Today we discuss some of the best broadheads for crossbow hunting, and why they would work for you. We cover each type of broadhead; fixed, mechanical, and hybrid. Follow us on the socials: FB - / bowhunting IG - / bowhuntordie
There is an article from Quality Deer Management Association that speaks to an in depth 30 year study conducted at the Indianhead Military installation on the Potomac. This study compared the results with hunters recovery rates on deer between fixed blade to mechanical broadheads. The results provided substantial data that showed there was a statistically significant advantage in using mechanical broadheads compared to fixed with recovering your deer with both compound and crossbows.
Great video. Just bought a Havoc and have been trying to decide what broad head to use. My normal broad head was crossbow hypodermic This was a Great help. Thxs
Sevr 2.0 and Robusto. No question, no doubt. Not even close! I've tried pretty much every broadhead on the market from my Barnett and now, Ravin crossbows and was blown away by how much better Sevr is than others on the market. Being able to practice with the very same BH that you hunt with by just using a set screw to keep your blades from deploying and dulling gives you incredible confidence. They have proven again and again that they are the most rugged and dependable. Just watch some of the Sevr videos on here. Being able to pivot around ribs and opening a much wider wound channel if you hit on an angle. There's really no competition. It's just the fact that they are sold direct to consumer that there isn't a need for these video's. Once you try them you will never go back. I sell all these other brands, so have no reason to try and prop up Sevr if I 100% didn't believe in them. They are next level
I agree with you. I have tried just about everything in my crossbow and would pick SEVR as the best although I use the inch and a half cut. I've also had great success with the Rage Hypodermic crossbow heads. I've also shot the Thorn Broadheads but at longer distances I don't think they fly as well as you would imagine
I'd disagree, I used sevr 2.0 this past season and was not impressed. No blood trails, long tracks and one deer lost. I'm going back to swats. A far superior design (4 blade) that produces massive wound channels and blood loss. Tried the sevrs after a bunch of reviews, but my results just haven't supported those claims.
I have used TruGlo titaniums on my R10 for several years now. They have never failed and offer replacement blades for a fraction of the cost of a new head.
I been using rage hypodermics compound then crossed over to crossbow now shoot same in crossbow love them they are deadly only down fall I have never once made shot that didn’t break bend or damage the blades on each one and that’s shooting 5-10 animals a season replacing blades gets old
Well in my opinion, if you focus and practiced more on shot placement and being accurate, taking a few extra few minutes to 0 your scope correctly for that specific broadhead you are using and tune your bolts. you wouldn't need a twelve inch cut from some mechanical broadhead. A well placed shot in the correct vitals will produce enough blood and fast dispatchment of your target harvest. Nine times out of ten you're animal that you are harvesting dies within sight. And for those of you out there who go through target panic, target anxiety, buck fever, that sort of thing, learn how to control that prior to taking your shot. And you will be a lot more successful. And it won't matter what fixed broadhead you are using or what mechanical you are using. Again IMO
Another consideration for speed is total weight of the bolt/broad head. A 400fps crossbow won't pull max speed with a heavy bolt, which is great for impact at shorter distance. Many variables. A base level understanding is great. But trial and error will always provide the most valuable data.
I've been testing broadheads out of high speed bows for about 12 years and settled on a what most people would consider tiny expandable. It is or maybe it was made by Grim Reaper. Only an inch and a quarter cut. They may not even make it any more so I need check to see what I have left. Out of an MXB-400 it would consistently shoot about an inch at 100. Trial and error is too much work for most people.
What grain do you shoot 125 or 100? Do you use the 2 blade or 4 blade? What's your fps your crossbow shoots at? I need to compare apples to apples. I have a PSE Tac15 that shoots over 420 fps so I need to know where everyone else is at. Thanks.
I shot them the last 2 years. First time using them i shot av8 pointer at 33 yards and the bolt went right through and about 75 yards found the deer with a pretty good blood trail. Well last year I shot a buck at 42 yards with my Ravin R10 and hit the rib area and the bolt didn't go in far at all. While the deer was running I could see the bolt flopping up and down. They didn't Penetrate much at all and I thought for sure I would find the bolt laying somewhere while trailing the very small blood trail. But the blood trail was small and then pin drops until we didn't find anymore. We made a big loop walking around but no blood and no bolt. I went back next morning and walked all around where the last blood was but nothing. I am thinking about going with a fixed broadhead this year. Looking hard at the QAD Exodus crossbow fixed broadhead because I want maximum penetration so if I hit a bone it will still pass through.
There are many great broadheads available, but I must say that modern mechanical heads are the way I would like to go. Mechanical broadheads truly shine with crossbows.
Your crossbow can shoot any fixed blade you choose. I’m personally shooting a 150gr cutthroat single bevel that flys exactly as my field points do. Nock tune your bolts by shooting them through paper and figure out what fletching down flys the best. Just because the factory put the off color fletching in that position doesn’t mean that fletching down results in the best arrow flight. Once you have tuned bolts your field points and big fixed blades should perform the same unless there’s something else wrong with your crossbow like the cams being out of timing.
@@StealthTRD No , I like the fixed blade broadhead. I have taken 5 bucks and 3 doe with my compound bow , and also a turkey. All of them were taken with Wasp fixed blade heads. After I tried the Shwacker broadheads , I use them on both my bow and crossbow. No matter what type of broadhead you prefer , it all comes down to practice and skill to make a humane shot placement. IMHO
What class would you reccomend for larger game like elk and moose potentially? For white tail I just have some basic Allen mechanical broadheads and the Canadian Tire employee said he has used them for many years in crossbow and taken lots of deer. For larger game (understand I'm working at getting set up at this point) I'm figuring fixed broadheads and something with a finer profile so it has a lower chance of snagging on a rib. My crossbow is a BearX Trek, 380fps, 180lb draw eight and 13.5 power stroke, if these numbers are helpful. 😅 I'm super new to this as I'm inherently a rifle girl so this has been quite the learning curve.
Thanks for the great video and the full explanation about the effect of speed especially with mechanical broad heads. So, if the EVO is great at or over 400 FPS, I'm thinking that the SWACKER 291 should be equally effective with anything over 350 FPS wouldn't you agree? The blades are supposedly deploy inside the animal and not on impact.
The swacker is basically a rage without an entry hole. As long as you exit you are good. But if you bury in the far shoulder and don’t exit, good luck on the blood trail. Just shoot a rage crossbow head and be done with it. The only problem with a rage is if you hit a big deer in the shoulder blade there is a chance it might not penetrate. Most modern crossbows with their heavy bolts are fast enough for that not to be an issue
@@timreavis1439 Thanks Tim, I think I'll try the RAGE with my new Wicked Ridge M-370 this Fall. A friend of mine has had great success with the Muzzy Tracer that's both a fixed and mechanical head. Lots of choices out there for sure, but shot placement is key.
@@boomerrangerron I’ve heard great things about those Muzzys. I haven’t tried them yet. But between my son and I. We are like 52 and 0 with the rages. So I just can’t try anything else right now. Lol.
Good video. I just got done sighting in my Scorpyd Deathstalker at 40 yards with 125 grain field points on my 21 inch Black Eagle bolts/arrows for a total ( give or take a grain) arrow weight of 425 grains. I then tried out Grim Reaper 125 grain Hades 3 blade fixed broadheads before I go hunting this year. I was surprised to see that POI was so different. The fixed broadheads were around a 7 to 8 inch difference from the field points. Is that normal ?
For me that is exactly what happens. Six inches down and a bit to the left, maybe a half inch or one inch. I had to adjust site for it… the bad thing is the broad head (fixed) does not always down draft as much and then it will float up a bit on the shot. It’s annoying so I’m switching to a more true flier as a result than what I was using. Not worth the frustration on hunting day not knowing for sure if it will drop or not.
That center point broadhead has half of the blade covered up. I would think that’s the worst one out of the 4. But I never seen the testing either, I have used the correct opening rage and they worked great
@@bowhuntordie yea but the top of the blade looked like it got over lapped by the other blade basically giving it only half of the blade, maybe I just seen it wrong idk.
I bought a used ten point viper s400 and a set of center point broad heads came with it. I was skeptical of them because it looked like the blades would just fold back closed, they don't lock in open position. I have shot 4 does with these and none have ran over 40yds. I attribute the this success to the viper , it is a very smooth shooting and quite crossbow. It has been very accurate. I did notice that the exit wound on one was only the as big as the bolt diameter. I have used several different broad heads and I always go back to the rage.
I just purchased a Ten Point Turbo S1 and I was thinking about going with the EVO-X broadheads. Do they fly like field points or should I use one for practice? Thanks!
We wouldn't suggest trying to shoot mechanicals through mesh, assuming it's from a ground blind, right? It's too risky with a mechanical as it might open even just slightly and throw off the shot.
@@bowhuntordie I have an elevated blind and cover the windows with mesh. I see Thorn has some broad heads that might work, but will probably stick to fixed blades. Thank you.
What would you recommend for 390fps? I'm a 1st yr crossbow hunter and I'm not sure what to get here..my max shot will be no more than 50yds..thank you and have a blessed day! 🙏
Fixed broadheads are great! It’s really just a matter of opinion. To me, the mechanical broadheads, while they increase speed and accuracy, they can fail. Fixed broadheads never fail! That’s why fixed broadhead arrows are one of the oldest ways to hunt. Archery was invented in 20,000 BC but wasn’t a regular way to hunt until 3,000 BC. But for many millennia since that time the fixed broadhead was the only way. New isn’t always better.
If the broadheads are the same weight, then yes they should fly the same. Sometimes you'll see issues when switching to broadheads with a compound bow, but that's because the bow isn't properly tuned. The crossbow should hit the same spot, but it's always best to shoot at least one practice shot with a broadhead.
When I used to shoot the same grain field points as my NAP Spitfires, I never got the same POI. Then tried it with my Ravin and got the same disappointing result. Now I use Sevr 2.0s and can actually practice with the very broadhead I hunt with by using a set screw. What a difference in confidence. Confidence to anyone in archery means the world. To each there own, but for me,as long as they make Sevr's that's what I'm slinging!
New to crossbow ( old age ) wanting to try Rage crossbow x , I hear good and bad so ?? What I'd like to know most is are they sharp new out of the box ?
every broadhead needs touched up out of the pack....go with fixed...been crossbow hunting for 45 years in Ohio fixed won't fail to open correctly everytime.
Forget the mechanical broadheads. Sooner or later you will experience a crazy failure. Stick with fixed heads such as "Tooth of the Arrow" broadheads which have a low profile and fly extremely accurately because they are machined to exacting tolerances out of a single piece of high quality steel. Replaceable blade broadheads are also a poor choice because of the slop built into them to enable you to replace blades.
What do you think or have you used muzzy Trocar HBX Hybrid 4 blade Crossbow Broadhead 100 grain I used it on my Ravin 29X sniper crossbow (speed is 451)and shot an Axis deer at 40 yards had a massive hole. I also noticed the accuracy and the same as my field point. This is the first time I have used a Crossbow and this Broadhead your advised would be appreciated thanks great video
Grim Reapers are the best hands down from my 30+ deer killed in the field the last 10 years. I have just used them the last 2 seasons and it is beyond what words can describe. One deer was 47 yards away up hill. Shot right where the neck meets the shoulder. she went 8 yards and flopped around! In fact I am yet to hit a deer with one of these GR's and NOT just see it fall! Not one! they are 8 for 8! Some of the pics I could show you look like I took a bucked of red paint and just threw it around in the woods! I like trailing deer a lot and I have had to miss out on that part bc these things are so deadly. I track other peoples deer who don't use these!
Wicked Ridge makes a new crossbow called the Raider 400 De-Cock that's about $850 and has all the bells and whistles that the more expensive crossbows have.
See that's why the guy is explaining really why a fixed broadhead is no good out of a crossbow because you have to shoot such a small fixed head you're not gonna get the hole like you would out of a mechanical head you have to shoot such a small fixed head to try to maintain accuracy That you sacrifice the hole that the broadhead would make by shooting a smaller broadhead that's why in my opinion if you shoot the right one A mechanical broadhead is the way to go And that's not true either he talking about shooting a shorter profile a smaller broadhead is gonna give you a smaller Entrance wound there's no way I get in around that
I have shot a bunch of broadheads out of a crossbow. Fix blade is the way to go. I love the Slick Trick Xbow Trick. It's four blade and flies great and perfect for 20-40 yards. Expanding broadheads are garbage with a crossbow. They are inconsistent on impact. When everything is perfect on a target they will work, but fixed blade functions the same every time.
Here we go again. I've been shooting crossbows since 2011 and started out with a 400 fps bow (PSE Tac) and when it came to getting recommendations on which broadheads actually perform well in specific speed bows it was blah blah blah. And it's still blah blah blah. Not once have I seen a scientifically designed study that provides reliable results which can be used to make rational judgments on which broads to use.
My God man you didn't show one Broadhead that most people would not even shoot out of a crossbow and you say they're all good ones what happened to the good mechanical broadheads that you didn't show wow
