My Rage against RAGE Broadheads - With Video evidence

Originally Posted by AfricaHunting.com

Norwegianwoods, You either will need to download the free QuickTime Player plugin that runs the video on AH otherwise the player may need your permission to run on your browser.

Thanks
I thought I had QuickTime Player on this computer, but looks like I forgot to reinstall it after I upgraded my computer.
I manage to look at the videos with Internet Explorer now.
Now I just need to find out how I give my default browser the go ahead to show the videos as well

Same here then. however only on extremely close inspection one would be able to pick up whether it hit the small bone protrusion that comes up from the leg bone.
Once agin glad that you were able to recover it.
My best always.

Originally Posted by 35bore

I retract the statement then, maybe it was just the angle of the camera in the video. Glad you found the animal though. Sucks that you had that bad experience with the BH though.

From the video of the Waterbuck it is a bit difficult to tell about the hit.

But with the Impala ram it is without a doubt a good hit and good penetration.
Only explanation that you didn't recover that ram quickly must be that either both blades broke of at impact or they never deployed, resulting in field point damage to the lungs.
Did you ever recover the arrow used on the ram to see how the BH looked like after the shot?

Norwegianwoods, I think what you are seeing on some of the hunting shows and other videos of people shooting mechancials is the fact that they cannot get their bows to shoot FP's and BH's the same, a factor of not tuning the whole set up. Mechanicals came about because the speed of the bows jumped drastically in the 90's and it became hard to get fixed blade BH's to fly right, hence mechanicals. Screw most mechanicals on an arrow and the majority of the time they will shoot with your FP's. If not you have some serious tuning issues. With an untuned bow even a mechanical is going to loose a lot more energy whit it hits an animals as opposed to one being shot out of a well tuned bow set up. I have shot a lot of different heads, fixed, replaceable blade and mechanicals and I have killed a lot of game with all 3 and unfortunatley lost some game with all 3. It boils down to proper shot placement. I agree, mechanicals can fail, but so can sights, release, compound bows and such. On plains game I do not think it is bad to use mechancials as long as your are shooting enough KE, momentum and have your bow tuned and know how to shoot it. I have used Rages on my Nyala and Kudu with great success, but that will probably be the last time I use a mechanical, especially in Africa. That is unless I find a head that will outshoot and out penetrate the Smoke Ramcats I am currently shooting.

Mechanicals came about because the speed of the bows jumped drastically in the 90's and it became hard to get fixed blade BH's to fly right, hence mechanicals.

Exactly! For me, it seems everytime I go above 74 pounds of draw weight my grouping with fix blades opens up beyond that which is acceptable. This is due to planing effects caused by higher speeds. It is tremendously significant beyond forty yards. Please keep in mind, not all of us hunt from ground blind when we travel to Africa. I grew up spot and stalking in open country. This is still my preferred style of hunting. A fix blade will fail to open if it cannot hit the target.

Thanks for all the information. I have always been a fan of cut to tip fixed blade broadheads. Takes a little time to get them to fly right but it is worth it in the end.

Great thread guys. Not a bow hunter myself but I've following my son around filming his hunts. To date he's taken 27 species with Magnus buzzcut and Magnus Stinger two blades, including 4 of the big 5. In 4 years of hunting we've never lost an animal in fact most dropped in less that 50yds. Except the elephant he went about 150

Wes,

It sounds like your son has found the right combination. I hope his streak stays alive! Congratulate him for me on taking four of the big five w/ archery gear. Very cool!

Originally Posted by WyoWes

Great thread guys. Not a bow hunter myself but I've following my son around filming his hunts. To date he's taken 27 species with Magnus buzzcut and Magnus Stinger two blades, including 4 of the big 5. In 4 years of hunting we've never lost an animal in fact most dropped in less that 50yds. Except the elephant he went about 150

That's very cool.

Originally Posted by WyoWes

Great thread guys. Not a bow hunter myself but I've following my son around filming his hunts. To date he's taken 27 species with Magnus buzzcut and Magnus Stinger two blades, including 4 of the big 5. In 4 years of hunting we've never lost an animal in fact most dropped in less that 50yds. Except the elephant he went about 150

Very cool!
I regard the Magnus broadheads to clearly be among the best broadheads on the market today.
The 3 top brands for me is Magnus, Slick Trick and German Kinetics.

I have seen the same problems. A friend of mine in texas used these and had the same issue with the blades deploying out of the bow. When we returned he contacted Rage and they told him to just add another rubber band. I have also seen these heads deploy the blades while stalking through brush. Not a very reliable broadhead. I have used either the NAP thunderheads or Shuttle T's and have taken elk with both broadheads with no issues.

Originally Posted by iamyourhuckleberry

Exactly! For me, it seems everytime I go above 74 pounds of draw weight my grouping with fix blades opens up beyond that which is acceptable. This is due to planing effects caused by higher speeds. It is tremendously significant beyond forty yards.

I think there is something to this but I am not a big fan of an ultra fast bow either. I like to keep my bow in the 280-285 feet per second category (decreasing speed actually) by increasing the weight in the front of my arrow and overall arrow setup. I think this results in a fast, hard hitting, high FOC arrow. In my opinion, that's just hard to beat!

Tom,

I am sure I have mentioned somewhere that I prefer to hunt via spot and stalk. With that being said, my experience is animals seem to maintain a forty yard defensive perimeter (a universal generalization). In open country, penetrating this perimeter successfully is extremely challenging. Animals quickly become alert, most of the time they are staring right at you-a result of the dynamics associated with drawing a bow. In this alert state, a slow /heavy arrow, regardless of the tip seldom finds it's mark. When I am hunting critters like pygmy antelope, antelope, and gazelle I want fast and flat. In my opinion, that's just hard to beat! The right tool for the task at hand will take the professional archer to the finish line 9 out of 10 times. I always allow one spot for a little luck...

This July, I will be launching a 900+ grain arrow out of an eighty four pound Pse X-Force. I'm tipping the arrow with a 220 grain two blade Outback Supreme FE broadhead. I hoping to ram this beast of an arrow through a Cape Buffalo. I pray the arrow is fast enough whilst the buff is slow enough for the two to meet properly on the field. Results pending....

Huck,

I agree with your 40 yard theory...completely! I am happy shooting my 280's feet per second compound as it still reaches out and is actually more accurate for me than when it was even faster. But, to each his own and that's the fun of archery! Now, if I could just get my recurve to shoot that fast.

I'm envious on the buff hunt! I love shooting heavy, powerful arrow setups. Last August i shot a giraffe (hung up at 44 yards) with a grizzlystik "Safari" and a 310 grain "nanook" single bevel broadhead. Total arrow weight in the 900 grain territory.

Something about shooting a large animal with a big arrow is just awesome! The arrow has a beautiful arch in the air and hits like a ton of bricks! Let us know how your buff hunt turns out. I shot mine with a rifle but it will be bow next time!