How much difference in fps or trajectory is there between a 5" shield cut feather and a 4" shield cut feather at 40yrds., 60yrds. and 80yrds.?

Anyone ever test it?

O.L.?

Ray  

Ray, Run the numbers on the Jackson site.http://home.att.net/~sajackson/archery.html  What I got was with a 500 gr arrow at 180fps at 40 yards you'll lose 15% of your horsepower with 5" fletch....11% with 4" and 8% with 3"...4" more drop with 5" at 40 yds and 7" less with 3".........O.L.

Thanks!!!

Ray  

It appears that from 0 to 40yrds. there's not a whole lot of difference between 5" and 4" feathers and/or vanes but when the distances get out beyond 40yrds. I can begin to see an advantage developing in trajectory with the smaller feathers and/or vanes.

I wanted to see if there would be an advantage going from 5" to 4" feathers in competitions where longer distances were involved but I want to maintain the exact equipment I hunt with as I compete with.

I'm currently shooting off an elevated rest so I might seriously consider going to 4" vanes but I'm also considering going back to shooting off the shelf so the 4" feathers are appealing a little more to me.

O.L.

Would a piece of pin strip tape placed a 1/4" in front of the 4" feathers benefit me at all or is it more beneficial to go with an even smaller feather or vane for stability and trajectory at longer distances?

Ray  

Hard to say Ray. I think that mostly comes into play when you start crowding the edges of the envelope like if you were trying to shoot 2" fletching. 4" for field tips is still about double what's adaquate......O.L.

What's your personal view on the minimum for broadheads with or without the pinstripe tape?

Thanks!

Ray  

Ray it just depends on the FOC and size of the heads. Use mechnicals and 2" will work!    Narrow heads with high FOC's and it doesn't take much. Big ugly Snuffers and 8% FOC you'd better have 5" plus......O.L.

I like big ugly broadheads dripping with bright frothy red stuff right around Halloween time, err I mean hunting season....  

QuoteOriginally posted by O.L. Adcock:
Ray it just depends on the FOC and size of the heads. Use mechnicals and 2" will work!     Narrow heads with high FOC's and it doesn't take much. Big ugly Snuffers and 8% FOC you'd better have 5" plus......O.L.

Those are basically the kind of answers I was searching for.

So...do you believe a bowhunter could comfortably get away with using 3" fletch with a narrow broadhead and 14% FOC or higher or would you suggest at least 4" feathers based on your research?

I'll experiment a little bit myself. Just wanted a little bit more of an educated opinion before ordering feathers and making up a new batch of arrows  

Ray  

Mike, so do I much to the good Doc's dismay!    Ray, we're going to try to come up with some guidelines on that with some controled tests otherwise it's just trial and error....O.L.