Phil from Maine

I feel it depends on your bow wieght as well as I shoot 75-80 lbs
and shoot arrows that look like tree trunks with a heavey broadhead.
And for me it is all about control. If the arrow is to lite is spins from
the back and then not as acurate. So going heavey I loose a little
distance but the hitting is very hard. One of the deer I had shot
was a hard shot to the briskett and went clean through the heart
and out the side ribbs. Broke four bones on the way through. So I
do not mind the heavey weights at all.

gzg38b

If you are trying to increase kinetic energy, the easiest way to do it is to shoot a heavier arrow. Heavy arrows make your bow more efficient because they absorb more of the bow's energy. With a super light arrow, some of the bows energy is lost through noise and vibration. I've tested different arrow wieghts from 350 grain up to 530 grains at 70# / 30" and I get way more KE from heavier arrows. That's why guys like Fred Bear could kill big African game with 150 fps stick bows - because their arrows were HEAVY and they used 2blade brodheads with a 1:3 ratio.

Elkcrazy8

If you run the numbers through any arrow program, you will find that there is a point of diminishing returns on how heavy that you go. I found that 450 grains with my setup was the optimum weight for maximizing KE. With my 520 grain logs, I dropped two pounds of KE. There is a balance between the two.

Oldhootowl

"A cut on contact head will penetrate better than a trocar tip, unless it curls."

"A steep angle (short) head has a harder time penetrating than a longer gradual angle blade."

Thats a fine theory, but what about testing in consistent, controlled, repeatable tests to prove that? If its true you will see it happen.

As 5 shot has stated, "Heads with shorter ferrules and smaller profiles consistently outpenetrate more traditional styles in my broadhead tests."

Simply put, the 3:1 "cut on contact" penetrates better theory has not proven to be true.

And trocar style tips do penetrate better than "cut on contact" on bone. The trocar tip blows a hole for the rest of the head to follow. A "cut on contact" tip tries to slice its way through, and friction with the ferrule trying to squeeze through the hole kills penetration.

gtousey

I happened to be doing some mindless web browsing one night and came across an article regarding broadhead penetration testing. While this article was specific to a hunter going after Cape Buff and his testing the best setup to put an arrow into one of those beasts. The tests proved quite conclusively that a 2 blade razor head provides the best penetration.

It's a pretty long article, but interesting read, if for no other reason then to see what kind of arrows he made to get 980 grains of weight!!!

http://www.bowsite.com/BOWSITE/features/articles/equipment/penetration/

DaveC

For what it's worth and not trying to argue with any one-

For grins yesterday when I decided to poke holes inbrand new never been shot before yellow jacket BH target I did a little at home test.
I know we don't hunt foam, but I was wanting to see if any of my heads would outperform the other in a FRESH target.

All shot from the same arrows all penetrated the same, easily within 1/4" of each other.
Heads-
muzzy phantom
stinger 4 blade
slick trick magnums
muzzy 3 blade
All 4 arrows were shot in the same volley at the same distance but at 4 seperate squares of tape.

I was hoping one would stand out above the rest, but it just didn't happen in foam.
So much for that test[8D].

waltwittman

magnus stinger!!! it can not be beaten for penetration... these are the sharpest and least resistant broadheads made period.... and they fly like field points... they are a bow-hunters wet-dream come true!!!!

DaveC

We must be at different stages in our bowhunting life.

BobCo19-65

On real big game? Easy, all of Dr Ashby's testing on big game (and I mean big game) shows that Grizzly 160 grain two blade are the best you can get for penetration.

Antler Eater

Although DaveC's testing was on the informal side, I do think that if your mind is open it speaks volumes. I have seen similar results with various headsin the past.

When a person is talking whitetails I think there is a point that we reach where we start to split hairs on the difference in broadheads and their potential to penetrate... I mean certainly all things being equal a two blade should out penetrate a three blade and a three blade should out penetrate a four etc. Smaller diameter should out penetrate a large diameter etc. But there are uncontrollable varibles in a hunting situation that effect penetration no matter what head one is using. Sometimes a broadhead will get the blame in a certain situation when in fact it wasn't the failure of the head at all.

Purchase a quality head with specsthat are in line with the type of rig you are shooting (in other words one wouldn't want to shoot a two inch cut head shooting a 40 pound bow with a 27 inch draw), tune it to fly where you are aiming, pick a spot on a whitetail's vitals and send an arrow there. If you do that, that deer is going down!