Straight Fletch

[Stone Knife]

Does anyone shoot straight Fletch? will they stabilize a broad head good and will the be as accurate as a helical? Can you use any wing feathers?

[Guru]

No I don't shoot them Jim,I don't see any reason to bud.  No, they won't stabilize as well,so accuracy won't be as good with a BH.

[rbbhunt]

I use a helical clamp and adjust it so the fletch lies flat on the shaft.  Straight fletch may not stabilize the arrow enough.  Helical seems to straighten out quick and fly straight even if a slightly bad release.

[Jon Stewart]

Been fletching straight fletch for 30 years using 50 year old bitzenburgers and never had a problem.  I do put my broadheads on the same way, a little to the right of straight up and down. I have no idea how many dozens of arrows I fletched but have never had a complaint.

Jon
Semper Fi

[Doc Nock]

Wow, Guru..now you got me doubting myself,  :eek:  but like Jon, I've used straight fletch jig, left wing feathers and a tiny offset...

After using the planning method of bare shaft tuning off of OL Adcock's website, my arrows fly extremely well and the 5" low cut shield w/straight clamp work beautifully.

Those what taught me claimed the hard heilical is needed only to stabilize bad arrow flight.  :eek:
 
Arrows well tuned to the bow and point weight seem to fly just as well without losing speed w/ the straight jig for me for the past 8 years or so.

I even find my various bh's printing right with my field tips out to 30 yards (when I'm having a good day) :)even with big honkin STOS or those flying hatchets by Simmons.

fwiw...

[Izzy]

You should try them Stone.I shot MA2 s and grizzlies with straight bananas and shields with my 45# bamboo viper and they are downright accurate.I think the best about a straight clamp is you can use any old surplus feathers left or right so long as they are all from the same wing.

[rbbhunt]

One thing to keep in mind is that rifle bores changed from smooth to rifled to stabilize the bullet.  I have used a straight clamp with some offset but changed to a helical clamp that was set up with just enough offset to make sure the feather is flat on the shaft.  With rifles, a general rule is that within any given caliber, the longer (ie heavier) the bullet (and usually slower velocity) the faster the twist.  You can over-stabilize the bullet.  A "hard" helical will slow down the arrow, but it will be more stable.  With a healical fletch, I have found that I can even shoot thru tall grass and the arrow still flies straight.  I feel that using a helical clamp set with the minimum offset on the shaft gives a good flight with minimal velocity loss.  The wind also doesn't seem to effect the arrow flight as much.  Doc Nock is right in that the arrow must be tuned to the bow, Helical fletching should not be used just to help a poorly tuned arrow.  Also, using a helical fletch, you can use a slightly lower fletch which means less deflection on the bow and less arrow noise.

Just my .02 worth.

[uncowboy]

I have shot straight fletch for YEARS, I just recently switched to LW Helical. I was having arrow problems because of spine (Didn't know it at the time) but I never had a problem with straight fletches. Arrows don't stabalize because of spin they stabalize on the Kite tail principle More (WIND RESISTANCE)drag on the rear portion of the arrow Weight drives the front.PS Bullets and arrows use 2 diferent energys to work. Arrows cut bullets crush. J.Michael

[AnointedArcher]

Like Doc says IF your arrows are tuned to your bow correctly, straight fletching should be fine?

However I am mostly a woodie shooter and make most of my own arras.  So they are not perfectly spined, matched or straight so I use all the helical I can get. I also believe it helps your accuracy when you get bad releases as your arras will straighten out faster when they are helical.

[mo bo hunter]

straight works great for me.

[Steve P]

Like AnoitedArcher, I like as much helical as I can get. Because I need all the help I can get.


Steve

[Horne Shooter]

My father is a rocket engineer...literally.  He once told me that when you fletch an arrow with a straight fletch you are dealing with a missle- when you add helical it becomes a rocket.  Broadheads create "dirty air" and the spinning helps to correct this phenomenum.  With a field tip it matters much less because there is very little dirty air created.  A broadhead on a straight fletched arrow has to be lined up directly with the feather also the arrow has to be perfectly tuned.  You are now firing a missle and you have less tolerance.  Some friends of mine had this same arguement years ago and that's how I remember him explaing it....anyway it made sense at the time.

[rbbhunt]

True, the weight at the front of an arrow does a lot to stabilize it which is why you and shoot a properly tuned bare shaft.  And the fletching causes drag which in turn spins the arrow is also part of the equation.  the further the fletch is aligned from the axis of the arrow (ie: helical) the more drag and thus more stability.  What Horne shooter's dad told him is correct.  Bullets and arrows may kill differently, but there are still some flight characteristics that are similar.  PS: bullets kill by a shock wave similar to dropping a pebble in a pond.

PPS: My dad was also a rocket engineer.

One last note:  If it works well for you, why change it.  I have shot both straight with a slight offset and helical and just prefer the helical.

[Horne Shooter]

There must be something about Rocket Engineers that cause their sons to want to pick up a bent stick and shoot at something!