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Course Outline

Regardless of your crossbow’s performance and the type of arrow you shoot, the broadhead arrow point is the most crucial hunting component. Because the crossbow arrow kills by causing massive blood loss, not by shock, the broadhead must be razor-sharp and fly true.

  • Utilizing the shorter and lighter arrows of the crossbow, broadheads should weigh 90 to 125 grains.
    • Heavier heads put the balance point too far forward on the arrow, causing it to come out of the bow front-heavy.
    • Lighter heads put the balance point too far back on the arrow, making it back-heavy.
  • When using a fixed-blade broadhead, the three-blade configuration will generally fly more true than a two-blade configuration.
  • Always match the grain weight of practice tips to the grain weight of the broadheads shot.
Fixed broadhead arrow
Broadhead points

Mechanical Broadheads

In recent years, manufacturers have introduced mechanical broadheads with retracted blades that spring open on impact. Often mechanical broadheads offer a more consistent arrow flight for the short, light crossbow arrow. The point of impact of a mechanical broadhead may be closer to the impact of a field tip or other practice point than it is to an arrow with a fixed-blade broadhead.

Two mechanical broadhead blades, one retracted and one expanded
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