Rage X-Treme 4-blade broadheads

Extreme Testing | The Rage X-Treme 4-Blade Broadhead Review

I’ve got another Rage broadhead test for you… It’s the Rage X-Treme 4-Blade.

This head is a hybrid. It has a fixed blade, as well as a big, wide mechanical cut.

I was eager to put this head to the test to see how it performed.

So let’s go through some of the design features and specifications and then put this Rage X-Treme 4 -Blade to the test…

The Rage X-Treme 4-Blade Broadhead Up Close

rage extreme 4-blade profile

Here’s a good look at the Rage X-Treme 4-blade. And man, this is a wicked-looking broadhead with all kinds of cut going on.

rage x-treme 4-blade thickness of fixed and mechanical

It’s a hybrid head, meaning it has a fixed blade component that has a cut of 7/8 of an inch. Then it has a mechanical broadhead that operates like a normal Rage.

rage extreme 4-blade fixed blade thickness

The fixed blade thickness is 0.030” and the mechanical blades thickness is 0.035”.

Rage x-treme 4-blade fixed blade portion

Here’s a look at the fixed blade part of the broahdead.

rage x-treme 4-blade retention ring

The blades are held closed by this clip right here and this ring. The retention rings are normally great for this broadhead, but I have the crossbow model on there because the buddy that sent me these heads only had the crossbow model, but I’m sure it’s going to perform really well. (The ring on the crossbow model holds them a little bit more securely.)

rage x-treme 4-blade in open position

As pressure is put on this end of the blades at one end, they slide back and then the blades fully deploy and come to a cut of 2.3” in the open position.

Above, you can see it is in the open position. You’ve got that full cut of the mechanical blades of 2.3” and the 7/8 of an inch on the fixed blade portion. So, a total cut of over 3.1”. That’s a really impressive cut.

The mechanical blades are a bit thicker than the fixed blade. They’re 0.035” thick. Again, the fixed blade is 0.030” thick. The blades are stainless steel and the ferrule is made out of aluminum.

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So, when I think about this, the first thing that comes to mind is that this would be devastating turkey broadhead because you are just going to pull a big old cut through a turkey and that helps in hitting the vitals. But perhaps, it can be good for a lot of other game as well. I know people have taken elk, bear, deer and many other animals with them.

I really liked Rage in the way the blades deploy. I love the way they open and I like the design. I’ve just never been really impressed with the durability. And so, that was my big question mark going into these tests.

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Rage X-Treme 4-Blade Broadhead Tests

So let’s see how this Rage X-Treme 4-Blade performed.

For the tests of the Rage X-Treme 4-blade, I’m going to be using my Bowtech CP28 set at 72 pounds. I’m using a Bishop FOC King Arrows for most of the shots and then I’m using the Bishop FAD Eliminators for the really hard impact ones.

Flight Forgiveness (1 Field Point and 1 Broadhead @30 yds) 

rage x-treme flight forgiveness test

As you can see in this picture, the broadhead and the field point hit very close together.

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Initial Sharpness

rage x-treme initial sharpness fixed blade

I tested the sharpness before doing the penetration tests. The fixed bladed measured 400 (the lower number the better).

rage x-treme initial sharpness mech blade

The initial sharpness of the mechanical blades was 200.

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Penetration Test 1 (2/3″ Rubber Mat, 1/2″ MDF and FBI Ballistic Gel)  

rage x-treme 4-blade ballistic gel test

The Rage X-treme 4-blade penetrated right at 4″...

rage x-treme entrance hole in foam padding ballistic gel test

And like every Rage, it opened very well, even on this soft rubber foam mat. It expanded to the full open position.

THIS is the “backbone” of your hunting arrow…

Edge Retention Test (After Penetration Test 1)

rage x-treme 4-blade post sharpness mech blade

The post sharpness of the mechanical blade was 350.

rage x-treme 4-blade post sharpness fixed blade

The post-sharpness of the fixed blade was 600.

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Penetration Test 2 (Layered Cardboard)

rage extreme 4-blade cardboard penetration test

It penetrated through 45 layers of cardboard.

Bowhunting devastation: The quartering away shot!

Angled Shot Test (1/4″ MDF/Carpet)

rage extreme angled mdf test

Here is the Rage X-treme 4-blade in the angled MDF.

Deer antlers: Why they grow [and shed]

Durability Test (1/2″ MDF Max 3 shots)

rage x-treme after 3 shots into mdf

I shot the X-treme into MDF three times. Overall, it held together well. One of the blades bent back a bit and the other one bent too, but the bottom one bent the most. And then, you can see the base of the ferrule, where the blades bent back, they cut into the base of the ferrule.

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Durability (22ga Steel Plate Max 2 Shots)

rage x-treme 4-blade in steel plate

I shot the head into a .22 gauge steel plate...

rage x-treme after going through steel plate

So here’s the head after it has gone through the MDF 3 times, which it did fairly well through the MDF. It just got bent up a little bit, and the base got cut into a little bit. But, on the first shot into the steel plate, as you can see, one of the blades broke.

rage x-treme pinched ferrule after steel plate test

And then, the ferrule got pinched and squished a bit. I guess the steel plate got bent to where I can’t move the blade, so I can’t close them, and there’s no way I was going to shoot again like this.

Now, the main blade actually did really well. It held together very well. There’s just a little bit of scraped on it but the mechanical blades not so much. Still, it did pretty well through the MDF. But, it’s not going to make it on to the concrete round (where I shoot into a concrete block) because with that kind of damage, I just don’t want to risk anything by shooting it into the concrete.

As it is, I get shrapnel flying back near me all the time. And so, once something breaks or bends really significantly then that’s the end of the durability testing.

Is the wind your friend? [It better be!]
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What makes a great broadhead? Find out HERE!

Final Thoughts On The Rage X-treme 4-Blade Broadheads

So what do you think of the broadhead? Hey, I tell you what. It did a bit better than I was expecting. It has such a nice wide cut.

I can see it having some really lethal applications in the field. The other main blade held together pretty well in the test that I did.

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Like most of the Rages, the blades are just the weakness. And, I know they would get the job done again in many situations, but I just wish they would make them a little bit more durable because I like a lot about the design.

I like the Slip Cam. I like the size of the cut, and I like how well they open on impact. They have a lot of good strengths to them. The durability is just always a bit of a concern.

Tips for bowhunters [you need to know these!]

But again, I know in many situations, maybe most situations, it’s going to perform really well. I know for a turkey, it would be a really good head because you’re getting that fixed blade and you’re getting that really wide cut. So I could see it being a really good choice for that.

But you check out the score sheet and see how it performed and see if this might be one to consider for your quiver.

rage x-treme 4-blade lusk score
Lusk Grade of the Rage X-treme 4-blade broadhead
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John Lusk of Lusk Archery Adventures
NAP Spitfire broadhead review test

NAP Spitfire Broadheads Review | In-Depth Testing

In this review, I test a classic mechanical broadhead… the NAP Spitfire 125 grain.

I’ve used the Spitfire in the field a number of times and have taken a lot of animals with it.

The NAP Spitfire | A Closer Look

So let’s zoom on in here and go through some of the design features and specifications…

NAP spitfire broadhead profile closed position

Here’s a good look at the NAP Spitfire mechanical broadhead. This is just a classic front-deploying mechanical broadhead.

Spitfire broadhead micro grooves

It has an aluminum ferrule and it has these micro grooves in it, which are designed to give it greater stability in flight. Like a golf ball, as it rotates, it carries the air around with it and NAP claims that this keeps it from planing as much.

It has a hardened steel tip and the blades open up to a cutting diameter 1-½”.

So, you have three blades, and a 1-1/2″ cut, which is a nice size cut overall.

You can see that the blades are quite swept back too, which aids in penetration. By my measurements, the blades are 0.030″ thick, and they stay closed by a spring clip system. So, they’re quite secure in flight. It takes a bit of force to open them, but they’re kind of angled back to help them open on impact a little bit better. But, they are very secure in flight.

NAP spitfire offset blades

Now, there are also offset blades in a closed position. That’s going to aid a bit in flight, because it creates a bit more rotation and it’s going to help them be a little bit more forgiving.

And then, as the blades open and penetrate, they will also create a nice wound channel and it may even cause some rotation within the medium due to those offset blades.

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NAP Spitfire Testing

I was really eager to put these heads to the test and see how they perform. 

For these tests, I used my Bowtech CP28 set at 72 pounds. I’m using Bishop FOC King Arrows for most of the shots. For the really hard impact shots, I’ll be using the Bishop FAD Eliminator.

Flight Forgiveness (1 Field Point And 1 Broadhead At 30 Yards)

Spitfire broadheads flight test

As you can tell, the field point and the broadhead were right on top of each other. Great flight!

Initial Sharpness (Out-Of-The-Box)

Spitfire initial sharpness test

The blade sharpness out-of-the-box was 200 (the lower number, the better).

Penetration Test 1 (2/3″ Rubber Mat, 1/2″ MDF, FBI Ballistic Gel)  

Spitfire ballistic gel and mdf test

The Spitfire penetrated 5 ¾”. And here’s the entrance hole. I want to show.

Spitfire entrance hole

The blades didn’t open on impact into the MDF. The entrance cut was the size of the blades in the closed position.

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Edge Retention Test (Sharpness After Penetration Test 1)

Spitfire post testing sharpness

After the first penetration test, the blades registered at 300 in the sharpness test.

Penetration Test 2 (Layered Cardboard):

Spitfire cardboard penetration test

The Spitfire penetrated through 48 layers of cardboard.

Angled Shot Test (1/4″ MDF/Carpet):

Spitfire angled mdf penetration test

I shot the Spitfire into angled MDF fronted by carpet.

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Durability Test (1/2″ MDF Max 3 shots):

Here’s the head after 3 shots through the MDF and it held together really well. The only damage is that one of the blades bent a bit. You can see that it kind of curved to the side, but it was just that one blade that bent.

Spitfire after MDF tests

Here’s the head after 3 shots through the MDF, and it did fairly well.

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Durability (22ga steel plate max 2 shots):

Spitfire after steel plate test

But, then on the first shot into the steel plate, it broke 2 of the blades. They just got sheared and twisted off. One remained in place. There was one piece that I could find. It bounced off a few walls and I could hear it. It kind of bounced around the room. I’m glad it didn’t hit me!

The Spitfire will not be going to go on to the concrete block round (where I shoot the head into a concrete block), because it only made it through one shot in the steel plate instead of two. And, with that kind of breakage, I just don’t want to risk anymore damage to myself in shooting it into the concrete.

Additionally, broadheads have to earn the right to make it into the concrete by staying intact through the steel plate as well as the MDF. But overall, again, it did well through the MDF.

Spitfire stuck in steel plate

Here’s the steel plate and you can see that one of the blades is stuck in the steel plate. The other one you can see just broke off and flew throughout the room somewhere. And then the other one did cut through the steel plate.

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Final Thoughts On NAP Spitfire Broadheads

So what do you think of the Spitfire? Hey, you know, this head has been around for a long time and it certainly has some really good strengths to it.

I love the offset blades and I love the way they are pretty sharp out of the package. And, I love the way it flies.

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But, there are also some weaknesses to it.

I’m not a big fan of front-deploying broadheads because I want to get at least one big hole. If I don’t get a pass through, I at least want that first hole to be a good one. And, rear-deploying head typically tip the odds in my favor of getting that big hole, if I’m just going to get one.

Check out the scorecard below and see if the Spitfire might be a good fit for you.

NAP Spitfire broadheads Lusk Grade
THIS item is a must-have for your next backpack hunting trip!
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bolt cutter broadhead review header image

Excalibur Bolt Cutter Broadheads Review | The Inside Information

In this broadheads review, I tested the Excalibur Bolt Cutter. It’s a broadhead that’s marketed for Excalibur crossbows, (originally made by Innerloc) but can also be used for vertical bows.

Bolt Cutter Broadheads Up Close

So, let’s check out some of the design features and specifications of the Bolt Cutter broadheads.

bolt cutter profile view

Here’s a good look at the Bolt Cutter close up. Now, the Bolt Cutter heads are designed for maximum flight and penetration and specifically marketed for crossbows, but can also be be used for vertical bows.

The Bolt Cutters are originally made by Innerloc and have a stainless steel tip.

bolt cutter stainless and aluminum parts

The blades are stainless steel. The ferrule is aluminum and the blades have a cutting diameter of one and one-sixteenth inches. So a little bit smaller than most three-blade heads on the market.

bolt cutter thin blades

The blades are also pretty thin. By my measurements, they’re 0.024 inches thick. So, these are some of the thinnest blades that I’ve ever tested, honestly. I’m interested to see how they perform.

They have a really good locking system for the blades.

The head unscrews and then you slide the blades out. So, it’s a really secure way of retaining the blades.

bolt cutter broadheads flared back of blade

They have a cool flare to the back like that as well. So, I was eager to put these heads to the test and see how they perform.

For the following tests, I used my Bowtech SR6, set at 72 pounds, 27-inch draw. I used Bishop FOC King arrows for most of the shots and then for the really hard impact ones, I used the Bishop Fad Eliminators.

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Flight Forgiveness Test

bolt cutter flight test

I shot a field point, and then two broadheads (at 40 yards) to compare the flight of the Bolt Cutter heads.

Bowfishing is just hunting for fish!

Pre-Testing Sharpness

bolt cutter broadheads initial sharpness test

I tested the out-of-the box sharpness (the lower the number, the sharper the broadhead.)

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Ballistic Gel And MDF Test

I shot the Bolt Cutter head into ballistic get that was fronted by foam padding and 1/2″ MDF.

bolt cutter broadheads ballistic gel test

It penetrated eight and three-quarter inches.

Post-Penetration Test Sharpness

bolt cutter post-testing sharpness test

After the first penetration test, I checked the sharpness again… 350.

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Layered Cardboard Penetration Test

bolt cutter cardboard test

The Bolt Cutter penetrated through 67 layers of layered cardboard.

MDF Test

bolt cutter post mdf test

The head was in perfect condition after shooting it 3 times into 1/2″ MDF.

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Steel Plate Test

bolt cutter broadhead steel plate holles

I shot the Bolt Cutters through a .22 gauge steel plate to see how they would hold up, and you can see it’s basically the round hole with three slits coming out of that style rather than a triangular punch, like some heads have.

bolt cutter broadhead after steel plate test

And here it is after the three shots through the MDF and the two, three of the steel plate and you can see with the steel plate the tip got a little bit blunted and the blades got pretty nicked up there but otherwise held together fine and here are the holes in the steel plate.

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Cinder Block Test

bolt cutter cinder block test

Here’s the Bolt Cutter after going through the MDF and the steel plate and then embedding into the concrete block that I shot it into. It stuck really deeply into the concrete. I think that’s the deepest that any broadhead has ever stuck into it.

It remained very much intact and the tip was still really pointy. The blades got a bit banged up with the steel but not that bad. But man, it did extremely well through the concrete.

THIS will help you determine your arrow FOC!

Final Thoughts On The Excalibur Bolt Cutter Broadheads

So what do you think of the Bolt Cutter broadheads?

Hey, you know what, it has some real strengths! I mean the flight and the penetration alone, those are two really great strengths of this broadhead.

So check out the scoresheet below!

bolt cutter lusk grade
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John Lusk of Lusk Archery Adventures