Single-Bevel Broadheads
Single-bevel broadheads sharpen one side of each blade only, which forces the arrow to rotate as it passes through tissue. That rotation splits bone rather than skipping off it. Traditional bowhunters and elk hunters use single-bevels for the same reason: on a raked-through-the-shoulder shot, a single-bevel keeps cutting where a double-bevel wedges.
Penetration theory in plain English
A double-bevel head hits bone and either drives through with brute KE or deflects along the surface. A single-bevel head hits bone and torques into it, opening a split that the ferrule can follow. On heavy shoulders (elk, moose, big bear), single-bevels routinely produce pass-throughs from 65 lb rigs that stall double-bevels.
Real single-bevel picks
- Cutthroat Single-Bevel. 1.25 in cut, 3-to-1 length-to-width ratio, .062 in A2 tool steel blade, 175 or 200 gr. MSRP around $60 per 3-pack.
- Iron Will S125 Single-Bevel. 1.05 in cut, .050 in A2 tool steel, 125 gr. MSRP around $110 per 3-pack.
- Grizzlystik Maasai. 1.125 in cut, .062 in blade, 150 gr. MSRP around $50 per 3-pack.
- Ashby Bowhunting broadhead. 1 in cut, .062 in blade, 315 gr. Ashby-approved single-bevel for the heaviest-arrow crowd. MSRP around $50 per 3-pack.
Cutthroat 200 gr on a raked-through elk at 42 yd. Pass-through both shoulders. Bull went 40 yd. Double-bevels never did that for me on quartering-to shots.
Rokslide, Elk Hunting Forum, 2024 Cutthroat thread
Trade-offs
Single-bevels need a heavier arrow (450 gr and up total) and a right-wing or left-wing helical fletch matched to the bevel direction, or the head fights the arrow spin. Sharpening a single-bevel takes practice. And on light-poundage setups (under 55 lb) the rotation benefit thins out because you cannot generate the FOC to drive it.
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.