G5 Deadmeat V2: Three-Blade Mechanical with Refined Cut-on-Contact Deployment

Mechanical broadheads fail in two ways: blades that don't open on impact, and blades that open during flight. G5's original Deadmeat addressed both failure modes more reliably than most early mechanicals, and the V2 updates that foundation with revised blade geometry and a retention system built to perform more consistently across a wider range of arrow speeds and impact angles.

What's notable

The Deadmeat V2 uses three rear-deploying blades that fold back against the ferrule during flight. On impact, the tip's forward pressure unlocks the retention collar and the blades rotate open. G5 describes the deployment geometry as cut-on-contact, meaning the blade tips make initial contact with tissue before the blades are fully deployed — this is mechanically different from a standard rear-deploying head where the blunt tip makes first contact and the blades deploy only after the arrow has begun to penetrate. The cut-on-contact approach starts the wound channel immediately, which produces more consistent entry wounds across different tissue densities and impact angles.

The V2's blade geometry is revised from the original Deadmeat: the blade angle at full deployment is slightly more aggressive, increasing the cutting diameter to 1.5 inches. The blade stock is 0.035-inch stainless steel, which is on the thicker end of mechanical blade construction — thicker blades are more resistant to deformation on bone impact, though they add a small amount of weight. G5 includes replacement blade sets in the packaging, and field replacement requires no tools beyond fingers: the retention collar threads on and off the ferrule body manually. An experienced archer can reload a Deadmeat V2 in under a minute in the field without carrying tools.

The ferrule itself is 100% stainless steel machined to standard compound thread spec. At 100 grains, the Deadmeat V2 sits in the same weight class as most hunting broadheads and won't require significant sight adjustment if the archer has been shooting 100-grain field points. The tip geometry uses a modified trocar design — three flat ground faces meeting at the tip — which is effective for initiating penetration through bone at impact angles that aren't perpendicular to the surface. On quartering-toward shots where the arrow must deflect slightly off shoulder bone to reach vitals, trocar tips perform better than conical tips.

Who it's for

The Deadmeat V2 targets compound hunters who want the flight accuracy of a mechanical head with the thick-blade durability of a fixed-blade. The 0.035-inch blade stock is why hunters in hog and large-deer applications select this head over thinner-bladed competitors — thinner blades at the same cutting diameter bend or shatter on heavy bone, and a bent or broken blade doesn't complete its rotation, which compromises the wound channel and reduces penetration. If you're hunting anywhere that your arrows regularly hit bone, blade thickness matters in a way it doesn't for shots through unobstructed rib cages.

At 280 fps and above, the Deadmeat V2's deployment energy is reliable. Below 260 fps — which includes some crossbow setups at extended ranges — the deployment reliability should be verified through field testing before hunting use. Like most mechanicals, it performs most consistently when the arrow hits with enough energy to overcome the retention collar's holding force without hesitation.

Where it sits in the lineup

G5 offers the Deadmeat V2 in the mid-tier of their broadhead lineup, positioned above the standard Montec (fixed-blade, single-piece) and alongside the Havoc 2.0 (also mechanical, different blade deployment). The Deadmeat's cut-on-contact deployment differentiates it from the Havoc 2.0, which uses a standard rear-deploy without contact-initiated opening. For hunters who want mechanical reliability with initial tissue cutting rather than initial blunt-tip contact, the Deadmeat is the G5 choice.

Competing directly with the Deadmeat V2 are the Rage Chisel Tip and NAP Spitfire Doublecross — both three-blade mechanicals with similar cutting diameters at the 100-grain weight. G5's thick blade stock is the differentiator; hunters who've bent blades on competing three-blade mechanicals often cite that failure as their reason for switching to the Deadmeat. The V2's manual-thread collar replacement system is also more field-serviceable than competitors that require tools for blade changes, which matters on a multi-day Western elk hunt where every carried item has a weight cost. Hunters who've used the original Deadmeat tend to stick with the V2 for precisely these field-service reasons — the upgraded retention collar resolves the only consistent complaint the original received.

Source

Product specifications and blade geometry details sourced from G5's 2024 product documentation and Deadmeat V2 release materials.

Tagged: Broadheads · G5 · 2024