Why mechanicals?

[aldenjj]

I think the debate about mechanical broadheads will go on forever. A couple of things to consider. If your bow generates a minimum of 60lbs of kinetic energy, then a good mechanical could be a choice. but what distance are you going to shoot? If you are shootin at 35,40 yds. or even farther unless you still have around 60lbs. of energy, that is where you run into trouble.
I keep all my shots at 25yds. or less. I know my bow is generating about 70lbs. of energy....so a good mechanical will work. Last year I was shooting a Browning Bow.....slower, but Quiet .I think the energy was close to 58lbs. so I was pushing the envelope with mechanicals...but I wanted to try one anyways. it was an inexpensive Satellite 3 blade. I took a Button Buck(that I thought was a doe) at 7yds.
The broadhead blasted through at a quartering away angle . it came out through the front leg at the top section were it meets the shoulder. Left a large hole. The deer didn't go 20 yds. The arrow kept going!
if that shot had been any farther away I wouldn't have taken it. I doubt the broadhead would have had the energy to do that kind of damage.
Fast forward to today. 2011 Exile 285fps/70lbs. kenetic energy...swacker 100 grain broadhead....do I think it will kill just about any deer at 20yds.....you better believe it!!
I think if you do your homework, and your bow generates enough energy, mechanicals can work very well.
I have used fixed blades all of my life...successfully. Last year I tried a mechanical.This year "SWHACKER"

[droppixel]

To give you an idea on all of this, last season hunted with my 07 Cheetah, which I can promise isn't anywhere near the 280 mark, in fact I have no idea where it is ... but my T3's blew right threw 2 doe exiting out the opposite shoulder at 20 yards and 25 yards. If you place the shot right, the mechanical will do the job every time while shooting any modern compound I believe. You may not get a pass, but if you hit vitals chances are you will be recovering the deer. My dad shot Rage for many seasons and never once had a pass through but took plenty of deer with his old Parker. He moved to T3 last year and dusted a doe at 30 clean pass! I think the big thing with the mechs is too not get too caught up in the huge cut diameter if you don't have the energy, that is where you will run into problems I think. I considered shooting old Steelheads with are 1 1/8 cut ...

[Thermodude]

And the debate goes on as it will for years to come! Call me stubborn or old fashioned...." actually Im both ".... but I just dont see any reason to shoot a mechanical. Even as well as they are made nowdays moving parts will and do fail, maybe not often but in time they will. Do my cut on contact work everytime? Well actually yes.........they dont have any choice they are solid and fixed to the end of an arrow. If for some reason they fail to do their job more than likely its my fault for not putting them were I shouldve.........JMO. Regardless of what we use the most important thing is making a good shot!

[aldenjj]

You hit it right on the head Droppixel. Speed, and large cutting diameter aren't really the answer. energy is. That Browning that I used to hunt with had plenty of energy, but wasn't really fast. When I first bought it I could have set it up to be fairly fast ( 302) rated at 70lbs. I decided to have a little heavier arrow and larger broadhead . It originally was shooting about 245fps. at around 63lbs. of energy. a few years ago I changed arrows and broads, lighened up the draw(comes with getting older)...which slowed it down a little ,which in turn lowered the speed and kinetic energy, but it made it VERY QUIET. I had sacrificed some things to get it more comfortable to shoot and more quiet. Even after all of that, it still had enough power at close range for a mechanical to work.
I really think that with todays faster bows, that good mechanicals are hard to beat! The set up I have now with the new lighter,shorter,faster Martin Bow....should prove to be deadly with mechanicals. I only hope that this season I get a chance to try out the Swhacker Broadhead.

[aldenjj]

I wouldn't say you were stubborn, or old fashion for sticking with fixed blades. they are what I have used every year until last year. I have quite a collection of mechanicals that I have bought over the years, but never used....because I wasn't sure if I could trust them to work right!
I decided to give the Satellite a try last year because it actually looked like a well made, inexpensive, but well made broadhead. I know plenty of people that have a particular fixed blade that they will always use. If that works, sticking with it is the safe smart bet!
My problem is that I like trying new and somtimes different things, arrows, broadheads, guns ammo etc.
For me it adds the unknown to a hunt......which creates more of a challenge.
2 years ago I tried a new fixed blade 100 grain by Eastman Outdoors. It failed miserably! Last year I tried a mechanical for the first time, it worked, I will try the Swhacker this year.....next year who knows.

[CaptJJ]

I like big mechanicals(2" Hammerheads, see pic) for turkeys with a small vital area; for deer and bear small fixed blades have worked well but I wouldn't hesitate to use a mech like the Rocket Steelhead again.