Should I change from a 3 to 4 fletching??
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Little Egg harbor NJ
Posts: 1,279
Should I change from a 3 to 4 fletching??
I was just wondering If changing from a 3 to a 4 fletching would help my arrows flight. I mean put 4 feathers on my arrow NOT change for 3 inch to four. Adding one more feather or whatever.
Currently I am using 3 5" feathers with right hellical maxed out. I am shooting a PSE carbon force compitition pro arrow which is the straightest arrow of .001. I do love the arrows and they perform great. But here is my problem is when I use mechanicals they fly like darts out to 60 yards with no problems. But when I change over to fixed blades steelforce 100' s They also fly great for 25 yards then after that they go low and to the right. I shoot them at 15/25 yards and they are dead on but when I go to 35 yards I get a change and at 45 yards it just goes lower and more to the right.
At 35 yards it goes about 2 inches to the right and 2 inches low. At 45 yards it goes more so like 4 and 4 or just a bit more than that.
Oh I am shooting a Darton Maverick with a 32 inch draw 400 gr arrows with release and using muzzy Zero effect arrow rest. I am shooting 70 lbs and arrows are traveling 300fps.
So what ya think .
Thanks guys for any and all help.
Brian
Currently I am using 3 5" feathers with right hellical maxed out. I am shooting a PSE carbon force compitition pro arrow which is the straightest arrow of .001. I do love the arrows and they perform great. But here is my problem is when I use mechanicals they fly like darts out to 60 yards with no problems. But when I change over to fixed blades steelforce 100' s They also fly great for 25 yards then after that they go low and to the right. I shoot them at 15/25 yards and they are dead on but when I go to 35 yards I get a change and at 45 yards it just goes lower and more to the right.
At 35 yards it goes about 2 inches to the right and 2 inches low. At 45 yards it goes more so like 4 and 4 or just a bit more than that.
Oh I am shooting a Darton Maverick with a 32 inch draw 400 gr arrows with release and using muzzy Zero effect arrow rest. I am shooting 70 lbs and arrows are traveling 300fps.
So what ya think .
Thanks guys for any and all help.
Brian
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: East Yapank NY USA
Posts: 3,457
RE: Should I change from a 3 to 4 fletching??
going to four won' t do a thing IMO
Have you tuned for you broadheads? Are the groups tight at 40?
if they are not then group tune it so they are.
if they are already tight, just move your pins. 4 " at 40 is not that bad and if they group well your setup may very well be fine.
Personally I tune my broadheads for best groups and do not really care where my fp' s hit. I don' t shoot deer with fp' s.
Good Luck
Have you tuned for you broadheads? Are the groups tight at 40?
if they are not then group tune it so they are.
if they are already tight, just move your pins. 4 " at 40 is not that bad and if they group well your setup may very well be fine.
Personally I tune my broadheads for best groups and do not really care where my fp' s hit. I don' t shoot deer with fp' s.
Good Luck
#3
RE: Should I change from a 3 to 4 fletching??
I tend to agree with Rack. If you are using a hard helical with your feathers now then I doubt going to 4 fletchings will help much. It does add stability to the arrow but I tend to think you have more of a tuning problem that an extra fletching will not act as a band-aid for.
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Illinois
Posts: 1,862
RE: Should I change from a 3 to 4 fletching??
Here is my 2 cents!
Broadheads tend to not like speed above a particular FPS, depending on setup. Throw in the inherent flight deviations that broadheads impart, throw in the possibility of having spine vs. draw-weight near the " red line;" I would also consider that a 3.5" vane/fletch may not be enough of a stabilizer for your setup.
It could be that the 3.5" vane is battling to keep your broadhead mounted shaft stable and on the mark, and is able to do so up to a certain yardage. Past a certain distance, the vane may start to lose the battle and the broadhead takes over and pulls the shaft off course.
Broadheads tend to not like speed above a particular FPS, depending on setup. Throw in the inherent flight deviations that broadheads impart, throw in the possibility of having spine vs. draw-weight near the " red line;" I would also consider that a 3.5" vane/fletch may not be enough of a stabilizer for your setup.
It could be that the 3.5" vane is battling to keep your broadhead mounted shaft stable and on the mark, and is able to do so up to a certain yardage. Past a certain distance, the vane may start to lose the battle and the broadhead takes over and pulls the shaft off course.
#7
RE: Should I change from a 3 to 4 fletching??
I tend to agree that adding another fletch isn' t going to help much. I think it' s generally accepted that you are exceeding the practical speed limit for fixed blade heads unless your bow is about perfectly tuned and your form is right on the money. Could be, also, that your FOC is tad low and you already have too much drag on the rear of the arrow.
I think I' d be tempted to try 3 four inch feathers and see if that helps. As much as I despise all you long draw guys ( envy) there are times when my little 27" draw and 270fps comes in handy.
Barry
I think I' d be tempted to try 3 four inch feathers and see if that helps. As much as I despise all you long draw guys ( envy) there are times when my little 27" draw and 270fps comes in handy.
Barry
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Way Out West
Posts: 65
RE: Should I change from a 3 to 4 fletching??
445
Forget the four fletch and tune your Zero Effect rest instead. You will easily get it all to come together.
I don' t know which shaft size you are using, nor do I know your shaft length, but at a 32 inch draw length you are probably underspined. Let me know more specifics.
Forget the four fletch and tune your Zero Effect rest instead. You will easily get it all to come together.
I don' t know which shaft size you are using, nor do I know your shaft length, but at a 32 inch draw length you are probably underspined. Let me know more specifics.
#9
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Little Egg harbor NJ
Posts: 1,279
RE: Should I change from a 3 to 4 fletching??
thanks guys for the help. I am using the PSE 400' s which is the heaviest spine. I was thinking also that the speed is a problem and was wondering if I increase the arrow weight to about 460 grains or so should help slow my arrow down and improve flight.
As far as group tuning I can' t because when I do I loose too many arrows and these are just too expensive. I did it once at 35 yards and lost 3 arrows out of 5. So can' t or wont group tune anymore.
So if it is a tuning problem what should I try and or do to find my problem??? I always thought My bow was pretty well tuned.
The reason I was asking is because that I hate to change my bow sight a lot. I wanted to find a combo between my mechanicals and fixed blades. But I do see your points and it just seem to be a little weird that at and or up to 25 yards they shoot great but farther than 25 is when they just start to fly off course. I feel that my form (as we all do) think it is pretty good.
I think I am going to get another bow and have one for mechanicals and the other for fixed blades. But I don' t know iF I will be able to ever shoot a bow again after my car accident this past thanksgiving. I am still out of work and have a hard time with physical therapy with only 5 lbs.[:' (] I have a problem with my right shoulder and I am right handed. I might have to have surgery to repair the damage. Sorry for the rant and thanks for all your help.
I guess I am going to have to just shoot one or the other. and group it for my choice of heads. I just wanted to have separate arrows for foul weather like veins and a fixed blade head. And when its nice out have my mechanicals with feathers. Etc. I guess I will have to weight and see how I do before I make any changes. Who knows I might have to sell my bow and get a crossbow If I have further problems.
thanks again.
Brian
As far as group tuning I can' t because when I do I loose too many arrows and these are just too expensive. I did it once at 35 yards and lost 3 arrows out of 5. So can' t or wont group tune anymore.
So if it is a tuning problem what should I try and or do to find my problem??? I always thought My bow was pretty well tuned.
The reason I was asking is because that I hate to change my bow sight a lot. I wanted to find a combo between my mechanicals and fixed blades. But I do see your points and it just seem to be a little weird that at and or up to 25 yards they shoot great but farther than 25 is when they just start to fly off course. I feel that my form (as we all do) think it is pretty good.
I think I am going to get another bow and have one for mechanicals and the other for fixed blades. But I don' t know iF I will be able to ever shoot a bow again after my car accident this past thanksgiving. I am still out of work and have a hard time with physical therapy with only 5 lbs.[:' (] I have a problem with my right shoulder and I am right handed. I might have to have surgery to repair the damage. Sorry for the rant and thanks for all your help.
I guess I am going to have to just shoot one or the other. and group it for my choice of heads. I just wanted to have separate arrows for foul weather like veins and a fixed blade head. And when its nice out have my mechanicals with feathers. Etc. I guess I will have to weight and see how I do before I make any changes. Who knows I might have to sell my bow and get a crossbow If I have further problems.
thanks again.
Brian
#10
RE: Should I change from a 3 to 4 fletching??
445, have you tried alumimuns? I have a 33" draw with one bow and a 32" with another (both compounds). I have never found a carbon that flies to my liking with fixed headed broadheads. I have talked to other people with 32" draw and over and have found many with the same problem. Currently, I shoot either 2419 or 2613, but tend to favor the 2613' s because I can get them in XX78.