# Which size fletch do you use and Why?



## BkBigkid (May 18, 2008)

I Have 4" and 5" parabolic feathers and I have used both but prefer the smaller 4"  feathers. 
I notice most folks have 5" feathers, on their arras, It seems like it would straighten the arra out quicker in flight? 

Why do you use the Size Feathers you have on your arras? 


I was thinking of doing the next batch of arras with 5" but wanted to hear from others and these thoughts versus the Two lengths.


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## RogerB (May 18, 2008)

BK,
I think with field points the 4" are plenty, and with very good form and arrow flight 4" is probably plenty for broadheads. But when someone like myself, with not so good form and poor arrow flight at times, hangs a broadhead on the front of an arrow, 5" counters the wind planing nature those broad heads exibit. Since I practice (field points) with the same arrows I hunt with, I just stick with 5". If you have target arrows and hunting arrows or you use different bows for each therefore different arrows (I don't) some 4" would be fine.

I will say one of the pretty things about trad. shooting is those arrows with those big ole' feathers sticking out of your quiver and flying down range.

I shot in a tournament yesterday with a bunch of compound shooters, and got more than one comment on how pretty it was to watch those arrows flying down range and "dropping" into the kill zone. Those little bitty arrows with them little 1" vanes had no beauty at all and you couldn't hardly see the fly (they were just a tool).


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## notnksnemor (May 18, 2008)

Roger said all for me too....
5" for hunting, 4" in 3D shoots with field tips.


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## ky_longbow (May 18, 2008)

i shoot high back 5.5" shields and 5.5 banana cut- for hunting- because my release sucks------
and 5" for field tips-------


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## trad bow (May 18, 2008)

Depends an what arrow material I am using. I get real good flight out of my carbons from a recurve and use 4" feathers with field points and broadheads. I really don't need feathers on them for field points out to 20 yds but shoot better with feathers because I can see the arrow when feathers are attached. My wood arrows I shoot out of my longbows have 5 and 5.5 inch feathers and sometimes still jump around from time to time. Style doesn't matter much to me as long as the profile is short.


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## Apex Predator (May 18, 2008)

I have shot 5" for years.  I have been reading alot about high FOC arrows needing less fletching.  I have ordered some 4" feathers to try.  I usually shoot 23-25% FOC(forward of center balance) arrows, and they are considered "extreme FOC" arrows.  I'll let you folks know how it works out.


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## ncsturkey (May 18, 2008)

4" parabolics are all I need to insure broadhead flight.  No need to use more.


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## John Cooper (May 18, 2008)

i like big feathers, sheilds or nanner's are fine. i like big feathers cause i don't get hung up in all this bare shaft tuning and stuff like that


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## SOS (May 18, 2008)

I've typically used big 5" feathers, and they do add some forgiveness to your less than perfect release.  I was tuning up some high FOC carbon arrows for Africa with 350 grains up front, and after reading some of the TradGang discussion before the state shoot, I cranked up the feather burner and chopped a bunch of height off my feathers.  I think it helped with the wind at the shoot, but even with high FOC, I will probably stick to fairly big feathers when shooting broadheads.  I don't shoot at anything over 20 yards and the big feathers will help straighten the arrow sooner for good penetration.


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## belle&bows (May 19, 2008)

I have only shot 4" because that is all I have ever used and my field points do fine while practicing. In my short time I haven't shot broadheads yet. I'm not sure what I will use. Depends on how the bheads react. May or may not adjust.


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## robert carter (May 19, 2008)

I shoot 5 1/2 cause I am prone to have a bad release more times than not and also because I shoot BIG broadheads and I want it flying straight.RC


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## die_dunkelheit (May 20, 2008)

I think that it depends on the application, smaller fletching will cause less drag thus a faster arrow with less drop, bigger fletching will add drag thus a slower but more stable flight. 

You could also look at what was done historically. The English archers used good sized fletchings (as far as we can tell) and they fended off attackers by the thousands. Look what they did to the French... 
Then you could look at the Mongols, their bows are probably the most powerful best performing traditional bow there is. Chinggis Khan's nephew shot a target at 536 meters with one of their bows. They used long fletchings very short off the shaft, like 14 inches long but only 1/8 inch tall, on their flight arrows ('flight' meaning 'for long range').

So for target competition use shorter fletching for a faster arrow, so it has less time to drop. For hunting use larger fletching for a more stable arrow to handle your broadheads.


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## PAPALAPIN (May 20, 2008)

I use 3-3/4"

Because I shoot four fletch.  3.75 X 4 = 15, the same as 3 X 5 = 15.

I probably still get less drag because the 3.75 do have a lower profile.   I also use AAE plastic Fletch.  Yeah, I know... I am a heathen.  Not as "traditional" as feathers, but I like the way they fly.  No worry about getting them wet.  I use a tight helical so it really spins te crap out of the arrow.  Same effect as rifling on a bullet.  

I don't worry about loss of speed because I will put my Jack Howards up against any traditional bow in a speed test; except the Border Black Douglas. I may be stupit but I ain't crazy.


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## BkBigkid (Jun 29, 2008)

Well I learned something today, 
I did the new batch up with 5" feathers and took them and some 4" feathers out and shoot a few rounds 

I will say i had more constant groups out of the 5" feathers than I ever did with the 4" ones.  I am sold on the 5" inch feathers now! 

the 5" cut my groups in Half even through diffrent Bows. 
Yes I had to try it out on almost all my Bows to make sure it wasn't just the one Bow. 

You will probably see the difference in my groups from this week in the online tournament I will shoot those later this week, Sent to many arras down range today.


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## Apex Predator (Jun 29, 2008)

I have been shooting 4-4" feathers for a few weeks now.  I am sold!  They stabilize my big broadheads fine.  My arrows are extreme forward of center balanced though, and I think it makes a difference.


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## BkBigkid (Jun 29, 2008)

Mine are FOC only by a Inch Maybe 2 
I haven't tried 4 fletch yet, I just might before it is over with as I have some 4" feathers to use up. 


I did learn another thing! Those "No GLOVE" Rubber pieces that go on the string aren't Good. I had them on A couple bows and consistently had problems with my release on those bows, Well went to a Normal Metal nock and all the Problems magically went away. I have a few of those set that are still in the package, Oh well I won't ever use them again.


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## ScottGray (Jun 29, 2008)

I shoot 3 three inch feathers for fieldpoints and broadheads but I just learned that to shoot IBO you must use 4 inch feathers. Next year I would like to expand my horizons and shoot a couple of IBO or ASA events so I just switched (last night) to 3 four inch feathers.


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## hogdgz (Jun 29, 2008)

I shoot 5 inch shield cut b/c It seems that I get better flight, plus they look really good to me.


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## OconeeDan (Jun 29, 2008)

I shoot 4x4" feathers, and probably won't change.  They fly good and you don't have to worry about cock feather out or in or whatever.
Dan


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## SOS (Jun 29, 2008)

5 inch, fairly tall burned wildturkey feathers.  Get good flight with less, especially with high FOC (350 grains on the front of a GT), but like the extra for bad releases in hunting situations with typically shorter shots.

Did burn some lower profile feathers that were a big help in the wind at the state shoot..


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## markland (Jun 30, 2008)

I shoot 3-4in feathers on my carbons and find that is all I need to shoot any point.  I bareshaft tune all my arrows so they are flying perfectly straight to begin with and do not need to correct them as much by using larger fletch.  If the arrow is properly spined and tuned to the bow, then you should not have to shoot larger fletching to get them to fly correctly, that would indicate a tuning problem to me!  I have no difference in the flight of my field pts and broadheads, nothing but a nock going downrange!  Mark


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## Mudfeather (Jun 30, 2008)

Some company done test and found 4- 4" stabalized an arrow quicker than 3- 5".  I shoot them that way because they are cheaper...can get two out of a full length feather and I grind the indexer off my nocks cause like Dan said...cock don't matter..


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