Lethality comparison...4 blade 1&3/16 cut vs 3 blade 1&1/2 cut

[Hi5]

I've been using Striker Magnum broadheads for elk hunting. That's a three blade, 1 and a half inch cut. I like the look of the Tooth of the Arrow blades. There appears to be nothing fragile about them! Having a dedicated sharpening system that should give precise, consistent, edges is almost by itself the decision maker. When it comes to solid, fixed blade broadheads, they appear to be in a league of their own.

A couple of years ago I chest shot a cow elk and the broadhead landed up against the off side shoulder blade. It didn't break bone and the broadhead was damaged and no longer shootable. I don't consider this to be a failure. i would expect any broadhead to have produced results that were no better. So, I'm not looking to compare frailties of the two broadheads.

What I am wondering, is whether a smaller diameter cut with 4 blades would possibly equate to, or possibly exceed, a larger diameter 3 blade cut? Assuming they both hit in the same location on an animal, which should produce the more lethal cut?

[Normous]

Good question Hi5, and an easy one to answer accurately because the research has been done for us already and posted in "broadhead cut per volume charts" found on the net that includes most of the popular broadheads in Wound cutting volume per square inch.

We had some charts posted on this forum long ago by our founder Bill Troubridge who noted that 4 blades heads usually feature a larger cut per volume inch over 3 blade and two blade versions depending on blade cutting diameter.

These volume tests were conducted on a square grid paper in .32 increments.

Norm (Hi5), your Striker Magnum 3 blade 1.5" cut features a .356" per square inch wound cutting volume.

The Tooth of the Arrow 1 3/16" 4 blade features a .402" per square inch wound cutting volume.

Another popular fixed head is the Slick Trick Magnum 1 1/8" x 1 1/8" at .312" wound cutting volume.

A large cut Mechanical like the SWAT XMAG 2" x 1 3/4" or A4 features a .571" wound cutting volume.

At the end of the day the compact and short TOTA 1 3/16" 4 blade cuts a larger wound channel over the 3 blade 1.5" Striker Mag 3 blade.

[janesy]

Further to what Norm mentioned, the shape of a would makes a huge difference as well. If you can visualize straight lines drawn between the ends of the cuts. 3 blade makes a triangle shaped cut... Which is strong and when pushed from the side actually forces the cuts closed to an extent.
4 blade on the other hand makes a square, which (without triangulation) is an inherently weak shape which opens easier when pushed from the side. The triangle piece being pushed actually drives the other pieces apart like a wedge opening multiple wound channels. Where as a triangle would only open 1.

So in the field, if an animal is still moving the wound from a 4 blade is much harder for it to close in on itself, potentially assisting with bleeding.

[longbow joe]

When l shot my longbow l was using a 2 blade grizzly for a few years ....great pennitration but whimpy blood trails.
Went to the big 3 blade snuffers ...great pennitration and better blood trails that's the goal getting a balance of pennitration and a wide cut.
It cracks me up even on here when someone says it doesn't matter the cut if it's in the vitals.
Shooting an animal with a small cut versus a wide cut is night and day blood trail not to mention a shorter drag ...more blood shorter trail really not a lot of thinking needed.

Most 300plus fps crossbows will go through deer size game broadside with the widest expandables or fixed blades available.
Unless your hunting elk ,or bear or something big
I would then possibly go to a heavy fixed blade even then a 350 fps crossbow should still be fine even with a tough proven smaller expandables or fixed
Use the widest fixed blade that you can shoot with accuracy Even do a comparison with pennitration on foam targets and be sure to test the fixed blade in the wind also.
Many times the difference in pennitration between a fixed blade and a big expandable is like an inch difference...not worth fussing about but if you shoot both on a very windy day ...kinda like the days when the deer rut you will never achieve the accuracy of an expandable on a very windy day.
As l said many times l think of safety... l really like not having an open fixed blade to cut me while I'm walking or in stand with the bow on my lap.
You have to evaluate all these things and take everything in consideration to make your decision.
I always enjoy trying different broadheads it's kind of fun especially In the off season.

[XB I GO]

For the same weight BH, I seem to get better penetration with a shorter, narrower one. Depending on what you’re shouting and where, that may be a consideration.

[Hester0305]

I used to shoot broadheads a lot and did some penetration testing, I used the Slick Trick Magnums and eventually switched to the bigger Slick Trick Grizztricks 125 gr. to get better blood trials. I like the Grizztrick a lot until I started testing the 3 blade QAD Exodus 125 gr. The QAD Exodus was a stronger broadhead and would fly more accurate and penetrate better than the Grizztrick that I had used for years. I was surprised when I started doing the penetration testing that the 3 blade Exodus would penetrate deeper every time, so for me the Exodus is the fixed blade that I shoot now. Good luck with your comparisons they're a lot of great 3 and 4 blade broadheads out there

[Normous]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7lGK8Ynqk8

copy/paste