Broadhead Kill Data Similar to Caliber Thread

[Robobiss]

I am assuming that the majority of fixed users will mostly report full passthrough and mechanicals will likely be the ones that will have penetration issues. I am assuming (if the sampling is big enough), that there will problem be a brand, and/or design/feature in mechanicals that shows up in ones that fail to pass through consistently. Interested to see results in a few months though. Hopefully the threads really take off.

It’s mostly related to surface area and how large the cut is. Mechanicals (generally) have a much larger cut than fixed blades. Because if a fixed blade had a 2”+ cut it would never fly.

It takes a lot more energy to push a broadhead with a 2” cut through X inches of flesh, than it does to push a 1-3/8” cut broadhead through the same inches of flesh.

The ones with the lowest % of pass throughs (generally) all else being equal will be the ones with the largest cut as they are doing more work inside the animal than the ones with the smaller cut and are requiring more energy to get it done.

2” x 13” (not quite through the other side)=26” of cutting. 1.375” (1-3/8”)X 14” (full pass through)=19.25” of cutting. It’s more scientific than this, but you can’t cut and hemorrhage that much more flesh without some tradeoffs. Namely penetration depth.

 

[DenimChicken]

I was thinking the same thing when I listened. It’s a step in the right direction for data though. A compound bow speed dataset for a variety of DW, DL, LO, and AW would be interesting too. Could help a lot of guys without a chrono

That's an interesting idea. I recently picked up a Garmin Xero and having my exact velocity is great.

The ones with the lowest % of pass throughs (generally) all else being equal will be the ones with the largest cut as they are doing more work inside the animal than the ones with the smaller cut and are requiring more energy to get it done.

2” x 13” (not quite through the other side)=26” of cutting. 1.375” (1-3/8”)X 14” (full pass through)=19.25” of cutting. It’s more scientific than this, but you can’t cut and hemorrhage that much more flesh without some tradeoffs. Namely penetration depth.

What's interesting is how guys have different opinions on what they have seen. I don't have enough sample size to have an opinion one way or another, but I've heard a number of guys say they get better blood trails with a big mechanical hole that doesn't pass through than with a smaller fixed blade pass through.

 

[HbDane]

I always have both in my quiver for different scenarios. But I would definitely be interested in a thread for this data analysis

 

[Robobiss]

That's an interesting idea. I recently picked up a Garmin Xero and having my exact velocity is great.

What's interesting is how guys have different opinions on what they have seen. I don't have enough sample size to have an opinion one way or another, but I've heard a number of guys say they get better blood trails with a big mechanical hole that doesn't pass through than with a smaller fixed blade pass through.

And they could be correct in that.

The difference in hemorrhaging and how much tissue and how many blood vessels are severed between a 1”,1-1/16” or 1-3/8” to a 2” is huge. Like twice as much.

 

[Long Cut]

https://seafwa.org/sites/default/files/journal-articles/26Pedersen_et_al_163-166.pdf

This is by far the most accurate data I’ve been able to find in regard to Mechanical vs. Fixed blade broad-heads on white tailed deer.
A long read and older, but very interesting.

A lot of the Forum & Podcasts are just guys talking. Show me proof, pictures, data sets, then you’ve got my interest.

 

[blackveltbowhunter]

 

[elkhunter505]

Been shooting QAD exodus for a couple years now and have been happy with performance. Short draw length so mostly not pass thrus but when I put the arrow where it’s supposed to go, the hole is great. I had similar results with Muzzy Trocars in years past. In contrast, I found Slick Tricks to not put as big of a hole in animals. I’ve come to the conclusion that the geometry of the 3-blade hole causes it to remain much more open than a 4-blade hole. The one thing I haven’t shot is 2-blades. I’ve had them in my quiver but just never lucky enough to shoot something with them. I have killed a couple things with expandables and they do leave a big hole but I just don’t trust them on elk so I stay consistent and use fixed blades for everything. The holes they leave are exorbitant but I just try to eliminate any moving parts so that the only failure is me.

Both exodus holes here. Thought I had a better pick of the buck but hole is similar size and shape but a pass through.

 

[Beendare]

In my 4+ decades of killing critters with all of the different BH designs, The one critical factor that pops out from all of my kills is shot placement. DUH, right? But judging by the way guys change their BH like they change their underwear....many are still looking for that magic bullet [BH]

Sorry to burst the bubble of one particular BH having magical properties....but it's more to do with the archers skillset and bow tuning to make sure that arrow goes exactly where you want it to go.

It really is a testament to the effectiveness of a Bow and arrow as a killing machine in the right hands.

I'm in the penetration camp as I've seen some big inefficient BH's stop short of reaching vitals.......thus I like my setup to over penetrate guaranteeing I always catch vitals and almost always giving me 2 holes....but again, they all work if you put the arrow in the right spot.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

In my 4+ decades of killing critters with all of the different BH designs, The one critical factor that pops out from all of my kills is shot placement. DUH, right? But judging by the way guys change their BH like they change their underwear....many are still looking for that magic bullet [BH]

Sorry to burst the bubble of one particular BH having magical properties....but it's more to do with the archers skillset and bow tuning to make sure that arrow goes exactly where you want it to go.

It really is a testament to the effectiveness of a Bow and arrow as a killing machine in the right hands.

I'm in the penetration camp as I've seen some big inefficient BH's stop short of reaching vitals.......thus I like my setup to over penetrate guaranteeing I always catch vitals and almost always giving me 2 holes....but again, they all work if you put the arrow in the right spot.

I've personally seen Magnus stingers that I hand sharpened fail to pass through whitetail deer in the golden triangle... (17 yards, 500 gr arrow moving 175 fps, 17 yard shot kill pic below).

I'm in the camp of shoot something that will put blood on the ground even if it doesn't pass through. 2 blades just aren't my cup of tea.

Notice the tiny hole where just the tip of the head poked through the hide on the offside.

 

[fatlander]

Broadheads are one part of the arrow that is propelled by the archers inputs into the bow.

Assuming we’re talking about the average size and strength grown man, shooting a 320-335 IBO bow that is properly TUNED, a ~440ish grain arrow with a well designed mechanical is the optimal set up for North American game.

I’ve killed over 100 animals with a bow and arrow. My conclusions on arrows are as follows: Build the most accurate arrow and forgiving arrow you can with the acceptable pin gaps you want. Hit the critter in the lungs, and you’ll have a great day. Hit them elsewhere, and it’s always dicey. . . I’ve shot slow bows with a 26” draw length at 60 pounds when I was a teenager all the way up to fast bows at my adult 29” draw length and 80+ pounds. Arrow weights from 350ish grains to 550 grains, small cut on contacts to big mechanicals.

The only thing that holds true across all of that is hitting them in the lungs. Over the years, a 280ish FPS arrow that falls somewhere between 400 and 500 grains with a well designed mechanical has worked best for me across all applications. Mechs hit behind the pin more often than fixed heads, there’s no way around that.

My current big game set up is pushing a 515 grain arrow somewhere between 285 and 290 fps with 1 3/8” grim reaper pro series 3 blade mechs on the front end. Penetration isn’t a concern.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk