Just about all expandable that open "over the top" or front deploying are gonna need to be shot from higher poundage bows....50 to 60 plus.

Those that rear deploy would do OK with lower poundage.

But, the mother did answer her own question. She should stay with fixed blade if she can't pull a little heavier weight.

Btw...I shoot Wasp Jakhammers (3 blade 100gr). In my opinion, they are the best front deploying head. Tough, old broadhead....simple design...1.75" cut. Been shooting these (at whitetails) for over 10 years now. Have not lost a deer since I started using these. I pull 68 pounds.
130# Georgia splash...

250+# Missouri splash...



Prior, I used Muzzy 90 gr 4 blade fixed for more than 20 years.....killed a lot of deer and hogs, but that little hole left some tough bloodtrails at times if I was a bit off on my aim.

I have shot to s of game with all different broadheads. Depending on your viewpoint, I am either lucky - or cursed - I have a lot of live targets a a available throughout the year. Some years I have killed over fifty - feral hogs - and a few deer. I used to experiment a lot with broadheads. I have even hung several 200 lb boar hogs up on a fromt end loader and shot them with multiple broadheads. My experience - yes - most fixed blades get better penetration than most mechanicals. But most mechanicals provide a better blood trail. However - even with mechanicals - on southern deer - 200 lbs and down - a 65 lb bow of decent arrow length will get a passthrough 90% of the time - for me. A fixed blade probably 95% of the time. The blood trail out of a mechanical is almost always better than a fixed blade when both get passthroughs - and for sure if there is not a passthrough on either one. I have shot eight different deer with a single rage three blade mechanical - changing the blades after each shot. My favorite fixed blade is a QAD - for deer in my area. I do not like the big two blade mechanicals. I have seen one expandable fail to deploy on a deer - cant remember which one, but not rage.


It is interesting the year I did so much broadhead testing I went out west on an elk hunt and settled on a four blade slick trick 1” dia. I shot a nice bull at 25 yards - a little back but slightly quartering away. I did not get a passthrough. I watched the elk for an hour before it got dark standing 150 yards away, all humped up and sick. I waited until dark to back out. No way to get any closer because he was in a field. I expected him to be right there in the morning. He wasnt. We tracked very poor blood for 1/4 mile and jumped him - never to find another spot of blood - and lost him. One thing I know - I made a poor shot. I also know I did not get a passthrough. What I wonder is would there have been more hemoraging with a larger mechanical - leading to a dead elk in the morning? Would there still have been some blood after jumping the elk with a larger entrance wound. Dont know, but what I dod know after knowing the details - I generally have a better outcome with poor shot placement with a mechanical than a fixed.

For our hunting style on deer that are rarely over 200 lbs - my hunting group all use mechanicals. We could use anything we want - but we have had a higher recovery rate with mechanicals.

Guy that's tracker my deer with a dog said he has higher recovery rate with fixed blade broadheads
I think they track 60 plus deer a year

My only regret with the Wasp Jakhammer expandables is that I didn't start using them sooner. They have been on the market (design unchanged) for 30 years or more. Still getting 5 star reviews.

There are a lot of broadheads to choose from today, but there is no question, wide expandables are better (for deer) with most archers & bow setups.

Happy hunting!!!

On the end of my arrow, I personally do not want a mechanical failure. I have been part of the broadhead test at my buddy's bear camp, shooting shoulder blades, etc. While I agree with the data that fixed blades get more pass throws, there is no denying the damage a mechanical can do. But the most important part is shot placement. It is much easier to get pass-throughs when hitting ribs than large bones. I shoot 70 pounds, with a heavy arrow and Zwickey Eskimos or Muzzy 3 blade with a chisle point. Never an issue with passing through.

When the shot of a lifetime hinges on a broadhead do you want a broadhead that hinges?

Providence spoke slightly on the main issue I have seen in my years of experience.

Everybody wants a "fast" bow. Speed is not the only thing that determines penetration of an arrow. Weight is really what matters.

I shoot a 175 gr arrow with the smallest diameter heaviest spine arrow I can find. If any of you have ever watched any of the slomo videos of an arrow being shot you can get a better appreciation of weight and FOC (front of center).

If you shoot a too heavy broad head on a weak spine light arrow you will get a wobble that will be uncontrollable and difficult to maintain any type of consistency.

If you shoot a too low weight on a heavy spine arrow you will get arrows that kick out from the rear and almost fly sideways. The fletchings will try to compensate and give you wobble and inconsistencies also.

Heavy stiff arrows with a heavy fixed blade coc broached will produce consistent pass throughs. But the speed WILL BE SLOWER.

Now if you still think speed is a super important aspect to consider, think about this. Put a 125 gr broad head on a pencil and shoot it. Then put a 125 gr broad head on piece of rebar and shoot it.

Increased momentum and energy kills. Not speed.

So in keeping with the OP, I would have recommended a stiffer pine arrow for her purposes just to add a little weight. With her lower poundage I would not have added any other weight.

I would also have also encouraged her to stick with COC broad heads. If a bow is properly adjusted in a bow vice ( I use RS) and use a laser alignment tool for the arrow, very little adjustment if any is needed. That arrow should launch like a rocket. I LOVE seeing a properly adjusted bow in action and seeing peoples reactions.

Drew an archery elk tag after 16+ years one of the few things on my bucket list I still need to accomplish. Can’t apply for that tag for another 10 years so this is the last chance at an archery Black Hills elk in my lifetime. Shoulder is wrecked so it’s crossbow time unless things improve in 6 weeks I don’t see that happening.

Hoping 100 grain Thunderheads and #150lb Barnett Xbow does the trick but I look at those short arrows and think about penetrating at longer distances then think it’s #150 of pull behind it. I’m not to worried I don’t shoot further than 50 yards with the Xbow or 35yds with the compound. The 1 power scope on it (no magnification allowed in SD) ranges distance when using the circle dot system.

The center dot is 30yds and below, between the dot and bottom of the circle below it is 40 the bottom of the circle is good for 60 yards.

I have been very impressed with them. Only had 1 have any broken blades and not pass through. My youngest shot one with the x bow at about 14 yards. He was used to gun hunting and didn't wait for the slightly quartering to deer to turn instead he shot her right in the shoulder like he would with a gun. It shot through the shoulder breaking one blade off before entering the chest cavity ( found the blade when processing) the bolt stopped with the point of the head sticking out of the center bottom of the chest where thr ribs connect. The bolt broke into 3 pieces one blade brok off 100% another lost 50%. Deer made it maybe 70 yards forward and down hill falling in sight with a good trail to follow if one would have been needed. Hole in the heart. Great shot the deer would have dropped with a gun but bad shot placement with an arrow or bolt. Habits and a youngster getting excited with a close deer encounter. I would say it was my fault but the year before we had a beded deer and I told him to wait tell she stood up . But he shot her in the head not waiting thinking she would run as she stood because she knew we were there. Hard to get mad at a 8 year old with sound logic. I did tell him why that's was a lo % shot and would be best to let the deer walk away and only shoot high % shots.

I was very impressed with the jackhammer after seeing the bone it went through after seeing how poor a rage holds up years before. Sure a muzzy may have had a bent blade but and maybe exit but would have had to be shot to check zero.
In all I'm a big fan of the jackhammer and have also shot them a bunch over the last decade.

My uncle and cousin shot thunder heads for years. They tend to wind plain more and need a lot more tuning they also lost blades in the targets and deer now and then.

Never had that with a muzzy an I hit a bunch of heavy bone shot through the pelvis arrow stayed in as it ran off . Deer made it 50 yards. Had bent blades but they were not broken or gone. Inside was destroyed with the blades moving and cutting as the deer ran and muscled flexed as they moved .

For a once or last in the lifetime hunt I would drop $34 and buy a 6 pack of 100 gr muzzy for piece of mind.

I have a friend that has a tracking dog and only tracks durimg archery season. He has had the same experience, but he says mechanicals make him good money.