If you have ever gone hunting with a bow and arrow, you already know how exhilarating it can be to take your fixed blade broadheads out and look them over. From the way that they catch the light, to putting them onto your arrows, using fixed blade broadheads is just something that you probably look forward to every single year. But have you ever wondered how to find the best fixed blade broadheads?
You may feel as though all fixed blade broadheads are similar or even worse, all created equally with the same quality of blades. In a perfect bow and arrow hunting world, you would absolutely be correct! The broadheads and the blades they use would all be equally matched. However, that is not the world around you. Here is everything that you need to know about this unique style of arrow tip, including which broadhead is the very best.
What are Fixed Blade Broadheads?
What makes a fixed blade broadhead a fixed blade broadhead is that the blades on the tip do not move. They are 'fixed' in place. They are actually going to be attached to the central ferule in some way and will be angled outwards, moving away from the tip. As the name ‘fixed blade broadhead’ conveys, there are no actual moving parts. Essentially, the arrowhead will remain in its fixed position from the second you put it into your hip or back quiver, all the way until it hits the animal you are hunting.
Having been around for centuries, fixed blades are much simpler to use when compared to mechanical broadheads, which are another type of arrow tip used for hunting with a bow. Fixed blades are practical, elegant, and you will fall in love with them from the first hunt you use them on.
You may be wondering how they stack up against field point arrows? While it would be great to say that the best fixed blade is able to fly like a field point, they unfortunately don't. With the ever evolving arrow technology though, there may soon be a stainless steel blade broadhead that is able to flyer as well as field points.
Fixed Blade Broadheads vs Mechanical and Other Broadheads
As mentioned, there are a few different types of broadhead arrows available to you. The most popular types of broadheads are the fixed blade, the removable blades, and mechanical broadheads. When it comes to which are the best fixed blade broadheads that you will enjoy using more, that is something that is completely subjective. It will ultimately come down to what you are expecting out of your arrows, the type of animals you are hunting, and just what your personal preference is.
Keeping that in mind, there are many more bow hunters who prefer to use a fixed blade broadhead. However, there have been studies done that imply mechanical broadheads are the more successful arrow in regard to hunting. It makes the least popular style of broadhead the removable blade broadhead. For this reason, the removable blade broadhead will be left out of this comparison.
Fixed
Where the fixed blade broadheads excel at the most is how reliable they are. It is for this reason that most hunters prefer to use them over the other types of broadheads available to them. What makes them so reliable is the fact that there are no moving parts that can become damaged or broken. You see exactly what you are getting with the fixed blade. The worry about an arrow tip malfunction has been completely removed.
Mechanical
Not to be left out, mechanical broadheads are able to offer some advantages as well. A mechanical broadhead is more aerodynamic, making it more accurate as well. This is because the blades are able to retract. This design is even able to penetrate its target deeper. With all of these additional benefits, why not use a mechanical broadhead instead of fixed blade broadheads? The answer is simple really. You must make sure that the mechanical broadhead will work when you need it to.
Summary
The debate between the fixed and mechanical broadhead is all coming down to what you personally prefer. If you are more into reliability, the fixed head will be best. If you are more of a gambler and don’t really care if your prey gets away if your arrow doesn’t open properly or at all, the mechanical may be the best fit.
Legalities and Ethics of Using Fixed Blade Broadheads
While laws regarding the type of arrow tip you use when hunting may not be very high up on your checklist of getting ready for hunting season, they should be. In fact, the laws surrounding broadheads are actually very complicated. Depending upon the state you live in, there are going to be different laws that you will need to abide by. These include:
- Which type of broadhead you will be using?
- How many blades it has?
- How large it is?
- Whether there are barbs or not?
- What type of poison you are using (if you are planning on using any poison, which most states do not allow)?
As if that weren’t bad enough, your specific county and even your hunting zone or town may have additional rules and restrictions, those being on top of whatever your particular state’s may be.
Putting all of the local restrictions aside, the standard fixed blade broadhead is generally going to be legal in most of the places that you will want to use them in. There may oftentimes be special stipulations that you will need to know about. For example, it is not uncommon for a state to require your broadheads to have a minimum of two blades, while being no smaller than 7/8” wide. Other areas may have a stipulation that limits how wide your broadhead can be. There can even be restrictions and limitations on how long they can be.
You may be thinking to yourself that it is silly to impose such strict restrictions on bowhunting. However, these rules and restrictions have been put into place for a very good reason, ethics.
Ethics of Using Fixed Blade Broadheads
As was just mentioned, most of the rules and laws that have been put into place in regard to hunting with a broadhead arrow, have been put there for ethical reasons, as well as to make sure that the stock in that particular area remains healthy and plentiful. You must consider the fact that using a broadhead that has been deemed as ‘illegal’, has a much higher chance of injuring an animal without actually killing it. A situation like this is never a good one for you or the query.
It is for this reason that you should always go out of your way to check any local and state laws when you plan to hunt in a new location with broadheads. While it may seem like an unnecessary step while preparing for your hunting trip, it is one that can save you a ton of headache and trouble further down the road.
How to Sharpen Fixed Blade Broadheads
If you have never had to sharpen the blade on your broadheads before, it can seem like a very daunting task. But similar to everything that is new, as soon as you have tried to do it yourself and have seen that it is not as hard as you thought it to be, you will have no problem getting it done. The very same is true about sharpening your broadhead arrow tips, which will need to be done by using a blade sharpening stone.
Ideally, you will be using a diamond stone blade sharpener (as most hunters prefer to use a diamond stone) that has been designed specifically for sharpening the blade on your broadheads. This is actually the best method of sharpening your broadheads but using a blade sharpening stone from your local hardware store will also work if a diamond stone is not available.
The best way to sharpen the blade on your broadheads is as follows:
- Take a sharpie and make a mark on each of the fixed blades. This ensures that you sharpen each one of them and none are forgotten.
- Attach the broadhead to be sharpened to the shaft of an arrow and firmly press it against your blade sharpening stone.
- While keeping pressure on the arrow, start moving the head in a back-and-forth motion towards the broadhead tip.
- Repeat this about 10 times.
- Rotate the broadhead tip until all sides of each steel blade have been sharpened.
- Flip your broadhead blade tip over and repeat with the other side.
How to Choose the Right Fixed Blade Broadheads
Selecting the best fixed blade broadhead for your arrows is much more complicated than you may think. There are many different factors that are involved with choosing the best broadhead for your needs. For example:
- What does the penetration need to be?
- What about the weight and size of the broadhead tip?
- How many blades does the broadhead need?
- What material should it be made out of?
- What about maintenance?
- Are you going to replace the blades?
If you are not sure what the best fixed blade broadhead for your individual needs is, it can be very confusing initially. But don’t worry, here is everything you need to know about choosing the best broadhead tips for your needs.
1. What Type of Bow are You Using?
This is a question that doesn’t really matter at this point, but it is a common one and should be addressed. No matter if you are using a regular bow or a crossbow, most broadheads will be interchangeable. This means that you are able to use a broadhead tip that is meant for a crossbow bolt on a regular archery arrow and vice-versa. This is because the threading on the broadheads is going to be the same.
2. The Best Broadhead Materials
Manufacturers who make fixed blade tips are going to do so out of two different materials. They are either making stainless steel blades or aluminum blades. As with anything, there are pros and cons of each type of material.
Steel
Stainless steel blades have the benefit of being made out of steel, which is a very strong metal. This means that if you hit your prey’s bone or miss and end up hitting a rock, there is less chance of damage being done. This allows for a much longer use potential when compared to their aluminum counterparts.
But as you may have guessed, this additional strength and longevity means that the steel broadheads will be slightly more expensive as well. As if that weren’t enough, steel is no dauntedly heavier than aluminum. Heavier arrows do not fly as far and tend to have more drop in regard to the arrow as a whole. Something that you may want to consider when it comes to increasing your accuracy using broadheads.
On a sidenote, you must make sure that the steel broadhead tips you are using are actually stainless steel. If they are regular steel, they have the potential to rust and become useless.
Aluminum
Apart from the obvious fact that aluminum broadheads are much more affordable than steel ones, aluminum broadhead tips are also much lighter. This is also the very same reason that airplanes are made out of aluminum, not steel. This simply means that you can expect your aluminum tip arrows to go much farther while being more accurate at the very same time.
Another benefit with the aluminum broadheads is that you never have to worry about any type of corrosion. No matter what people may say, the fact of the matter is that aluminum will never oxidize. However, it can change to aluminum oxide (which is not actually rust). But this is not necessarily a bad thing. You see, aluminum oxide will form a layer on top of the surface of your arrow tip, actually increasing the strength of the broadhead.
One major downside though, aluminum is a much weaker metal than steel is. This means that your aluminum broadheads can bend more easily, ultimately making them much more difficult for you to shoot with any type of accuracy. There is actually a chance that they may break as well. In the long run, you will need to replace the aluminum ones much sooner when compared to the steel ones.
3. Number of Blades
The best fixed broadheads will typically come in either a 3 or 4 blade configuration. This is because of the 3-dimensional shape of the blade. This unique shape prevents the muscle tissue from simply splitting, which would otherwise close around the wound and leave a very poor blood trail. If you are unable to find the blood trail, you risk losing your big game.
As far as the 4 blade broadhead is concerned, it is going to amplify this concept. It will be much more likely to cut up more muscle tissue, ideally creating a much larger wound that will not be able to close up and leave a larger blood trail (if you have ever hunted big game with a bow, you already know how important a good blood trail can be). On the flipside though, the 3 blades will be much easier to sharpen, so choose your fixed broadhead wisely.
4. Types of Tips
A fixed blade broadhead will come in either chisel tip or cut on contact.
Chisel Tip
The chisel tip is the more common of the two and is shaped just like a chisel. This design will help split your hunted animal’s hide before the blade has begun to cut. Chisel tips are much more likely to stay on course and pierce any bones they may hit. Chisel tips are best for compound bows or crossbows.
Cut on Contact
Cut on contact broadheads consist of blades that run all the way to the arrow’s tip. As soon as a cut on contact arrow has come into contact with its target, they will begin slicing through their hide. While this gives them an increased amount of penetration, you will need to be much more accurate with your shooting in order for them to be effective. Cut on contact arrows are ideal for those who hunt with longbows or recurve bows and are considered to be the ‘go-to’ for the traditional bowhunter.
5. Cutting Diameter
The cutting diameter is essentially how wide of a wound the broadhead creates once it hits its target. The larger the cutting diameter, the larger the wound will be and a much better blood trail. The tradeoff here, is going to be the penetration. The wider the cutting diameter is, the more blade that will need to be contacting the muscle tissue. This slows down the sharp blades of your arrow much quicker than an arrow with a shorter cutting diameter. On top of that, there is a greater chance that you will hit bone, potentially deflecting your arrow of its course or worse, stopping it altogether.
Typically, if you are planning on hunting larger game such as elk or moose, you will want to have a much smaller cutting diameter in order to penetrate deeper into their body. If you are planning on hunting smaller game, a wider cutting diameter will allow for a much better blood trail.
6. Weight
The weight of the broadhead, which is also referred to as grains, is normally 100 grain. While 100 grain is the norm, they can range between 75 grains, 125 grains, and even up to 150 grains as well. The rule of thumb is that if your arrow is heavier, your broadhead will be heavier. If you have a lighter arrow, you will have a lighter broadhead. To keep it simple, most hunters just use 100 grain and are happy with their decision. The next most popular option would be the 125 grains one.
Lighter arrows will fly farther and faster, while heavier arrows have the ability to penetrate much deeper. This is why 100 grain is the most common, as it is the perfect medium of speed, distance, and penetration. Just keep in mind that not every model of broadhead will be available in anything other than 100 grain, so make sure you double check the weight you are buying before you actually buy it. But again, the 100 grain are typically going to cover all of your needs.
7. Replacing the Blades
Many broadheads come in a one-piece design. This just means that the entire broadhead is a single piece of aluminum or steel, that including the blades. This means that you will not be able to switch out any of the blades. As mentioned earlier, there is a broadhead that does have replaceable blades. The main feature of these is that you are able to replace an individual blade when it gets bent or becomes dull. While this sounds great, it only means that it will be more work for you.
This means that your broadhead will have many more pieces to it, that only meaning there are more things that can go wrong. The big upside, however, is that they have a much better reusability than the other types of broadheads.
The Best Fixed Blade Broadheads
Finding the best fixed broadheads is no easy task. There are a ton of different options out there and they all claim to be the best at what they do. From finding the best 2 blade fixed broadhead to the best 3 blade and even 4 blade one, here are the fixed broadheads that are considered to be the best of the best. If you are serious about finding the best blade design for your hunting needs, you are going to want to check these stainless steel broadheads out.
1. G5 Outdoors Montec M3
This 3 blade broadhead is constructed out of one piece of steel and is just an all-around scary looking arrow tip. If you are going off of looks and blade design alone, these stainless steel broadheads look like they are meant for killing. Available in multiple weights, it is an ideal broadhead for many different bows and arrows.
Now factor in that they are easy to install, easy to sharpen, is reusable, and that there are no extra pieces that can become lost or damaged, and you have the potential for the perfect fixed broadhead and the best fixed broadheads for deer. The one downside, however, is that once damage does occur, there is no replacing that particular piece.
2. Slick Trick Magnum
The Slick Trick Magnum is a steel chisel tip broadhead that is able to either give you an edge or 4 blades if you are out hunting. What really makes these stand out though, is the fact that the stainless steel 4-blade system uses what is referred to as an ‘Alcatraz bladelock system’. What this does for the arrow, is to make the blades much more stable, durable, and even reusable. More importantly, it also means that they will be much more accurate as well.
The special chisel tip blades increases the amount of penetration you can expect to achieve, as the chisel tip blades will not deflect off of bone or stop upon hitting your game. This means that you can expect a much larger cutting diameter as well. With no real downsides other than only coming in minimal weights, this is another broadhead that will provide you with some ideal cutting and blades that don't only look dangerous, but blades that are dangerous. You should definitely consider checking out these blades for your hunting needs.
3. Muzzy Trocar
Known around the archery world as being ‘bad to the bone’ due to the extremely sharp blades, these steel tip broadheads can cause some very serious damage with their one piece steel blades and unique blade design. Considered by some to be the best fixed blade broadheads for elk, you will have a hard time finding anything that is as accurate and can penetrate as well as the 3 blade Muzzy Trocars.
Hunters like these as they not only provide some outstanding penetration, but they also have a wider cutting diameter of 1 3/16" as well. Due to this wider cutting diameter, you will have no problem following the trail of blood your blades have just created. On a side note, this 1 3/16" cutting diameter is actually going to be the largest of all the tips mentioned in this list. So if you are looking for something that can provide you with pure power and a larger cutting diameter, this is the broadhead for you.
While this may be the perfect 3 blade for you and your hunting needs, keep in mind that there is a downside with the Muzzy Trocars. That being they only come in a 100 grain variety. But if you can live with that, this may be what you need to elevate your bowhunting success.
4. QAD Exodus
What really makes the QAD Exodus stand out is the unusually compact shape that they have. In fact, you may even think that the blade design simply looks funny. But don’t be fooled by this. These broadheads are able to cause some very serious damage and slice through just about any type of tissue that they come into contact with.
These broadheads will provide you with accuracy, penetration, and the blades can even be replaced as they are slightly detached from the steel ferrule. Just remember that this also means they will require more work to assemble.
5. Sinbadteck
Definitely the best broadheads for the value, these are great if you are new to hunting and are trying to get your bow tuned in while using a fixed blade broadhead. Since these are great for beginners, they have sharp blades that have been designed to be as accurate as possible. Also providing you with plenty of penetrative power, they do have a smaller cutting diameter than many of the other options out there. Ultimately, the blades will give you a nice cutting upon penetration, but the more experienced hunter may find a broadhead with better cutting diameter to be more appropriate.
Conclusion
If you are a bowhunter or have ever considered trying it, you will see the best fixed broadhead is typically the one that has 3 or 4 blades and a steel ferrule. There are many out there that claim to have all the answer for all of your hunting needs. But as with anything, this is not going to be true. If you are looking for the best fixed blade broadheads available on the market today, they are definitely the Slick Trick Magnum. These not only have a steel ferrule and some great looking blades, but they are the most accurate fixed blade broadhead as well. And since they do come in 125 grain weight, it means that they are one of the best 125 grain fixed blade broadheads too.
Finding the best broadheads for your individual hunting needs will depend upon your individual needs, but the broadheads mentioned above are all worth checking out!