Different take: Thank you Dr. Ashby for demonstrating, and documenting, what Maurice Thompson, Saxton Pope and Howard Hill all said about broadheads and arrows in their books based on lifetime bowhunting in the traditional fashion. Saxton Pope actually conducted extensive field tests coparing 2-blade steel broadheads to Ishi's 2-blade obsidian broadheads, and found the obsidian's had significantly better penertration. Something like 30% more - sharp, serrated edge. See "Hunting With The Bow and Arrow" by Saxton Pope, 1923, Chapter: "Archery In General" pages 47-48 in the 2000 edition, where he also noted, (as did Howard Hill and Grizzley) that a file sharpenned head cuts through meat better than a stone shaprenned one. Funny, how all these serious field-testers keep comming up with the same answers from 1873-2006. Nah - 3-blade razor sharp HAS to be better - right?
For a definition of "traditional": Thompson, Pope and Hill suit me fine. Yet, we will always find makers, and users, who "like" their other broadheads better, and just "know" they "have" to work better. Fine, use 'em.
Almost any boradhead from a modern 50# bow will shoot through a Texas hill-country whitetail, broadside, or quartering, and chop the spine. Bigger game, and big hogs, maybe not.
The most telling results of Ashbey's report is in the greater consistency of the 2-blade broadheads in killing game from all angles and shot placements (even in the rump) due to consistently greater penetration in real hunting conditions on real game - lots of it. Read the report, then argue with it.
Frank, Ashby's report did not include any deer, as we would think of deer. I've spine-shot deer with a light aluminum arrow and a fragile 3-blade thunderhead. Dropped the deer, at 15 yards, but I had to finish it with a heart shot.
Ashby's report also showed the 2-blade's penetration got more through shots for better blood trails. I like blood trails.
Last year, I used MA-3's. One tough solid 3-blade head. Shot several through deer, one full-length body shot (chest hit), at 29 yards (70# Wesley Special - 600 gr. cedar arrow, 3-blade 125 gr. MA-3. It can be done.
Then I used a Magnus snuffer. Thing makes an heck of a lot of noise! compared to the solid MA-3 3-blade, and the solid 2-blades. I don't like noisy arrows. Last thing I want is my deadly flesh-cutter whisleing at the deer on the way there. Never shot another snuffer.
So, I use 2-blade MA-2's (economy) and Grizzlies ( pricey) - with confidence. Go Ashbey!
That's what I think, but try 'em and make up your own mind.