higher FOC flight in wind?

Iowabowhunter · February 10, 2014, 07:14:00 PM

I'm just wondering if a shaft with higher FOC (14+) is more affected by crosswind?

T Sunstone · February 10, 2014, 10:37:00 PM

I have notice the wind affects it more but does not blow it off target as much as non FOC shafts.

Hermon · February 10, 2014, 10:40:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by T Sunstone:
I have notice the wind affects it more but does not blow it off target as much as non FOC shafts.

Do you mean that the arrow has the tail more "down wind" in relation to the point in flight, but not as far from point of aim at impact?

Friend · February 10, 2014, 10:44:00 PM

For what it's worth...have shot 30+% Ultra-EFOC bareshafts in quite windy conditions. The rear of the shaft would move wildly, yet the point would find the mark at 25 yards.

lt-m-grow · February 10, 2014, 10:54:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Friend:
For what it's worth...have shot 30+% Ultra-EFOC bareshafts in quite windy conditions. The rear of the shaft would move wildly, yet the point would find the mark at 25 yards.

Indeed.

Iowabowhunter · February 11, 2014, 01:43:00 AM

Hmm. Well thats not good. Was thinking about some ultra small diameter shafts (Victory VAP's) but I would need to load up the front to get them heavy enough

swampthing · February 11, 2014, 07:28:00 AM

Isn't the point of high foc better all around performance? How would a tail wagging, backend side stepping arrow out penetrate a straight flying one???

BAK · February 11, 2014, 07:52:00 AM

SHHH, don't pay any attention to the man behind the curtain.

Manitoba Stickflinger · February 11, 2014, 07:57:00 AM

Yep...they suck in cross winds. I use them for hunting as it's always close hunting in heavy cover, but, if I were to hunt in open country or take further shots in the open I'd be using a more evenly weighted arrow. The tail wag or drift is far too obvious to not affect penetration!

Zradix · February 11, 2014, 10:13:00 AM

for target shooting high foc is kinda cool in the wind ( until you get just plain too heavy). The foc makes it easier for the fletching to get blown around BUT the point stays closer to the intended line. Now in theory you can use much smaller fletch with high foc....so that may negate some of the fletch end moving over. When that arrow flies it's basically going downrange sideways and doing so causes it to drop a little fast...

That said...I don't want to shoot an arrow at game on a windy day and have my arrow traveling sideways....broadheads work best going pointy end first..lol..it's not an axe..lol

I'd rather dope the wind a bit and have my arrow flying straight into and through the game...

Heck just try it sometime.
Have some fun and experiment in the yard on a windy day.

old_goat2 · February 11, 2014, 10:47:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by Iowabowhunter:
Hmm. Well thats not good. Was thinking about some ultra small diameter shafts (Victory VAP's) but I would need to load up the front to get them heavy enough

I think the GT Kinetics are longer out of the box, maybe you wouldn't have to front load them as much.

Charlie Lamb · February 11, 2014, 11:29:00 AM

The "sideways" example is exaggerated. If your arrows are flying "sideways" no set up is going to do well.

I'd rather hit the mark with an arrow that's slightly unstable than miss with a stable arrow.

How far are you guys shooting anyways?

Zradix · February 11, 2014, 11:46:00 AM

I really wasn't trying to exaggerate Mr. Lamb.
This summer my Wife and I went out shooting on a steady 30 mph wind day.

Just for fun..to see what would happen.
Took shots from 10 yds to about 23 or so.

Her arrows are spruce with 3-5" fletch and 125 grain points.
Mine were carbons with 4-5" fletch and 250 grain tips.

We shot in the cross wind.

Her arrows drifted from target more but flew much straighter.
My arrows were hitting closer to the mark, but were flying at about a 30-40˚ angle.

JimB · February 11, 2014, 11:53:00 AM

I don't claim to understand it but the real high FOC arrows do show more angle in flight but hit dead on and the arrow sticks straight in the target where as the normal FOC arrows stick in the target at an angle.I'm getting more penetration with the higher FOC ones.

I have to shoot a lot in pretty stiff winds here and the results are easy to see.I mostly only shoot out to 30 yds and there are no issues with aiming right at the bulls eye in a 30 mph cross wind.

It's crazy to see but the arrow can be going down range at an angle but when I get to the target,the nock is pointing right to my bow which is where I stood to shoot.

It would be interesting to chrono the normal FOC and a higher one,at 30 yds,if they weighed the same.

February 11, 2014, 12:00:00 PM

Flying at a angle with many types of broadheads would really affect penetration with a lighter bow. I have noticed this with my Alaskans in a bad cross wind, I thought it was something that I was doing wrong. If an arrow that does not tack into the wind, like the woody mentioned, how far at my 25 yard favorite shot do they really blow off line? Back when I shot targets, it was a challenge to guess where to hold the pin in relation to the current gust of wind. But those were the long meter shots, not hunting range. Over the years I think leaning the shot into the wind becomes second nature. One more reason for me to stick with what I have.

jr1959 · February 11, 2014, 04:20:00 PM

While out stump shooting/shed hunting I shot 2 arrows at a stump about 80 yards out. Arrow #1 was an carbon 500 with 290 grains up front with 3-5" fletching, wind was steady 25 m.p.h. crosswind arrow wagged all the way to target constantly correcting for the fletch drag. Arrow #2 same specs but 3-2" fletching stayed on course with little or now obvious tail wagging. I think it was more a case of fletching that efoc. JIM

Charlie Lamb · February 11, 2014, 07:27:00 PM

Zradix,

Nothing personal bud. Just adding my 2 cents. I'm a "forget the wind... just shoot" kind of guy.

Zradix · February 11, 2014, 07:51:00 PM

Oh heck no..not personal at all.

Shoot, I like hearing your 2¢ enough I spent $20 ( or whatever it was) to read it ...lol

I'm not going to argue with the voice of experience..just sharing mine, then shutting up and listening...

JamesKerr · February 11, 2014, 08:13:00 PM

I tend to agree with Charlie. The other point someone brought up is that with high foc arrows you can use much smaller fletchings then normally used. This is the ticket to nearly removing wind drift or a kick all together. Think about it for a second an arrow flying through the air does not have much surface area for the wind to catch as it is generally only 11/32"-5/16" diameter. The fletching is what the wind mainly has an effect on . Try this little experiment for yourselves and see what you think though. Go out and shoot a set of perfectly tuned bare shafts and fletched arrows on a windy day. In my experience the wind has very little if any effect on the bareshafts but a noticeable effect on the fletched arrows. I myself use big fletchings even after this test though as most of my hunting is done here in the south and it usually doesn't get very windy here so I want as much stabilization as possible.

Iowabowhunter · February 14, 2014, 08:23:00 AM

My concern is that it gets pretty windy here around Bozeman.

As far as fetching size is concerned, does anybody use the 2" Rayzr feathers? If they steer the broadheads properly that might be the ticket.

I am thinking about using Victory's VAP shafts. Ultra small diameter and light. I would need 200+ grains up front to get the weight up to an acceptable level.

Should be less effected by wind with the small diameter shaft and smaller feathers.