Rage Broadhead Blades Deploying in Flight

germano1 · Sep 16, 2008

I recently purchased some 2-blade Rage broadheads. Sure enough the practice Rage tips flies just like my field tips, dead on. Well, when hunting Sunday afternoon I had an unusual miss on a large doe. I felt confident about the shot, but thought nothing of the miss, other than it must have been my nerves. Since I had a dull broadhead now, I decided to practice with it just to make sure it flies true. I replaced the o-ring, and went to the range. After the first shot, I knew something was wrong, in flight the arrow made a loud buzzing noise and landed 8 inches right of target. All other shots with the broadhead gave the same results, way right. I later determined that the blades were coming out during flight, so I placed a small rubber band around the blades and shot. All of these shots with the rubber band were dead on just like my field tips and practice tip. The Rage broadhead I tested had new o-rings and still released in flight. Has anyone else experienced this? Was this just a bad batch? I'm just glad it wasn't a big buck I missed.

kcausey · Sep 16, 2008

germano1 said:
I recently purchased some 2-blade Rage broadheads. Sure enough the practice Rage tips flies just like my field tips, dead on. Well, when hunting Sunday afternoon I had an unusual miss on a large doe. I felt confident about the shot, but thought nothing of the miss, other than it must have been my nerves. Since I had a dull broadhead now, I decided to practice with it just to make sure it flies true. I replaced the o-ring, and went to the range. After the first shot, I knew something was wrong, in flight the arrow made a loud buzzing noise and landed 8 inches right of target. All other shots with the broadhead gave the same results, way right. I later determined that the blades were coming out during flight, so I placed a small rubber band around the blades and shot. All of these shots with the rubber band were dead on just like my field tips and practice tip. The Rage broadhead I tested had new o-rings and still released in flight. Has anyone else experienced this? Was this just a bad batch? I'm just glad it wasn't a big buck I missed.

I have probably made 50 shots with a Rage hunting head....never had any issues except when the o ring was worn.....sometimes you have to wiggle the notches in place behind the o ring. I have recently made a switch to Slick Trick mags.....simply because i hunt thick areas and an oak leaf could deploy a rage head if it hit just right.....not saying i won't use Rage head ever again....just changed it up....i have 6 Rage's and 6 Tricks ready now.

Robbie101 · Sep 16, 2008

germano1 said:
I recently purchased some 2-blade Rage broadheads. Sure enough the practice Rage tips flies just like my field tips, dead on. Well, when hunting Sunday afternoon I had an unusual miss on a large doe. I felt confident about the shot, but thought nothing of the miss, other than it must have been my nerves. Since I had a dull broadhead now, I decided to practice with it just to make sure it flies true. I replaced the o-ring, and went to the range. After the first shot, I knew something was wrong, in flight the arrow made a loud buzzing noise and landed 8 inches right of target. All other shots with the broadhead gave the same results, way right. I later determined that the blades were coming out during flight, so I placed a small rubber band around the blades and shot. All of these shots with the rubber band were dead on just like my field tips and practice tip. The Rage broad head I tested had new o-rings and still released in flight. Has anyone else experienced this? Was this just a bad batch? I'm just glad it wasn't a big buck I missed.

Hey bud, check and see how tight the allen screw that holds the blades in is tight. I got one pack the other week and one head kept opening every time id touch it. Well, i took a lil allen head and tightened it up just a touch, works like a charm now. I have 12 rage heads, i use 3 for practice heads, and plan on shooting 9 deer with the others.........

redtech · Sep 16, 2008

Your post got me thinking. I have a couple O rings that are starting to look a little brittle but they have never been shot (last years). Do you just replace them with rings from the hardware store or get them from rage? If you are just getting them from the HW store anyone know the size. Don't want to have any "premature" deployment issues due to a 10 cent ring....

kcausey · Sep 16, 2008

redtech said:
Your post got me thinking. I have a couple O rings that are starting to look a little brittle but they have never been shot (last years). Do you just replace them with rings from the hardware store or get them from rage? If you are just getting them from the HW store anyone know the size. Don't want to have any "premature" deployment issues due to a 10 cent ring....

do an ebay search....you can get 25 of the right o rings for a reasonable price.

bnew17 · Sep 16, 2008

I bought a pack of about 20 or so of the O rings a few months ago for 3 bucks including shipping on ebay.

bwarren2 · Sep 16, 2008

I don't bowhunt, but if I did, I might get a differnt broadhead. It would be hard to have confidence in it after that happened.

alligood729 · Sep 16, 2008

Like Kevin and Robbie said, make sure the little tabs are snug behind the o ring, and check the tiny allen screw. 10 seconds extra isn't too much time to take to make sure they are snug. Every time I climb into the stand, I tap my arrow across my hand to check the bhead. No problems at all last season.
And Kevin, I don't think an oak leaf would deploy the blades on a Rage. If it hit something that hard, most any broadhead would deflect, or at least I think it would!

abolt2506 · Sep 16, 2008

I Have Been Shooting Rage For A While And Have Never Had One Deploy In Flight. Last Year They Had A Recall On Some B/c The Blades Were Milled Wrong But I Don't Even That Would Be A Reason For Them To Open In Flight. Somtimes I Will Have One I Have To Fiddle With A Little To Get The Blade To Seat Behind The O Ring But Not That Often

kcausey · Sep 16, 2008

blong · Sep 17, 2008

I saw a gettin close last year where Lee had an arrow wind plain and miss by several feet on a huge Iowa buck. They acted like they did not know what happened because Rage pays for the show. I agree Rage makes huge holes but I have never had a fixed head plain more than a few inches off line. To each his own but i will stick with the least moving parts.

OLEKAZ · Sep 17, 2008

i use dental floss to make sure they stay closed until impact. i am not using rage but another typed with the round rubber bands. the bands dry out and loose strength over time. the floss last a long time. i have also used 2 pound fishin line but its a pain to tie.

Robbie101 · Sep 17, 2008

At this point, I have fallen in love with what the rage two does to deer. Blew my mind........ I always check my blades, I even checked before i drew on her Sunday morning......

Just tighten the lil allen screw just a touch, i mean not even a 1/8 of a turn and you will be ok bud.........

Now, go shoot a deer withem......

whitworth · Sep 17, 2008

I'd recommend anyone using expandables

to check them out before taking them on a hunt.

I've used the same type since the mid-90's, and I became familiar with how they might not expand correctly as designed. And it's all human error.

They work if you do your part by checking. On some, I've changed the O rings. I test how they open, making sure I didn't put the blades in wrong or torque the small set screw incorrectly.

Hunters who never check the blade performance before the hunt, will probably find out, some time, that they don't always work.

And of course, many of these hunters will blame the broadhead.

bevills1 · Sep 17, 2008

I read several customer reviews reporting Rage opening in flight and some reports of improper blade deployment. Even the good reviews said o rings breaking was a problem. I chose the Rocky Mountain Snyper instead which is of similar design and has much better customer reviews.

Big Kuntry · Sep 18, 2008

...WARNED SOME OF YOU ALL ABOUT THEM BROADHEADS.....LOL. That is too mcuh to be worrying about the late in the year, and early in your season. Good luck with that.

germano1 · Sep 18, 2008

The blades were machined wrong. The notch where the blade locks under the o ring didn't have enough cup shape to it, therefore the o ring wasn't holding the blade tight enough.

Rage Broadhead Blades Deploying in Flight

germano1

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redtech

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kcausey

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bnew17

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bwarren2

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kcausey

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