Fletching question

[TroutKing]

Hello everyone,

I am new to this site and have been into trad. archery for about two years now, and I LOVE IT! My question is this. I have been shooting aluminum arrows with a helical fletch. I am now going to Beman classic MFX, and I was wondering if I should stay with a helical fletch, or if I should go to a straight 4 degree fletch like I used to use with my compound? I am shooting both recurve and longbow at 29 inch draw and 40-50 pounds (depending on the bow). Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

TK

[Scott J. Williams]

Welcome!

     I am sure you will hear from people with other ideas, but I perfer helical fletch, with one exception.  If I shoot four fletch, I use four five and one half inch feathers. With that much steering, you don't need the helical.  

      Having stated that exception, I use the most radical helical fletch I can get, not because I need it, but I just love the artistic way they curl around the shaft.

      The problem you will run into with a radical helical is quill contact with the rest, any contact can really mess up your tune.  I do a lot of triming on my rest, and spend a lot of time twisting my nocks before I glue them on.  

     Truth is, if you get the best tune you can get, a four or five degree fletch will do just fine.  With my set-up I give up a bit of down-range speed, because of the radical twist of the feathers.  It is not really that much of a factor for me,  as my hunting shots are never more than 35 yards, with most being 25 and under.  

      Check out what the rest of the guys and gals here have to say,  hopefully you will find something that you like.  If you are like me, you will likely experiment a while before you settle,  that can be a good thing.  Shoot Straight!

[TroutKing]

Thanks Scott,

I figured it had more to do with bareshaft tuning than anything. I will try to find the right shaft weight/length and then work with my fletching accordingly. It sure will be nice to harvest a big game animal with traditional equipment.

TK

[Jack Aldridge]

Four-fletch, evenly spaced, 4" feathers, straight, with about a 2 degree offset. On both a 50# Black Widow and 40# Sky. I shoot 2114's with the Widow and 2013's with the Sky. Seems to work well for me. Both are shot off an elevated rest.

[traditional beagle]

Ain't nothing like watching those babies spin to the target. Plus if you end up shooting two blade broad heads the spin will keep them from plaining.