legs. So two of the three didnt move from where they were standing. The other I made a quartering towards shot. Deer went bout hundred yards. If your shooting a fast bow I would say no problem. Im shooting bout 275 myself. My buddy was shooting a slower bow and hit one in the shoulder, he tracked that deer a long ways and had to shoot it again. But this problem could happen with any broad head, without the power to put it through.
My thoughts.
John

 

I to have shot spitfires, with great results. This year I shot the gator and the revolution, from Rocky. Both heads preformed very well. Key to mechanicals is speed, when shooting these heads you want 250+ FPS.

 

I use 100 grain gold tips. Switched to them last year and had good luck with them. No rubber bands. They also have a small fixed blade on them.

 

Give Rocky Mountain Gators a try. I have used them for several years with great success. They leave a hatchet sized exit wound, are very durable, fly straight and do not require o-rings. Shoot Straight,
Sean

 

I'm going to try spitfire broadheads this spring for turkey. I will let you all know how they work if I connect on a turkey!