Dead Ringer - Rampage 3 Blade Anyone else?

[Lonewolf76]

Here's an honest review of the broad head and I ask if anyone else has used them with any issues.  Last year after a favorable review from a friend and I picked up a pack of Dead Ringer Rampage 3 blades 100gr. I was thrilled at the accuracy of the head, I regularly shoot out to 80 yards and the broad head really flew terrific.  So,  last season I had a buck I was looking for come into 26 yards I came to full draw and slipped a Dead Ringer 3 blade through both lungs it hit exactly where I was aiming.  I got a complete pass through and the buck made it about 50 yards towards the wood line before expiring.  The 3 blades deployed and the rubber washer was seated against my fletchings, I inspected the damage it caused and was impressed.  It worked perfectly.  Later last year, I was hunting in KS on one of my buddies properties and I had a buck come in that I was looking to shoot and I let one fly same distance 26 yards and the arrow hit through both lungs and the deer stood still for probably 20-30 seconds before running 40 yards or so and falling over. I've got a complete pass through, I walk down collect my arrow and notice that the rubber washer is sitting just behind the broad head I also notice that all 3 blades are still in the non-deployed position.  This puzzled me as I couldn't conceive how this could have happened, so after gutting the deer and skinning it I compared the broadhead hole on both sides to the size of the broad head deployed and  not and came the conclusion that I got lucky in that the blades never actually deployed.  Fast forward to this weekend,  I was out Saturday AM and had a small buck come by in some oaks that I've been hunting,  we'll I decided to take him if he came close enough.  He happened to stroll into 27 yards and I shot him through his lungs however hit bone on the other side and didn't get a complete pass through, the buck went 50 yards and check out.  The arrow was broken off when the deer flopped over however enough was sticking out that I could grab a hold of it.  I pulled it back out before gutting the deer and saw that the rubber washer was just off the broad and also seemed like the blades hadn't deployed again.  So we opened it up and took a real good look at the entrance hole and came to the conclusion that the blades had not deployed again.  So a couple of things.  First,  I am finished with these broad heads.  Next is that they still work unlike some other  mechanical broad heads if they don't deploy.  I am usually anal about shit like this and normally would have photographed it all and I didn't and wont have an opportunity to because they will not be shot at another deer.  I would love to hear if anyone has had great success with this exact broad head. One thing I forgot is that I actually spoke to one of there "pro staffers" in Harrisburgh and discussed the buck I had shot in KS and he said that he's shot plenty of deer with that head and never had it fail to open 100% of the time the rubber washer ends up sitting at the base of his fletchings, which has not been my experience 66% of the time.  Thanks for reading and good luck.

 

 

[Highguy]

A question? Was this the same broadhead used several times or were you shooting a brand new broadhead each time? I have shot his same broadhead and killed several deer with out ever having a problem with the head deploying correctly. The important thing that you did note was that you still killed your deer since even if for some unknown reason the broadhead did not deploy correctly, it still gave a 7/8"cut and your well placed shot effectively killed the deer. I am glad you killed your deer but I am sorry that you have had a bad experience and I would sure like to know why that happened to you. Thanks for the feed back to my question.

Edited October 26, 2015 by Highguy

[Heavyopp]

I've been trying out some Magnus fixed blades this year -- The Hornet flies as a field point in my crossbow --  accurate out as far as I have taken it --50 yds

 

I have no doubt they would be fine farther --  Have yet to put one thru a deer

 

I have been shooting the NAP Spitfires -- 100 grn -- They worked every time -- but are not reusable without replacing the blades -- They are so thin that they get bent from the spinning of the arrow once deployed --  I did buy a few packages last year from Dicks -- They had the coupon in the digest for $10 off of $25 -- the spitfires where on sale at $25.99 -- Paid $19.99 for 3 -- took my wife, and sons -- all used a coupon got 4 packs that way

 

I'm also trying out the Magnus 2 blade and 4 blade Stinger Buzzcuts -- all 100 grn -- these are in my sons compound bow 

 

Not sure how they are going to do -- he hurt his shoulder on the 1st shot with the busscut 2 weeks ago -- hasn't shot since -- hopefully this week

 

If you are close and want to try the hornet or Buzzcut I have one of each I dedicated to target shoot -- you are welcome to give them a shot and see if they work for you -- I'm in zip code 08846

[vdep217]

I'm not gonna bash any broad head in my reply nor promote one but will say this. The best broad head is the one you are most confident with, n my opinion is that any mechanical devise can at sine point fail, it great to hear that even with a malfunction the deer expired quickly..

[Lonewolf76]

Highguy - thanks again for the tags they look great and save me a headache.  In response to your question,  and I should have clarified.  I've never trusted mechanicals enough to replace the blades or use them a second time after killing deer with them so this was a new broadhead each time.  The other thing I will note is that they are extremely extremely sharp out of the package and the 7/8 inch cutting diameter with a well placed shot did put all 3 of these deer down in 50-60 yards max.  However,  we all experience less than perfect shots from time to time and that's when any advantage like the extra cutting diameter can pay off.  I thought the design was brilliant and really wanted to continue using the product, but I am sure that I did not get the result that the product should deliver the last 2 times I shot them.  

[Cousin Brown]

I used the rampage and never had it not deploy.  I really like the Freak Nasty though & use the Trauma for turkey.  Maybe where the blades attached were over tightened or a possible flaw like a burr in the processing????  At least its still effective even if it doesn't deploy which is great and still meets the 7/8" requirement.  Kind of a nice backup idea ….hence the reason why its called a hybrid broad head.

[outdoorslife]

This is my second season using the dead ringer rampage 3 blade 100 gr thanks to Highguy. I have 4 does and an 8 pt buck with these heads. Im very happy with them. I have had blade deployment each and every time. One thing I do is NOT push the o ring all the way up to the bottom of the blade. I leave it further down and if you look at the package thats where they have it too. I dont have the package in front of me but Im almost positive although I dont know if this will have an affect of the blades opening up or not. Also one reason I chose to use the dead ringer rampage was because we all know anything mechanical; cars, boats, motors etc., can fail on us. I know without the blades opening up I have a very high percentage chance of recovering that deer as long as I do my part. Again with that being said I have no complaints with this head and am quite happy with them. 

[Shootstraight]

I think that any mechanical head could have a failure at any time since it is a mechanical and we all kow anything mechanical can fail. However, I was given some heads a while back by the owner of dead ringer who was a very nice guy and to be fair I did not use them put passed them on to another hunter who loves them. I shoot Grim Reaper and never had an issue with them and they do not use any type of runner rings, which I like. I do not know if dead ringers work like the reapers but after the shot the blades close and to someone that does not know that it might appear they did not open. I think is one of the arguments for fixed heads but now you have the best of both worlds in some of the new hybrids that are fixed and mechanical so you have the best of both worlds. You can always look at those as an option. But like I said the owner of dead ringer would probably like to know about how it failed and make it right. If you ever have questions on the hybrids shoot me a pm.

 

SS!