Grim reaper fail and fail
 

Took a fox and a whitetail with Grim Reapers. They failed to open both times. Pass-through on the fox (without opening) and as shown on the wt. This is how the Grim Reaper appeared after I scooped out the backstraps. Will never use them again. These were the first mechanicals I ever used and only bought them because of very good reviews on this forum. My reviews...not so good. Use them at you own peril. Back to cut-on-contact broadheads for me. No, you can't convince me that brand X mechanical is better:).
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I experienced the same thing with an elk no more mechanicals for me!

Did you test the broad head after you spun it on the arrow to see if the blades open easily by hand?

I have noticed with the grim reaper the ferrules and metal o-rings need to be positioned correctly for them to function correctly.

On the one that doesn't open are the blade "locked down" by the ferrule?

LC

Rough, at least you recovered your animals

Where did you hit that wt and how was the angle? Could you open the blades after? Did they seem easy to open or where they somehow locked?

Lefty, it does look like the blades line up with the slot?

That's not good. I thought a GrimReaper was a pretty fail proof head> Certainly a big cutting hole, and they fly like a field point, but just a bit low past 50.

Much like lefty says. I have found that they will open easier and smoother if you spinn the ahead onto the arrow with the blades open. They seem to seat better and more square. Also found that the retaining ring that connects the blades to each other has to have the split part of the ring directly between blades. If that opening is haning up on a blade they will not open, or at least poorly. Sorry for your luck. Something to have a peek at least. Let us know. Maybe it will help someone else.

After assembling the head to the arrow...I test each and everyone to see how they open and shut, the test involves opening and closing each blade to check for the resistance by hand....if it doesn't "snap" open and closed then something is not sitting quite right.

Like you said the retaining ring needs to sit in the middle between the blades or they do not seem to open well.

Something tells me that having two in a row fail like that means they may not have been assembled properly to the arrow.

LC

Slit Tricks
 

Why bother with mechanicals - I almost lost an animal that way - I only use Slick tricks and they never fail - why risk that?

What he said.

It's exactly why I only used them for one season.... I'll stick with my tried and true, Spitfires.... Best broad head I've ever used....

I also have a bad habit of almost always putting it in the perfect spot;)

X3....what they said. ^^
I lost a nice bear to mechanical failure,used up the last of my mechs shooting grouse,fixed blades only for anything bigger than a yote since that day 6-7 years ago?G5 Montecs fly like field points for me.

I killed an elk with the Grim Reaper this year, elk went 60 yard. I'm thinking the same as Lefty, might have not been put together correctly.

There is no question of them opening -------> if they are properly assembled!!! They will sometimes snap back closed after a pass-through but they always open on impact. :angry3:

X2!! I've tried NAP Killzones, awful. And Hypodermics, not much better. I've had both open mid flight resulting in a huge miss. I stick with Slick Tricks, good flight with minimal sight changes, solid cut and very tough.

KEEP IT SIMPLE!

I had some slick tricks years ago and didn't like how small the cutting diameter was. Used Muzzys on a couple moose and an elk before switching to the Grim Reapers....they seem to open on anything for me....including grouse, skunk, badger and elk.

LC

I have been using the Slick Trick Magnums, They are 1-1/8" verses 1" cut, not much bigger but it seems to make a difference. Both my animals this season (WT Does) were down in under 50 yards. But obviously shot placement is far more important than whatever BH you're running.

Broadheads are one of those things, everyone has their favorites. There's lots of good options. Whatever fills the freezer man!!

Spitfire mechanicals are failproof. I've seen dozens of deer taken with them and never seen one not open. And huge exit holes to boot. I would not trust the new the Rage mechanical. If you dont put it together properly it may not open. The spitfire doesn't need a special trick to put it together. Spin it on and shoot.

"Quote..Spitfire mechanicals are failproof. I've seen dozens of deer taken with them and never seen one not open. And huge exit holes to boot. I would not trust the new the Rage mechanical. If you dont put it together properly it may not open. The spitfire doesn't need a special trick to put it together. Spin it on and shoot......LAKER"


I've shot and have seen dozens of animals from buffalo, moose to badgers shot with grim reapers. Never had a fail. I shot a coyote with a spitfire and the blades sheered off. Try shooting a spitfire into a block target twice. Within those 2 shots one or all of the blades will sheer off.

It takes 2 seconds to quickly open the grim by hand. They work perfectly fine.

I'm not going to make any excuses for the blades. Not going to defend something that failed. I always made sure the blades were installed correctly by opening them after I screwed them on. It wasn't two in a row.....two in total, which is enough for me to say goodbye. Not going to happen a third time. Went old-school today........Magnus two blade.

Fair enough! I misunderstood....thought it was two in a row and I only two.

LC

That's strange. I have 2 bears, 2 bucks, and 2 bull elk in the last two seasons with reapers. Won't trade them for anything.

Contact grim reaper Matt or jace. They will make it right! They stand behind their products through and through!

Also they don't lock open so they fold closed as soon as they are pulled back the slightest bit.

spitfires
 

X2, Haha, I'm still waitin for the perfect spot though myself this year.

Anything that is a gimmick to open upon impact will adventually fail and when it does you might be left with a wounded animal. Yes there are die hards out there but the odds stack up against them when using these types of broad heads. You will hear about angles upon entry, warm then out into the cold and frozen etc long story short you want the odds to stack up in your favor get ride of these gimmick broad heads. Sell them as a zombie devastation broadhead!

Did the Yote die?

Shot a doe couple years back with a spitfire ..sliced thru 2 ribs one going in and one going out .blades were not even bent

I dont have any experience with the grim reaper, so wont comment on them. Ive shot dozens of spitfires into my block target and never had one bend or sheer a blade. Guess, there are lemons with anything made out there.

My bow is tuned up good I shoot fixed blade G5 Strikers accurately out to 70 yards. Not going to criticize anyone for using mechanicals but I fail to see the attraction especially with stories like this or similar floating about. So much goes into an archery kill that the slightest lack of confidence in my equipment is not worth it.

I used grim reaper mechanics for a while but now am thinking of whiching to slick tricks

First thing I noticed when going to Montecs as well. Out of the 3 or 4 different broadheads I've tried these were the first ones for me that flew the same as my field points.

I have never heard of anything mechanical that didn't at one time or another fail to operate as intended.

I've preached this on this forum before... MUZZIES.
They work every time.
They fly true, just like field points.
They are almost half price.
I guess the only (1) negative I would think of would be they aren't quite as durable as some of the higher priced makes and models. I've found that when recovered, the spine tends to bend when dead heading against bone structure. BUT unless you're recovering all your arrows (likely not...), this is not really a concern.
Which begs the question, when you can get 6 broadheads that perform flawlessly for 55 bucks, why on gods green earth would you buy 3 broadheads for a few bucks less.