Broadhead Blade Thickness: .030 vs .040 vs .050
Blade thickness is the single biggest predictor of whether a broadhead survives a scapula hit. .030 in blades are fine for hide, ribs, and lung. .040 in is the modern whitetail standard. .050 in is elk-and-up territory. Above .050 in gets you into Iron Will and Cutthroat single-bevel country, and the arrow needs to be heavy enough (450 gr plus) to carry the extra mass.
Why thickness matters more than cut
A 1.5 in cut on a .030 in blade collapses if it clips a rib on the far side. A 1.0 in cut on a .050 in blade blows through both shoulders on a 350 lb bull. On the recovery side, thicker blades mean straighter wound channels, less blade-lever fatigue in the tissue, and better blood trails when the animal moves.
Scenario 1: 60 lb bow, whitetail, broadside
A .035 in Slick Trick Magnum or a .040 in QAD Exodus will pass through both lungs and stick in the off-side hide every time. You do not need .050 in for this shot. Cost per head stays under $12 and blades last multiple hunts if you resharpen.
Scenario 2: 70 lb bow, elk, quartering-to
A .050 in Iron Will S100 or a .062 in Cutthroat single-bevel is the play. The shot may need to defeat a rib on entry and a shoulder blade on exit. .035 in blades will bend or crack on that path even with 90 ft-lb of KE.
Scenario 3: 50 lb traditional, whitetail, broadside
A .040 in cut-on-contact head like a Zwickey Delta or Magnus Stinger 4-blade beats a .050 in chisel tip because the traditional rig cannot spare the KE. Blade thickness matters less than tip-cut geometry at these poundages.
Ran .035 in Trocars on a raked bull elk 3 years back. Both blades came out bent, no pass-through. Switched to .062 in Iron Will next season, complete pass. Blade thickness matters on the big stuff.
Rokslide, Elk Hunting Forum, 2023
Broadhead law by state
Fixed blade: Legal in all 50 states for big game archery seasons.
Mechanical: Legal in ~44 states for big game. Restricted or discouraged in Idaho (mechanicals prohibited for big game archery), Oregon (mechanicals prohibited), and check current-year Wyoming regs. Legal but not preferred for elk and moose where cut-on-contact fixed heads penetrate through heavy shoulders.
Cut-on-contact: Legal in all 50 states. Preferred or required in some traditional-archery-only hunts.
Minimum cut diameter: Most states require 7/8 in cut for big game. A handful (Georgia, Mississippi, others) require 1 in. Always confirm current-season regs with your state fish and wildlife agency.
Blade count: Some states specify minimum 2 sharpened edges. Most modern broadheads exceed this by default.
This is a research summary, not legal advice. Confirm the current season regulations with your state fish and wildlife agency before you buy or hunt.