Broadhead Talking Points

Home >>---> Tutorials >>---> The Broadhead Debate

Broadhead Talking Points:
by Tommy Clum

These are what I feel are the most important topics regarding broadhead choice. Every responsible bowhunter should understand the differences between broadheads. I have outlined the minimum amount of information that I think you should be familiar with.

I cannot possibly cover the range of issues concerning what broadheads are the best to use. I'm not even going to try. This is geared towards the bowhunter who is still asking questions about broadheads, and/or the bowhunter who might not even know what questions to ask concerning broadheads. This is a quick "talking points" guide to introduce people to the basic lines of thought. There is a LOT of information available on the web.

If you want to have your broadhead questions thoroughly answered check out the most extensive research ever done on broadhead lethality. Dr. Ed Ashby has conducted a vast study that covers broadhead design, arrow weight, arrow weight distribution, and much, much more. The most organized place I have found to read through all of his material is on TradGang.com - http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=forum;f=24 (have fun...there is A LOT of reading to do).

Dr. Ashby's advice is geared towards the extremes, like hunting the biggest, heaviest boned animals in Africa. His conclusions are fantastic and will obviously benefit the hunter who chases anything in North America. But the extreme measures he goes through are not critical for most North American game for the average hunter.

A good number of new bowhunters come in and out of our shop every year. Helping a person through the process of learning this great sport of bowhunting is one of the most enjoyable aspects of working at RMSGear. Inevitably, the question about which broadhead to use comes up sooner or later - and our answer is always the same. Ask that question with more than two people in the shop and we have the makings of a good ol' fashioned scrap! So here is my honest, and mostly unbiased opinion.

Since the vast majority of questions concern the differences between two and three blade broadheads we typically discuss the positives and negatives of each. Obviously 4 blade broadheads are also a popular choice. Some feel they are the best of both worlds, but this article will mostly compare two and three blade broadheads.

Two bladed broadhead, the Grizzly	One of the most popular three blade broadheads, the Woodsman	Four blade Muzzy Phantom

When a customer walks out of our doors I want them to feel as confident in their set-up as they can be. When the moment of truth presents itself there is no room for any questions on your conscious. If a bowhunter is well informed about their gear, and makes up their own mind about the attributes of a broadhead they feel are important, then they are more likely to be confident in what they are shooting. The more confident the bowhunter, the more likely they are in making a good shot. The better the shot, the less broadhead choice matters anyway. So I chose to inform my customer to the best of my ability and let THEM choose a broadhead in order to give them the most confidence possible.

I personally know many great bowhunters who use either a two or three blade broadhead and they all swear by them. Can we honestly argue the results that each of them has produced? The results speak for themselves - both can, and do consistently produce humane kills. For this reason, I feel good about selling a customer either a large three bladed Snuffer or a narrow two bladed Grizzly - depending on their needs.

Givens:

Regardless of broadhead choice these things MUST be present.

Proper shot placement: Proper shot placement is THE MOST IMPORTANT factor in the quick and humane killing of an animal. A properly placed arrow with a field point can result in a quick death, so making a good shot is the single most important thing you need to prepare for. If you're not good enough to place an arrow in the proper place then you have no business taking the shot. Either wait for a closer shot or pass. But we are not perfect...and sometimes shot placement is outside of our control, like when an animal moves after we release an arrow, so we will discuss marginal shots later in this article.

Proper arrow flight: An arrow which does not fly true will have two major drawbacks when it comes to humanely killing an animal. First of all, the broadhead will increase the already poor flight of the arrow and your accuracy will be inconsistent. Second, an arrow which impacts an animal at an angle will be greatly robbed of penetration. It may be the difference in wounding an animal or killing it quickly. You should not even attempt to shoot a broadhead without a properly tuned, and true flying arrow.

Use a sharp broadhead: You must have a razor sharp broadhead. If they are not sharp enough to shave the hair off your arm with only a slight amount of pressure then get back to sharpening. Take the time to sharpen them yourself or bring them to a person who can do it for you. You must have a sharp broadhead.

Broadheads must have structural integrity: You must have a well built broadhead. I won't go in to too many specifics about brands, but let me say this: if you choose a cheaply built broadhead you are acting irresponsible and you are at a great disadvantage. There are very well built broadheads on the market, in both two, three and four blades. I am going to assume that the reader is responsible enough to choose a broadhead with structural integrity. We will discuss the various aspects of structural integrity later in the article.

Mechanical Advantage: Often referred to as MA, traditional bowhunters look for a broadhead with high MA. MA refers to the ratio of resistance to the effort put forth. Dr. Ed Ashby goes in to great detail about this.

M.A. = Length of cutting edge
(1/2 width of head) X (number of blades)

Longer broadheads have a higher MA, shorter broadheads have a lower MA, and the more blades the lower the MA. Since traditional bows don’t shoot with the kind of speed that compound bows do, we look for a broadhead with the least amount of resistance in order to increase penetration. This is one reason why most broadheads marketed towards traditional shooters are longer than broadheads marketed to compound shooters.

Positives about each style of broadhead:

Two blade positives: Two blade advocates will argue that their broadhead will provide better penetration. Penetration, some say, is more important than any other factor to cause a quick death (I agree). If a bone is struck, like a rib or a shoulder blade, the two blade broadhead is more likely to still reach the vitals of an animal and result in death. A two blade broadhead, with greater penetration, is more likely to result in a pass-through. An entry hole AND an exit hole produces a greater blood trail than just an entry hole alone.

Three blade positives: Three blade advocates will argue that their broadhead will produce a bigger hole. More cutting blades equates to more damage, and a quicker death for the animal. A bigger hole translates to a better blood trail, which obviously makes tracking the animal easier. With three blades the chance of slicing an artery is greater, where as you might barely miss that artery with a two blade depending on which way the head is oriented. Three blade broadhead holes are much less likely to get clogged and produce a better bloodtrail.

Negatives about each style of broadhead:

Two blade negatives: Two blade detractors will claim that the narrow broadhead doesn't produce as big of a hole, hindering damage and a quick death. Also, the small "slit" doesn't create as much damage as the "hole" created by three blades. Often times it is argued that the arrow hole is more likely to be clogged or sealed, either by fat, moving skin, or coagulation. With a smaller hole and less damage - two blades don’t cause as big of a blood trail.

Three blade negatives: Three blade detractors will claim that the bigger broadhead will hinder penetration. An animal with only one lung punctured can run so far that they could be difficult or impossible to recover. This can be important on quartering away shots where extra penetration is needed to reach the vitals. Since it’s harder to get a pass-through three blades don’t cause as big of a blood trail.

Marginal shots:

Since both broadheads are capable of killing an animal, and both have positive attributes, how can we come to a conclusion about what to shoot? The difference is sometimes based on the fear of a marginal shot. Which broadhead will perform better on a shot that is less than perfect? That depends on the shot!

On a bone shot (such as an animal with large ribs, or a shoulder blade) the two blade will perform better. The narrow profile aides the arrow in penetrating far enough after going through the bone.

On a heavily quartering away shot, where the arrow must pass through stomach matter to reach the lungs, a two blade will have a better chance of penetrating far enough. However, a three blade will cause more damage along the way. Which one would be better in this case? Unfortunately there is really no way of knowing this, sometimes it would be better to have one or the other. What is more important to you - causing more damage or getting better penetration? The answer probably has to do with the speed of your bow and the weight of your arrow.

IMO - With a poor hit like a straight on gut shot, or a ham shot, a three blade would probably be better to have. The extra damage caused and the bigger hole will pay dividends here. There are major blood vessels that run through the ham that a three blade broadhead will have a better chance of cutting. With a poor hit on a quartering (either towards or away) animal, more penetration will be a bigger factor in creating a quick death, so a two blade would be better to have. We can keep talking in circles here...

Some have argued that the most common marginal shot is a shot which is too far back in the animal, in the stomach or liver region. Those who feel that way are more prone to shooting three blade broadheads to cause as much damage as possible. Most opinions are formed from first hand experiences, either positive or negative.

Most advice you will find on the internet is totally subjective and based on only a small handful of experiences. Be picky on who you listen to, there are both horror and hero stories about every broadhead ever made.

Type of game, type of bow:

The type of animal we are hunting and the kind of bow we are shooting both have an effect on what broadhead we would be better suited to have. With lighter poundage bows penetration becomes a real concern. In this instance a two blade might be the better decision. If we are hunting heavy boned animal, like elk or moose, penetration again would be a concern.

If our bow is heavy, and we can shoot a heavy arrow at quicker speeds, the issue over which broadhead to use isn't as big of a deal. In this instance, where one is not concerned about penetration, then why not cause as much damage as possible and shoot a large three blade?

Since two, three and four blade broadheads have all produced great results, make a choice that gives YOU the best chance possible at killing an animal quickly and humanely. Your draw length, bow weight, and arrow weight should factor in to your decision.

Rules of thumb:

Following is the advice I give to customers based on their set up and their desired game:

If shooting light weight bows on large animals, error on the side of caution. Use a two blade broadhead. Penetration is a real concern with lighter bows and/or bigger animals. Making a good shot is obviously THE MOST IMPORTANT factor, but even a perfect shot can come in contact with a rib. An elk rib can easily stop a light weight arrow from being able to puncture both lungs. An elk can go an awfully long way with just one lung. I personally stumbled upon a dead bull elk that was shot (not by me) three miles away. The hunter in this case gave up the trail seven days prior to me finding his bull. In this case he made a good shot with an extremely light arrow and a large three blade head. The arrow only penetrated far enough to hit one lung. The hunter swore off three blades for the rest of his life over this instance, when really the weight of his arrow was probably a bigger factor in his poor penetration.

If using a light arrow, use a two blade broadhead. Higher arrow mass generates better penetration, and few would disagree with that statement. If you are shooting a light arrow you need all the penetrating enhancers you can get.

If you're shooting smaller animals then penetration is usually not as much of a concern. So why not opt for a three blade?

If your bow is heavy enough, and your arrows weigh enough, then penetration concerns are greatly reduced, and using a larger broadhead makes a lot more sense. Most traditional hunters who can shoot a 550 grain arrow in speeds around 180fps+ have little concern over penetration. A 550gr arrow in speeds of 160-180 are borderline and I usually suggest a two blade broadhead for elk sized animals or bigger, and a three blade for deer or smaller. A hunter who shoots either a lighter arrow, or slower than 160fps, I would recommend a two blade broadhead. With that said, thousands of animals have been killed with three blade broadheads with a 450gr arrow shooting less than 160fps.

You will obviously find people who disagree or have had great experiences with something outside of what I have recommended here. My advice errors on the side of caution to maximize both penetration and broadhead efficiency. Since coming to a conclusion based on only one person's experiences can be misleading - my advice is primarily based on the first hand testimonies of the many, many traditional bowhunters that I speak with on a daily basis. My own experiences have been consistent with the advice I have given.

Expandable broadheads:

Traditional bows are not shooting arrows at speeds that would warrant using an expandable broadhead. Trad bows are not fast enough to regularly cause the planing effect from the broadhead, so accuracy is generally not effected with solid broadheads. I won't go in to the this debate too much. The vast, vast majority of experienced traditional bowhunters would frown upon using an expandable broadhead with a trad bow. There is simply no reason to shoot an expandable with a trad set up.

Conclusion:

Like our grouchy, old (read experienced) friend Bob says, they all work and they all don’t work. Confidence is key. You have to evaluate what your personal biggest concerns are and choose your broadhead accordingly. The more confident you are in your set up, the more likely you are to make a good shot. Since a good shot is more important than the type of broadhead you shoot I strongly suggest you do everything within your power to improve your confidence. This includes improving your shooting ability, but covers your choice of gear as well.

I'm not going to take a hard stance one way or the other when it comes to broadheads. Like I've said, both kinds of broadheads have proven their worth in the field with all kinds of animals. If you would like to see more opinions I recommend using the search capabilities of internet forums. I promise that you will find plenty of debates! Ultimately you have to decide what you think are the most important factors based on what kind of bow you are shooting and what kind of animal you will be hunting.

If your biggest concern is penetration, shoot a two blade.

If your biggest concern is causing more damage, shoot a three blade.

The size of the blood trail has a lot more to do with shot placement than anything else. Both two and three blades can produce fantastic blood trails. We can talk in circles around blood trails. While it is generally agreed that a three blade will produce a better blood trail, it is also generally agreed that two holes (entry and exit) will produce a better blood trail than one hole. Is it better to have one hole with a three blade or two holes with a two blade? Opinions may vary. If you're shooting a light set up and you are not confident in producing an exit hole with a three blade then shoot a two blade. If you're shooting a heavy set up and you are confident in producing an exit hole with a three blade, then shoot a three blade.

Okay, now what? - Other Considerations

So you know that you want to shoot either a two blade or a three blade broadhead. What else do we need to consider? There are several more important things that you need to be informed about when choosing a broadhead. The flight of your arrow, weight of your arrow, type of ferrule, type of point, type of edge, integrity of the broadhead and the sharpenability.

Arrow Flight: Most broadheads shoot just fine out of a properly tuned traditional bow. If your arrow is spined correctly and shoots straight out of your bow you should not experience any planing effects from broadheads, even wide two blades. However, if your arrow is not tuned correctly your broadhead will act like wings and cause your arrow to do all sorts of fun acrobatics through the air. A true flying arrow is critical in good penetration, and an arrow that is not flying true will be robbed of a great deal of penetration AND accuracy.

Arrow Weight: Arrow weight also plays a major role in penetration. Since we are not getting the crazy speeds that compound bows get we enhance our penetration using mass. Using a heavy broadhead is a great way to increase your arrows overall mass. Weight towards the front of the arrow enhances penetration in several ways. One way is by moving the balance point of the arrow closer to the tip. This gives the feathers a longer leverage arm, and a greater impact on the overall stability of the arrow. An arrow that is harder to move off tract will put forth the maximum amount of energy in propelling it straight forward, which will pay big dividends when penetrating an animal. For this reason we usually suggest starting with a broadhead that weighs 145gr, and work up from there. All of us here at RMSGear are using 200gr or heavier broadheads. I strongly suggest that you shoot the heaviest arrow that you can and still tolerate the trajectory. I also suggest that you try as much as you can to increase the overall weight of your arrow by adding point weight.

Shaft diameter: I strongly suggest that you use an arrow shaft with smaller or equal diameter to the broadhead you use. The arrow drag can have a big impact on penetration and you should try to decrease the amount of drag in order to increase penetration.

Sharpness: The sharpness of a broadhead is also of extreme importance. If you have good sharpening skills then you wouldn't be as concerned over how easy a broadhead is to sharpen. But if you're like the rest of us then having a broadhead that you can sharpen yourself in the field is quite nice. Grizzly broadheads have an excellent reputation for being tough and hard, however, many find them hard to sharpen. Quite a few bowhunters opt not to shoot them for this reason. Very, very few broadheads come out of the package sharp enough to hunt with. Your sharpening skills might change the choice you make on broadheads. Three blades are usually easier to sharpen then two blades. Softer steel is easier to sharpen than harder steel but more prone to bending. Take in to account your sharpening skills, or how much time you plan to devote to learning those skills. Ask your broadhead dealer these questions before buying, you will be happy you did.

The Ferrule: A solid steel ferrule is undoubtedly the best type to use. If the ferrule bends on contact the arrow will be robbed of a GREAT amount of penetration, maybe all of it. Aluminum ferrules are prone to bending on hard hit bones. That doesn't mean that you should not use them, but if you have the choice then I would suggest opting for a broadhead with a steel ferrule

A steel broadhead adaptor	An aluminum broadhead adaptor
A three blade broadhead with an aluminum ferrule	A three blade broadhead constructed of a solid piece of steel

The Point: Needle points are prone to bending even on shots that do not come in contact with bones. When a tip is bent or "rolled" your arrow will be robbed of penetration. A thick point, or a chisel (sometimes called "tanto") point is my preference. You may use a grinding wheel or a file to knock off the needle point of a broadhead. There are several fantastic broadheads on the market with needle points that I personally like to use. Before I hunt with them I use a grinding wheel and give them a tanto point.

The Edge: Among two bladed broadheads there are two popular edge shapes. The double bevel is the most popular, that is an edge which is sharped on both sides. And the single bevel. Dr. Ed Ashby's research concluded that single beveled broadheads have a big advantage in penetrating bone due to the rotational force caused by the unequal drag.

Choose responsibly: Thin or flimsy broadheads can completely break apart if bone is struck. I would never suggest a broadhead that wasn't solidly built. If you're broadhead isn't stout enough to remain intact on tough shots then you should be looking for another broadhead. I witnessed a friend shoot an elk with a "Wal-Mart" broadhead (he said it was the cheapest he could find at Wal-Mart). The shot placement was perfect but the arrow didn't even penetrate an inch past the broadhead. The broadhead totally failed when impacting an elk rib. Every blade was bent or broken and the ferrule was bent almost 90 degrees. This was just a rib. Conversely, Tom (RMSGear owner) shot an elk with almost identical shot placement, glancing off a rib on the near side and centering a rib on the far side. The arrow produced two holes and completely obliterated the far rib. This was with a solid steel three blade. Broadhead integrity is very important and can be the difference between wounding an animal and killing it quickly. It is up to you to make ethical decisions on your choice of equipment, at the very least you owe it to the animal you are trying to kill.

Two examples of common concerns that aren't always true:

Here are two examples of concerns that aren't always true, especially when the broadhead is coupled with characteristics that make the broadhead structurally sound and a heavy and perfectly tuned arrow. I chose examples with elk since they are on the larger end of the scale but not so big that we need to take drastic measures. Also, penetration is more dificult to obtain than on a deer and elk bones are a little bigger, so these examples stand out more than examples of deer.

Example 1: Three blades are poor choices on bone hits and don't penetrate as well:

Tom with the cow elk mentioned above. The three blade VPA broadhead damaged the near rib and completely obliterated the FAR SIDE rib (pictured). The result was a quick and humane kill with an exit hole and lots of blood on the ground.

The picture above is an example of exceptional performance from a three blade broadhead. Fears of a penetration decreased from a bone hit and a three blade broadhead proved unfounded in this case. Tom used a broadhead with exceptional structural integrity, a heavy arrow, and a lot of weight forward.

Example 2: Two blades don't produce a big enough bloodtrail:

Below is an example of a two blade which gave a large bloodtrail.

This elk was shot broadside. The two bladed Grizzly broadhead deflected off of the rib back towards the rear leg. Even with this deflection (which takes away a lot of energy from the arrow and decreases penetration) the arrow managed to completely penetrate the elk, providing an exit hole.