# four fletch



## mitchell

I used to use them years ago on a hunting recurve. In those days, the thinking was that more feathers meant more guidance. And with four shooting off the shelf, you did not have to look down to put the cock feather on the outside. I think we usually used a lower profile feather when we four fletched.

With the ability to match shafts to bows much more precisely, and with rests that allow for little contact, I am not sure how much benefit you would get. Although I still shoot feathers, apparently these quick spins and new vane arrangements get a lot more spin anyway, so again I wonder about the advantage of it.

That said, I too will be curious to read what others say.


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## NeilM

I use quickspins in a conventional three fletch layout. I have been considering feathers recently, but I've not thought about a four fletch.

Wouldn't it be a balance between stabilising effect and drag? A four fletch would stabilise quicker, but would have 25% more drag.


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## fuelracerpat

*four feathers.........*

Depends on the length and profile of what you plan to use. I have shot four 4" feathers for years in lieu of three 5" feathers. I know the area is not exactly the same, but, what the hell........we are shooting fingers.:mg:


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## all10s

It depends on the application. Spin = drag and extra drag can be good in some applications. I would not four-fletch with vanes as getting clearance could be difficult. There is a local barebow shooter that shoots four-fletch with good results. The more drag, the less problems with tuning one has to a point. If I ever do any indoor shooting again, I would play with four-fletching.


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## Darksider

I've almost always shot 4" 4-fletch. It does stabilize quicker. The slight increase in drag doesn't outweigh the benefit in accuracy.


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## MetricMag

*4 fletch*

I have shot 4" four fletch off and on for many years. I like AAE fire orange vanes. Hits on targets and fur are far more visible than any 3 fletch I have used. Arrow flight is also much more visible if you like to watch arrows fly (bowhunter class etc where you need to be aware of trajectory). A big plus is not having to look at nock location when you are in a hurry. Among the guys that I hunt with 4 fletch is in the minority but they work great and are probably a bit more forgiving especially on a light weight arrow for a finger shooter. I knew guys that used 4 fletch for field archery with great results even FS archers.


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## camofreak

Ya my dad shoots fingers with a diamond black ice, and uses four fletch, with a springy rest, and it shoots like a beauty, you have to fletch them the 75*x105* way, the 90* way sucks.


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## archerm3

I am all about the four fletch. I got to thinking one day about "arrow"dynamics, pun intended, and came to a conclusion that appears to be coming true in practice. I tried some years ago without much effort or effect, but recently decided to try it again for kicks, ever since the eureka moment of thinking about the dynamics of helical angle. With a three fletched arrow, when passing through the air at some angle either due to archers paradox or slight kick from tuning or release issues...the three fletch provides an inconsistent surface area to the wind relative to the long axis of the shaft, as the arrow spins. Look for yourself, at the side of the arrow, when you spin it in your fingers, the apparent surface area above the axis and below changes every 60 degrees. This means that every 60 degrees of rotation, the arrow experiences a deceleration of the spin forces. With a four fletch, there is always an equal amount of surface area above and below the arrow centerline no matter what angle the arrow rotation is at. That way, the arrow always experiences a constant force to spin the arrow in the intended direction. 

Also, if there is unbalanced aerodynamic forces on the fletching above and below the axis of the arrow, those forces will result in a deflection force kicking the arrow, and if the arrow is spinning, this force will be 90 degrees in the plane of rotation due to gyroscopic precession. So, your arrow gets a kick in the butt perpendicular to the plane of the original fishtail. If not spinning, then the force is in the same plane, and a non spinning arrow could actualy spin back and forth in two directions going down given the right combination of arrow speed, offset, arrow mass..etc. Ever see a bow setup that no matter what you did corkscrewed it's way to target?

This is esp important for finger shooters b/c our arrows are bending back and forth for many yards downrange if the bow/spine is setup correctly, which means that the fletching end of the arrow is always at an angle to the relative wind, even if the arrow comes out of the bow perfectly straight. Also, its another reason why spin wings work so well, because the shape of the curve is like some cup and ball windmills, no matter which way the wind comes from it is always an acceleration force in the direction of rotation. 

I suppose the reason it doesn't catch on is because the difference in forgiveness is so small, and that is costs more time and money for the extra fletches.

In my recent testing I sent some razr four fletched arrows downrange with intentional plucks that should have been 3-4 inches off that landed in the bullseye at forty yards, with rock solid arrow flight along the way. I was rather impressed, after this many years I have a good idea when a bad release happens and what it does to arrow flight, i should have got it on them shots. Seems the 4fletch Razr fx groups are tighter than the three fletch 4" fx.

One thing about four fletch is that you definetly don't need as long a fletch to get stabilized.


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## pcdcarl

*4 fletch*

Archerm3,
Youre right on track and excactly right about the phsics of four vs. three fletch. I started in archery at a tender age of 14 back in the early 70's. Now that I just hit the golden 50 I have learned a lot over the years of trial and error, not to mention trying to keep up with then marketing game all the mfg.s push. I started with fingers at a local bow club here in Jacksonville fl. that begun back in the late 50's 1959 to be exact. case in point I had some great mentors over the years bowhunters and spot shooters alike. Most new archers in the sport today would'nt know an animal round, field, or hunter round or have never shot a indoor vegas or any of the great archery games that NFAA shoots. Wow Im getting sidetracked here.As I started to mention I shot fingers untill the mid eighties and finally went to the release aid. I went from 270's scores to 298 plus in short time as my hunting setup progressed and the bows started getting above 260fps I noticed eradic flight. I fixed the problem quickly by four flecthing. Think about todays arrow speeds and poor broadhead fight and a misunderstanding of arrow pshics and zuzam you now have mecanical broadheads! Don't get me wrong I'm not condeming any style of shooting or set up, ButI help alot of new archers each year through our club pro shop and a hunting club that host 3 d each spring and I see it all and 90 percent of the bows are never even paper tuned. Average new guy setup is a new bow(fastest he can afford) light as possible arrows and a mechanical broadhead strapped on the day he goes in the field. As archers we need to educated our newbies as much as possible to carry on the great sport of archery and make every shot the best it can be. 
hopefully i hav'nt stepped on any feelings did'nt intend to
PCDCARl


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## pcdcarl

*4 fletch*

Archerm3,
Youre right on track and excactly right about the phsics of four vs. three fletch. I started in archery at a tender age of 14 back in the early 70's. Now that I just hit the golden 50 I have learned a lot over the years of trial and error, not to mention trying to keep up with then marketing game all the mfg.s push. I started with fingers at a local bow club here in Jacksonville fl. that begun back in the late 50's 1959 to be exact. case in point I had some great mentors over the years bowhunters and spot shooters alike. Most new archers in the sport today would'nt know an animal round, field, or hunter round or have never shot a indoor vegas or any of the great archery games that NFAA shoots. Wow Im getting sidetracked here.As I started to mention I shot fingers untill the mid eighties and finally went to the release aid. I went from 270's scores to 298 plus in short time as my hunting setup progressed and the bows started getting above 260fps I noticed eradic flight. I fixed the problem quickly by four flecthing. Think about todays arrow speeds and poor broadhead fight and a misunderstanding of arrow pshics and zuzam you now have mecanical broadheads! Don't get me wrong I'm not condeming any style of shooting or set up, ButI help alot of new archers each year through our club pro shop and a hunting club that host 3 d each spring and I see it all and 90 percent of the bows are never even paper tuned. Average new guy setup is a new bow(fastest he can afford) light as possible arrows and a mechanical broadhead strapped on the day he goes in the field. As archers we need to educated our newbies as much as possible to carry on the great sport of archery and make every shot the best it can be. 
hopefully i hav'nt stepped on any feelings did'nt intend to
PCDCARl


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## dragonheart

camofreak said:


> Ya my dad shoots fingers with a diamond black ice, and uses four fletch, with a springy rest, and it shoots like a beauty, you have to fletch them the 75*x105* way, the 90* way sucks.


Go with this fletch 75X105 for shooting off an elevated rest. 90X90 not good. I had the same thoughts an I am about to experiment with 4 blazer vanes fletched this way off of a springy.


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## RunsUpRiver

PCDCARl -

Good post. I cringe a little when people say they've never paper or bare shaft tested a bow.

A little help goes a long way towards helping the sport.

Dean


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## Darksider

dragonheart said:


> Go with this fletch 75X105 for shooting off an elevated rest. 90X90 not good. I had the same thoughts an I am about to experiment with 4 blazer vanes fletched this way off of a springy.


x3 for 75x105!:thumbs_up


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## fcee

We stand by 4x4x90 for broadheads, works great.


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## jdcamo

I use 4 fletch blazers. Fly awesome and stabilize broadheads really well.


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## Bobber 1

*4 fletch*

do you fletch them straigth or with an offset. just going back to finger. now shooting 5 inch with full helical. will like to try when I refletch my arrows THANKS


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## bowhunterprime

I'll admit that I'm not a finger shooter, but I saw this post and wanted to learn more. I just started fletching my X-Cutters with four 3" parabolic feathers, right helical, with the 75x105 set up. I was just going to do this for indoor shootin then realized I'd get more benefit outside! I was shootin at 50 yards the other day and they flew great! I'd like to hear from others' experiences with the four-fletch setup. I'm thinking about getting some 4" shield cut feathers and fletching this way. -Chris


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## 8-shot

*4 fletch VS 3 fletch*

Just being new to Archery Talk, so here goes;
I have been involved in Archery for over 40 years. I have tested Alm arrows and Carbon, all with different size and types of fletches. Just installed 4 fletch 2" Blazers on a carbon shaft at 75/105 and only lost 3 feet per sec. Arrow stabilizes and paper test at 6 ft and 10 yards better than the 3 fletch of same brand carbon. 
I have shot Alm arrows with 4 , 5" Feathers, at 75/105 with 145 grain broadhead. (with fingers)This set up may seem to slow the arrow down, although very stable in any weather condition.


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## effvee

*Four feathers*

Hello, I have been shooting the long bow for one year. I like to tinker with continuance verse Flemish. I was given 6 Bitzenburg for my birth day. I noted there is a choice of three settings. I like the ideal of the four fletches. My bow of choice is a 55lbs J.D. Berry. Although my shooting is not spot on, I do feel that I am getting better. I plan on using a 4" shielded feather-right hand, with a two inch finger clearance. Can someone tell me the correct one to use, such as 90x90 or 75x105?. I will be shooting of the shelf, wish me luck. O while you all, which is the correct spine weight for a 65lbs bow 8? Also is it true that the over all weight of the arrow is supposed to be 8x the poundage of the bow? Which would make it 520grams total arrow weight tip to tip?

Thank you very much
effvee


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## fingers

I've shot 4 fletch for a good number of years. They stabilize good and you don't have to look down when you nock an arrow while looking at an animal while hunting. The last thing I worry about is speed, I like accuracy,,,,


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## effvee

fingers said:


> I've shot 4 fletch for a good number of years. They stabilize good and you don't have to look down when you nock an arrow while looking at an animal while hunting. The last thing I worry about is speed, I like accuracy,,,,


Hi, so do you select the 4x90 or 4x 105? I have a long bow?


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## kwhit

effvee said:


> Hi, so do you select the 4x90 or 4x 105? I have a long bow?


I have shot 4 fletch on and off over the years with recurve and longbow, I found the best setup for longbow 75/105 due to lack of centershot on most longbows..better clearance then 4x90. "Bow and Arrow" mag. had an writeup on dropaways with mention of folks now shooting short vanes 4 fletch. Anybody shooting such a setup with fingers ??


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## tragomvuka

Regards to all,
I'm new at this, please explain to me what it means
75/105 and 4x90

And what do you think of 4 flaching with 3" feathers

thanks


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## fuelracerpat

75/105 refers to the degree of spacing around the shaft...75 degrees-105 degrees =180 degrees x two, give you 4 fletch. The nock indexes so that the 105 degree side is next to the bow. 4x90 is four feathers at 90 degrees each.
4 fletch with 3" feathers is a good combination, you may need to experiment a little and see if it works for you. It would depend on the bow draw weight, arrow spine, length of shaft and several other things that may or may not affect the arrow stabilizing.


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## wa-prez

One advantage of 4-fletch for the hunting archer - there is no Index Vane to look for, if the nock goes on the string it is right.


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## mitchell

Great thread. Also, welcome to you new guys. Some good info here.


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## whiskeyonsunday

im a newbie to archery in general and found this very helpful and informative.


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## BOHO

bear in mind that with 4 4" feathers you get more feather than with 3 5" ones as well. plus you arent shooting the arrow the same way everytime so it wont wear as much.


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## whiskeyonsunday

humm. i may have my buddy greg pull out hes jig to see how i like them.


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