Expandables; how'd they do?

[Nice Racks]

Well how'd they do? Anyone fill their elk tag using an expandable broadhead, or did you wound one?  What kind did you use? 

[Lucky1]

I did not shoot a elk. I shot a small spike buck with a shwacker 2" broadhead. It worked great on a marginal hit. Big cut. Lots of blood. Dead deer. So far I like them.

[djnoodle]

I filled mine on a 5x4 bull at 27 yards with one. He didn't bleed as much as I wanted him to. But I think that was due to shot placement more than the broadhead. But the broadhead did it's job. Quartering away shot. Entered back by the gut, expanded, grabbed some liver and the opposite lung. Most importantly it flew nice and straight like a field tip.

I used an NAP Spitfire 100 grain. I think I would use it again.


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[hunt6226]

shot a cow at 60yds with the rage hypodermic. complete pass through. they performed well. i will use them again..

[elkrack]

I did not shot a elk. I shot a small spike buck with a shwacker 2" broadhead. It worked great on a marginal hit. Big cut. Lots of blood. Dead deer. So far I like them.

I shot my bull with swackers also and likewise marginal shot right through the liver. He only went 80 yards. Went through one rib on enrty and sliced two ribs on the other side and only the tip poked through the skin on the exit. I really liked how they performed and they are still really sharp.

[funkster]

shot a cow at 60yds with the rage hypodermic. complete pass through. they performed well. i will use them again..

This is good news, my dad switched over to the hypodermics as well. I was a little skeptical in how they would work on elk. You wouldn't happen to have a pic of the entrance/exit wound?

[buglebuster]

Everyone I know who tried them weren't impressed, couple didn't deploy and a few animals lost because of it...

[Smossy]

Don't see any reason to use them when there is so many great broadheads on the market out these days, specially with vented blades. Cant beat the sharpness of a good replaceable blade either. I'm Pretty committed to Savora at this point. Sharp, Sharp, and soon to be Sharper. Quit with the expandables, Tune the bow alittle better or at the very least broadhead tune your bow.

[MtnMuley]

Saw several bulls go down this year with fixed broadheads and zero got lost. I'll never use an expandable on an elk. The margin of error archery hunying is already stacked against you, you why add another element?

[Russ McDonald]

I feel it should be up to the shooter.  You could get the same results from a fixed broadhead as and expandable with a marginal shot.  It is all about shotplacement.  I will continue to use me Grimreapers.

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[Jellymon]

Here's my choice. Rage Swiss Hypoexothermic. Has a total cutting surface of 22.5". Only penetrates about 2" but the holes sure are big!

[coachcw]

Grimreaper ! holly blood bath ... that being said if my fixed fly as well then i have a bit more confidence with them smashing through bone . the fixed from what ive seen have better penetration.

[TheHunt]

I used the Shuttle T like I have used for the last 4 years.  BUT I did have a swhacker in my quiver.  I would have used a Swhacker if I would have had an open shot.  BUT I was in the trash and I feared the Swhacker would deploy if it hit some trash.  So it sat in the quiver.  I ended up shooting mine through 3 feet of salmon berry brush.  I think the deflection is minimized through the fixed than through the Swhacker.   I could be wrong.  But using some form of logic.

[funkster]

I'll never use an expandable on an elk. The margin of error archery hunying is already stacked against you, you why add another element?

I used to say "I'll never use an carbon fiber arrow" too. I do agree that a fixed blade is the tried and true method for elk. I'm a firm believer in a 125 grain shuttle T!  I have seen the damage the rage hypodermic can inflict on a deer with a marginal shot. I'm just wondering if that same damage and penetration would accur on a much tougher animal such as an elk. Let's see some pics guys! 

[jgilley]

I was not impressed with them. A friend of mine shot a small bull and the blood trail was vey slight (small diameter carbon shaft). We nearly lost the trail.  The expandable heads also close up as an animal runs thru the woods and the arrow shaft snags on trees and weeds so that it is not cutting as it wallows around in the wound channel. Fixed blades don't have that problem and cut on the way in and on the way out.

[squires14]

G5 t3 ...... will not shoot these again at an elk, at 12yds right behind the shoulder if I wouldn't have shot his heat out I don't know if I would have found my bull. Only two blades opened up, and the stupid retention clips wouldn't lock the blades in all the time. and I kept having to reset them. Pops shot a standard thunderhead like he always has, and broke two ribs on a hard quarter away shot and through the opposite shoulder blade at 62 lbs.  Tried the mechanical, going back to cut on contact!