# rage in the cage...not any more



## nicklesman (Jun 29, 2006)

I have been a huge fan of rages since the day they came out. I have shot multiple deer with them without issus untill last night. I shot a doe at 17 yards yesterday and made a perfect shot. I looked for blood and found very little so started to second guess my shot and backed out. I returned later with some buddies and proceeded to track the animal. We followed pin drops to a few splashes here and there. eventually we lost blood and gave up till this morning. Well this morning my buddies went down and were able to recover her. She had a perfect shot in her but the broad head did not open!!!! I esentailly killed a deer with a pointed field tip. Just goes to show a well placed shot it does not matter what you use. Now to answer some questions. I am very anal about my rages. I am always checking to see if they are properly closed so I know that was not the issue. The shot was a complete pass through double lung shot. I was able to open the head fairly easily after I retrieved my arrow. These happened to be the crossbow version two blades. I have always said I will shoot them till they fail. Well they failed so I went and but muzzy's. I am in no way ripping them because I know they work but I am not going through this again and I wanted to let everyone know my stroy and it does happen. Good luck to all out there may your arrows fly straight.


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## Archery Patriot (Mar 8, 2012)

Let me guess, 3 blade? I've heard this time and time again about the three blade! Try the two blade! They are way better, I've never heard a bad thing about the two blade, just the three blade!! Good luck!!!


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## leftfordead88 (Oct 22, 2007)

He said two blade


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## Drew318 (Mar 25, 2010)

I didn't see anywhere in his post 2 blade, but I am very curious to find out! I just started a thread about 2 blades and my concern with them not opening 


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

That sux! Glad you got the deer though.. I shoot rage and have for awhile .. I'd quit them too if that happened to me... Congrats on your deer


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Drew318 said:


> I didn't see anywhere in his post 2 blade, but I am very curious to find out! I just started a thread about 2 blades and my concern with them not opening
> 
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


Read it very. S-l-o-w-ly.... He did say it was a two blade


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## billk (Feb 2, 2008)

Expanding blades are just another potential failure mechanism. 

Not saying they don't work, don't create crazy entry/exit wounds, or don't make marginal hits a kill shot.

I've never shot them, nor will I ever shoot them. I'm just not a fan of them because I don't trust them to work 100% of the time.


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## Drew318 (Mar 25, 2010)

Fishlandr75 said:


> Read it very. S-l-o-w-ly.... He did say it was a two blade


You're right


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## VitalShot (Feb 10, 2012)

Any thing mechanical can fail 


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## NIGHT MAGIC (Jun 13, 2011)

Never had the grimreapers fail on me yet


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

Glad to hear you were able to find the deer. A friend of mine had the same exact thing happen with the Rage 3 blade. Been using the G5 montecs since.


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## AnthHol (Jul 24, 2007)

I'm with Jim, have been using Montecs for years and don't plan on switching heads anytime soon. glad you found your deer though.


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## Mad-Eye Moody (May 27, 2008)

I shoot the montecs also. Can't speak to their blood trails though. Of the eight deer that I have shot with them, they all died in sight.


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## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

The guys I hunt with had nothing but problems with Rage 2 blades. Had them open in flight and very bad blood trails on good shots. When I bought my bow there was a PSE pro there and he said the same thing about Rages. However I have also heard great things also about Rages and I think no matter what broadhead you use there could always be a potential problem. All 3 of them have switched to the Montec G5's. I use NAP Spitfire Edges and have had great success with them so far.


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## littleking (Jun 25, 2005)

I've been using the spitfires for 6 years... I've shot quite a few deer with them. Never an issue.


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## Ozdog (Jul 30, 2007)

I left the Montec's behind for Rage's. Never had a failure and I can attest way more than a dozen whitetails with them. Everything will fail sooner or later. Shotgun shells can be a dud or low powder charge, you can get a bad primer for your muzzleloader, you could have a cracked carbon arrow ect. ect.. I'll take a 2" cut over a 3/4 or 7/8 any day & take my chances. 
You still made a premo shot, I've shot deer with a gun & had to follow drips and specs of blood.


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## nicklesman (Jun 29, 2006)

Ozdog said:


> I left the Montec's behind for Rage's. Never had a failure and I can attest way more than a dozen whitetails with them. Everything will fail sooner or later. Shotgun shells can be a dud or low powder charge, you can get a bad primer for your muzzleloader, you could have a cracked carbon arrow ect. ect.. I'll take a 2" cut over a 3/4 or 7/8 any day & take my chances.
> You still made a premo shot, I've shot deer with a gun & had to follow drips and specs of blood.


I agree to a point with you. I have shot my fair share with the rages. Never had a problem. I always said I would shoot one till they failed. A fixed blade will not fail. Br far br shotgun shells least when they miss fire there is no wounded animal. I got lucky I was able to recover my deer. Good luck to you.

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## TomC (Aug 14, 2007)

Nap Spitfire 3 blade 100gr for me. Thats all ive used since ive been hunting. Crossbow and Compound and i have yet to have a failure or issue. Ive never had a deer go further than 20-30yrds after being hit. On the other side, with fixed blades you wont have to worry about mechanical failure. Its all a personal preference.


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## BassSlayerChris (Aug 9, 2010)

Swhackers dude. Shot one two days a go and didn't take another step. No not a spine shot either. Double lung into the back shoulder. 


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## sylvan 17 (May 22, 2010)

I have had good luck with the swackers and they always open


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## neffy85 (Aug 10, 2006)

I put a good shot on a nice 9 pt last year with rage 2 blade. It was a good pass through shot and the blades opened. I recovered the arrow right away. 1 blade was all bent up and had a mess of nlood at the place of impact.
Tracked and tracked specs of blood for hours until the rain washed away all sign of blood. 
Was lucky enough to happen upon the deer 1 month later about 1/2 mi away on a neighboring farm. Good enough for a nice euro mount, but wasted meat.
I think this was a case of bad luck and catching a rib just right or something crazy.
I plan on using rage again this yr but if anything lime that happens, i will switch for sure. Nothing like several sleepless nights over a lost deer.


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## ostbucks98 (Apr 14, 2004)

thunderhead put 18 deer on ground for me no problem.


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

nicklesman said:


> I agree to a point with you. I have shot my fair share with the rages. Never had a problem. I always said I would shoot one till they failed. A fixed blade will not fail.
> Br far br shotgun shells least when they miss fire there is no wounded animal. I got lucky I was able to recover my deer. Good luck to you.
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


I couldn't agree more. I've used mechs in the past, first Rocket Aeroheads, then Rage's after they came out. Shot some deer with them too, and, when they work, they work really well! But they're pretty much a one use head. Then I had a failure, but the exact opposite of yours, it opened prematurely. The arrow veered off course, but at least I missed the deer completely and didn't wound it with a bad hit.

So, I went to Montecs. Absolutely loved the design the first time I saw them, and they fly great out of a compound, but I was never able to get them as sharp as I like a broadhead to be. This year I'm going with Slick Tricks. Scary sharp right out of the package and they're built like a tank!


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## doegirl (Feb 24, 2005)

TomC said:


> Nap Spitfire 3 blade 100gr for me. Thats all ive used since ive been hunting. Crossbow and Compound and i have yet to have a failure or issue. Ive never had a deer go further than 20-30yrds after being hit. On the other side, with fixed blades you wont have to worry about mechanical failure. Its all a personal preference.


I too use spitfires out of my crossbow. No issue whatsoever nd most deer died in sight.
I only shoot 45-50lbs with a compound, so I'm shooting a 2 blade cut on contact head.


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

Muzzy is a good choice


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