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Crossbow head vs regular broadheads?

I was at the store the other day and saw a special on crossbow broad heads. They were about 1/2 price, so I went back to the old rule "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

I was wondering if there is anything that is really different between the two, they looked the same to me. TMBB

I think it is all a marketing label although the mechanicals may be held closed slightly tighter for more velocity.

Some of it is marketing. Different ferrules and such. But, back when they were getting started, the crossbow head were usually smaller. Hard to fly a big head at 350 FPS. Now that bows do it too, it’s different colors, weights, etc....

I shoot “crossbow” heads all the time, because that’s the only 125 grain heads I can find. Fly the same, kills the same.

The ones I looked at were usually heavier than their non crossbow counterpart and I assume that was to give them more ke since the bolts are so shorter and this lighter.

I know very little about × bows a friend of a friend shoots one & he uses 2216 with an insert in each end & big Magnus 2 edge heads

I bought some Magnus crossbow heads by mistake that don't fit the inserts in my arrows. Like they are meant for larger diameter inserts.

The Grim Reaper mechanical “crossbow heads” are noticeably harder to open than the regular style.

^^^ Same with the 1 1/2" NAP Spitfires. Unfortunately, once they were bought out they decided to make only crossbow heads in that model (without bothering to note the difference). Once my stock is gone I'll be forced to find another head. Very sad about that.

In the case of NAP "Spitfire" there is no difference, according to a NAP contact quoted in a previous note here on Bowsite, between the bow "Version" and the "Crossbow" version. I have used Spitfire broadheads for years, including many before the advent of the "Crossbow" version, and can see no difference between the older ones and several I purchased in a "Crossbow" package.

I do know it’s different with expandable’s from what I’ve heard but with the fixed blades it’s normally just the diameter of the ferrule. I’d buy them too

I use Jak Hammer for crossbows and they work great. I have killed 72 deer with Jak hammers and always change the blades after a shot. With the crossbow I have never recovered a bolt and head however. At 430 FPS they go right through the deer and I can't find them, even with glow knocks. The broadheads I have used certainly are not a bit cheaper. I have also use Grim Reapers and they did a fantastic job. I did recover one of them and the head was in great shape after going through the front shoulder and breaking the hind leg bone. I found the bolt several yards past where I hit the deer, stuck in a log. I am now back with the jak hammers.

Stubble, the original 1 1/2” Spitfire has a thicker retention plate for crossbows. Myself and another bowsiter that uses them both measured the thickness on a bunch of them. He also talked to a company rep and he confirmed our findings. The new packaging does not designate for bow or crossbow and it used to. I’ve saved dozens of the retention plates from used heads and I flatten and re-dimple them for reuse.

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