Buying Guides: Best Crossbow Broadhead

Now that you have seen our reviews of the best broadheads for crossbow, it’s time to make your decision. If you have been bowhunting a long time you will already know your preferences, but for the inexperienced among you keep reading.

Below I have highlighted the key points that you will need to consider when looking for your first broadheads, and hopefully by the end you will feel informed enough to make your choice.

Broadhead tip weight

Crossbow broadheads, like regular broadheads are weighed in grains. Typically, broadheads for crossbow will be heavier than their counterparts (usually 100 – 125 grains), because of the crossbow bolts shorter length and the extra force exerted by the crossbow.

The easiest way to select the appropriate grain weight is to check the recommendations from the company that manufactured your crossbow. Be warned, you can go heavier than recommended weight limits, but you should never go below the manufacturer’s recommendation; or risk damaging your bow and injury.

Best Types of Broadhead Tips

Broadheads are available with two types of tip, chisel and cut on contact. Each has its pros and cons alongside differing applications.

Chisel tips deliver a large amount of damage on penetration and leave an excellent blood trail to track your prize after contact

Chisel

Chisel tip broadheads have a rounded end that has been honed to a point, bearing resemblance to a POZI drive screwdriver bit that has been sharpened.

Because of their design, chisel tips have improved penetration on contact with bone, and for game with tougher hides like hog or elk. Chisel tips deliver a large amount of damage on penetration and leave an excellent blood trail to track your prize after contact

Cut on Contact

Cut on contact tips have the blades flank right up to the tip, creating a bladed point and offer faster penetration with less of a blood trail. Cut on contact broadheads are known to bend if they come into contact with bone on entry, becoming less efficient; but they do offer greater organ penetration.

Fixed Blade vs. Mechanical Blades

Most of the broadheads available now are either fixed blade or mechanical, and there has been much debate about which is best and why. Typically, once a bowhunter has found what they like, they will stick with it.

But each design has its own benefits and detractions.

Mechanical Blades

Mechanical broadheads are a relatively modern addition to the bowhunter’s arsenal. These broadheads fly true like a field point but deploy blades upon contact with your target.

These features lead to easier handling, and vital organ damage with a large wound channel that creates an excellent blood trail.

Pros – Mechanical broadheads are easier to adapt to, as they fly very similar to field point bolts that you will have used in practice. They also offer a larger cutting diameter than fixed blade broadheads, leading to quicker more humane kills.

Cons – Mechanical broadheads feature moving parts, and as such can be prone to malfunction. Modern advancements have reduced the likelihood of this happening, but it remains a possibility. Bone is the enemy of mechanical broadheads, catching a shoulder or rib on entry can change the trajectory of your bolt causing you to miss the vital organs. When the blades bloom, there is a loss of kinetic energy which can affect penetration on contact which will cost you when hunting larger game. Many game reserves won’t allow the use of mechanical broadheads.

Application – Mechanical broadheads have found popularity with hunters looking for whitetail and small game, because of the increased level of accuracy needed for the smaller vital zones.

Fixed blade

There are many styles of fixed blade broadheads available, and they have been a staple since Neolithic archers first made a flint arrowhead. The number of blades available on these broadheads vary between two, three, and four.

Fixed blade broadheads will need to be regularly sharpened, and some models will require sharpening straight out of the box. Many have the option to remove the blades to make sharpening easier.

Broadheads with fixed blades are available in a number of assortments, from grain weights to cutting diameter, to the number of blades. You will be sure to find something that suits your needs.

Pros – Unlike mechanical broadheads, fixed blade broadheads have no moving parts that will potentially malfunction during use. Since the blade is already ‘deployed’ there is no loss of kinetic energy on impact, improving rates of penetration. Maintenance is simpler for fixed blade broadheads, the only requirement is that you keep them clean and sharp.

Cons – Fixed blades can be affected by the wind, and are generally not as aerodynamic as mechanical broadheads which leaves them at a disadvantage for accuracy.

Application – Most serious elk hunters will opt for a fixed blade broadhead for their reliability and deeper penetration. Moose, bear, and bison are also popular targets for fixed blade broadheads.

Difference between regular broadheads and crossbow broadheads

Many bowhunters claim there I no difference between crossbow broadheads and regular broadheads, and for a while, they may have been right. But with the explosion in popularity of crossbow hunting, broadheads have become more specialized for their needs.

Shorter blades

Typically, fixed blade broadheads for crossbows will have shorter blades, this helps to improve accuracy by compensating for the crossbow bolts shorter length.

Heavier

While there is some overlap in this area, crossbow broadheads tend to be heavier than their compound or recurve counterparts. 100 – 150 grains is a standard margin for crossbow users, giving the bolt some balance by being weighted forward; leading to a straighter flight path.

Better blade retention

Crossbow users tend to favor mechanical broadheads to make use of the greater accuracy on offer, and the diminished effect the win will have on the bolt in flight. Because crossbow bolts leave the weapon at higher speeds, mechanical broadheads developed for crossbows have stronger blade retention to avoid premature deployment.

Top Crossbow Broadhead for Deer

Fixed blade and mechanical broadheads are both useful if it is deer you are pursuing, however, there are a few factors to take into consideration. Some are determined by your skill, and others are more practical.

Fixed Blade vs Mechanical

Whether you choose a fixed blade or mechanical broadhead when hunting deer is a personal preference. The main point you will need to consider is your skill with the weapon.

Mechanical broadheads provide more accuracy and shoot similarly to field points used in practice and are a good option for beginners. Fixed blade broadheads will deliver a more efficient kill, but are harder to shoot.

Broadhead Weight

When hunting deer, 100 or 125-grain broadheads are both good, but any lower and you will lack the penetration required to finish the job. If you have a particularly powerful crossbow, 150 grain might be an option, but the benefits are negligible.

Blade count

Any number of blades will do the job, as long as you have a sufficient cutting diameter, more blades create a larger wound channel but don’t offer anything in the way of lethality.

Cut Diameter

As long as you have a cutting diameter larger than an inch, your broadhead should provide enough lethality to take down a deer quickly and humanely.