Expandables

[coldsteel3d]

So I drew a Wenaha West archery bull tag this year and am not sure which broadhead to shoot. Should I stick with what I know works and works damn good, or should I try an expandable? How many of you guys are making the switch to an expandable broadhead this year? And those that are, are you gonna shoot them across the board for everything, deer and elk and bear or what?

[arrowflinger]

Tagging

[LeviD1]

I bought some schwacker expandables. All my heads shoot the same, those, shuttle t's, field. So I will be carrying both mostly cause I dont want to buy 6 before I try them out,  but I plan on shooting everything with them. Hopefully I get the opportunity to use them. I will post pics of what they do in september.

[coachcw]

I have had great success with shuttle ts , not sure id play around with gadgets on a big bull  if fixed fly well why change ? I may shoot expendables on deer and see how they fare in the penetration dept .

[Russ McDonald]

I will be switching to expandables because it is what I was using before I moved to WA.  Will be using them for everything that I hunt with a bow.

[grundy53]

I have had great success with shuttle ts , not sure id play around with gadgets on a big bull  if fixed fly well why change ? I may shoot expendables on deer and see how they fare in the penetration dept .

[CarbonHunter]

I bought a new bow this year and I was told fixed blades don't fly well over 315+ fps.  So I am going to look at going to mechanicals. My main question is not how well they fly but how well do the penetrate at long distances on big game?

[lamrith]

I bought a new bow this year and I was told fixed blades don't fly well over 315+ fps.  So I am going to look at going to mechanicals. My main question is not how well they fly but how well do the penetrate at long distances on big game?

Does your bow ACTUALLY shoot over 315?  My bow is rated 330, but in real world with arrow weight, draw weight/length etc factored in it is sub 300...  Just something to keep in mind..

I am sure someone like Radsav will chime in, but I have a feeling that if someone said fixed not fly well over X speed I am wondering if they were incorrectly spined for the application and arrow flex was wreaking havoc on consistency..? 

[D-Rock425]

If what you have works why switch?

[grundy53]

If what you have works why switch?

[Jonathan_S]

#1  I'd be surprised if your bow is shooting over 300 FPS - have you chrono'd it?

#2  Why not stick to a nice sharp fixed blade?  Like a, oh I don't know, Savora?   

I've heard a lot of mechanical advocates say the following, "they are awesome for deer but not for elk or bear...as long as you have a good broadside shot...as long as you don't hit a shoulder..."

However, I've never heard this qualifying done with fixed blades.  I've never heard anyone intelligent say that a fixed blade was good for deer but not elk.

[DOUBLELUNG]

I had two bad experiences with expandables in the 1990s and switched back to the Thunderheads I've used since 1986.  I'm sure the technology has improved greatly since then.  I'm also sure there is a better fixed broadhead I could use, but haven't found a need to change.

[Jonathan_S]

I like it DOUBLELUNG.  Stick with what's good and makes you confident.

Heck my dad shot a garbage can coyote with a Zwickey broadhead last night 

[coachcw]

no way id shoot a elk again with a high performance bow and a two blade bh whether it be fixed or expandable . i have seen fat poke back out the whole causing a poor blood trail . my carbon overdrive at 31 inches and 70 lbs with a legal arrow shoots 310 fps and flys broadheads fine .

[MLBowhunting]

Anytime a broadhead has moveable parts there is a chance for failure.  You have a great tag and don't chance anything if your heads are flying just fine. 

[LeviD1]

I bought a new bow this year and I was told fixed blades don't fly well over 315+ fps.  So I am going to look at going to mechanicals. My main question is not how well they fly but how well do the penetrate at long distances on big game?

Granted it wasnt with my broadheads when I chrono'd my bow it was with same weight field tips. But I was at about 320. My broadheads have always flown perfect. Maybe if your bow is out of tune the faster it is the more dramatic the bad flight?

[coldsteel3d]

Well I have shot Shuttle T's for years with incredible success and very impressive blood trails and wound channels. They have always shot the same as field points for me so that's not a reason for me to switch. I will probably stick with them, I was just curious as to how many guys will be making the switch or how many will at least try them out.

[LeviD1]

Well as a fellow shuttle t shooter I hopefully will have pics of a blood trail / animal with schwackers 

[whackmaster]

dam I was looking for a review on the movie 

[earlmarne]

I think I have settled on using the hypodermics for deer this year and the van dykes for elk for the added security.

[raydog]

Should I stick with what I know works and works damn good,

Seems like your answer was in the question.

[coldsteel3d]

Should I stick with what I know works and works damn good,

Seems like your answer was in the question.

Yeah I pretty much had my mind made up but I was really curious as to how many people are switching and how many people are only willing to try them out on deer. I myself would not want to shoot a different broadhead for different species and I really wouldn't want to try something "new to me" out on a hunt of this magnitude. I'm sure there are expandables that would work perfectly on elk as I have seen lots of elk shot on film with them but I don't have the experience with them and I feel better sticking with what I know.

[RadSav]

I bought a new bow this year and I was told fixed blades don't fly well over 315+ fps. 

Sounds like someone wanted to sell you something.  They all fly good with the proper spine, fletching, rotation and FOC.

Plus, WDFW has done there best to make sure you never exceed 214.8 mph anyway... Well at least not legally!

[CarbonHunter]

I bought an RPM 360 so I know I'm going to be over 300 fps once I go to a legal hunting arrow. I'm guessing I'll be in the 310 arena. My plan is to go to a 300 spline and try my G5's that I had on my old bow which would put my arrow weight right at 420 grains. My G5's did great shooting at 242 fps. I'm just curious if anyone else had heard or experienced issues with fixed blades not flying well at faster speeds?

[BABackcountryBwhntr]

killed 5 deer with rage.... they are fine for deer, honestly not much diff from a fixed head IMO... double lung em and they go down fast either way.. but no way would I use them for elk..... you can kill a bull if you hit the shoulder with a fixed... even from distance... but I highly doubt using a rage or others that open up 2 in would get the needed penetration if your shot was a bit forward....

[Duckhunter14]

I have had great success with shuttle ts , not sure id play around with gadgets on a big bull  if fixed fly well why change ? I may shoot expendables on deer and see how they fare in the penetration dept .

  3rd that