2" vs 4" vanes

[FEENIX]

I am using Easton Axis FMJs (500s) with 4" vanes cut to 25" with 55 lbs draw and 100g combo tips on my old Mathews Signature - shooting ~ 4" groups at 60 yards. This weekend I tried Gold tips (3555s) XT Hunter with 2" HP vanes and getting the same result.

Other than the price difference (I can get it half the price of Axis locally) what is/are other advantages of using 2" vanes. No idea what the speed is since I do not have a chrony.



Thank you in advance for your support and understanding.


V/R

Ed

[J E Custom]

I have used both and recomend 4 of the 2" If shooting an overdraw for clearance and
stability on light weight arrows,

If you shoot heavy shafts (500+grs) then the 4" with full helical seems to work best.

I also recomend feathers in lieu of vanes because they rotate the arrow faster out of the
bow improving accuracy with broad heads.

The nice thing about 4 fetched arrows is that they can be knocked either way in a hurry,
and 4= 2" fetched arrows have about the same area as 3= 4" fetching.

I shoot heavy bow weights (92 to 96 pounds) and heavy arrows (600 grains+) and this
requires at least 3=5" full helical Fletch to stabilize very close to the bow.

Just the way I do it.

J E CUSTOM

[FEENIX]

JE Custom,

WOW! That's some serious poundage and heavy shafts. Just weighed my arrow set ups Easton is 374g and Gold Tip 321g.

I've never tried the feathers ... have to give them a shot. Thanks again for your advise.

V/R

Ed

[dirtball]

I have tried about every fletching combination there is. What I have found for my set up, 65-70lb speed bow with a Shakey Hunter drop-a-way rest, is a lot depends on the broadhead you shoot. If you shoot a fixed blade broadhead you will be better of with a helical fletch. I shoot Thunderheads and Steel Force, so I use a helical fletch.

The last test I did was with three arrows each fletched with four 4" Arizona Plasifletch Elite, four 2" Blazers, and four 4" feathers. At 40 yards the 2" and 4" vanes hit almost identical point of impact.
The ones fletched with feathers hit 5" to 6" LOWER than the others. Feathers stabilize an arrow faster because they have a LOT more drag, and they hate rain.

BUT because the 2" Blazers are MUCH stiffer that the Arizona's they were VERY LOUD going down range. I got behind a Styrofoam block and had a buddy shoot past me, about 10' to my left, into another Styrofoam block so I could listen the the different arrows going by, and the Blazers were so much louder that I decided then and there I would not hunt with them.
Now if you shoot mechanical broadheads and can use a straight fletch this should not be a concern.
But then why would any one shoot mechanical broadheads, it just adds to the number of things that can break, fall off, or otherwise go wrong.
Just my 2 cents

Dave

[J E Custom]

Dirtball.

To solve the rain issue I just spray Scotch Guard on the feathers and they stand up
real well.

Also after they have gone through an animal You can wash them off and shake them dry
and after a couple of practice shots there as good as new. I have also found that wild
turkey feathers are the best.

I once did a distance test and at 250 yards there was almost no difference in distance
between plastic Fletch and feathers . And I limit my shots on game to 70 yards so trajectory
is not an issue.

And like you I find that they stabilize better when using broad heads.

J E CUSTOM

[J E Custom]

Originally Posted by FEENIX

JE Custom,

WOW! That's some serious poundage and heavy shafts. Just weighed my arrow set ups Easton is 374g and Gold Tip 321g.

I've never tried the feathers ... have to give them a shot. Thanks again for your advise.

V/R

Ed

I thought I would add a comment just to clear the poundage issue up.

After tracking in the rain and thick brush I found that if I placed the arrow in the shoulder
instead of behind it the were not able to go more than 15 or 20 feet because with there front
legs shot out from under them they could not run.

But in order to take this kind of shot requires tough broad heads around 1 and 1/4 dia. heavy
shafts 600+grs and heavy bow weights 90 lbs+ in order to get complete pass thoughts

I have killed several hundred deer using 70lbs but they were shot behind the shoulder and
required some tracking. and if it started to rain things get a little intense.

90 lbs is not nessary to kill deer but it helps when the weather goes bad witch is often where
I live and hunt. (Avg. rainfall is 54" per year ).

PS: When hunting dangerous game in some parts of Africa 1000 grain arrows and 100lb min draw
weights are required.

J E CUSTOM

[dewiseman]

If your arrows are spined right for your bow, even wet feathers work. I shoot wood shafts with 3 5" feathers burned to about 1.25" height here in western WA where it is allways raining during hunting season. When my feathers are wet they collapse down to about .5" height and still do a good job of stabilizing my arrows. On aluminum or carbon arrows, with the right shafts your arrows will fly just as straight even with wet feathers because as soon as you release, the excess water will fly off just like on plastic vanes. ( I think the weight difference ,wet versus dry effecting your arrow spine, is what really makes the difference) They wont be completely dry, but they will fly. All that the feather or vane needs to do is give some spin to sabilize your broadhead and a little bit of helical will do that.