DougE

I've killed about 12 deer with jackhammers.At firstI thought they wereone of the best inventions.However,I soon realized that Icracked ferules almost everytime,either losing blades or having them just hangingthere by a thread.Penetration usually wasn't an issue because I shoot way more than enough KE.My opinion changed in 2004.I shot a nice 9 point at 18yards the first week of october.The shot looked good at first but when he turned to run,I saw almost the whole arrow sticking out of him.I left him go over night and the next morning I found my arrow broken off at the insert without a drop of blood on the arrow.I won't make any excuse for the shot but 1 inch of penetration isunexceptable with my set-up.The story has a happy ending though.I bought a pack of slick tricks that year and used them for the rest of the season.On the last thursday of our season,5 weeks later,I rattled in and killed that same buck with a slicktrick.He has a slight limp but he came in looking for a fight.

I blame the shot more than the broadhead but I have no doubt thatI would have killed that buck with a good fixed blade.A shoulder shot is bad but I've penetrated them 3 other times and killed the deer.That isn't even what bothers me the most.A bad shot is a bad shot but broken blades are inexcusable in my book.Since that year,I've killed 11 deer with slicktricks and never had a deer run out of sight and I never damaged a broadhead.I have a collection of jackhammers and Rockets that have gone through deer.Almost all of themare severly damaged.i'd be more than glad to mail someone a picture to post.

I just see no use for any wide mechanical.Anysharp broadhead will kill a deer in short order if hit well.From my experience a 4 blade fixed head will cause every bit as much damage as a wider 3 blade mechanical.A mechanical may have a slight edge with a gut shot but they lose out when you hit heavy bone.So what really do you gain?

Inever lost a deer for good withany broadhead.However,I just don't see any advantage to a mechanical what so ever.I agree they work if you put them in the right place but so does any head.I just fail to see what you gain.

WKP Todd

I'd comment, but I obviously know nothing about bow hunting. Sorry for wasting everyone's time with this topic, and every-other-topic I've ever written. Maybe I'll just start gun hunting..........

Dnk

Gentleman, I never use a broadhead more than once whether its a mechanical or a fixed. I save the arrow and broadheads rather than hang a critters head on the wall. Maybe thats why I think they are so great.

Dnk

I came back to this thread to spout off that we are not here to bash anything or any person. If there is something about a product I believe we shouldn't use expressions that end up insulting or bashing. That neither contributes nor does it look good. I only serves to hurt and is uncalled for. Having said that I am neither insulted nor am I convinced that mechanicals are "junk". I do however understand that the wasp mechanicals are weak in the way the blades hinge.

DougE

Exactly,so why use them?Eventually you'll most likely experience a blade failure.With so many much more reliable fixed heads on the market,why take that chance?

I'm not bashing anything or anybody.I'm simply stating my experience with jackhammers.

tschammel

Thats all I was trying to do, give an example on how the head failed for me. P3fe was asking about them and I gave my experience with them. I think they are a week head. NOt expandables in general, just this head in particular.

I apologize if I got a little out of hand with "Loner Wolf". Ive read his articles on this site and know that he has a buisness with stands and respected him for what he was doing. But for him to come on here and try to belittle me is disrespectful. Expecially when all Im trying to do was help someone out. You think he would be more respectful being a staffer of this site and owning a buisness in which he wants to make a (good) name for himself.

tanktrunk

tschammel the Lone Wolf brings up a good point though. Doesnt matter what ur shooting if you shoot them in the shoulder your not going to kill them. So to go ranting and raving on him for no reason was unfair. You say it got out of hand yet you still continue to call him LONER wolf istead of his proper name.

tschammel

Ive shot plenty of deer with fixed blades that have went through the shoulder like butter. Like a slick trick, shot two deer that had pass throughs going through the shoulder on the exit. It does matter what head your using when hitting the shoulder. These heads that have to flip all the way back when gong through bone are not going to get the penetration needed.

I don't think I ranted and raved for no reason though, but I didtake it a little to far. I apologize.

WKP Todd

tschammel,

I wasn't meaning to attack you personally, so I appologize for frasing it the way I did.

This is only about the one hundredth time I've heard similar comments about heads failing on "poor" shots. You hit bone, you're screwed plain and simple! Yeah, you may have a chance to get penetrate a few inches, but you are shooting a head with a 1-3/4" cutting diameter? It's physics man, you ain't pushing that through bone!

I've had blades shear-off on fixed heads on kills, is that too also considered a failure?

Of all the animals I've killed with the jakhammers, I've only bent the blades a couple times by hitting the opposite side shoulders on hard quartering shots. The blades did not break, as they are .036" thick, which is the thickest on the market I believe. They just fold back slightly and continue to cut. I've never broken a furrel. I'd estimate that I've killed about 11 or 12 animals with my Jaks in the last 4 or 5 years?

Couple weeks ago, we did our own little broadhead test in a buddies back yard. We shot about a half-dozen heads into 1/8" Cold Rolled Steel, just to see the results. The Jak pentrated through the plate with no failure of the furrel. We also tested a Rocket, and the thing essentially crumbled on impact. I've got the entire test on Video, so you may actually see it at some point.

I've had nothing but excellent results with my Jaks. Never had a bad shot with them though, so I can't comment about that. All I know is that it's July 21st, and it's almost time to start the shooting regiment again. Shooting everyday before the season is what I have found to be the deadliest thing a hunter can do. Just wish more guys felt the way I do!

DougE

I'm not trying to be argumentative but my experiences have been much different.I destroyed the jackhammers more than 50% of the time.That's simply unexceptable in my opinion so I have no confidence in them.I never experience a failure with the whole blade.The failures always occured where they where connected to the ferule.That's the problem with mechanicals.Regardless of how thick they are,they only connect in one spot,generally with a ring or small screw,which compromizes durability.You're point about a 1 3/4 inch broadhead is 100% correct.That can happen on occasion so why take the chance.I've busted the shoulder on more than one occasion with muzzy's,wasp bullets and slicktricks and killed the deer.Most of those instances where with the opposite shoulder though.I guess I just don't see the need for such a wide cut.A hit the through the vitals with any broadhead almost always means a deer falling within a sight or at least ear shot.

I'm not bashing your choice.In my experience,big mechanicals have no practicle advantage over a quality fixed head.I think if you use them long enough,you'll experience a negative situation.I'd be glad to mail you a picture of my collection of busted up Jackhammers.There's some rocket steelheads in there as well that are totally worthless in my opinion.