4 or 5 inch feathers, much difference?

[Flying Dutchman]

Hi Gang,

I always use 4 inch feathers and woodies. Now I am thinking about using carbons too. They will be less in weight. Lets say I move from 10 to 9 GPI, or even 8,5. So I was thinking about using 5 inch feathers on them. I know I should test it myself and I will, but I was curious about your experiences. From what I understood, 5 inch feathers won't affect speed much, but it stabilizes much more. I use helical fletch.

Any thoughts?

Thnks,
FD

[wildgame]

I shoot both and the biggest difference I've seen is 4inch is a little less noisy.  But that's out of a (what I consider a well tuned bow).

[fnshtr]

The 5" will stabilize BHs better than the 4". They may also "stiffen" the arrow a bit. As far as carbons being lighter... depends upon what you want. My arrows are Trad Only (3 rivers)carbons with weight tubes and brass inserts... they weigh 680 grains with the BH (9.1 gpi shafts, 8.1 gpi tubes).

[Tom Anderson]

I've been using 4" on my carbons ever since I started shooting carbons....and they do fine.  5" fletchings always make me feel like I'm toting arrows with way too much stuff on 'em.

[Terry Green]

As far as speed, you wont be able to shoot the difference of a 1 inch longer feather.  But, you will get more stabilization....least I do with the style of hunting I do....no mater if they get wet, gapped, or that shooting position I find myself in.  I never have to worry if I 'have enough'.  I always do.  So, a stable true flying arrow is out of the equation for me.....its a given.

In other words, its not going to hurt a thing if you want to go to 5s.

[Bowhunter4life]

Difference in a 4" feather and a 5" feather???

About an inch...  

[Chuck Mullaley]

IMHO 5" high shields 'look' 'more traditional' than 4"'ers.    

[Tajue17]

Originally posted by Bowhunter4life:
Difference in a 4" feather and a 5" feather???

About an inch...    

on the money!!!!

[Pointer]

I've used 4", 5" andeven 5.5"...other than noise I don't notice much difference. I like alot of feather to help me see it better in flight.

[Flying Dutchman]

Keep um coming folks. I don't give an inch...

[reddogge]

At 15 yards, no difference. But I like the security of a 5" feather.

[Bill Carlsen]

Uh uh! This year I have gone from 4 X 4" to 4 X 3.5". Have a turkey and deer to show for it. I love the way they shoot.

[Boomerang]

I use 4 X 4" also. You actually end up with 1" more total fletching and it doesn't matter which way tou place the nock on the string.

[reddogge]

The other consideration for 3 fletch over 4 fletch is a 25% increase in fletching cost, 4 vs 3 feathers/arrow so out of a pack of 100 feathers you'd get 25 arrows 4 fletch and 33 arrows 3 fletch. May make a difference to some.

My friend who shoots 4x4" fletch for 3-D and hunting likes the visibility of 4 fletch in the air so that's his thing.

I recently by mistake, started a set of 4" three fletch arrows; intending to make four fletched arrows, I started with the index on a hen side three fletch. I finished them, instead of pulling the one feather off. When comparing them to the four fletch with Grizzly broaheads, I could see no difference in flight. Today, we have thirty mph gusts, if I were to test them today, I could easily have a different opinion.

[30coupe]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
As far as speed, you wont be able to shoot the difference of a 1 inch longer feather.  But, you will get more stabilization....least I do with the style of hunting I do....no mater if they get wet, gapped, or that shooting position I find myself in.  I never have to worry if I 'have enough'.  I always do.  So, a stable true flying arrow is out of the equation for me.....its a given.

In other words, its not going to hurt a thing if you want to go to 5s.

What Terry said!    

[ddauler]

I use a burner and burn fairly high 5" inch parbolic. I three fletch them and never pay attention to how I place them on the string.Figured out long time ago it doesn't matter unless the arrows are overspined.