I have never used mechanical before at all.
Past Saturday I used Spitfire on an eland cow. Lung shot, waited 40 minutes, and she was walking / trotting away. Fortunately I could get close enough to put another arrow in.
These flimsy little stars make me nervous.
huh?
Trying to post a picture - here goes.
Lochi.

Great shot Lochi.

Gerhard

There are much better Exp heads than the spitfire. Although, I've seen a pile of Elk successfully taken w/ the spitfires on hunting shows.

I don't like spitfires but, I don't think you can form a valid opinion by using just one. I've seen some of the most popular fixed blade heads fail miserably on smaller game such as whitetails. That certainly doesn't mean they are bad heads.

If you want a really tough exp., you may want to look at the Shockwaves by NAP. Also read the Broadhead tests website.

Good Luck

Reloader

i use the 4 blade 145 grain danger game head by muzzy.

paired with my carbons there 620 grain toatle at 268 fps out of my 95# bow.

I suppose that is fair comment Reloader. One should use much wider statistics to really draw conclusions.
It could also be that old habit die hard. Month ago I was sitting in a hide all set to use machanicals for the first time. As the kudu bull started coming in, I changed my mind and fitted a Montec to my arrow! It did the job but perhaps the mechanical also would have.
Penetration on the eland was reasonable. It went through the first line of ribs but did not exit the opposite ribs.
Take care,
Lochi.

I know what you mean. I do agree that the expandables probably aren't what you want to have when the bigger stuff is what you are after. The wide cutting diameter of some of the exps really hinders penetration.

One thing I don't realy care for on the spitfires is the way the blades are held in place. Some of them have blades that are quite difficult to open and that just kills your energy on impact.

I looked at some broad head test some time back where heads were shot into fruit, plywood, steel drums, and tires to test their durability and overall performance. From that test I saw that the NAP Shockwave was one of the best exp on the market. I purchased several packs of the 100s to try on whitetail deer and I have to say I'm quite impressed after just three kills. The tips are very hard and slightly larger than the rest of the head which I believe aids in initial penetration due to less resistance after the tip punches a slightly larger hole. The blades are also a little more rounded for easier opening than many heads on the market and the cutting diameter is only 1-1/4" which definitely aids in penetration. I hope to get a few more kills w/ them to strengthen my data on their performance but, things are definitely looking good. One shot went through a deers head (just muscle inbetween the jaw and ear) then entered the backstrap and went through the center of the backbone and through the lungs of the deer. That was not the intended impact but the deer moved alittle at the shot and the SW surely did a fine job on penetration. The other two were broadside shots and went through like they had not hit anything but paper.

That head that went through the deers backbone was still straight and still sharp, I used the same head to take the second deer at 25 yards broad side. That second deer w/ the same head went maybe 10 yards after the arrow passed through. That head was ruined after the second deer because it went deep into the earth and stuck into a tree root which slightly bent it out of line.

Good Luck

Reloader

Wow!
I search for NAP Shockwave then.
Thanx Reloader.
Lochi.

Lochi,

I'd stick with a fixed-blade broadhead, just us a heavy-enough arrow to get your speed down to 260 fps or lower, and you are good to go.

I have had problems with mechanical BHs in the past. I do not think I will ever use one again.

If you can tune your bow to shoot a robust fixed blade head, I really don't see any reason to attempt mechanicals. Its hunting -- whatever can go wrong seems to, at the most inopertune moment. Many of us have had a bad experience or two with mechanical heads (me included -- just had to try them), and have since gone back to fixed blade. Also, I agree with much of what has been said about penetration. In addition, I do a lot of spot and stalk type hunting, and sometimes have to shoot through the tips of high grass close to the animal, etc. --- mechanicals will begin to open prior to impact under these conditions, and may really screw up a shot.

What works on a 110lb Whitetail out of a treestand, might not be ideal for a 550 Sable.

Well done Lochi - nice Eland Cow.

The Spitfire is a brilliant mechanical - great cutting diameter and very sharp blades right out of the pack. Great blood trails as well. The retention of the blades are currently a little tight I admit and you do need a little more "oomph" to open them than say for a Rocket 125g Steelhead. I am a firm believer in a broadhead that flies true to fieldpoints out to 80 yards - I have never been able to get a fixed blade to do that. Spitfires and rockets do......

Lochi

Stay away from mechanical heads, especially on shots where penetration is needed. I have seem mechanicals limit penetration to the point that the head could not get inside the body cavity to do its job.

Want a neat little head look at the Slick Trick broad heads, built very well, fly very well and kill very quickly.

Out to 80yrds??? Really?

Heck I might as well take my rifle.

Dr. Ashby anyone?

Really, no kidding!

Whilst we all strive to get as close as we can for that first shot and to make that first shot absolutely perfect, it does not always work out that way, especially when on foot.

When following up on a wary wounded animal, it sometimes becomes necessary to take a longer shot - thats why I believe whilst we hunt close we should practise far. MO.