Does 4 flech over 3 flech make much of a difference when shooting broad heads?? Is it worth the extra cost ??
I am thinking of building some 4 fletch too. The reaso being is that I want more spin and me helical twist is not very much on my jig. I guess that 4 feathers will have more turnig effect than 3 because there is the added surface area of the 4th feather ad thus addition rotation force...
Maybe...
Alex
Also puts a little extra # on the back end which stiffens up the spine a little.
Good Shooting,
Craig
Four fletched arrows of the same size will have more air resistant than three fletch. This will cost you some in trajectory. As for the stabilizing BH benefits. If your set up is well tuned? The extra fletch isn't needed.
I have become a big fan of 4 fletch the past couple of years after shooting some of my buddies four fletch.I tune my arrows very well first,so I think any style of fletching will do fine.I made up a dozen of the same arrows a couple of years back.Three were 3-4",4-4",3-5" and 4-5".They all grouped together at 20 yds.You will a bigger difference in trajectory at 25 yds plus.Four fletch may give more surface the 3-5",but I like a lower profile 4-4".Which it seems to have a flatter trajectory then 3-5".
Love the way 4 fletched looks and performs. To me it's all about being confident in your set up, and I am so use to looking at 4 fletched 3 looks odd to me. I shoot 4 fletched left helical and I noticed for me they did spin more than the 3 when shot side by side, and it looks like a propeller of destruction going down range.
It really is not more expensive to use 4 fletch. If you now use 3-5" inch feathers you can easily go to 4-4" feathers. I can get 2- 4" fletches out of a full length feather but rarely can I get 2- 5" fletch from one feather.
3-4" feathers (straight off-set) have done the job for me for over 50 years. Also I don't have any single bevel broad-heads.
James
If your arrows are tuned and you have a descent FOC 3 fletch will work great. Four fletch will stabilize the arrow faster though.
And a straighter arrow is a faster arrow!!!!!!
Good Shooting,
Craig
I think 4 fletch started so you nock an arrow without looking to see where your cock feather was. And they fly great so why not.
Scott E."If your arrows are tuned and you have a descent FOC 3 fletch will work great. Four fletch will stabilize the arrow faster though."
Turbo nocks !
I shoot 31" arrows with 3 4" feathers and they fly great.
Thanks to all
Thanks every one :clapper:
There are many advantages to 4 fletch....for me.
My arrows aren't slower either.
Sometimes a perfectly tuned set up CAN use and extra feather...there's a host of reasons and scenarios.
And, I've never lost an animal because I had a extra feather. Wouldn't that make a silly excuse???
I wasn't sold on 4 fletch at first. I have been shooting the four fletch now for about a year and can say it makes a noticeable difference. I'm not going back so I can save a few cents per arrow.
I shoot four fletch: 4-4" parabolic rw helical on one bow and 4-5" shield rw helical on another. They do spin pretty quickly but I haven't done any serious comparisons with 3 fletch. I agree that getting your setup tuned properly is the most important thing. I like the fact that I don't have to worry about cock feather position. Plus they look cool. Not important for performance but it's nice if you shoot with a lot of other people. Not many trad guys around my area but the compound guys with their three rinky dink little blazer vanes go nuts when they see my 5" shield cut pink/white spliced four fletch.
(http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg614/tomsm44/image-57.jpg) (http://s1246.photobucket.com/user/tomsm44/media/image-57.jpg.html)
So I decided to experiment today after thinking it over and here's my new arrow fletch set up. Going to try and tune them tomorrow.
(http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab77/tradarcher816/15B2A7EC-79B7-415E-A7E0-0CA6398E75D5_zpsw3ziqekm.jpg) (http://s851.photobucket.com/user/tradarcher816/media/15B2A7EC-79B7-415E-A7E0-0CA6398E75D5_zpsw3ziqekm.jpg.html)
(http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab77/tradarcher816/9BA06445-274A-41A8-8262-7C13CFE04408_zpsojk7amx6.jpg) (http://s851.photobucket.com/user/tradarcher816/media/9BA06445-274A-41A8-8262-7C13CFE04408_zpsojk7amx6.jpg.html)
Looks nice Tradarcher816, let me know how they fly.
Terry - what length feather do you use?
I'm thinking about experimenting with 4 3"
4 - 5 inch Roger lower profile than my 3 inch that I still have on some arrows but don't fletch any more....some say the 4th feather slows them down....I say they, nor I, can shoot the difference.
I made this shot a couple of year ago....right in front of 6 compounders....100 yards at midnight....instinctive.
Needless to say, it blew their minds, and one bowyer now has 6 bows on order because of it...I'm not even kidding...
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/100yardshotinthedark.jpg)
No look knocking,...short range dismissal of paradox for close range hogs, more forgiving when I have to 'manufacture a shot'. (stabilization was realized in boat props 20 years ago in 4 blades over 3s.) Rain, briars ripping off part of one. The use of big broadheads, and non extreme foc for more level flight and straighter impacts with the weight of the arrow following more closely directly behind the head
This in NO WAY IS KNOCKING 3 fletch, NOR is this a recommendation against 3 fletch, just some of the positive for ME and MY hunting style. I have 5.5 3 fletch that really does most all of the sme as above...but the no look knocking and lower profile for shooting through holes in this stuff is the main reason I changed, once I did, I found a HOST of other positives as mentioned above.
I think Curt Cabrera(Guru), who got that nickname from back when he played softball, uses 4 inch, but his are higher profile than mine...so we use about the same surface area.
Here's a clip of my four fletch, hard to tell, but at this distance the arrows are almost straight into the target, NOT tail high, due to average foc bout 20%. So, the arrows is stabler from paradox, straighter behind the broadhead, maximizing the arrow's weight at the point of impact to aid the broadhead though the animal at a straighter distance with less drag from a tail high impact..
Broadside profile with wife\\'s 1st time filming commentary (http://tradgang.com/videos/tg/m27.wmv)
Give it a minute to load.
I tried a 4 fletch last year (1 arrow) it was louder, and WAY slower. I was using 5" fletching. It would probably be ok with some shorter feathers on there.
L.R.
Lone...not sure what cut your were using, but there is no sound difference in my 3 vs 4 fletch. Like I said, I went from height back 3s to regular back 4s. Same surface area, or pretty darn close.
Good sound advice Terry w/o being offensive.I've found the same benefits when using 4 fletch also.
Quote
I am thinking of building some 4 fletch too. The reaso being is that I want more spin and me helical twist is not very much on my jig. I guess that 4 feathers will have more turnig effect than 3 because there is the added surface area of the 4th feather ad thus addition rotation force... alex321
Your arrow will only spin as much as your off-set and helical are set to on your jig...no more, no less. In this case 4 fletch, six or ten...will not make it spin any faster (revolutions per distance traveled). Think of it like the rifling in a rifle barrel. More surface area will likely start the arrow spinning a little quicker (distance from the bow) as it "grabs" more air, and that, I think, is what you were thinking.
You cannot increase your helical, that is fixed in the clamp itself, you can off-set your clamp (Bitzenburger?) more thereby increasing the rate of your arrow spin. Make sense?
Kris
My good friend and shooting buddy loves 4-4" fletch and I love my 3-5" fletch. I see no advantage over either during our shooting over the years. To me it's just a personal preference same as shooting split finger or 3 under.
tradarcher, you have some good looking arrows there bud but those toes need some work.
Fletcher my first 4 7" arrow today (tip to tail it's like 40.5") and it did its best impression of a laser beam toward the yellow ring. Gonna have to lower the height to pick up some speed, but the four fletch really does work. Hit like a freight train, now just needs to pick up some weight.
Yeah...like I said...for me there are several advantages...mainly the no look nocking.
And yes, it does and has come in handy on many occasions....mostly hog hunting.
Terry if I may ask who was the maker of the bow that you made that 100 yard shot with?
Jim Reynolds....Thunderstick Archery....6 MOABS
Terry, they were 5" shield cut with a pretty heavy helical. Noticeably slower at 20 yards. (3-4" drop under my 3 fletch) but I am "only" shooting a 41# bow at my draw.
L.R.
QuoteOriginally posted by Terry Green:
4 - 5 inch Roger lower profile than my 3 inch that I still have on some arrows but don't fletch any more....some say the 4th feather slows them down....I say they, nor I, can shoot the difference.
I made this shot a couple of year ago....right in front of 6 compounders....100 yards at midnight....instinctive.
Needless to say, it blew their minds, and one bowyer now has 6 bows on order because of it...I'm not even kidding...
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/100yardshotinthedark.jpg)
No look knocking,...short range dismissal of paradox for close range hogs, more forgiving when I have to 'manufacture a shot'. (stabilization was realized in boat props 20 years ago in 4 blades over 3s.) Rain, briars ripping off part of one. The use of big broadheads, and non extreme foc for more level flight and straighter impacts with the weight of the arrow following more closely directly behind the head
This in NO WAY IS KNOCKING 3 fletch, NOR is this a recommendation against 3 fletch, just some of the positive for ME and MY hunting style. I have 5.5 3 fletch that really does most all of the sme as above...but the no look knocking and lower profile for shooting through holes in this stuff is the main reason I changed, once I did, I found a HOST of other positives as mentioned above.
I think Curt Cabrera(Guru), who got that nickname from back when he played softball, uses 4 inch, but his are higher profile than mine...so we use about the same surface area.
Here's a clip of my four fletch, hard to tell, but at this distance the arrows are almost straight into the target, NOT tail high, due to average foc bout 20%. So, the arrows is stabler from paradox, straighter behind the broadhead, maximizing the arrow's weight at the point of impact to aid the broadhead though the animal at a straighter distance with less drag from a tail high impact..
Broadside profile with wife\\'s 1st time filming commentary (http://tradgang.com/videos/tg/m27.wmv)
Give it a minute to load.
Geez Terry....I am always impressed with your shooting. We need to go stumping up at SHrewHaven someday. :thumbsup: Ron and I have been in some pretty fierce 3D competition with each other the last few weekends. It would be nice to have someone come up here and whip both our a$$. Then we could just shoot and enjoy the day instead of jabbering at each other :biglaugh:
That would be a blast Roger!!!