Broadhead blade length vs. width?

[Bowhunter57]

First, I must say that I understand...shot placement is everything. That said... I hear a lot of coversation about cutting surface vs. cutting diameter, when talking about penetration and good blood trails...on 2 blade broadheads.

* What are the differences between a long broadhead with a 1" cutting diameter and a short broadhead with a 1 1/2" cutting diameter?

Personally, I would prefer the wider cutting diameter, for a better blood trail.

* Does one design improve penetration over the other? (with consideration to shot placement)
* Does one design improve blood trails over the other? (with consideration to shot placement)

Thank you, Bowhunter57

[mrbb]

well my take on this
and I am sure there are no shortages on opinions and data
a longer head, I hear they say will be effected more by cross winds,
Now overall blade surface area, be it a 1" wide head with long blades, or a 1.5 " wide with short blades
if there of equal weight, and have same blade surface area
I personally thing the crosswind deal doesn't make that much of a difference, as they will kind of equal out in width Vs length of blades
I personally feel like this
a wider head will take more kinetic energy away from the arrow at impact, meaning needs more to push the broad head through the same material as a narrower head
as I just feel I can poke my finger through piece of paper easier than I can my whole fist kinda of way of thinking
But to be honest going from a 1' to a 1.5 inch, in the average modern bow at 60+ lbs of draw weight, and shots under 40 yrds
its not going to matter much
leaving, shoot the heads your bow shots best as the winner in the broad head debate
now is there studies and data on this stuff??
I am sure there is, on what head holds the faster speeds , deeper penetration, more or less cut resistance
and bla bla bla
but again
you said it right off, its all about putting it where it needs be!

I personally like wider heads up to about the 2 inch mark , in an expandable, and I shoot out of a crossbow set at 175 lbs, and don't shoot past 30 yrds(well maybe if all things are great 40 yrds)
your set up should determine what KO your bow makes and then how fat a head/plus how it fly's for you

[Big_Holla]

In my opinion, if you were given the same cutting diameter for both, the shorter length broadheads (steeper angle on the blades) can be known to stretch the hide more and create a slightly larger hole that the measured diameter. A longer head means a longer cutting surface but since the angle isn't nearly as aggressive it also slices through the hide rather than chop a hole through it. This to me would increase penetration, however I would say that it would result in a hole not much larger than the measured cutting diameter.

As you start increasing the cutting diameter for both the pro's would be larger holes which in turn would give you the impression that it would also mean better blood trails. However the trade off is that tuning issues in your equipment become more evident in your accuracy between field points and broadheads as well as environmental effects such as a crosswind. In my opinion a longer head vs. a short one at a larger cutting diameter would react more negatively to these issues since you have now increased the surface area substantially which can actually steer the head.

Hope that makes sense....