I have been asked a number of times over the past 20 plus years in the sport of archery what is the best broad head. That question has sparked a number of debates between customers in my store and it always ends up a draw.
In my opinion there is no “ONE” broad head that works on everything, yes they all cut holes, yes they are all sharp, and yes 99.9% of them will get the job done, or will they? One of the key selling points to broad heads has always been then look, if it looks deadly then it is bound to get the job done.
Lets take a second and put in the true variables that need to be considered prior to selection of a broad head. I use these daily when assisting a customer with their selection.
Draw weight/ Arrow weight/ Shaft spine/Arrow speed/ Type fletching/ Shaft diameter/Total kinetic energy/ and most important what type of game.
Arrow flight and accuracy can be greatly effected by the the physical size and profile of a broad head and should also be considered.
Fixed blade broad heads that are true cut on impact are always my starting point. They expend less kinetic energy when entering a carcass, no mater if its a broad side shot or quartering. The one thing to note with these type broad heads is the angle and length of blade. Short compact broad heads will expend more stored energy than longer tapered blades.
+ The fixed blade head is a big plus in short draw length lite poundage bows.
+ They provide a number of options from light to heavy carcass animals.
- Arrow flight issues and bow tuning may be a problem with larger fixed blade broad heads known as planning but I feel the little extra work to clean up the flight pays of big in success of the hunt.
(examples of various blades sizes and tapers)
Mechanical broad heads have made a large leap over the past few years in durability and effectiveness. These heads normally fly as well as your field points and require minimal to no additional tuning requirements. They however expend more stored energy to operate than a fixed blade and consideration of type animal to be hunted should way heavy in choosing this type broad head especially when hunting large animals such as Elk, Bison or Wild boar.
+ These heads have larger cutting widths when opened.
+ Minimal tuning issues.
- Even larger energy loss when entering a carcass which is multiplied when attempting a quartering shot.
- Arrow speeds above 260 fps, in my opinion are a must.
Mechanical broad heads can be devastating, but I highly recommend the archer understand the limits and apply them to his or her specific application.
(examples of mechanical broad heads)
This article was written not to settle which 0ne is better than the other, but to make a few points to ponder as to your next selection for a broad head. Good hunting and may GOD Bless.
Tags: broadheads, fixed, How To, machanicall, Reviews, tec tips
all good points but i don’t see where you addressed things like cost of ownership. for instance with mechanicals the blades have to be replaced after each shot, the same goes for alot of fixed blade broad heads with replaceable blades. whereas something like a g5 montec is more expensive upfront but there are no replacement parts, you just sharpen the blade after each kill.