Solid Performance – The Best Fixed Blade Broadhead

One of my favorite parts of hunting season is taking out my broadheads for the first time and looking over the blades. There’s something magical about how they catch the light. I sharpen them a little and screw them onto my arrows. No more field points, no more practice heads. It’s time to set these things loose again.

Fixed blade broadheads are the simpler option to mechanical broadheads for bowhunting. They’re elegant and practical. They’ve been around for centuries, and all different kinds have been engineered over the years that accomplish different things. Depending on what, where and how you’re hunting this season, you’ll want the right broadhead for it all. Here we’ve compiled a list of five devastating fixed blade broadheads. We’ll run over the various features to consider, the pros and cons of each, then show you the five we’ve picked.

What is a fixed blade broadhead?

On a fixed blade broadhead, the blades don’t move. They’re attached in some way to the central ferrule and angled out away from the point. There are no moving parts. The arrowhead remains in a fixed position from the moment you take it out of your quiver till it enters the animal.

Are fixed blades better than mechanical broadheads?

Better is a matter of opinion, but if you took a survey of all bowhunters, they would probably say they prefer fixed blade broadheads. On the other hand, data seems to suggest mechanical broadheads are more successful.

Hunters probably lean toward fixed heads because they have more reliability. There are no moving parts, so what you see is what you get. You don’t have to worry about the broadhead malfunctioning.

Mechanical broadheads (checkout some of the best) have a lot of advantages, though. Because the blades retract, they are more aerodynamic and therefore more accurate. They also penetrate deeper. This is all assuming they work properly, however.

The broadhead debate really comes down to what you prefer. If you want reliability, go with a fixed head. If you’re more of a risk taker and don’t mind if your buck gets away on the off chance the broadhead doesn’t open or opens early, go mechanical.

How do you sharpen them?

You sharpen broadheads on a sharpening stone. Hunters usually use a diamond stone specifically for broadheads, but a tool-sharpening stone from hardware store will work as well.  Mark each side of each fixed blade with a sharpie or marker to make sure you sharpen all of them. Checkout our list of the best sharpeners here.

Attach the broadhead to an arrow shaft and press it firmly against the stone. Keep pressure against the arrow and move the head back and forth in the direction of the tip of the broadhead. Do this about ten times, then rotate the broadhead until you have sharpened each side of each blade. Rotate the broadhead the other way and repeat.

The legality of broadheads where you are

Laws regarding broadheads are surprisingly complicated. Every state has different laws depending on the type of broadhead, how many blades, size, barbs and even things like poison. To make things more complicated, your specific town, county or hunting zone might have additional restrictions on top of the state.

Generally speaking, standard fixed blade broadheads are legal in most places. There are often certain stipulations, though. It’s common for states to require broadheads to have at least two blades and be at least ⅞ inches wide. Some also have a maximum width permitted. There may also be restrictions for length, and most states don’t allow you to modify the broadheads with any kind of poison or explosive.

Ethical hunting

These laws exist to promote ethical hunting and keep the local stock plentiful and healthy. An illegal broadhead may be more likely to injure an animal without killing it, and that’s not good for you or your query.

Make sure you check both your state and local laws before outfitting your arrows with broadheads. 

Broadheads for crossbows vs bows

These days, regular archery broadheads and broadheads for crossbow bolts are mostly interchangeable. Even though crossbow bolts are usually a little shorter than arrows, the threading for the broadhead is the same.

In principle, this means you can put the broadheads from your arrows on the bolts for your crossbow. However, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First of all, crossbows shoot much faster. This means that a wider fixed blade broadhead might affect the accuracy of your shots. 

Plus, as you’d expect, crossbows shoot faster because they also shoot with more power. This mostly affects mechanical broadheads which might open if they aren’t built to withstand that force. As for fixed blade, this actually means greater penetration with larger blades. If you can overcome the accuracy obstacle, you can take advantage of the increased power.

The metals used

Manufacturers make fixed blade broadheads out of two main materials: steel (usually stainless steel) or aluminum. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

Steel

The primary benefit of steel is strength. If your broadhead strikes bone, or you miss and hit a rock, it’s less likely to bend or break. As a result, you can normally use steel broadheads for a lot longer.

Of course, this comes at a cost. Literally. Steel broadheads are usually a bit more expensive. 

On top of the price, steel is heavier than aluminum. That means more drop on your arrow. This is important to consider when developing your accuracy with the broadheads.

Finally, steel is subject to rust, so make sure any steel broadheads you buy are stainless steel to avoid corrosion.Aluminum

Aside from being less expensive, aluminum broadheads are much lighter. That’s why airplanes are made from aluminum. Since your arrows are also going to fly, you can guess why this would be an advantage. You might find that they fly farther and that you  can train your accuracy more easily with them. 

Unlike steel, you also don’t have to worry about corrosion with aluminum broadheads. Despite popular belief, aluminum does oxidize, but it changes to aluminum oxide, not rust. Aluminum oxide usually forms a layer over the surface of the metal that actually enhances and strengthens the broadheads.

The downside, though, is that aluminum broadheads are much weaker than stainless steel ones. They bend much more easily, which then makes them difficult to shoot accurately. They might even break. Consequently, you can’t re-use them for nearly as long. 

Things to look for

Number of blades

Broadheads normally come with either three or four fixed blades. The three-dimensional shape prevents the blade from simply splitting muscle tissue which then closes up around the internal wound. If this were to happen, you wouldn’t get a good blood trail.

Theoretically, a four-blade broadhead amplifies this concept. It’s more likely to cut more tissue and create a wound that won’t close up. Three-blade broadheads, however, are easier to sharpen. Choose accordingly.

Tip types

Fixed blade broadheads come in chisel points and cut on contact.

Chisel points are more common. Like the name implies, the tip of the broadhead is shaped like chisel. This splits the animal’s hide before the blades begin to cut. Chisel points are less likely to deflect off bone or change course. They’re great for crossbows or high-power compound bows.

Cut-on-contact broadheads have blades that continue all the way to the tip. They begin slicing the moment they contact the animal’s hide. This gives them great penetration but requires high accuracy. They’re the go-to for traditional hunters and work well with recurve bows or longbows.

Cutting diameter

The cutting diameter refers to the width of the wound the broadhead creates. A larger cutting diameter means a larger wound which means a better blood trail. The trade off is penetration. Because a wider cutting diameter means more blade contacting tissue, the arrow will slow down faster. It also increases the chance you will strike bone, which could deflect the arrow off course or stop it altogether.

You should go with a smaller cutting diameter if you’re hunting really big game like moose or elk because you need to penetrate deep into their bodies. For smaller game you can increase the diameter to get a better blood trail.

Weight (grains)

The most common weight for broadheads is 100 grains, but they run from around 75 grains to 150. You use heavier broadheads with heavier arrows, and lighter broadheads with lighter ones.

Lighter arrows are more accurate because they fly faster and drop more slowly. On the other hand, heavier arrows penetrate much deeper because they have more energy when they contact the target. One hundred grains is the most common weight because it is a good intersection of those two qualities. If you plan to hunt really large game like elk or moose, though, you might want to spring for heavier arrows and therefore heavier broadheads. If you are a traditional bowhunter using a low-power bow like a recurve or longbow, accuracy will be much more important for you. Consider lighter weights.

The problem is that the lower and heavier weights are harder to find, and not every broadhead model offers them. Make sure when you buy, you’re getting the weight that’s best for you.

Can you replace the blades?

Some broadheads are one-piece designs. This means the entire broadhead is one single piece of stainless steel, blades included. In this case you can’t change the blades out. Other broadheads feature removable blades which you can then replace with fresh ones if they get dull or bent.

A broadhead with replaceable blades has more pieces, of course. The benefit, though, is that you can reuse the arrowhead over and over. Broadheads with replaceable blades are attractive because they have great reusability.

Our Top Picks In Detail

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