expanding vs. fixed broadheads

[predatorG]

  I've always just used fixed broadheadd because something just feels weird about expanding ones, but am considering switching. Does anyone have some experience in this and any recomendations?

[Duckslayer89]

Killed elk and deer with fixed blades (shuttle t's and thunderheads) but man I bought some Trophy Taker ULMER EDGE expandables and they fly incredible. Exactly like field points, and just as forgiving. No drifting around at 70-80 yards. I'm excited about them. They are strong too with a really nice practise mode set screw that keeps blades from deploying. I bought 18 of them

[predatorG]

I bought some Trophy Taker ULMER EDGE expandables and they fly incredible. Exactly like field points, and just as forgiving. No drifting around at 70-80 yards. I'm excited about them. They are strong too with a really nice practise mode set screw that keeps blades from deploying. I bought 18 of them

Thanks alot for the tip! Sounds like I'm gonna have to swing by Sportsmans Warehouse and pick some up!

[h2ofowlr]

I sent Cameron Hanes a PM on this and his reply was:  I've used a rage on one animal. A bear at 5 yards. Personally, I'll never use anything but a fixed blade head like the Trocar.

He seems to shoot a little bit of archery.     I am sure he talks to many out in the field as well or it may not be recommended for someone shooting over 90lb compounds.  Not sure.

[RadSav]

Good luck finding Ulmer heads.  Patent issues forced Trophy Taker to discontinue production.  Not sure of they were going to fight to keep it or not.  I don't see how EP Hunting could win the suit if Dan decided to really defend it, but right or wrong, it may not be worth it.  Good lawyers just cost too much and the court is never a guarantee.

USPTO is a joke these days!  You pay money for a patent and they give you one.  May not be worth the paper it is printed on, but they give you one anyway.  Broadhead industry is filled patents for designs that are prior art copies.  Ulmer Edge looks to possibly be a victim of a failed USPTO in my opinion.

You could send Trophy Taker an email info@trophytaker.com if you wanted more current info on the Ulmer Edge than I may have.  Last update I received was back in January.

[predatorG]

Good luck finding Ulmer heads.  Patent issues forced Trophy Taker to discontinue production.

Thanks for this. I still wasn't certain if I was gonna switch or not so this helped alot 

[Duckslayer89]

They still have tons for sale online, and at Great Northwest Archery at Skookum he sells them. Very easy to find but you are correct about not making them anymore. That's why I bought 18.

[dscubame]

http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/hunting/2014/11/broadhead-test-fixed-blades-vs-mechanicals

[hughjorgan]

They still have tons for sale online, and at Great Northwest Archery at Skookum he sells them. Very easy to find but you are correct about not making them anymore. That's why I bought 18.

Doug at great northwest only has a couple packs and said he won't be getting anymore ulmer edges because they have been discontinued.

They have been on camofire.com a lot lately though....

[predatorG]

http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/hunting/2014/11/broadhead-test-fixed-blades-vs-mechanicals

Thanks man  I think another thing I'm gonna look at is how wide the mechanical is after it expands vs. How wide the fixed is.

[gutsnthegrass]

Are the Ulmer Edge the best mechanical out there right now?  I haven't really looked into the mechanical broadheads yet.

[Jonathan_S]

Good luck finding Ulmer heads.  Patent issues forced Trophy Taker to discontinue production.  Not sure of they were going to fight to keep it or not.  I don't see how EP Hunting could win the suit if Dan decided to really defend it, but right or wrong, it may not be worth it.  Good lawyers just cost too much and the court is never a guarantee.

USPTO is a joke these days!  You pay money for a patent and they give you one.  May not be worth the paper it is printed on, but they give you one anyway.  Broadhead industry is filled patents for designs that are prior art copies.  Ulmer Edge looks to possibly be a victim of a failed USPTO in my opinion.

You could send Trophy Taker an email info@trophytaker.com if you wanted more current info on the Ulmer Edge than I may have.  Last update I received was back in January.

I have seen somebody lose in court and lose in appeals despite having a patent.  Unbelievable.

[RadSav]

I have seen somebody lose in court and lose in appeals despite having a patent.  Unbelievable.

Bear Archery bought a patent for a broadhead a few years ago thinking it was something new and promising.  The patent as they received it was issued by the USPTO three years prior.  They did not know that the verbiage and images were taken from a patent that was almost 35 years old.  Someone just copied the old one and reapplied for a new patent hiding any reference to the prior art.  Paid their money and USPTO gave them a new number of a 30-40 year old product.

It's one thing to design a product not knowing there is old prior art out there.  But to apply for a patent knowing you have stolen not only prior art but also prior images and verbiage should be an easy rejection for the USPTO.  Well, it used to be back when they had people search patent viability before approval.

[Jonathan_S]

Kind of like buying a car you didn't know was stolen...

Just unfortunate that a patent is so unreliable these days. 

Oh and to the OP, if something just feels weird about expanding heads then why use them?

[TheHunt]

I have read good things about Swhacker and Rage.  There are you tube video's on them.  I personally do not fix what is not broken.  I have a 6  year old bow, still use the clamp style release, still use 70 lb draw, still use the older carbon arrows with Shuttle T-locks. 

I might buy a set of three just to mess with it. 
I did the same for the lighted knocks.  I would not hunt with it...

[predatorG]

Oh and to the OP, if something just feels weird about expanding heads then why use them?

I just felt for some reason like they weren't reliable, but I heard some good things about them and figured I'd look into it.

[blackveltbowhunter]

Oh and to the OP, if something just feels weird about expanding heads then why use them?

I just felt for some reason like they weren't reliable, but I heard some good things about them and figured I'd look into it.

 It took me awhile to get past the VS part of this debate. I have long been a proponent of fixed blade heads and was initially not planning to shoot anything mechanical even after they became legal. So many articles,advertisements, and nearly every discussion around a campfire or forum is based around the question, Which one is better? In reality I think very few guys actually objectivly look at what they need out of a head and make a decision based on those needs. Rather than the "test" results that have been ran by "experts".

   Heres my  , based on only my experiences and some (very) rudimentary tests done with several different heads, I ulitmately decided to go with both. 3-1 split Savora Ti-Con and Grim Reaper SS. The Savora spins stupid good, is razer sharp and flys like a dart. Attributes I found with a couple other heads as well including the Savora Van Dykes and my beloved stryker head.  The blade locking system, blade angles, and they spun better out of package than my Stryker is what gave them the nod. It will be my go to elk and out of state head. The Reaper, is also very sharp, cuts a bit bigger hole and flys extremely well also. Not surprisingly perhaps, but I found that finding mechanicals that spun well out of package was a bit of a chore. I had heard good things about the Ulmer, but couldnt get my hands on any easily, so tried rage, schwacker, and reaper. the Reaper was by far the best spinning for me, but also surprisingly it didnt seem to affect flight the way that it can with fixed heads. I am shooting a decent FOC with some helical and not high speed, so getting most BH to fly is not usually tough perhaps thats why, or maybe it is because the lowere profile creates less drag. Not sure which. The reaper also seemed sharpest and more of a preference than anything I like 3 blade holes.

All of them impact with my field tips at 80 yards. The Reaper was noticeably less affected by cross wind at that range, but under forty it would take a strong wind to make the difference apparent. One big advantage that I see for the reaper(or mechanical in general) and dont hear talked about alot, is less exposed area on tight shots. I think on late season deer hunts this may be one of the main advantages! after setting up several targest in tight areas, slipping arrows past those pesky vine maple limbs was much easier with mechanical head. Although I never seem to see the one that gets me anyhow  Whatever you decide good luck!

[Smoke]

I've use the Rage Hypodermic mechanicals down in Texas and they work great... fly like field tips, expand out to 2 inches, lots of blood, pass thru if don't hit a major bone... never had one not open...  not afraid to use em up here at all... plus they are not discontinued and ya can get them just about anywhere...

[GoPlayOutside]

I have recently switched over from Fixed Muzzy to the Rage Hypodermic mechanical broadheads.
I am both excited and nervous to see the results.  Hopefully, I will have evidence and field tested methods on the ground this year.  So far, the practice heads are flying just like the practice bullet points.
Hopefully pics to come....