I have recently bought a new compound bow (Obsession Hemorrhage) and I love it. I had my bow for 10 years and it was too slow for shooting mechanicals, from what I was told. My new bow now shoots over 300 fps, which is good for me. I cannot decide the broadheads to go with. I want to buy Rage, but there is so many different options. Anyone on here use them and have any feedback? Thanks
Do yourself a favor and never think about buying rage broadhead. Sure this post will blow up ... I gave them a try on mule deer one season against my better judgement,I ended up having to finish my buck with my stinger buzzcuts!! Get you a good head like any on the Magnus line, QAD Exodus, slick trick, ram cat, any of those fixed heads, especially if you're gonna hunt elk or bigger game.
Bou'bound is correct. The 2 blade, 2" Rages are awesome. They fly well at longer distances and will do their job on game. They get a bad rap for their marketing campaign and any idiot that doesn't practice and gets a package of broadheads the night before leaving on his bowhunting trip will grab the Rages. A friend who owns a bowshop keeps extras on hand because this happens every year.
Do not buy on eBay. There are a lot of fakes out there.
Whoever told you your old bow wasn't fast enough didn't know what they were talking about. I have been shooting mechanicals for over 20 years. You see, the bow is only part of the equation. Your arrow weight has a major part in penetration. That's why you see people weighting their arrows for large game. Do yourself a favor and figure out what your KE is before you decide on what BH to use. It is actually quite simple.
Like Midwest, I tried the Rage Hypodemic Trypans last year with excellent results! The Trypans are a definite improvement on the older Rage style and even the hypodemic +P. Ferule is titanium now, blades are thicker and more "swept back" when deployed which I believe improves penetration. I also like the new shock collars(specific to the Trypans). Also, they are more compact when closed in your quiver- they don't stick out as far from the shaft.
What was the speed of your old bow, and did you chrono your new bow with a hunting weight arrow or just go off of the IBO speed numbers given in the specs? I use VPA, solid, cut on contact broadheads. I sharpen them and have no doubts about them doing their job. I have used mechanical's with success, but also had failures and do not trust them. Which ever broadhead you choose, l will repeat, use an arrow with some weight to it if you want penetration. There are also a lot of good broadheads to choose from. Don't let anyone tell you that any one brand is far above the rest.
Only been using mechanicals for last few years as I was(still am) always a fixed blade fan. I have been impressed with the Hypodrmic +P, 125 grain. Combine this with Easton FMJ and you will not have penetration issues on deer but I would not use on an elk. I found it very interesting that on one of Pat's recent features with a well known AK bowhunter, that he admitted to using a Rage BH more and more. They work if you put them in the right spot.
They've gotten better over time. They're far from the best head out there, but they've gone from something you couldn't pay me to shoot to something that gets the job done in most situations.
Use t your own risk, and when you loose a trophy due to non opening then you'll know why you shouldn't. All my hunting buddies who started out using them no longer do. It's mechanical, which means at some point and time something will go wrong, it's your call.
Thank you everyone for your responses so far. I have used G5 strikers too, last year, which I liked. I was leaning between the Trypans and the Hypodermics when it comes to Rage. I am predominantly using them for only whitetails at this point, here in New York and want to use the Rage's, but the mechanical aspect always gets to me for fear of opening issues.
Fixed blade VPA, Tried Rage and a couple others and have never been impressed. If you can't get a fixed blade to fly perfect your bow is not tuned. Shawn
Quote LBshooter ".. and when you loose a trophy due to non opening then you'll know why you shouldn't."
And why is it when someone looses an animal with a fixed head it's always "... that's hunting..." "...happens to the best sometimes.. "...hunt long enough and it will happen to everyone..." "...sorry to hear but get back out there..."
If someone under the same conditions looses an animal with a mechanical it's always the head's fault?!!?? Sum Ting Wong.
Ambush I would say if a fixed head fails it most likely is due to shot placement whether a bad hit or low penetration on a bone hit. Mechanicals can not open, deflect off bone, shallow penetration, kick out on a sharp quartering shot, etc.
The Rage kills critters. It's not my choice of head but they work just fine as long as you do your job. I prefer a fixed blade RAD Rival 125 for my broadhead for a lot of reasons. Bottom line in reality is that there are a lot of heads out there that will get the job done. Some just do certain things better than others.
Spike is exactly right. I guide and hunt elk every single year . I've seen 20 yard broadside shots with rage and other expandable get piss poor penetration, in the 10 ring, where any of the other heads mentioned would have been out the opposite side.
A Rage Broadhead, that hits the X will do an awesome job. I highly recommend them!! This bear went 15 yards and fell dead!!! Many of our bear hunters use the Rage.Never seen or heard any issues with the broadhead opening up. A few times the broadhead hit the shoulder blade and glanced into the jugular. Awesome blood trail.
Rage SS or the hypo +p, stay away from the 2" rages with the shitty blade angle, I'm still shooting a snyper 2 blade which has a 1 5/8" cut they are more than enough, the rocky mountain snyper is where rage originated from! But they were better!
Chronos sell more bows than any other means of marketing. Its just a number that's part of the equation. I shoot 60# compounds have for the last 5 years. 420-460 grain arrows depending on what I use and I've yet to not have a pass thru with fixed or mechs.. Lucky I haven't dead centered a shoulder I guess. My bows average around 255-265fps.
I have never met a hunter who used mechanicals that didn't admit to me that they just couldn't tune the fixed head so they resorted to mech's. Many deny it....but after a little discussion the real truth comes out.
^^^ - Well you have now. I'll tell you what: I'll bet you that my bows are tuned as well or better than anyone on this site, and I choose to shoot mechanicals because it's about "where you hit them, not what you hit them with"... I can shoot a fixed blade head in the same hole as my field points at 80 yards... CAN YOU? Any time you want to compare results you just let me know... ;-)
I'm not saying that everyone who uses mech's is incompetent. Just the people who I have talked to about it are really struggling with tuning issues and mechanicals are an easy answer to some of those issues. Take as an insult of you want but it's true for a lot of people.
That is a tired statement SA and it is so far from true. Many, many guys tune their bows precisely and still shoot mechanicals. My bow is tuned right now to shoot fixed blade heads. I will be hunting with them for elk season but will be shooting mechanicals at pronghorn and whitetails this fall.
"I'm not saying that everyone who uses mech's is incompetent."
Uhmm, yeah you did.
Like carcus, I tune with large fixed blades then shoot the same mechanical I've killed dozens and dozens of animals with, from coyotes to moose and even African animals.
You obviously have vast experience on varied game animals in many different field and weather conditions. Maybe elaborate for this neophyte.
I don't like mechanical heads, the added possibility of failures suck IMO I did shoot Rage on a doe last year and it passed through, worked fine, 2 blade
I just believe a solid fixed head like a Slick Trick simply won't fail, mech's will and do
So let's take the average guy who puts $500-$700 into his yearly elk hunting costs after tags, food and fuel. Then chances are you are going to take one or two shots at an elk for all your hard earned money and time. It will cost you an extra $20 this year to tie on an Iron Will and have the best head money can buy leading the charge. Just to put the "super expensive" broadhead thing into perspective. That's assuming you lose the head. If you don't lose the head, you can use it again, and pay another $15 for a mech because the first one is most likely toast and now you broke even. If you manage to find your arrow for a second time, you're saving money with the "uber expensive" head. Oh, and it also has lifetime warranty, and retains it's cutting edge for light-years longer than almost all other heads.
There are tons of archers on this site alone that tune their bows properly and still elect to shoot mechs, so that's a moot point among better hunters.
Two blade Rage heads work just fine. I killed over 20 deer with them and never had a failure. Didn't always get a huge blood trail (because the internals would clog the GIANT hole) but when they pile up after 20 yards finding them should not be a problem. Every other thing that can go wrong when bowhunting, from bad shots to wind points the blame on the head especially when its a Rage but the reality is that it is usually the shooter making the mistake.
I pulled a Rage out of the backstrap of the 2016 bull I killed in Colorado. Yes the backstrap! I've posted the pic here before and the Rage shooters just fell apart. If you want to shoot something that is mechanical at the most important time of your hunt, that's your choice. I'm going to buy the best head that money can buy, then if I make an errant shot the odds will be better in my favor. All you guys floating the "put it where it matters" boat, must be perfect. I'm not worried about anything when the shot is money. It's when stuff goes sideways and I don't make the perfect shot that I want the best money can buy.
"I'm going to buy the best head that money can buy, then if I make an errant shot the odds will be better in my favor"
I read this type of scenario spelled out on the internet often as a plus for fixed heads. But, you are more likely to gut shoot an animal than you would shoulder just based on size alone. There is way more area if the errant shot hits too far back back than an errant shot hitting too far forward. If you are concerned about errant shots and want to hedge your bets, shoot a mechanical.
I'm not advocating for mechanicals on elk just advocating that mechanicals are solid options in the right scenario with the right equipment.
Yeah right Nate! Hahaha! I too have several different fixed blades in my case. The Exodus swept blade was just devastating last year . Bull went 30 yards after taking it in the front left side and out the opposite side right behind the leg. Rage are definitely good when the hunter accidentally puts it in the gut!
11 points, roughly $1,000; Elk license $1,300; driving 1,000 miles one way @ about 12 mpg and $3.40/gal. I sleep very well when a spitfire 125 mechanical is on the end of my arrow.
I decided to try a different broadhead this year......just because. So far I am down to 3 heads......Slick Trick Standard 4 blade, WAC em 125 Exit, and G5 Strikers all three are doing great as far as grouping but I am leaning towards the Slick Tricks.....I know they will all do the job. Never have been interested in mech heads.
Shoot a mechanical if you don't care about an exit hole. Definitely a consideration when hunting from an elevated stand. I shot a dozen or so whitetails with the original rages and didn't see an advantage. Actually had some pretty weak blood trails due to shot angle and a high entry wound . Another thing I didn't like was that every shot deer resulted in a wiped out rage. Changing blades on one is not an easy task even at my work bench. Maybe the newer styles are easier to replace blades in but I won't know cause I'm done experimenting . Viper tricks in my quiver now and I love em.
RAGE read the instructions most don’t. Most amazing broadhead on the market. Hunters blame their equipment most of the time. 99.9% it’s the hunter but there ego gets in the way so they blame equipment failure.
Their.... That's a bit extreme ! Greatest broadhead on the market? They're decent at best. Shot placement is everything,but I've seen so many hunters hit the mark on elk and the penetration was pathetic! I wasn't joking when I said they're the best on shots that land far back. I would never put one in my quiver on a Gila elk hunt!
I have pulled old broadheads out of 2 different bucks I have killed. Both were fixed blade, one was a Muzzy the other a Rocky Mountain Ironhead. Both great heads just poor shot placement. It doesn't mean I think fixed heads are junk. Shoot what you have confidence in and what is a good fit for your set ups. Don't worry about what others are telling you you "have" to do.
Killed lots with rage and wasp jackhammers. Anybody 'losing' game with them can't shoot. Always an exit. Always lots of blood. Short trails. They all work. Learn how to shoot if you don't know how. Lots of 'experts' that are Insecure and feel they have to bash a product or member to assert their 'expertise'.
I was a diehard fixed blade/Muzzy shooter for years and avoided mechanicals. Then after seeing what Rage 2 blades could do from several of my hunting buddies, I gave them a try. Was impressed and have been shooting them ever since. Switched to Trypans last season and am even more impressed.
Of all the deer I shot with Rage, this is the only one that didn’t punch out the other side. And that was because of the hard quartering away angle- it lodged in the far shoulder.
This may be harder to see, but I shot a doe earlier in the season that was even harder angle. My deer is the one on the right. Entrance on left side behind rib cage, angled forward towards the right front shoulder, glanced off it and exited out the front of the chest. Complete pass thru. In my experience, Rage work well on hard angle shots.
IMO there is no reason to shoot a mechanical broadhead. Now if you want to shoot one, that's your choice. Im not real crazy about replaceable blade non mechanicals, (but I would choose one over a mechanical) I shot my first deer with a mechanical. I drank the koolaid like a lot of hunters. I was severely disappointed. I recovered the deer but I had little to no blood on the ground. So after that Ive never shot a mechanical again. Kill deer with Simmons and Wasp. If I shot a compound again or a xbow Id use the NAP Hellrazor or G5 But I'm currently using trad equipment so there's that. But a wensel woodsman will work on anything. A Simmons is another great head. But IMO a three blade is more forgiving. You also get a better hole for blood flow. also they are easy to sharpen and touch up. But shoot what ever you like because confidence does mean a lot:)
There is a reason why one of the largest bowhunting safari operators in South Africa will not allow there clients to shoot a Rage on there hunts. Don't feel bad Rage shooters, cause they do not allow other mechanical heads either. Go figure !
I dont know whether you watch the news, but people with much more impressive credentials have come up with some really stupid policy decisions of late.
I hunted RSA several years ago with a very well known and respected bow hunt provider. Not only did they allow mechanical's, but my PH was an avid bow hunter and huge Rage fan. He cull hunted for several game ranchers as well so killed many dozens of animals every year. And yup, even eland got a Rage! He was impressed with my Spitfires and Slick Tricks too.
I'm not a two blade fan, so I haven't tried any of the Rage's made in the last ten or so years. But the name alone seems to bring the rage out of the cage for some die hard haters ; )
Yeah, it's called................................................... BIAS, bowbender! I would not hunt with any outfitter that limited my choice of broadhead based on their bias. It would make me question their knowledge of archery and their abilities as an outfitter.
Looks like SplitLimb may need to learn about a little thing called "shot selection". I guarantee he's not posting the pictures of him sitting there alone after the Elk that were "quartering on" that he didn't find...
As a blanket statement I'd say we've come past the days of junk broadheads. If I was to look through a selection of broadheads at an archery store, I'd be willing to say 90% of them will do the trick for deer or less out of an average compound made in the last 10-15 years.
To me, if a broadhead is not good enough for elk, it is not suitable for deer either. Does not make sense to me when someone says "I use mechanicals on deer and bear but not on elk."
Elkman , I hunt to kill bulls. I don't let all these "hunters " on t.v. teach me shot selection. Experience and knowing anatomy of the game is what dictates my shot selection. If I thought the shot would no be lethal I'd never take it. Those are the only two bulls I've shot quartering to me and both hit the dirt in less than 50 yards. So you can take your "GUARANTEE" and kick rocks. In 20 years of elk hunting I've lost one bull and it was broadside shot. Know a little about what your talking about before you open your beak. Now with a rage I'd never even attempted those shots . Peco, I agree completely.
A couple of Capt Obvious thoughts.....high shots normally do not leave a quality blood trail as the blood collects in the bottom of the cavity vs blowing or draining outside the cavity that lower shots provide. That is not a BH issue....high shots/bad shots belong to the shooter...gun or bow. That said.....in the real world bad shots happen. When it does I'll take a mechanical over a fixed because of the size of the wound channel.
Like many here, I've shot a few animals with fixed and Rages. I've killed and lost deer with Montec G5's. Shot placement was a factor in two losses. I've shot quite a few animals with 2 blade Rages. I've only had one Rage that did not pass thru...a spine shot. Another 6-7 inches and it would have been a pass thru. Every other Rage shot has been a complete pass thru and short track job....I haven't lost an animal yet. The below bear was my biggest animal so far with a 2 blade Rage and it worked as advertised. You can go to approx 1:45 to see the actual clean pass thru shot. I counted approx 64-65 seconds from hit to when the bear started the death moan. He probably stopped before that as the track job wasn't too far. This was a very large, stout bear and the arrow passed thru and stuck into the ground on the other side.
So IMO with good shot placement or even marginal shot placement (deciding factor), I can attest the 2 blade Rage has out performed the fixed blades I have shot. That's my useless two cents.
Ive shot dozens and dozens and dozens of whitetail with dozens of broad heads, both mechanicals and fixed. I am one who feels that unless I have first hand experience I should not be making comments. With that said, I have shot a ton of deer (elk and pronghorn as well) with a rage and they have never failed me and have also caused short but massive blood trails. I will continue to shoot rage but will also continue to try other broad heads to experiment and see what works and gain more first hand experience.
Out of all the deer I have taken, I had two with broadheads in them, one was a muzzy in the shoulder blade and the other was some type of fixed two blade that I couldn't figure out what it was. It was also in the shoulder blade. A third buck that I took had a scar right on the shoulder joint where a three blade hit it and fell out. Obviously I can not tell if that was a fixed or mechanical. The point I am trying to make is that there is no magic head and all heads can fail if you do not hit where you need to. As humans, we are quick to put blame on something or someone else if we experience failure, which in this case would be the broadhead for bad shot placement. One thing is certain, you shoot an animal in the correct spot with a Rage and you will watch the animal fall.
I plan for a perfect shot. I PREPARE for a poor shot. Durable - Sharp - FIXED BH only out of my bow.
And yes I did shoot mechanicals for years.......until I learned how to tune my bow. Shot about a dozen deer with Spitfires. Shot 1 deer (only 1) with a Rage. It hit a rib going in and the head looked like a wrinkled beer can with bend tip, bent/crushed ferrule and broken/missing blades. Never had that issue with any Spitfire. You will find Hellrazors or Exodus on my arrows.
They do make tracking easy.....Rage Trypan from Bowtech BTX-28 70 lbs 26 inch draw East Da'Torch with 75 grain brass insert for total arrow weight 400 grains. Shot was on a doe at 34 yards and arrow was stuck about 6 inches into the dirt embankment after pass through....Cleaned it up, put new blades in, right back in quiver......The new trypans and hypodermics are quality products, maybe not my first choice for elk but for deer and bears, tough to beat....
""I plan for a perfect shot. I PREPARE for a poor shot. Durable - Sharp - FIXED BH only out of my bow. ""
IMO....One of the advantages of mechanicals over fixed BH's is it helps make a poor shot a kill shot. Now you only have to plan and prepare for the perfect shot.
I guarantee there is a correlation between hate of mechs and shooting/tuning ability. If you can't tune or shoot a bow well the more you hate mechs. I love rages and jakhammers!
JL is absolutely right like I stated above. The expandables help with poor shots. Now about not being able to tune a bow for mechanical and being able to for fixed? That's a mind boggler!
This was the entrance...2 blade, 100 grain Rage Hypo...arrow blew through the opposite side front scapula. For those of you cryin' about not getting pass throughs with mechs, maybe give yer' little sister her bow back, hit the gym, and shoot something with a little more draw weight. ;-D
I admit, I'm baffled that all the pics and stories of the lost animals to them isn't also included. It happens and if you watch hunting videos and over and over the guys with mech's get 6" of penetration .... you know they're losing animals eventually with that kind of suck penetration
But hey, they're legal and they do work most of the time. I just think most of the time isn't good enough for hunting, I think all the time is much better
and to be fair, I think all junk heads should be gone, I got no use for them
Best head I ever used was a Razor Cap,,,,, I only have 3 left, too bad they are not made anymore, I loved that head. always big hole and pass thru........ shot my best bull with them.....
Hard to argue with splitlimb13 who is always on elk, but at the same time, I have watched Elkman post pics here, and I think at one time he says, he has killed 20 elk with them......
I know one thing, if I was going to shoot one, I would be over 60lbs on my Hoyt Spyder and shooting a FMJ, a heavy arrow behind it......................
I have worked for 2 bear outfitters. Bear are not elk, and not hard to kill. One outfitter would not allow mechs, the other did..... Put a bh in the middle, and all of them bear are dead,,,,, not so with elk, that is a tough animal,,,,,, were not talking 120lb average whitetails here
Hating mechanical's is a religion and it's passed from apostle to disciple.
I'm surprised they don't go door to door in pairs: " Hi. We're talking to people today about the only way to death after life. Here's a pamphlet on pass through's".
There are a lot of people on hunting videos using fixed heads that don't get pass throughs as well. It's not the broadhead. It's light arrows, light poundage, and poorly tuned set ups.
“ I guarantee there is a correlation between hate of mechs and shooting/tuning ability. If you can't tune or shoot a bow well the more you hate mechs.”
I think it’s those who don’t know how to tune a bow that favor mechs. I know quite a few guys who complain about fixed blades because “they don’t hit with their field points...but mechs do so that’s why they use mechs.
I have nothing against mechs and I will use them from time to time. But I am a firm believer in a well tuned bow and perfect arrow flight
I often wonder how many animals were killed in the past without pass throughs - like 30 years ago to start? Some on here have no knowledge of aircraft cable magnesium riser bows that only shot AL arrows. Bows that had a top speed of 200 fps if you were lucky, and those arrows only weighed 500 grs because of the overdraws. Bow tuning was also never heard of. You got what you got.
HDE, I can't recall a single pass thru with an early compound. I used to shoot 70#, probably 550 grain arrow, and big heads. 200 fps sounds about right. But, I can tell you most of the "new" tuning, 3rd axis, torque tuning, all that stuff, we did back then, just didn't have internet to broadcast it.
