How much does fletching change things?

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XB I GO
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How much does fletching change things?

Post by XB I GO »

I saw a few different types of "new" fletching at the archery shop. Some are thicker, more square veins and some are smaller, veins. Some are 3 inches plus and one is just 1 and a half. How much does the fletching make a different for velocity and accuracy? What makes one better than the other? All mine have standard 2 inch Blazers that are straight.
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Boo
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Re: How much does fletching change things?

Post by Boo »

Blazers are about as good as it gets. You might see a couple different vanes perform better at extended ranges but within normal ranges that almost all of us shoot, you won't see a difference.
NAP vanes and feathers are the odd balls. NAPs use a kicker at the back of the vane that helps in spinning the arrow but slows it down a bit. Feathers can perform well in all aspects but you need to be a bit of a fuss pot to use them. The upper echelon of shooters do not use feathers and I would imagine because they are not as accurate or their potential inaccuracy.
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nchunterkw
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Re: How much does fletching change things?

Post by nchunterkw »

The purpose of a fletching is to provide enough spin and drag at the rear of the arrow to stabilize the arrow. You only need to use enough fletching to get good broad head flight. Any more will only function to slow your arrow down. SO you start somewhere and "increase fletching" until good flight is achieved. You can "increase fletching" by either increasing the length of the fletching, or by increasing the amount of twist used to install it on the arrow. Say 2 arrows use the same fletching, a 3" vane. One arrow has them put on straight with no offset or twist (called helical). The other has them put on with helical. The arrow with helical fletching will provide more drag/stability than the straight fletched one. Or if 2 arrows have straight fletched feathers, but one is 3" long and one id 5" long, the 5" feather will provide more drag/stability. Make sense? So you have all kinds of combinations you can try. All different sizes and all different ways of installation.

I don't think you can see how well a fletching really works unless you shoot is with broadheads. Field points are not too hard to stabilize so you don't really learn much from trying different combos on FP tipped arrows. SO if you mess around, make sure to check BH performance.

Regarding feathers (which is what I use on all my hunting arrows)

Depends on what you want out of your arrow. If you are trying to shoot sub MOA at very long distances then MAYBE feathers won't work as well but at most "normal" hunting distances they perform very well with very good accuracy. Everything has its advantages and disadvantages. Feathers are very light compared to vanes so they give you an adding kick in FOC. They also "act like a feather" in all temperatures. The stiffness of plastic changes as the temps do. They are softer at hot temps and stiffer at cold. Feathers stay consistent. CONS are they are a bit louder than a plastic vanes in flight and they will lay flat if they get wet. Generally at 20 or 30 yds you would be fine to shoot a deer with a wet feather as it still provides enough drag to stabilize the arrow, but it certainly is not optimal. There are water proofers you can buy but they only work so well.

Many folks think they are not "tough" but that has not been what I have seen. I can and have shot several deer with the same arrow with the same feathers. They get nasty bloody on the pass thru but I can just wash them and dry them back into shape with a hairdryer and - good to go. They tend to just fold out of the way of stuff on the way through the animal. And feathers give a more traditional look to your arrow if that makes any difference to you.
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W.Miguire
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Re: How much does fletching change things?

Post by W.Miguire »

I use both 5" feathers for turkey because I shoot the large Magnus bullhead and my arrows fly true with these and I am not hung up with speed . my shots at turkeys are not over 12 yards and for my deer set up I use 2" blazers with a twist and a spinning inserts on both setups. if it works for you shoot them.
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gerald strine
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Re: How much does fletching change things?

Post by gerald strine »

nchunterkw wrote:
Wed Apr 17, 2019 9:39 am
The purpose of a fletching is to provide enough spin and drag at the rear of the arrow to stabilize the arrow. You only need to use enough fletching to get good broad head flight. Any more will only function to slow your arrow down. SO you start somewhere and "increase fletching" until good flight is achieved. You can "increase fletching" by either increasing the length of the fletching, or by increasing the amount of twist used to install it on the arrow. Say 2 arrows use the same fletching, a 3" vane. One arrow has them put on straight with no offset or twist (called helical). The other has them put on with helical. The arrow with helical fletching will provide more drag/stability than the straight fletched one. Or if 2 arrows have straight fletched feathers, but one is 3" long and one id 5" long, the 5" feather will provide more drag/stability. Make sense? So you have all kinds of combinations you can try. All different sizes and all different ways of installation.

I don't think you can see how well a fletching really works unless you shoot is with broadheads. Field points are not too hard to stabilize so you don't really learn much from trying different combos on FP tipped arrows. SO if you mess around, make sure to check BH performance.

Regarding feathers (which is what I use on all my hunting arrows)

Depends on what you want out of your arrow. If you are trying to shoot sub MOA at very long distances then MAYBE feathers won't work as well but at most "normal" hunting distances they perform very well with very good accuracy. Everything has its advantages and disadvantages. Feathers are very light compared to vanes so they give you an adding kick in FOC. They also "act like a feather" in all temperatures. The stiffness of plastic changes as the temps do. They are softer at hot temps and stiffer at cold. Feathers stay consistent. CONS are they are a bit louder than a plastic vanes in flight and they will lay flat if they get wet. Generally at 20 or 30 yds you would be fine to shoot a deer with a wet feather as it still provides enough drag to stabilize the arrow, but it certainly is not optimal. There are water proofers you can buy but they only work so well.

Many folks think they are not "tough" but that has not been what I have seen. I can and have shot several deer with the same arrow with the same feathers. They get nasty bloody on the pass thru but I can just wash them and dry them back into shape with a hairdryer and - good to go. They tend to just fold out of the way of stuff on the way through the animal. And feathers give a more traditional look to your arrow if that makes any difference to you.
Great explanation Keith .
I like the blazers put on with the Arizona ez fletch with helical for my bolts.
For my vertical bows i pretty much just shoot real feathers and keep one plastic vein arrow for wet weather.
Hunt eat sleep repeat.
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