Well i believe this idea is very popular in the USA and other country's around the world however not big in the UK and was wondering if there any good at all, i admit ive never tried them before and to be honest they aren't made or sold in any great numbers i don't think here in England.

Rather than a debate about certain manufacturers version of this type of point in essence i was wanting to know if they work and serve any great purpose or perhaps they are just another pointless item which serves no real benefit.

I will admit im considering a set of movable point darts hence im asking.

Save your money.

There's a reason the pro's don't use them. They don't work and were an awful gimmick back in the 90's.

Being from the USA I did try them. Basically because everybody else was using them. I personally noticed NO difference at all with bounce outs. Than in the mid to late 90's I got my hands on some VCR tapes of Embassy matches from all different years. I noticed that NO player at the time used them. Exception being Keith Deller.

There's a reason they went out of style and there's a reason why they aren't used today.

JUNK!!

I beg to differ, I have 3 sets of Bottelsens and am just getting used to the Hammerhead points.

There are a couple of types, locked, spinners, black, silver, long and short so you can still experiment as such.

The Hammerheads give a kind of 'Storm' point finish on part of the front nose but to allow tightening they have 2 flat sections that could cause a bounce out or 2.

I think the main gimmick if you will is that a lead dart, already stuck in the board is allowed to spin when the following dart hits it, allowing it to nestle more or less where it would have done anyway.

The other plus side, and the reason they called Hammerheads, if they hit a wire, the point clicks in a couple of milimeters allowing the barrel to continue its momentum and push the dart in off the wire rather than bounce off it.


All in all, I think they are more of a gimmick than a serious contender for improving your game and eradicating all bounce outs, you will still get them, however I certainly wouldn't consider them junk, the power points from Red Dragon are not much more expensive than normal darts and are basically the same think for a fraction of the cost - well worth a try in my opinion.

I can't stand how they rattle. Moveable points and spinner stems - what a nightmare in your hand! Feels like something is going to fall apart!

The Bottelsen locked points, when extended, feel no different to a normal point, no rattle no sound, once they hit the board and the point clicks in they become loose and will rotate if another dart hits them, they are the type I use as I agree, dont like the rattling in my hand.

Bottlesons are the only ones I ever tried and they rattled- maybe something wasn't right or the weren't in the. Right position. I would of bought the darts if it wasn't for that rattling.

The Bottelsen spinners rattle like mad wether they are popped in or out, think they may have been the original type and due to complaints of rattling came up with the locked type, like I say, they are like a fixed point until they make contact with the board (or wire!), once contact is made the point pops in a couple mm and allows the embedded dart to spin.

I will only use the locked type due to the rattling of the spinning ones.

Just checking and the spinning type are called 'roto points' and locked are now 'original', they also have a 'spike' with a sharper point.

I will have to check them out, Bottleson makes some really nice darts!

One good thing about movable point darts is you can throw the steel tip in the bin and put these on them...

http://www.a180.co.uk/product.php?xProd=3910&xSec=552

I've tried bottlesens and Black Widows.

If you do moveable points do black widows. Far simpler mechanism, and better dart.

The advantage of widows is that the whole dart will spin on the tip making deflections happen alot less.

However its all over priced and pretty unnecessary if you play on good dart boards like the blade.

The motion of the point when throwing is also distracting

Well they are nothing new, they were out in the UK in the early 80's Keith Deller used them.

The spring loaded ones I find are less bothersome as they dont rattle as much but sometimes I have noticed that the spring action can make the darts spring out of the board more. The free floating type like the Bottelsens I find are a bit of a nightmare sometimes, they feel kind of loose and rattly to me and sometimes the point does not reset itself so has to be pulled out by hand.


I have tried movable points darts from Harrow, Winmau, Smartdarts, Bottelsen, Voks, Jeff Pickup, Staymaster, Red Dragon and Unicorn.

Out of them all I actually think the Unicorn system was the best, but they stopped making them.

But I think fixed point is still the best option.

has anyone tried the red dragon Ross Montgomery darts and have an opinion of the movable points on them.

I did have some but I cant remember now if I had the movable point version, might not have been but I think they are spring loaded aren't they? The darts themselves reminded me of Andy Fordhams style.

Looks like your going to have to try some Rich to satisfy your curiosity or you will be forever wondering about it.

Fully agree ive been throwing this idea around in my head for a week now and think i will just buy a set and see whats what but the reason i haven't is they are 24g a bit light or i would have had them already.

Well if it is that particular dart I guess you have not much choice, but if it is just movable points you want to try I think there is also Winmau Cyclones if they still sell them and the Harrows Powerpoints.

some on ebay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/24GM-RED-DRAGON-PRO-ROSS-THE-BOSS-MONTGOMERY-HAMMER-ACTION-TUNGSTEN-DARTS-/281050719515?pt=UK_Sporting_Goods_Darts&hash=item416feda51b

Does Ross actually use movable points?

Watching the Lakeside this week it looked like he had fixed points.

I'd like to try a set but not a rage for them

Not a fan. And using soft tips is not for me. should have a separate set for soft tips- that's my opinion.