David Petersen wrote: …Using 843-grain total arrow weight (compressed hickory) with a tiny 125 grain broadhead I shot completely through two elk with the same arrow (not at the same time of course). On the third elk I hit the scapula and utterly destroyed the broadhead (Wolverine) with only skin-deep penetration. The point being that without broadhead integrity no amount of arrow weight or FOC is going to help us with heavy bone hits, but in fact promotes broadhead failure.

Dave –

Your post just made me ponder something. Obviously, broadhead integrity is critical, but I wonder if an additional contributing factor to broadhead failure in the example above (an 843 grain arrow with a 125 gr. head) is exactly that – 718 gr. behind the head. This means that upon impact with an object solid enough to stop arrow travel, you have significant forces impacting the head from both ends.

In other words, even a broadhead with plenty of integrity to withstand impact with heavy bone, might still not have enough integrity to withstand impact with heavy bone, and having to stop 700gr. with its arse end simultaneously. 😉

Just a thought, and another good reason for getting as much of the total weight in the head as possible…