Snuffer with three 4 inch feathers???

[capt eddie]

My son is putting together some arrows for our bear hunt.  He has decided to use 160 gr snuffers. He wants to use Axis shafts. If the shafts bareshaft tune good for the bow.  Can he use 4inch feathers instead of 5 inch.  The rest of the story- 3 Rivers only stocks Axis arrows with 4 inch feathers.  To get 5 inch feathers he has to have then custom made for alot more money.  So, should he spend the money and get 5 inch feathers or buy the stock arrows with 4 inch.  It is not a question of what he likes as much as what will work.

[fireman_3311]

If they bare shafted well enough, 4" should do the trick IMO!  I shoot 125 gr snuffers on gold tips with 3-4" shield shape turkey fletch!!

[Hermon]

Not sure that anyone can give a definant answer to that one.  If your son has a clean release and good form, and everything is in tune, they might work for him.  Will probably have to try it to know for sure.  I would probably err to the side of more fletch personally.  In the overall cost of a bear hunt, even the more expensive arrows are a drop in the bucket.  Or buy shafts and a fletcher and make your own.  It is easy enough for me to do, I am sure your can do it too.  Will end up saving you a lot of money in the long run. jmho.

[SS Snuffer]

Ya they will be fine. Just make very sure they spin perfect. I always  lined the flech up with the blades if your shootin thru netting other wise it won't matter.

[NBK]

I shoot 160gr. snuffers with 3 4"feathers no problem.  (p.s. a fletching jig will save you alot of money in the long run).

[jhg]

They can be sketchy if on the way to target anything touches the arrow. Anything.  I went back to 5 inch and put an end to that adventure. IMO the snuffs are so big even arrows tuned well need some help.

Joshua

[Charlie Lamb]

The insurance of the extra length is worth the extra cost. Totally agree with jhg.

If I just had to shoot 4", I'd make the arrow 4 fletch as well.

[ridge runner]

I shoot 3 4" feathers with 5/8" backheight  with 160 and 190 gr snuffers and get perfect flight , got spin test every one and make sure they're mounted true.

[Friend]

Until your form is nailed down, ability to tune bare shafts at longer ranges is perfected and your arrows are upper range EFOC or Ultra EFOC then my recommendation would be to stick with:

3 x 5"
3 X 5 1/2"
4 X 4"

A little additional fletching could pay big dividends and possibly prevent the avoidable experience of an unrecovered animal. The animal deserves our best.

[capt eddie]

Thank you all for your replys.  He ask me to put this question on this web site because he said "Ask all those old men on your web site what they think"  When he ask this question on the modern site he visits, NO one could or would give him a straight answer.  Please consider this a compliment coming from a 28 year old.  Maybe us old men know what we are talking about.

[overbo]

I know many will say NOOOOOOOOOOO but bareshaft tune that Snuffer and you will have a well match arro and improve your shooting form.Yes it can be done.

[Bowmania]

I'm thinking the Big question is how do you repair arrows if you don't know how to fletch your own???  Bet a Bitz and someone here will walk you though it.  Very simple even a caveman could do it.

I'd also go to  www.bowmaker.net  and click on tuning.  I think it's towards the end, an explination on how to tune broadheads.  It's done with the big Snuffer.

Bowmania

[maineac]

I use woodsmen, so not quite as big as a 160 snuffer, but if I have bareshaft tuned my arrows I find I get even better groups with the broadheads than I do with the field points.  I use three 4" feathers.  If you already have the shafts to cut and bareshaft rune proprly, It might be worth investing in a fletching jig rather than sending backto 3-rivers to have them fletched.

[2 edges]

buy a bitz well worth it.

[Knapper]

I always feel that it is better to shoot the longest possible fletching that is cut the lowest.  That is short high feathers work but go down range and listen to them fly by. Noise!!!!!! Longer and lower down range.  Quiet!!!!!!!  Both will stabilize equally well, but do you want the noise.  Test them out that will answer your question beyond a doubt.  The issue should be which is the best not which is the cheapest.  We all do that as it is human nature.
One last thought, with all that I have said  the custom fletcher will have to custom cut or custom burn the feathers to a lower
height.  That is the big disadvantage of not doing them yourself.
Hope this is of some help.

[capt eddie]

I agree with all on building the arrows yourself. But he said he does not have the time.

[Don Stokes]

Yes, it can be done, but why take chances? Spend the money and get enough feather so that a slight error on the shot won't wound or miss the bear. I can shoot my snuffers with three 4" feathers, but I want the extra insurance. Remember Murphy's Law!

Just one old man's opinion, based on several decades of bowhunting.

[Ken Taylor]

In ideal conditions, 4" are o.k.

But with the 160 grain Snuffer I personally like using more fletching than borderline for peace of mind.

Getting caught in a heavy shower or walking in wet bush and lowering the profile of the feathers becomes much less of an issue too if you have some to spare.

Shots at bears are close which means that the arrow has to straighten out faster in flight too.

[Steve O]

A few years ago, my buddy and I were out in Iowa turkey hunting and scouting for deer.  We stopped by Roger Rothhaar's place for dinner and some shooting.  In the process of our little shooting session, Roger found, buried in the grass for a few years a 2216 with a big ol' 160g Snuffer on it.  The feathers were gone.  He said, "Watch this".

He proceeded to shoot that bare shafted Snuffer tipped arrow about 45 yards right into the heart of his deer target.

I think if you are tuned properly, you don't need any fletching to shoot a big Snuffer!

[Ken Taylor]

I agree that with good tuning an arrow shot from a bow that is cut close to or at center like a recurve will fly quite well with a broadhead... in fact, I have done it myself, even with some of my longbows.

BUT... I am sure that most of you will agree that there are a myriad of possibilities both in equipment and form that exist...

I like playing it safe, putting all the odds on my side, and use 5" fletching to shoot my Snuffers at a living creature.