5" vrs 4" fletching?

[PaddyMac]

Oh, and I suggest O.L. Adcock's bare shaft tuning method. Better, quicker, less painful.

Here's one of several URLs:

 http://bowmaker.net/tuning.htm

[Dan Adair]

Brad, that's a good point.  I know my 35 year old eyes don't call a shot as good as when they were 18.  Between that and a healthy debate with the gal at the pro-shop, I switched to pink True Flights before the 3D season kicked off here in MT.  Those on a 4 fletch are like watching a tracer go away from you.  Come to think of it, the last of my 3 fletch were all yellow shield cuts (I'd use the bump on the nock to tell which one was the cock feather.)

 

I always thought I saw some "junk" on arrows that had a different color cock feather.  Maybe I worry too much?

Also, from what I gather here in the Flathead Schafer was a fan of 4 fletch arrows.  Which is probably why 4 fletch is so popular here in the Flathead with Tradguys.

[Hoyt]

I'm liking the way 3, 3", Magnus, shield cut, turkey feathers, are flying with my Simmons Broadheads..like darts.

I'll either be using them or 3, 4"...most likely the 3".

[Shakes.602]

The  Only  Difference in Flight I have noticed is 4" are just a teeny bit Quieter. Not really so's you'd notice really, I just happened to be at the Right place at the Right time maybe.  

[JamesKerr]

I use 5" feathers for all my hunting purposes because I want enough feather on there to stabilize even a bad release with wet fletching.

When I shoot my longbows , Ilike to draw the arrow so that there is contact on my bow finger.  I found that if I am not taking the time to clean up the  lead feather edge a right wing will cut my finger shooting a right hand bow and a left wing will do the same with a left wing fletch.  However, with four fletch that goes the other way the left wing cuts on the right hand bow and not on the left hand bows.

[dragon rider]

Originally posted by Bisch:
I fletch all my carbons with right helical and they fit just fine.

Bisch

I seem to get my best arrow flight with 3 5" feathers with a right helical - though with MFX shaft, the helical can't be too radical and stay on the shaft.  

As mentioned above, you can probably find a book or article that'll support any theory you like, but the articles that say you don't get enough helical on a small diameter carbon arrow to matter make logical sense.  On the other hand, what you can get looks nicer, so I do it anyway.  

[buckeye_hunter]

[jonsimoneau]

4 inch feathers are noticeably faster. I use them on carbon shafts but I stick with five inch for wood.

[Charlie Lamb]

Buckeye... which tuning method do the tribal hunters use?

For everybody else... it's my opinion that no advantage overrides the stability of an arrow with 4x4" or 3x5" fletching regardless of how well the arrow is tuned.
Stability is everything in a hunting arrow.

[buckeye_hunter]

[BWD]

3x5"

[Charlie Lamb]

Charlie... didn't mean to offend. Just pokin fun!!
   

[buckeye_hunter]

No worries. You have shot WAY more animals than I have and with more general experience to boot!    

The question was about 4 vs 5 inch feathers. That's mostly why I pulled my posts. I got your point and it doesn't really matter if African tribesmen shoot 4,000 grain arrows, 40 yards at game without fletching. I didn't really answer his question.  I might have even been leading the average hunter, which includes me, down the wrong path. Tuning is very important, but the fletching can and will save you on a number of occasions.

The bottom line is; The arrow has to be flying true when it hits the animal for maximum penetration. Bigger fletching helps accomplish that goal.

Just as a side note... the African hunters did essentially bare shaft tune their hunting arrows! They cut them or added bigger heads until the arrow flew well. Interesting info from Ashby.

Now back to the original question; 4 inch will work fine if tuning is done well. 5 inch will be better overall if you had any issues while bare shaft tuning!

Good luck,
-Charlie

[Charlie Lamb]

Well said buddy!!
   

[Blue Tick]

I've been using 4 4" for a while and am going to fletch up some new arrows with 3 5". I don't know enough about trad bows or shooting to really have a preference. I like stability and quiet.

Who has a preference on shield cut or parabolic and why?

[huntmaster70]

No difference in speed between 4" & 5" feathers on same shafts out of my setup & they seem to fly & group the same out to 60yds.

[Medley]

Parabolic seems quieter

I don't see much difference in performance-- 5" fletching looks nicer IMHO, but you can get 2 out of 1 full length feather if you use 4" fletching. Since feathers are pretty pricey at this point, cost is a factor.