Long Range Fixed Blade Field Point Accuracy

[creed_az_88]

9 minutes ago, Coues Archer said:

Hey Creed_AZ_88,

Just cuz its streamline mechanical doesnt mean it will shoot lol.. I have shot a handful of mechanicals that are in the same boat as the fixed blade for poor accuracy. What's a broadhead that you have had good success with as far as mechanicals for long range accuracy?

Innerloc carnage and innerloc shapeshifter. By streamline I pretty much mean no blade surface exposed. That seems to be the only way to guarantee field point type accuracy. I've tested more broadheads than I like to admit paying for, and I've come to the same conclusion that you have, even most mechanicals can be very tough to get to hit with field points at extended ranges. This innerloc heads are something special though. They aren't without flaw, but they are the most accurate ive had my hands on. Their only flaw really is that they can be fragile in the quiver. But it's a trade off I willingly accept for the accuracy. 

[Coues Archer]

8 minutes ago, CatfishKev said:

 Looks like you are spending considerable time on this.  I was surprised slick trick wasn't included in your first round of testing.  

If I'm understanding this correctly the smaller the cutting diameter of the blades makes them fly better? I used rockets like 10 years ago with good results. Now using slick trick magnums.

Interesting thread, I'll be following  

I literally just purchased a pack of slick trick standards the other day because I've heard amazing things from them. I will be testing those bad boys out soon. 

[Coues Archer]

Just now, creed_az_88 said:

Innerloc carnage and innerloc shapeshifter. By streamline I pretty much mean no blade surface exposed. That seems to be the only way to guarantee field point type accuracy. I've tested more broadheads than I like to admit paying for, and I've come to the same conclusion that you have, even most mechanicals can be very tough to get to hit with field points at extended ranges. This innerloc heads are something special though. They aren't without flaw, but they are the most accurate ive had my hands on. Their only flaw really is that they can be fragile in the quiver. But it's a trade off I willingly accept for the accuracy. 

Very intriguing👌🏼 Now that’s something that’s worth a try. I will be purchasing a pair of each to see how they hold up at longer ranges. Thank you for for being helpful.

[creed_az_88]

28 minutes ago, Coues Archer said:

Very intriguing👌🏼 Now that’s something that’s worth a try. I will be purchasing a pair of each to see how they hold up at longer ranges. Thank you for for being helpful.

No problem man. I don't think you'll be disappointed. 

[WHT_MTNMAN]

I hate shooting mechanicals unless I'm shooting long range.  I do prefer to be a bowhunter instead of an archer and get in close.  In my experience with a properly tuned arrow/head combo and a bow most fixed heads will shoot the same. That being said in a pack of 3-6 broadheads only 1 or 2 fit that criteria. I've often times had a different broadhead on each arrow. They all shot the same.   

For fixed I prefer the G5 striker and wacem. The 3 blade slick tricks did well for me. Again out of every 6 broadheads only a few work. 

Ive had really good luck with Sevr and Bloodsport night fury for mechanicals as far as flight goes.  

 

 

[Coues Archer]

9 minutes ago, WHT_MTNMAN said:

I hate shooting mechanicals unless I'm shooting long range.  I do prefer to be a bowhunter instead of an archer and get in close.  In my experience with a properly tuned arrow/head combo and a bow most fixed heads will shoot the same. That being said in a pack of 3-6 broadheads only 1 or 2 fit that criteria. I've often times had a different broadhead on each arrow. They all shot the same.   

For fixed I prefer the G5 striker and wacem. The 3 blade slick tricks did well for me. Again out of every 6 broadheads only a few work. 

Ive had really good luck with Sevr and Bloodsport night fury for mechanicals as far as flight goes.  

 

 

Nice. Thank you for your suggestions. I'll give those broadheads a try.

[thegunsmith2506]

I know this is a little off topic, but I think its still good info. When I was a kid growing up in Willcox me and a buddy use to shoot at a range just out of town. One day we met a few guys there and they saw us shooting 12in groups at 30yds and came over to offer some advice. They were really nice guys and spent about an hour helping us set up our bows and giving  a few tips. We didn't even have knocking points and we were shooting fingers. In a short time we were shooting 6in groups at 30yds. When we were done one of the guys gave us both a couple of broadheads and told us he owned the company that makes them and to stop by his shop in town. The broadheads were Vortex brand and we used the heck out of them. 

So all that to get to my point. This was in the late 90's and these guys were shooting 100+ yards with these broadheads. One day in the shop they showed us that they would take some heavy duty snips and cut the blades so that just a 1/16th of an inch stuck out when they were closed. They said it really improved the long range accuracy. I killed my first deer with one a year later and it worked well. I switched to Rockets when I drew an elk tag a few years later. I think Creed was spot on with his comments on little to no blade surface being exposed. I didn't draw a deer this year and I am out of broadheads so this has been an interesting thread. I am thinking I might try out the new Vortex steel to see how they shoot. I don't practice enough to shoot much past 50yds anymore so really long range isn't an issue for me. Thanks for all the info!

 

https://vortexbroadheads.com/collections/broadheads/products/vortex-100gr-2-00-steel

[Coues Archer]

2 hours ago, thegunsmith2506 said:

I know this is a little off topic, but I think its still good info. When I was a kid growing up in Willcox me and a buddy use to shoot at a range just out of town. One day we met a few guys there and they saw us shooting 12in groups at 30yds and came over to offer some advice. They were really nice guys and spent about an hour helping us set up our bows and giving  a few tips. We didn't even have knocking points and we were shooting fingers. In a short time we were shooting 6in groups at 30yds. When we were done one of the guys gave us both a couple of broadheads and told us he owned the company that makes them and to stop by his shop in town. The broadheads were Vortex brand and we used the heck out of them. 

So all that to get to my point. This was in the late 90's and these guys were shooting 100+ yards with these broadheads. One day in the shop they showed us that they would take some heavy duty snips and cut the blades so that just a 1/16th of an inch stuck out when they were closed. They said it really improved the long range accuracy. I killed my first deer with one a year later and it worked well. I switched to Rockets when I drew an elk tag a few years later. I think Creed was spot on with his comments on little to no blade surface being exposed. I didn't draw a deer this year and I am out of broadheads so this has been an interesting thread. I am thinking I might try out the new Vortex steel to see how they shoot. I don't practice enough to shoot much past 50yds anymore so really long range isn't an issue for me. Thanks for all the info!

 

https://vortexbroadheads.com/collections/broadheads/products/vortex-100gr-2-00-steel

That's awesome! Thank you for the info. Please feel free to report how these vortex broadheads shoot for you.

[bojangles]

It’s hard for me to imagine why anyone would want to shoot a fixed blade broadhead unless you’re shooting low poundage.  I’d look at sevr or shwacker.  You can eliminate all these tuning problems by just shooting a well designed mechanical.   You still have to shoot a tuned bow, but it’s a lot less finicky.  
 

accuracy is everything.  Shoot the mechanical and put it in the lungs.  
 

I don’t see any advantage to a fixed blade.

[DCS]

The advantage to a fixed blade is they will always cut.Mechanicals not so much.

[Coues Archer]

On 7/4/2020 at 8:49 AM, bojangles said:

It’s hard for me to imagine why anyone would want to shoot a fixed blade broadhead unless you’re shooting low poundage.  I’d look at sevr or shwacker.  You can eliminate all these tuning problems by just shooting a well designed mechanical.   You still have to shoot a tuned bow, but it’s a lot less finicky.  
 

accuracy is everything.  Shoot the mechanical and put it in the lungs.  
 

I don’t see any advantage to a fixed blade.

Hello bojangles,

I agree with you 100%. Accuracy is the most important aspect when it comes to hunting. It's imperative to be able to put that broadhead where it needs to go. But in my experience, fixed blades do have a definite plus in the penetration department. All animals I've shot with a fixed blade have died immediately with all shots completely pass through the animal with ease. I currently shoot a swhacker and well.... Can't say the same about them. If you hit bone its not gonna be good.... SEVR on the other hand might be something to look into; in my eyes. The way it's designed I absolutely know it will get WAY more penetration than a Swhacker. Thanks for the info though I do understand where you're coming from.

[bojangles]

1 hour ago, Coues Archer said:

Hello bojangles,

I agree with you 100%. Accuracy is the most important aspect when it comes to hunting. It's imperative to be able to put that broadhead where it needs to go. But in my experience, fixed blades do have a definite plus in the penetration department. All animals I've shot with a fixed blade have died immediately with all shots completely pass through the animal with ease. I currently shoot a swhacker and well.... Can't say the same about them. If you hit bone its not gonna be good.... SEVR on the other hand might be something to look into; in my eyes. The way it's designed I absolutely know it will get WAY more penetration than a Swhacker. Thanks for the info though I do understand where you're coming from.

My experiences with shwacker have been flawless.  I’ve killed 3 deer and 2 elk.  Nothing made a 100 yards.  Only 2 were not pass throughs, one a hard quartering to shot on a bull, which I aimed for the liver as the lungs were covered by shoulder.  Arrow was lodged in the paunch, probably 8 inches of fletching sticking out of the bull.  I cut his liver in half, he went nowhere.  (Other bull was a 50 yards shot, pass through, arrow went another 10-15 yards before it stopped. ) One deer did not pass through, it was hard quartering away.  I shot him in front of his back leg, arrow was buried in opposite shoulder.  He went less than 50.

other deer were pass through as far as I can remember.

of course I try not to hit the shoulder unless it’s a white tail.  
 

my bow is probably 320-325 FPS set up to hunt.  It is flat and fast.  One day I will hunt with a recurve.  Till then, I need every advantage.  
 

just my opinion, but I can’t find a reason to shoot a fixed blade.  I don’t think the shwacker would break an elk shoulder.  But not sure how a fixed blade would do, either.  I hit a muley a few years back low on the shoulder with a ulmer  edge, did not kill him. A week later he wasn’t even limping.  

[Coues Archer]

21 minutes ago, bojangles said:

My experiences with shwacker have been flawless.  I’ve killed 3 deer and 2 elk.  Nothing made a 100 yards.  Only 2 were not pass throughs, one a hard quartering to shot on a bull, which I aimed for the liver as the lungs were covered by shoulder.  Arrow was lodged in the paunch, probably 8 inches of fletching sticking out of the bull.  I cut his liver in half, he went nowhere.  Other bull was a 50 yards shot, pass through, arrow went another 10-15 yards before it stopped.  One deer did not pass through, it was hard quartering away.  I shot him in front of his back leg, arrow was buried in opposite shoulder.  He went less than 50.

other deer were pass through as far as I can remember.

of course I try not to hit the shoulder unless it’s a white tail.  
 

my bow is probably 320-325 FPS set up to hunt.  It is flat and fast.  One day I will hunt with a recurve.  Till then, I need every advantage.  
 

just my opinion, but I can’t find a reason to shoot a fixed blade.  I don’t think the shwacker would break an elk shoulder.  But not sure how a fixed blade would do, either.  I hit a muley a few rears back low on the shoulder with a ulmer  edge, did not kill him. A week later he wasn’t even limping.  

With those kind of speeds no wonder it went right through those suckers lol. Hey that works for your setup but with me being 27" draw length I don't have many options for blowing through animals unless it s fixed blade. The only reason I have my skeptics with swhacker is because I shot a coues in the shoulder blade with one and it didn't do a dam thing to him. Granted with your setup getting 325 FPS; you can blow through anything with ease.

[bojangles]

8 minutes ago, Coues Archer said:

With those kind of speeds no wonder it went right through those suckers lol. Hey that works for your setup but with me being 27" draw length I don't have many options for blowing through animals unless it s fixed blade. The only reason I have my skeptics with swhacker is because I shot a coues in the shoulder blade with one and it didn't do a dam thing to him. Granted with your setup getting 325 FPS; you can blow through anything with ease.

Yeah, and honestly that bow is miserable to shoot.  Absolutely miserable.  But, it kills things.  You gain here, you lose there.  

[Coues Archer]

4 minutes ago, bojangles said:

Yeah, and honestly that bow is miserable to shoot.  Absolutely miserable.  But, it kills things.  You gain here, you lose there.  

That's awesome haha. Thanks for your 2 cents man. I will most definitely look into these SEVR broadheads, they look promising for a mechanical. The Titanium TIP just looks sinister and looks like it would penetrate well.