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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: J-dog on August 17, 2016, 11:08:00 AM

Title: short fletchings???
Post by: J-dog on August 17, 2016, 11:08:00 AM
Who shoots short fletch?

Have always shot 4 or 5" fletch (3), like 30 something odd years. This summer really spent alot of time mesisng with ashby style fletching with 4 fletch @120 200 grains up front. seems to be a good setup? looks weird but hey it works really well.

Anyone else tried these 2, 2.5" fletch? kinda looks like the wheelie shooters arrows! haha

J
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: Stixbowdrew on August 17, 2016, 11:53:00 AM
I am running a 3"x4 with a high foc arrow and they fly awesome! Shot the other day in the rain and even when wet flight was still not an issue!
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: JimB on August 17, 2016, 11:57:00 AM
Keep in mind,the 30%plus FOC that Ashby is using requires less fletch.He isn't advocating it on normal FOC arrows.Personally,if I were shooting those point weights,I'd use three 5" or four 4".Things can look great till you get shooting broadheads in a variety of hunting conditions etc and you may need more stability.

I'm using a fairly small,3",four fletch but the arrows are 32%-35% FOC.I've tested them in all conditions,including high cross winds and they are stale.Ashby uses that fletch in specific circumstances and fine tunes the size on each setup with a pretty stringent tuning regimen.
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: Longbowlogan on August 17, 2016, 12:26:00 PM
I shoot three 3" parabolic feathers with 350gr up front on a Gold tip micro diameter arrow. They fly great in any type of weather and I've never had any problems with them.
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: Bill Turner on August 17, 2016, 12:31:00 PM
I've been shooting 5"to 5.5" feathers on wood or aluminum for 46 years and have been perfectly happy. This summer, a noted bowyer, asked me to try his set-up of 3, four inch feathers on wood/carbon shafts. I did and was shocked at how well they performed on the 3-D range. I'm anxious to try these smaller feathers, with broadheads, under hunting conditions this October.    :campfire:
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: Shadowhnter on August 17, 2016, 01:17:00 PM
J-dog, are you using those small fletching straight with no helical, and with a turbulator?
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: Stump73 on August 17, 2016, 01:27:00 PM
Using 3x4 feathers with 300 up front.
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: J-dog on August 17, 2016, 01:39:00 PM
I wasn't chasing the hole FOC deal? That is all cool but not my intention. Just wanted to change up. I am getting great flight with these short fletch dealies, my only real problem is the look! Haha again it reminds me of those wheelie shooters arrows!

But seriously great flight with them no problems. Think they are cool.

J
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: JimB on August 17, 2016, 01:45:00 PM
They do look odd,compared to what we are used to.My only point was,for a hunter,make sure they are enough to stabilize broadheads in a variety of less than perfect conditions.
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: Mike Vines on August 17, 2016, 02:18:00 PM
I made up a set of those last year, to take moose hunting.  Their flight was amazing, but decided I'm a wood arrow kinda guy, so they sit in the basement till I decide what I wanna do with them.

 (http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab28/miklvines/0712151835.jpg) (http://s846.photobucket.com/user/miklvines/media/0712151835.jpg.html)
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: Pete McMiller on August 17, 2016, 02:33:00 PM
3x3" for me the past two years with 31.4% FOC.  400 gr. up front and total arrow weight of 660 gr.,  Fly like darts in all weather including wind.  I am shooting Grizzly Kodiaks up front and never have any issues with flight.  I won't go back to larger fletch.
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: JimB on August 17, 2016, 04:25:00 PM
These are the 3",four fletch.
(http://i.imgur.com/AHM98aI.jpg)
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: highlow on August 17, 2016, 06:12:00 PM
Got my Beman Centershot 500s to bareshaft perfectly with 200grs up front so didn't see the necessity of using 4 or 5" feathers so fletched up with 3, 3" shields and they shoot perfectly, even tipped with a 200gr Cutthroat. Only have about 22% FOC.
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: J-dog on August 17, 2016, 07:34:00 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by Shadowhnter:
J-dog, are you using those small fletching straight with no helical, and with a turbulator?
Have helical on em and no turbulator as of yet?
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: J-dog on August 17, 2016, 07:37:00 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by JimB:
These are the 3",four fletch.
 (http://i.imgur.com/AHM98aI.jpg)
That tuff head looks wicked! Like a spear head!

Cool fletch too
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: DKdc on August 17, 2016, 08:55:00 PM
I shoot 2.25"x3. Got them off Lancaster that's all I need
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: Jarrod Reno on August 18, 2016, 12:16:00 PM
Been shooting four 2" rayzrs the last couple years, I love'm. They fly great with field points or broadheads and they're silent. Tried to go to a 4" this year because I like the look of long feathers but they sound like a missile compared to the rayzrs.
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: Scott Barr on August 18, 2016, 08:05:00 PM
Godang J-Dog that is an eye-popping set of arrows you have!  Not just a pretty face either. Tuff heads with reinforced shafts.  Curious, what brand arrow shafts are you using and draw weight and arrow grain?

Scott
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: tracker12 on August 18, 2016, 08:29:00 PM
JimB
What brand are those shield cuts?  I am also running 3"x4.
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: JimB on August 18, 2016, 08:42:00 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by Scott Barr:
Godang J-Dog that is an eye-popping set of arrows you have!  Not just a pretty face either. Tuff heads with reinforced shafts.  Curious, what brand arrow shafts are you using and draw weight and arrow grain?

Scott
The are Victory V Force HV .350's.Total weight is 726 grs.50 lb recurve.

The fletch is one I drew up and set my feather burner to.They are 3"X 5/8".
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: Birdbow on August 21, 2016, 06:35:00 PM
I  (http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o691/toddgregory1/IMG_2019_zpsr9snewdu.jpg) (http://s1338.photobucket.com/user/toddgregory1/media/IMG_2019_zpsr9snewdu.jpg.html) 've experimented with 4x2" and 4x3.25" feathers and heavy point weight. Found that the 2" were good with some points but not good with others. The 3.25" were consistently good with variations in point type and weight. The pic is of wild turkey feathers (3.25) I dyed.
Title: Re: short fletchings???
Post by: vintage archer on August 21, 2016, 09:55:00 PM
The A&A feather concept was probably the last Dr Ashby findings that I bought into. I was always used 5" or 5.5 high profile feathers on all my arrows.
When trying to achieve a FOC of 30% or more I broke down and started to again experiment to see if short fathers really would work for me.
By experimenting I was able to get down to 2.5" feathers and increase my FOC 2%. Ashby says that by decreasing the weight on the rear of the arrow by 1 grain it is the equivalent of adding 5 to 7 grains up front. I think that ratio depends on the arrow specifics but there is  defiantly a  correlation .

If you have a well tested bare shaft small feathers are fantastic.
Like Jim B mentions they should be tested in all wind conditions .Dr. Ashby advocates this also. I was lucky and my arrows fly like darts in all conditions tested. .My only problem is always hitting what I want to    :biglaugh:    

I do know that to much feather can make noise and alert game of the approaching arrow . So short feathers have another purpose than trying to improve FOC    :)