Grim Reapers

[Snowsolo]

Anybody use Grim Reaper broadheads this past bow season? I've always been a Muzzy guy but went and tried the Grim reaper 125 gr. this year and had a devistating doe kill with them. Shot directly below my tree. (23 feet) I aimed just to the right of her spine and punched a hole in the top of her back and punched out in her chest just under her right armpit and it entered again inside her leg and out through her elbow or leg joint through the bone. I was sold on it. Was curious if anyone has had success or maybe even some failers with them. I like how they fly like a field point before they hit the deer.

 

[Marty1]

I'm sure it's an awesome broadhead, but at $35-$40 :shock: per 3-pack they're way out of my budget.

I use WASP fixed-blade broadheads. I've always relied on fixed broadheads to finish the job internally on non-pass-throughs.

 

[mikieday]

i have used them in the past ( i used to review products so I have tried just about all of them) my personal head is the NAP 3 blade fix Thunderhead...the reaper heads are some of the best open on contact...

 

[gman57]

Too expensive for me also I switched from mech. heads to fixed yrs ago currently happy with Magnus Buzzcuts 4 bld. gotta love their lifetime replacement warranty.

 

[GregK1]

My dad, my brother & I all use them. I can't post pics yet, but we've had great luck with them. No failures of any kind, huge holes & great blood trails. My brother tried a cheaper fixed head this year & it cost him 2 deer. He has switched back. They may cost more, but the do the job. When I'm harvesting a deer, whether with gun or bow, I want a premium projectile that I can trust to perform...EVERY TIME!

 

[chaded1]

I'm curious to how a fixed head failed. I use both mech and fixed and both has been fine. I actually took my first archery buck with a 3 dollar head from walmart and it did as much if not more damage then the 12-13 dollar heads I use do.

 

[pilsbury38]

Used grim reapers on my daughters x-bow last year.....all I can say is WOW! Awesome blood trail, thinking about trying em on compound this year. If you look at it as shooting one deer a year its only about $13 dollars a year, sounds cheaper that way, that's the way I explain it to my wife anyway! :lol:

 

[inline50]

Used grim reapers on my daughters x-bow last year.....all I can say is WOW! Awesome blood trail, thinking about trying em on compound this year. If you look at it as shooting one deer a year its only about $13 dollars a year, sounds cheaper that way, that's the way I explain it to my wife anyway! :lol:

:lol: Hopefully your wife just walked away :Shh: satisfied with your frugal sales-pitch, and didn't say:

" That's fine...but what happens if you miss? "
:lol!:

 

[pilsbury38]

Yeah she just walks away from a lot of what I say lol now what shes thinking I prolly don't want to know!! Lol

 

[WhiteKnight]

I'll stick with my Muzzy MX3's. I did try Rage last year but went back to Muzzzy.

 

[whitetailsniper]

i used them last yr. shot 2 deer,and very little to no blood trail. i bought the new mathews z7 magnum bow,using carbon express maxima hunter arrows, found out this bow is shooting 340 fps. and i was no longer able to use my faithful 100 gr. thunderheads. i had plaining issues out at 35 yrds and beyond. so being forced to use mechanicals,,,i started out with the grim reapers 100 gr. they sighted in dead on,and quickly. however i failed to ck the blades sharpness. witch caused me to loose 2 deer. i then went to ck the blades sharpness,and found at best they were as sharp as my butter knifes. so then i went to the slick tricks 100 gr. as they sighted in well ,i didntcare for them. you have to remember here ive used thunderheads for over 25 years, i then went to the rage,,witch i still have,but yet to use them on a deer,i also bought the g5 t3 witch again i havent used on a deer. so my final is between the rage,,and the g5 t3. i even went as far as to buy alot of the carbon express 450 maxima hunters,to use with the thunderheads,it did solve plaining issues,but still not up to my standards.so now i have over 5 dozen 450 maxima arrows i wont use,as my bow set up calls for the 350 maximas. when i was out the other day,,fri. i shot and exsploded 3 arrows of the 450maxima,, so the bow set up i have and the maxima 450 arrows wont work for me,,to bad,because i fletched some with feathers,and the others with tiger camo blazer vanes,and they look great. i was and guess ill allways be a devoted thunderhead guy,just to bad i have over a dozen new 100 grain i wont be able to use. in my humble opion and of over 30 yrs bow hunting,,,mechanicals have to step up there game when it comes to the quality of there blades,and there sharpness. choose wisely!

 

[GregK1]

That really surprises me. My dad, my brother, & myself all use Grim Reaper mechanicals, 100 to 125 grainers, & have had great success with them. Never found one that wasn't surgically sharp & have had excellent pass thru's & huge exit holes.

 

[pilsbury38]

That really surprises me too! I love the reapers and have nev er seen anything else leave a blood trail like them, that's all we shoot now....

 

[chaded1]

Blood trails are subjective to shot placement and no two are alike. I am on an archery forum and can pull up hundreds of pictures of some pretty nasty results from Grim Reapers. I don't even want to think about how many I can pull up from Slick Trick broadheads. whitetailsniper, I have to ask what your specs are with your bow? Draw weight, draw length, arrow weight? The Mathews Z7 Magnum has up to a 340 IBO speed which means you would have to be shooting a 350 arrow, 70 pound draw weight with a 31" draw to even get close to that and I can tell you with those carbon express arrows you are no where near a 350 grain arrow weight. Also, all fix blade broadheads will "plane" but that is where broadhead tuning come in. Along with proper spine of arrow which I can just about guarantee is too stiff with the CX 450's. I can get just about any fix blade to group with field points out to any distance with the right spine of arrow along with broadhead tuning out of any bow regardless of speed.

 

[whitetailsniper]

chaded, the specs are as follows, the z7 magnum draw weight is 70 lbs.
draw length is 31,using the maxima 350 shafts i dont have the exact arrow weight in front of me,ill have to get that info,i weighed each of them out and wrote it down,but i have that info. we ran it through a crony and i was getting 340 fps. on the nose,and consistant. my bow has a qad ultra rest pro drop away. the bow was tuned,paper tuned,i sighted in,then back walked tuned as well. when using 100 gr. of field points im dead on,in fact so much-i shoot 3d comp. and have that sight sighted in up to 95.yrds i can put arrows in a dixie cup diam.using field tips. but when the thunderheads get put on all bets are off,and accuracy/groupings go out the window. so hense the phone call to the ceo of carbon express,he suggested to try the 450 maximas to prevent plaining issues,,or switch completely to mechanicals and stick with the maxima 350 shaft. the shot placement was right on,using the 350 shafts and the grim reapers. it was a total pass throughh and that was a 20 yrd. shot. when you speak of broadhead tuning,,please describe your thoughts on how YOU broadhead tune..anyway,,the grim reapers i bought 2 pks. were both at best dull to not sharp. now this have could of been a default,or bad lot. but when you take them and try to cut or shave your thumb nail,and get nothing,then proceed to run across your thumb,even when pressure is applied with no cutting results,,,is not a broadhead i want to use on deer. i want ,,AND EXPECT,razor sharp blades,not butter knifes. and what these makers are charging cost wise,,i expext alot better for my hard earned money.

 

[chaded1]

Yeah I agree about the cost. I would say that is may have been a bad batch? I just had a set of Grim Reapers that were very sharp but I don't really use mechanical broadheads much so I sold them (got them on a trade). I think the 350s may be too weak honestly for fix blades with your set up. If you have time and want to look over this thread on broadhead tuning. This guy is very well respected among the archery communtiy and has people from all of the United States as well as Ireland and other places send him their bows to be tuned and for his strings that he makes. He lives right down the road from me and in fact I just got back from him to set my 3rd axis for my sight since I don't have the right tool. I'm not exactly questioning your results but I do believe that you do not have to shoot mechincal broadheads if you don't want to. Hope this may help. http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1611393&highlight=broadhead+tuning+301

 

[whitetailsniper]

chaded,
a bad batch is very possable. dont get me wrong,like i stated i have been a loyal ,and fithful thunderhead user for a very long time. once you find somthing that has served you well,its rough to trust,or switch to anything else. in bow shooting,wether its for hun ting,or 3d shooting,or just plain old shooting to stay in form,and shape,i exspect high standards in both myself,and my gear. with all the mechanicals out there the grim reapers were the ones recomended as first choice. so i thought with so many recomending them,there has to be something to them .and i have to be honest,and fair,,,it was my first time with them.. it is very possably a bad batch,or something that just got through quality control. i still have about 6 of them i have not used,,but ive sharpened myself. will i use them? well to be honest id have to say,i might. just right now with the season on top of us,,i may not have the time. or i might have to make time,to give them a honest try. i just hate to try something new,that didnt serve me well the first time arround,,and to not be able to recover the deer i shoot. if the 350 are to weak ,witch i totally agree they are,,,you would of thought the 450 shafts would have been. or at least thats what the ceo of carbon express,and i thought. i saved the thread you sent,,i just read partly through it,and found it to beinteresting,so i will read it all ,this even. thank you for the link.

 

[chaded1]

No problem, if you have any questions just ask and if I can't figure them out I can either ask or put you in contact with Ken (baldyhunter). He truly does enjoy helping people like you and me out (ones that want their equipment performing best). I am one that doesn't settle with just "good enough." What length are your 450 shafts cut if you don't mind me asking?

 

[whitetailsniper]

from the nock end to the insert end is 29 inch. they can be cut down if needed,all thats needed is new inserts,witch are cheap.

 

[chaded1]

Let me run your set-up through an archery software program I have and see what it comes up with as far as spine goes. I know that the shorter you go the stiffer the spine gets.