Don't know if you're familiar with the show: "Myth Busters" on Discovery, but last week they were shooting a crossbow into balistix wax and there was quite a difference between the penetration of the 3 blade and 2 blade broadheads they were shooting! The 3 blade only penetrated 4-6 inches, and the two blade was 8-10 inches!!!!!!! Same bow, poundage, distance, shooter, everything. I was impressed. Had never thought there would be any, much less that much, difference in penetration.
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It has been known in the industryfor a long time that 2 blade BHs will penetrate more than a 3 blade, which will penetrate more than a 4 blade - that is if all are equal in diameter and blade design.
What is a little confusing is the 80% increase in penetration. I'll have to watch that segment to see if they're comparing 'apples to apples' and not 'apples to oranges'.
In most cases,as in the case ofMuzzy, the 4 blade design merits a smaller diameter to compensate.
With higher speed and higher poundagecompound bows, the usage of 4 blades to penetrate most North American game is not an issue. Most recurve and lower poundage compound bows should, however, heed this information.
Then there is the issue of cut-on-contact verses trocar tips. That's an interesting discussion.
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This kind of testing is mildly interesting to me. In my opinion the differences are even greater when using a live animal with blood, hide and bones, which have a tendency to lubricate, deflect and dull a broadhead. The greater the area to dull or deflect, the less the penetration on particular hits.
Thae results aren't that earth shattering from purely a penetration point of view. While I do think that all of the tests that are doneto insure the best possible performance is a good thing, I don'tfeel the resultsalways carry over into practical hunting applications. There are so many intangibles when one is shooting at a live animal that it is impossible simulate each one.
For example:
Shooting a two blade head out a well tuned bow producing around 70 ft.lbs of KE andhitting an average sized buck (for this area) of approximately 180 pounds in the meaty shoulder area at 18 yards, I was unable to get a complete pass through even though I didn't encounter bone.
Using the same arrow (manufacturer) with a set up that produced approximately the same KE I was able to get a complete passthrough at forty yards through a 200+ lb buck using a mechanical head. The arrow entered just forward of the right flank and came out the front of his chest.
There are just so many factors that effect penetration everything just doesn't come out "black and white" in each senario. Angles, cross wind, ricochet (internal), movement of the animalat impact, poor release, ect. can all influence how far that arrowwill or will not drive into an animal. There arefew "absolutes" when one is dealing with live game.
My brain hurts from all this scientific stuff. . . "If a 2 blade penetrates 10", that's 20" of total cut. A 3 blade penetrating 6" is a total of 18" of cut !?!?!?!?"
Primary thought: It helped me decide to try 2 blade groadheads.
But first and foremost was that the 2 blade hits right where the field point hits.
Also . . . How well does the 2 blade heads hit if they have those small "bleeder blades"?
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I want to leave this world like my Grandpa . . .
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Not kicking and screaming like everyone else in the car!
Well sure, there is less drag on a 2 blade vs 3 or 4, but I shot a doe with a 4 blade muzzy and achieved perfect pass through. How much more penetration do you want?
The inches of cut game4lunch speaks of is what I agree with. The more cut, the more bleeding= better blood trail = dead deer faster.
Most of the deer I shoot at aren't made of wax.....[8D]
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So, you got a perfect passthrough with a 4-blader, mobowhuntr. You're shooting more than enough bow to get the job done. Would I get the same passthrough with that head usinga 45 pound recurve? I doubt it. Probably would with the two blade Magnus though. That's the point you should take from the post.
FYI ~ 3 BLADE vs 2 BLADE BROADHEADS
