4" vanes vs Blazers

Crossbow Hunting

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Normous
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Re: 4" vanes vs Blazers

Post by Normous »

The Arizona EZ "BOLT" replacement arms are only about $15 for those people with any other model EZ fletcher who might want an upgrade.
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awshucks
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Re: 4" vanes vs Blazers

Post by awshucks »

Hey Paul, remember those plain shafts w/ white 2" Blazers w/ all that helical Boo had? They looked like screws to me!

The man has the patience of a saint. He kept saying "Try this" and I didn't want to, as I was extremely focused on getting an arrow w/ 1" Slicks ready for the hog hunt. I finally shot one just to shut him up, lol, boy was my face red!

Here's something else I've noticed. There's a gazillion combos out there that has resulted in everyone having their own version of 'the ultimate'.

It's all good.
"Eze 18:21"
flightattendant100
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Re: 4" vanes vs Blazers

Post by flightattendant100 »

Thats one of the things that I really enjoy about shooting and the forum. The tweaking and piddlin' with it to make it better, seeing what someone else has gotten to work compared to my trys etc.I guess thats why we are all suckers for the "new and improved" everything.
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Ont_Excal
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Re: 4" vanes vs Blazers

Post by Ont_Excal »

awshucks wrote:Hey Paul, remember those plain shafts w/ white 2" Blazers w/ all that helical Boo had? They looked like screws to me!

The man has the patience of a saint. He kept saying "Try this" and I didn't want to, as I was extremely focused on getting an arrow w/ 1" Slicks ready for the hog hunt. I finally shot one just to shut him up, lol, boy was my face red!

Here's something else I've noticed. There's a gazillion combos out there that has resulted in everyone having their own version of 'the ultimate'.

It's all good.
How's that saying go now?????

Don't knock it till you try it!!
There is something to learn here almost daily.
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nchunterkw
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Re: 4" vanes vs Blazers

Post by nchunterkw »

hankenhunter wrote:Keith, Please post your results when you can. As to the feathers, could you waterproof them the same way fly fishers do with their dry flies. A spritz of silicone spray? Thanks.
Happy fletching,
Hank
Hank,
No problem. When I get a few minutes I'll try to summarize my "findings". Right now I have so many different arrow/fletch combos going I can't keep it all straight. :D . I'm helping Boo with his string test and am putting shots on some strings for Danny as well, so I'm shooting 50 shots at a time 2 or 3 or 4 times a week.

As an aside, so I can keep shooting after dark, I setup my Morrell bag target and my Reinhart in my garage. I sit out in the driveaway (I can get 30 yds) and shoot into the garage. I figure it's good to keep the neighbors on edge and I haven't found any dog poop in the yard since starting this :P

As was posted earlier there is a powder you can put on the feathers to help water proof them. I have not tried it yet, but most likely will. I'm buying feathers here.
http://www.gatewayfeathers.com/index.html
The powder product is on their site in the store

This link has alot of good info on feathers.
http://www.gatewayfeathers.com/feathers.html

I also wanted to check out the differences in arrow noise with the different fletches so I put my video camera on top of the target and shot some different arrows about 3" under it. The video is pretty cool and once I add some more types of arrow/fletch combos and edit it a bit, I'll post it on youtube. Feathers are definately a bit louder, but I don't think it matters too much.

So far the feathers are holding up just fine to the crossbow stresses, although they do seem a bit less rugged than vanes. I haven't had any arrows penetrate up to the fletchings so I'm not sure how they would handle that. For sure you would have to pull the arrow through.

I have also fletched both feathers and vanes back as far as I could on the arrows. All of those arrows fly well, but a problem there is that they hit the scope mount. It doesn't hurt accuracy, but wears on all the fletchings a bit. Modifying the mount would be good. I might try that later, but it's probably not necessary.

One more feather comment for anyone considering giving them a try. 4" vanes typically weigh about 10 grains each. Blazers weigh 6 grains each. The 2" Rayzr feathers weigh 1.4 grains each, and a 3" parabolic weighs about 2 grains. That is a 24 to 25.8 grain difference which equates to about a 5 fps increase and about the same increase in FOC as going from a 100 gr pt to a 125 gr pt. Other than the wet weather drawback - feathers are abit more expensive than vanes (about $0.60 USD each) but still alot cheaper than a quickspin quick fletch, which by the way work very well but I don't want the wrap on the arrow.
Keith
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and walk in it and find rest for your souls. - Jer 6:16

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Tennessee Tom
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Re: 4" vanes vs Blazers

Post by Tennessee Tom »

Feathers are louder as they pass through the air than the plastic vane ,, while a friend and I were shooting my MAX one of us behind tree rite at target could hear a very noticeable difference between the razor feather and the 2" blazer ,, the tree is a bout 30 yds from the shooting pos ,, still way to fast for string jump,, but human ears can hear bolt in flight .....
2XB-excaliba-cheetah
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Re: 4" vanes vs Blazers

Post by 2XB-excaliba-cheetah »

I myself have been trying to do it different as im only new to the sport . I have been running 4 inch vanes on my Carbon Express Predator II , Easton Power flight (for my Hoyt bow) , Red zone Carbon 50-70 Bolts and Easton power bolts... I have bought a JoJan single helical jig and a Bohning tower jig to put some 2 inch Zeon Fusion vanes on some Easton Power flight arrows and some Easton Power bolts to see what difference it will make for my liking ... Now tonight i seen a vane that slips onto the arrows but are no good for Crossbows which i might try on my Hoyt bow one day.. I think the shorter the better but that is only me or my preference ... I would like to hear more on this debate as well as it is a good topic ..
Excalibur Xbow (new string & limbsjust fitted) - Cheetah Xbow,Redzone carbon bolts with bunny stoppin Zwickey Judo points 125gr - Hoyt powerhawk Bow predator II arrows with G5 SGH 125gr - Easton powerflight arrows with Phat head broadheads 125gr....
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Dash
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Re: 4" vanes vs Blazers

Post by Dash »

I trialed 2"and 4"vanes last year on easton power bolts. Using an equinox on a rest in a steady sidewind. Arrows were fletched with the "EZ BOLT" .
At 20-30 meters there really was nothing in it really. No obvious difference. At 50 meters I got better grouping and less overall sideshift on the blazer arrows by the wind. Ive stuck with them since. What made it better was the "EZ BOLT" . Definately the quickest way to get blazers on an arrow with heaps of offset.
Farmer
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Re: 4" vanes vs Blazers

Post by Farmer »

Tried Blazers when they first came out and still use them now . Have had numerous pass thru's on 3 d targets and the arrow is still good to go . Broadhead flight with Blazers is great ( 2216 / or Beman Thunderbolt and 125 gr Magnus Snuffer )

Install the Blazers with my Blitz jig --with as much helical I can . Have used the Bohning Helix Jig as well -- not easy to use when doing arrows for crossbow.

Have been looking at the AZ Bolt fletching jig as mentioned here to speed up the process of fletchinng.
badredbird
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Re: 4" vanes vs Blazers

Post by badredbird »

i use 5 inch vanes and like them real well , use a 3 degree offset very accurate with my setup.havent shot blazers yet , but if it aint broke , not gonna fix it
Trx480Ryan
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Re: 4" vanes vs Blazers

Post by Trx480Ryan »

Is this the one to get for doing the firebolts? or easton powerbolts, planning to try some blazers

http://ezfletch.com/product.php?product ... t=5&page=1
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Trx480Ryan
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Re: 4" vanes vs Blazers

Post by Trx480Ryan »

Might have to pick one up, i lost a vane on one of my bolts, and am thinking of switching to blazers
2011 Excalibur Equinox With Quiver and Varizone
Remington 870 With Camera Mount
Ruger 10/22 With Scope and See through Mounts
2004 Trx450r with a little work.
1995 Ranger with a little work.
Trx480Ryan
Posts: 134
Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2011 11:19 pm
Location: Southern Ont.

Re: 4" vanes vs Blazers

Post by Trx480Ryan »

Ended up picking up an ez fletch this weekend, works pretty good, first ones i ever i did, lol... i guess ill try out the blazers as well!

Image

Image
2011 Excalibur Equinox With Quiver and Varizone
Remington 870 With Camera Mount
Ruger 10/22 With Scope and See through Mounts
2004 Trx450r with a little work.
1995 Ranger with a little work.
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