3 v's 4 feather fletchings?

darthTer

Active member
Supporter
Ironman
American Shoot
Making up some new woodies....don't have enough of one colour feather to do the whole lot (I like all the fletchings the same).

So I either do 3 feathers - 2 barred, 1 solid...or 4 feathers - 2 barred, 2 solid.

Has anyone used woodies with 4 feathers?? How did they compare to the std 3 feathers??? Was there a noticeable impact on drag/aiming point???

Cheers
 

Raven's_Eye

Active member
Ironman
What are you making the arrows for indoors or outdoors. If outdoors I'd stick with the 3 feathers, if indoors you could do either. Four fletchings are really for short range to help stabilze your arrows more, but they really do creat more drag so outside it can be a real effort to reach distances, and if there is any wind you're arrow will be carried much easier.
 

darthTer

Active member
Supporter
Ironman
American Shoot
What are you making the arrows for indoors or outdoors. If outdoors I'd stick with the 3 feathers, if indoors you could do either. Four fletchings are really for short range to help stabilze your arrows more, but they really do creat more drag so outside it can be a real effort to reach distances, and if there is any wind you're arrow will be carried much easier.

Using them for Field shooting, outdoors.

Opted for the 4-feather option in the end - why not?? was my thinking. The arrows flew REALLY nicely, but the was a very noticable drop off and the longer target (as to be expected.)

Not sure if I would go down the 4-feather route again though....
 

Raven's_Eye

Active member
Ironman
Glad to hear they fly nicely, but yeah they are ment for shorter ranges. What they would be good for is, if you're shooting a very heavy bow, at a very short range. Mainly to allow the arrow to straighten quickly, and keep your accuracy up.

Out of interest how did you fletch them? Did you have 90 degrees between each fletching, or was it more like an elongated X

\....../
.\..../
..\../
...O
../..\
./....\
/.......\

Hope the diagram works.
 
I made and played with a wind tunnel to look at arrow aerodynamics, basically, more drag but more steerage on a 4 fletch, gives about the same steerage, but more drag than putting three feathers on helically.

But, don't fletch 90 degrees, fletch like the X above, just use a normal 3 fletch jig and do two hen feathers, then turn the arrow 180 degrees in the nock receiver and do two more hen feathers.
 

Raven's_Eye

Active member
Ironman
I made and played with a wind tunnel to look at arrow aerodynamics, basically, more drag but more steerage on a 4 fletch, gives about the same steerage, but more drag than putting three feathers on helically.

But, don't fletch 90 degrees, fletch like the X above, just use a normal 3 fletch jig and do two hen feathers, then turn the arrow 180 degrees in the nock receiver and do two more hen feathers.
Hence why I put "Elongated X" rather than a +
 
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