Rocket Steelheads 100
Equipment
First this is not a fixed vs mechanical thread.
I saw the thread on the NAP Spitfire heads and was wondering how many use the steelheads 100. Which is a mechanical and open to 1 and 1/8 inch when open..
I myself have been using them for I don't know how many years and killed a fair amount of different game species with them. With 100% good results. I shot them quartering away with good results. With never a slice type cut as stated in the Spitfire thread. Wondering if that's because of the shorter blades and that the blades are almost right at the point/tip.
One bear I shot (180lbs) hard quartering away was hit right in front of the left hind leg and came out in front of the right front leg. An elk 5x6 I shot at 53yds was hit right behind the right front leg and hit the humerus on the offside shattering it and stopping there. It was not a pass thru. One other elk was quartering to me, I hit it a little high going thru the soft part of the scapula and stopped at the off side tenderloin. Most, if not all other game have been pass thru's with this head.
Now I will say that they don't make a big, but rather small in hole. The out hole are as big as the open head is. Most of my friends also use them and all really like, if not love them. One moose was shot at 30yds hit broadside, the arrow didn't pass thru but did poke out the other side.
To me they are a one time head, I don't replace or try to sharpen the blades after use. I've have not had any broken blades from anything I have shot.
This is the only head I've use for years on everything but turkey. For them I use the hammerheads.
So how do you feel about them and how have they performed for u and on what game?
Thanks Ed
They are very good heads.
Not the 100's but the 125's. They punch through just about everything. I have taken elk and deer with them. That was years ago, I have since moved on to one piece steel fixed heads.
If for some odd reason I had to use mechanical's again, I would use Rocket Steelheads or Grim Reapers.
Teeton I used the Side winders for a while and they knocked big holes in deer. Had real good luck with them. Changing blades is a different story.
Great little heads. I've shot them in the past and just started shooting them again this year.
From what I understand, they've quit making them.
I did shoot my coues deer at a hard quartering away angle while it was drinking at a water hole. I did get the slicing effect, but the arrow still entered the body just behind the ribs and killed the deer almost immediately. It took 1 step, flopped over and died in the water hole.
Buzz Mc,, What part of the deer is that? Is it the stomach leading to the hind quarter? The cut looks angled from steep upwards shot. Am I right?? Ed
Teeton, the hind quarter is on the right at the start of the cut, angles up and goes in just behind the ribs on the left. The deer was stooped down getting a drink from a water trough.
Ok Thanks for getting back Buzz Mc..
I have a friend that uses them, and generally with good results. He did shoot a big buck we had a difficult time finding due to the head not opening on impact and no pass through. That one surprised me. The will also bust bone, he shot a big buck in the front shoulder breaking the bone.
I looked back through my pics on the regular computer to see if I had any better ones. This shows it a little more clearly.
That's a very telling pic, buzz mc. I wonder if the results would have been the same with a larger bladed mech of the same style like a Spitfire.
They were the first mechanical I ever tried. I was like 3 for 3 with them, but the last doe I shot with them - the arrow exhibited some very strange deflection on a very slight quartering "to" angle. Shot entered in tight to the crease, but it exited way back between the rear legs... Very lethal hit, deer expired quickly, but it gave me great pause and concern about ever using them again. I then switched to Rage and well - don't get me started on them. The steelheads definitely penetrated very well I always got full pass-through, but rarely got that with the Rage 2 blade.
Jack,, quick story about a bear I shot with a 3 blade wasp 100 gr, I think it was called "boss" head 25 years ago. For those that don't know this head, it is a fix blade head.
The bear was perfectly broadside.. I hit it right behind the right shoulder. The arrow came out the left ham. I don't know how. I really don't think he heard me shoot and jumped the shot..
????
ED
Took about a dozen does with them and never had a problem.
Good head. The bowhunter/friend I respect more than any other has sworn by them for years. He was totally against expandables until them.
Deer, Bear, turkey, Caribou and most recently my Aoudad. Great BH that I have been using for several years since I met the original owners in Saskatchewan.
I started shooting them in 2008. I bought two three packs on sale at Cabelas. Five of the six have killed deer all pass throughs. The sixth one is still in my quiver. I started shooting the 125 grain heads in 2010 and they are my favorite. In all I've killed a dozen deer with them and I'm 11/12 on pass throughs. The one that didn't hit the off shoulder on a bigger buck and didn't get through. Short blood trails. I'll keep shooting them as long as I can. Need to hit up ebay for more while I still can.
Awesome broadheads! Blew thru both shoulders on this shot!
I shot the 125 grain 3-blade and 4-blade Steelheads for years. That was when they were still made by Rocket. After the company sold and blades were no longer available friends and I slowly switched over to other broadheads. At last count I believe we have taken nine elk and a number of deer with them.
I recall years ago someone doing penetration and durability tests on a number of broadheads and the Steelhead was rated at or near the top. I shot a bull elk where a 3-blade hit a rib going in with two of the blades and dead-centered a rib about 6 inches from the spine on the way out. It then buried into the dirt. The blades were nicked up some but fully intact.
The one thing I didn't like about the Steelhead was that many times we would get only a small entrance hole. I like two big holes to aid in blood loss for trailing.
It looks like they are starting to make them again. A 3 pack is selling for only $19.99. I'm not sure if this is a special price, or if they are going to stay cheap.
I still buy the original ones off the big auction site. Just last year bought another 15 of the 125's.
Yes Rocket stop making heads for a few months as they revamped the heads. Now what ever revamped means to them I don't know???
They are only going to have 4 heads to my understanding. Steelhead, Sidewinder, Hammmerhead, I think all of them we be 100gr only and Ultimate steel which I think is 125gr.
Ed
I ordered a couple packs and just got a notice that they have shipped. We'll see what they are like in a couple days. Hopefully I'm not out $40.
Buzz Mc,, Keep us informed..
Ed
I started using them in 2008. I bought 1/2 dozen 100XPs and 5 of the 6 have passed through whitetails, killing them in short order from all angles. Still have one left and I also bought a dozen of the standard 100s. Switched to the 125s in 2010. The 125s are amazing heads. I just bought some more. I bought the old discontinued ones on ebay. I can't remember how many deer I've shot since 2008 but is somewhere around a dozen or 13. All but one was a pass through. The one that didn't hit the off shoulder on a big IA whitetail and it didn't get through. I've stocked up on about 3 dozen and won't be looking to change for a long time. I honestly have had more pass throughs with these heads (400 grain arrows) with my 60 pound bows (29" DL) than I did when I shot heavy aluminums and two blade COC heads out of my 70 pound bows of 15 years ago.
Lancaster Archery has them (Bowsite sponsor), or a quick Google search can find you free free shipping (Think jungle in Brazil).
They've been my most consistent killer head over many years. Simply a great head. Blades may bend but they replace easily. Can't say enough good about them. I've tested them on extreme angles on plywood vs a sharp two blade fixed and sharp 3 blade fixed and it was equal if not better (go figure). I did that after the design change where the blades started further up. Calmed my worries.
Big thing is the ferrule almost never bends (being steel) I believe that's a major reason they penetrate so well. Aluminum and bending ferrules are a penetration buster. Try pushing a bent broadheads through something. That and a decent blade angle without trying to overdue cutting diameter
One of the best around especially the original ....
The problem with Steelheads is they aren't cool enough or sexy enough or big enough cut for the masses. They don't have that great sex appeal. They are just a no nonsense, penetrating, killing machine. That is why they aren't more popular and will probably be discontinued again in the future. IMO, it is the best mechanical out there and has been for a long time.
My entry holes have mostly been about 3/4" and, obviously, the exits have been the size of the cutting diameter of the head. Blood trails have never been an issue except one time when I shot almost straight down and the exit was plugged with fat/gut. Deer didn't make it 100 yards though.
JTV, I'm sure the reason any company drops a product is because it is not selling good for one reason or another. I really doubt any company would discontinue a product if it was in big demand. Since the Steelheads are selling again, I might try some. I've heard a lot about them over the years. DR. Warren Stricklen has killed a lot of animals and I believe that was his go to Broadhead.
So are we all agreeing that the steelhead is most likely the best mechanical head??? I think it is!!!
Afew notable shots for me was 1, black bear (180lbs) 20 yds hard quartering away hit right in front of the left rear leg.. Came out right in front of the right front leg. That arrow was maybe 3 inches in the dirt.
#2, elk 56 yds broadside, hit right behind right front leg hitting and shattering the far side humerus and stopping. No pass thru. But I'm 99.9% sure if I didn't hit the humerus it would of been a pass thru.
#3 Doe 18 yds frontal hit, a inch or so under the neck.. Arrow disappeared on hit. Was not a fun dressing job. I think that arrow went at least 35 to 40 inches.
All heads were still 100% intact..
ED
I can't say it's "the best", because it's the only mechanical I've used. I can say that every time I've done my part it's made animals dead. I don't see me switching to a different mechanical anytime soon. Especially when I can buy a pack of 3 for $19.99.
My tracking number says my order will be here on Friday. I'll report how they look compared to the old ones then. If they're the same, I see me ordering a couple more packs at that price.
The packs I ordered Tuesday were in the mailbox yesterday. The new ones appear to be stainless but I'm no metallurgist. Other than that, they were the same. I threw three of them on a scale and they all weighed 102 grains, the same as the old ones. Then, I screwed them into an arrow and they spun true. The blades were sharp enough to slice paper. I'm satisfied and will order a couple more packs for the $19.99 price. I'll be deer hunting in California this July and hope to get a chance to give one of these a test drive.
The new ones are the 3 on the left in the picture.
Ooooooh, they look sexy in black lol. Maybe now they'll be sexy enough to sell. I scored on the last batches when there were getting discontinued and bought packs of replacement blades at like $1.83 for 9 blades. The beauty of the steelheads is nothing ever goes wrong with the ferrules, so all you need is replacement blades. On top of that they're usually $20-$30 for a 3 pack, and the new Rages are selling for $60/3 pack. Not that I've ever shot a Rage.
My one Co buddy used to use them for many years [on a 380ish gr arrow]...and thus I've seen appx 14 elk killed with them.
I've also seen 4 elk lost with them...one that I'm sure my heavier arrow with COC head would have put down.....maybe all 4 ...not sure.
Guys, I have a 3 pack of the "gold" 100 gr heads. If anyone is interested I'll take $20 TYD.
I'll have to see if they made any changes to the heads. But it maybe just the color.
Beendare, take a magnet to the heard and see if it sticks to the tip and then the blades. That will tell if they went to stainless steel and what parts are stainless steel. Magnet will not stick to ssteel. Please let us/me know what happened..
ED
There are a lot of knockoffs being sold on e-bay. Can't say they are not good but unless they are in retail packaging, beware.
A magnet stuck to the new ones, tip, blades, and body. They are made of steel.
Opp's sorry Buzz Mc and Beendare.. I meant to ask Buzz Mc about the Magnet. Thanks Buzz Mc..
Ed
"... take a magnet to the heard and see if it sticks to the tip and then the blades. That will tell if they went to stainless steel and what parts are stainless steel. Magnet will not stick to ssteel."
A magnet will stick to the stainless they use for blades. Ferritic, martensitic, duplex (and most precipitation hardening) stainless steels are magnetic. Austenitic stainless steels are non-magnetic.
I thought they weren't making Steelheads anymore; not just the XL's but the whole line. Was I told wrong?
There used to be a guy on here called 5 shot, if I remember right. He tested all kinds of BHs and the Steelhead beat every head
"A magnet will stick to the stainless they use for blades. Ferritic, martensitic, duplex (and most precipitation hardening) stainless steels are magnetic. Austenitic stainless steels are non-magnetic." - midwest
This is a thread about broadheads. Facts are irrelevant. ;)
I used Steelheads for many years and killed many deer with them before I went back to fixed blade heads. Overall, I was extremely pleased with Steelheads. The reason I went back to fixed blade heads was noise. No, not the sound in flight, but the loud click that the Steelheads would often make when the blades opened up. This seemed to really put the deer in high gear. When I shoot a deer I'd much rather have it jump, stop and look around with a 'what was that?' look on its face.
I've shot around 50 deer with many different fixed broadheads and the last dozen or so with Steelheads. I would say that of all my kills, all but one reacted similarly whether they were shot with 2 blade, 3 blade, 4 blade fixed or Steelheads. I remember one deer I shot with a Bear Super Razorhead w/o the bleeder took two bounds and stopped and looked around before collapsing. That was about the only one that didn't react like the rest. Maybe it is because most of my shots are close (within 25 yards) and they are reacting to the noise of the shot. But I can't draw any conclusions on broadhead type. I know it's been discussed in the past, and I understand the thought process, but I haven't experienced it personally.
Only ever shot one on live game. had a couple of extra in a quiver a few years ago. Primary head at the time was a montec. Hit a nice buck a bit far back...ok it was in the guts... He walked off to about 35 yards and gave me a hard quartering away shot. I grabbed the first arrow I could get to in my quiver and it happened to be one of the rockets. got it nocked and the rubber band had slipped off, threw it back on and drew back and made one of the best shots on live game I have ever made. Put it in a 3" wide window (at that point just wanted to get an arrow in him). Opened up the right lung along one edge(it was HARD quartering away). He went another 30 yards, laid down and that was it.
I like the head, but am always experimenting. Montecs were good, but just didn't bleed well. Shooting Grim Reapers now, but am thinking about switching my compound to Magnus stingers like my recurve. Nasty Head that one.
The only time I shot a deer that had NO reaction to the shot was with a Steelhead. I shot a Buck at about 20 yds. The deer did not move. I thought I missed. I looked at the deer and kept on saying, "how did I miss". The deer started twitching it's tail, trotted about 20 yds in a semi-circle around my tree and took a dirt nap. Awesome.
To be honest for whatever reason I have had better blood trails on deer shot with steelheads than most other heads. I've used muzzy, phatheads, VPA, grim reapers, Magnus stingers, slick tricks, Zwickey Eskimos, 2 blade steel force and a few others. As others have stated though the entry hole is often not full size. Have had several deer where I've gone through two shoulder blades.
Here's one at point of impact
I have been shooting fixed heads and thought i would give these a try, What head do you practice with for mechanical broadheads?
"What head do you practice with for mechanical broadheads?"
With the Rockets, a field point of the same weight.
There are no practice heads. Some guys epoxy the blades closed on a head for practice.
They will fly the same as field tips.. But if you want to try them at a target to see how they fly. Wrap them with dental floss a few times and tie off. They will not open, so the blade will say sharp.
Ed
Got it. I've seen that rage sells a practice head with theres, tearin up targets with broadheads.
