Elk Broadhead Suggestions for Low Poundage Archers

[jonesn3]

I am looking for any suggestions on broadheads for low draw weight archers. My dad is doing his first archery hunt with me this year. Although he's hoping to work up to 60 lbs by the time elk season arrives, he's only at 50 lbs currently. To be honest I'm not sure if he will make it to 55 lbs, let alone 60 lbs, and I certainly don't want him to injure himself for minimal gains. Any suggestions?

His setup is a Bowtech RevoltX DL 29", DW 50 lbs, and shooting a Gold Tip 340 spine with AW 407 gr at 247.5 fps.

In general, probably looking for a good cut-on-contact fixed blade BH. Probably sticking with 100 gr heads. Personally, I have been shooting IW single bevel and been happy with them but not sure that kind of expense is worth it for his first archery hunt! If not a COC head, I was thinking QAD Exodus. Thanks!

 

[TX_Diver]

I’d go with a cutthroat 2 blade (or 3 blade). Magnus will probably be recommended too and they are good but just less durable from my experience.

Get any decent fixed head sharp and you’ll be in good shape for reasonable distance shots.

 

[CMF]

Magnus Killer bee

I can't argue with the above comment about durability. I keep a new one on for hunting and use the old ones for practice.
I switched to IW this year, but have put down a few deer and a 6x6 bull with the killer bees. I still have the wife and kids shooting them.

 

[butcherboy]

Best broadheads that aren’t too expensive are Magnus stingers, Magnus buzzcuts, Magnus black hornet, Simmons Mako, Simmons landshark, Kudu. All of them will
be about 45-50 dollars for a 3 pack. Exodus and Tooth of the arrow would be good choices as well. Another one would be Slicktrick Vipertrick. My final pick would be a 3 blade Wacem.

 

[cornfedkiller]

Another vote for Magnus stingers or buzzcut. I switched to black hornets, but the stingers or buzzcuts would be better for lower poundage because of the blade angle. They fly great and Magnus has awesome customer service.

 

[Eastonsgrandpa]

I’d say more important than the actual head is knowing max range. That 50 pound bow is going to carry as much energy as a 70 pound bow from 10-15 years ago and they were putting critters down without a hitch. Stay within 40 yards and use a very sharp head. I really like the Grim Reaper fixed but will be carrying the Evolution heads this year. Put it where it counts and his bow will blow right through.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

29"/50# isn't really much of a handicap. I would go with a 2-blade fixed head of modest cutting diameter. Magnus Stinger would be my pick for "best bang for your buck".

 

[Zac]

If you already have the Iron Wills just let him use one of them. You can just tune his setup with your practice head. If you want to fill the rest of his quiver up with something else that is fine. I'd probably go with Kudu. I would stay away from anything with more than two blades. The Viper Trick would also be a good option.

 

[TheTone]

I set my wife up with viper tricks. We have had good luck with them so far

There are some reports of newer ones having some QC issues and not fitting together well

 

[Bump79]

I like a moderate cut on contact 2b with bleeder. Say a Simmons Mako, Magnus Black Hornet or you can step up to Iron Will.

I've got some like new Method (Vector) VBS broadheads in 100 grains that would be really good for that setup. PM me if you're interested. They don't make them anymore but they are top notch.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Any fixed blade coc head should be fine, I’d avoid mechanicals

 

[Fullfan]

QAD, Magnus and or Viper tricks will do what you need. I have killed bulls with all three, pulling 60 pounds.

 

[jonesn3]

I appreciate the feedback! Seems like there’s a lot of suggestions for cut-on-contact 2 blade options. I will take look at all those options. Any particular reason why not a 3 blade? I assume just for penetration reasons? But would love to hear more.

One reason for not having him shoot IWs in the same configuration as mine is hes shootng 100gr points and I’m shooting using 125, and we were thinking more weight would start to tank his velocity. With 125s using the same arrow would be about 432gr but unclear the velocity. Too slow or heavy for his setup at 50lbs?

 

[CMF]

Any particular reason why not a 3 blade? I assume just for penetration reasons?

Penetration....

 

[nphunter]

I think any head you can get to fly well will work great. My kids blown through a coupe of mature deer with expandables with similar draw weight and length. Obviously and elk is not a deer but that bow will have plenty of energy for pretty much any head if it’s placed through the lungs. I have my wife and kids shooting Kudu and German Jagers for elk. The Jagers fly great and are easy on the wallet, a small cut two blade is going to fly much better than some bigger fixed heads as well.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

One reason for not having him shoot IWs in the same configuration as mine is hes shootng 100gr points and I’m shooting using 125, and we were thinking more weight would start to tank his velocity. With 125s using the same arrow would be about 432gr but unclear the velocity. Too slow or heavy for his setup at 50lbs?

1 fps per 3 gr is a good rule of thumb to estimate change in speed vs. change in arrow weight. To get a little more mathy (and more accurate), multiply the known speed by the square root of the ratio of the arrow weights: 247.5 fps × SQRT(407 gr ÷ 432 gr) = 240.2 fps. Either of those arrow weights would work just fine.

 

[mavinwa2]

fixed CoC blade for sure.
I use IW last 4 years but for many years a Slick Trick.
One thing for certain, KEEP THEM SHARP. My IW's were good outta box but after touching them up, even better.

 

[jonesn3]

1 fps per 3 gr is a good rule of thumb to estimate change in speed vs. change in arrow weight. To get a little more mathy (and more accurate), multiply the known speed by the square root of the ratio of the arrow weights: 247.5 fps × SQRT(407 gr ÷ 432 gr) = 240.2 fps. Either of those arrow weights would work just fine.

This is great. I appreciate the two different methods for estimating velocity. The second method appears to be a very close estimate: we just chono'd eight different arrow weights spanning high 300's to low 500's, and we estimated velocity to be 241-242 fps with 125 gr points (overall 432 gr arrow weight). Assuming the shot placement is well placed in the mid-body/lungs/thoracic cavity, blade sharpness and durability are key. The feedback here so far is encouraging especially if we can limit our maximum effective range to 40 yds.

 

[Coveyleader]

The bow I have used for the last 18 years or so is almost the same in performance as it shoots a 460 grain arrow at 240fps. I’m somewhere in the 20ish elk killed with that bow, several of them being frontal shots.

i have used different style heads over the years, from slick trick standards to magnums, they have all killed elk, but some pentrate better than others. I’d stay away from the magnums with his setup.

Some people rave about the Vipertricks, my experience has been they fly excellent, pass throughs were the norm, but the blood trails and the way the elk reacted after the hit were so-so, but man they fly good though. I killed last years elk with one.

My favorite for a long time was the HellRazor from NAP. They have been very good in all aspects. Most most times a pass through was the end result on broadside shots.


I’m at the point now I just use what I have, and I’m not picky, but heads shaped like the Vioertrick or HellRazor no matter the brand, will no doubt kill an elk.

 

[Bump79]

Penetration....

Have you had issues with penetration with 3 blades? I've passed through every animal I've shot with a 3 blade. Even a 0.5:1 3 blade on elk frontal at 25 yds or so. Blew through him so fast and exited out the rear ham and buried in the dirt. Died immediately.

More animals are killed every year with a 3 blade than a 2 blade. Get them sharp and well tuned and they do the job very, very well. Guys like Aron Snyder swear by the head he helped make the RMS Cutthroat 3b - he's killed a lot of stuff and shoots those with his trad bow as well.