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Does anyone know what happened to Marden ???
I assumed they went the way of the dodo bird. 20 years or so ago I shot a 4 or 5 deer with the mini-max. None went far and it made a great hole, but never got a pass through.
There was a thread on here awhile back on what happened to them, but there was no follow up. It ended with, I'll tell you what happened...., I think I was the fellow who invented the things.
To this day it remains one of the best mechanical BH designs ever made (the 125 gr. steel 2" in particular). I've killed close to 70 critters with them and the only "failure" I ever experienced was due to a batch of over-hardened ferrules. It would be awesome to see them made again. Fingers crossed.
I've killed a few elk with them and my hunting partner still uses them until he runs out. He bought a bunch 10 years ago he likes them so much.
I only ever had one issue with them and it was a kick out from the jack knifing style head it is. I had a quartering away shot and watched the arrow flip end over after the hit. I still got one lung and a heck of a gash and killed it. 125 grain Vortex 2&3/4 inch wide.
I still have 10 unopened packages and 20 packages of replacement blades/o-rings/allen key screws + the other 3 dozen heads , but can anyone tell me what happened to the company??? Just for reference I went back to muzzys but I still keep one in my quiver deer season.
I killed a pile of animals with these, heavy arrow and heavy poundage, pretty sure Steven Ward's father invented them.
Favorite Broadhead of all time. Killed several elk, deer, javelina and turkey with them. I have a few old ones left but need some replacement blades.
I heard a rumor that Vortex is going to start manufacturing broadheads again - has anyone else heard this?
Yes, they are coming back. There will be Vortex 2-1/2 and 2 inch cutting widths available mid-August. Rumor has it they will have 10 different models available in 2017 or late 2016 with a broadhead for all types of game and bow weights. It's funny how when they first came out in 1988 everyone thought they were fishing heads. The first broadhead was sold on May 2, 1988 the only one available then was the 125 grain 2-3/4" and people were killing the heck out of animals with only 5o to 60 #,s of K. Attached is the packaging card that was sent to me.
HEAD DOCTOR: Media kit sent via pm! Please pass it on to the "new owners"! Thx C
What is it that make the Vortex so much better than any other jack knife mech?
"What is it that make the Vortex so much better than any other jack knife mech? "
My sense is that it is primarily the actuation mechanism, which seems to be a combination of resistance against the blades and rolling back the o-ring. Over ~70 animals I have killed with them, the blades seem to deploy at that "just right" depth. They stretch the skin to give a 1"+ entrance but not with enough resistance due to the blade tips are sharpened that I have observed any deflections. The o-ring tends to catch hair/feather and moved up the shaft, freeing the blades to actuate.
The ferrules were tough so bending was infrequent/minimal, and the blades would bend rather than break when encountering heavy bone which seemed to preserve energy and continue to provide some (albeit reduced) cutting surface on that side.
I'm not a mech fan, but I can see the sharpened to the tip blades being very effective. If memory serves me correctly even a failure to open, though highly unlikely, would result in a hole thats at least 1/2". Which properly placed will still dispatch your quarry.
Note most if not all the forward deploying mechanicals do not have this feature. 400gr+ arrow + deer would be pretty devastating.
Thanks, Matt. Quite an endorsement....I would give them a try.
Glad to hear they are coming back. I'm nearly out. It has been a killing head for me and my family for 20 years. Never had a failure ( except on the shooters side). I even shot a hog in TX, HARD quartering angle and still got full penetration.
The original "Rage".
Killed my first deer as a kid with them back in the 90's. I remember my dad saying how great he thought they were, and my older brothers using them with some amazing results.
Became a broad head junkie and tried all kinds of heads over the years. Really glad to hear they're coming back!
Definitely going to be getting a few packs, and put some deer and antelope through the paces.
I killed a bunch of turkeys with the 2.75" vortex. I think the 2" steel was hard to beat. Great heads for sure
Favorite head of all time, I was sad to see them go. Killed many many deer with them.
the 3 blade 2" was my go to head for turkeys.
The closed diameter of the original was 7/8".
Maybe they will make a deep 6 model!
Ermine, Deep six models work well with short bodied broadheads. I have messed with some of the Vortex long bodies and they seem to break off of the shaft. Now a short steel body is another thing. Those will work and I am still testing. IF things work out I will let you know...after we become advertisers.
Heres a Marden hole, could here the deer sucking air and was down in 29 yds.
If you guys dont mind Visit Vortex Broadheads facebook page and give it a like , also please share any kill photos you have on that page.
Shoot them for years and only have a few left, do they have a website where they will be selling them ?
Yes we will have a website up and running in a few weeks
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