Building New Hunting Arrows; A Few Questions

[PA Bow/Flinter]

As some of you guys know, this past winter/spring I've spent a good deal of time working on my form and in the process shortened by DL by about an inch. So, I'm in the process of building some new hunting arrows and I'm running into problems with a low FOC and I need some help increasing it.

Bow Specs:
27 5/8" DL
70 lb DW

Current Arrows:

XX78 2315 @ 28.75"
100 gr points....Thunderheads or Muzzy
3 7/8" Duravanes (I think they are straight fletched or else just very slight offset)
Wrap
Total Arrow weight: 528 gr
~240 fps

OK, here is what I am thinking. I want to stick with the 2315s, but I can shorten them about an inch. (27.75"). I'm thinking going with a 125 grain head (Muzzy MX-4). I am wondering, can drop down to a shorter and stiffer vane, either 2" Blazer or 3" VaneTec, and still have enough stabilization for a big fixed blade head? If I put those vanes on either offset or helical, will that help? I shoot a Wisker Biscuit rest, does that impair any helical I use on the fletchings and ruin accuracy?

I think changing those things will improve my FOC, but I'm just not sure if those smaller, yet stiffer, fletchings will be able to stabilize my fat arrows and big heads. Does any one shoot something like this or have any recommendations?

Thanks,
Steven

[brucelanthier]

If the bow and arrow are tuned well together then the arrow should fly well regardless of fletching used. A higher FOC will also help arrow flight.

[Matt / PA]

This is just me.........but if I was shooting 2315's regardless of rest style I would have 4" helical feathers on there. That alone will increase your FOC significantly AND stabilize a fixed broadhead as well as possible.

Not sure where you fall in the spine range for your arrows but if a 125gr head keeps you ok tuning wise you could jump up in combination with changing from vanes to feathers and the TOTAL weight gain will be minimal because of how much you'll save in the back end of the arrow.

Just remember that decreasing weight in the back AND increasing weight in the front will significantly change your arrow spine. Both act to soften the original tune.

This is a personal thing, and I will preface it by saying that I LIKE Muzzy products overall (I use PHantoms currently) but I did NOT like the MX-4 one bit. THere are tons of other heads in a comparable price range than I would choose over them.

[PA Bow/Flinter]

Matt,

Would feathers hold up through the WB ok? I'm just afraid that they would be torn to shreds and I would be re-fletching more than I would be shooting.

The Easton Shaft Selector chart is recommending arrows with a .340 spine (or there abouts). Can you explain a little more how increasing weight in the front and decreasing it in the back will soften up my spine?

As for the MX-4s, those are just a thought, I really haven't done my research into which broadhead I want to shoot, other than knowing it will be a 125 grain fixed blade. I've shot and liked the NAP Thunderheads and Muzzy 3 Blades before.

Steven

[Matt / PA]

Anytime you add weight to the front of an arrow or decrease weight from the rear (or both at the same time) you "soften" the spine.(and increase FOC)

The heavier the weight is up front the harder it is to getit to start moving against the flex of the arrow shaft and the weaker it will make the spine of the arrow. The shaft will flex more and easier. Take it to an extreme to see this effect........picture a 1lb broadhead on the tip of that arrow , when the bow is shot and the force is applied to the shaft it will bend like a noodle or possibly snap trying to get that weight to move.
By adding a heavier tip, or removing weight (in the form of feathers vs vanes or a lighter nock) in the rear you achieve this effect.

In the opposite direction anytime you add weight to the rear or decrease it in the front(or both)you STIFFEN the arrow spine.(and also reduce the FOC) With the weight at the rear of the shaft there isn't as much resistance up front to push against and the shaft will flex less and act stiffer.

This is the reason most arrow charts want to know what weight tip you will be shooting on your arrow and at what length.

I'm not a big Whisker Bisquit guy but I would think if I wanted to shoot anything through it I would want feathers anyway. They offer less resistance when they come in contact with any surface (The reason Traditional shooters use them) hold their shape nicely and still guide an arrow just fine when they get a little frazzled looking.
Feathers are a lot tougher than you think, and even after lots of practice they don't look exactly like the day you fletched them, odds are they still fly like they did that day.
Again if it was me I would use feathers, beat the ehck out of them practicing and reflecth just prior to the seaosn if they were in really rough shape. (But then again I fletch my own so its pretty cost effective and easy for me to say that)

Depending on which broadhead you choose the vanes you mentioned will most likely guide your arrow just fine but as you already noted they are going to be heavier but will probably hold up better through your WB rest.
Maybe I just have a touch of old school in me but if I have an aluminum arrow on my bow it will have some sort of feathers on them everytime.

[PA Bow/Flinter]

Thanks for the explanation Matt, that makes a lot of sense.

Does anyone out there have any experience using shorter vanes (Blazer, VaneTec, etc) with a helical fletch through a Wisker Biscuit for fixed blade broadheads?

[PA Bow/Flinter]

Bump

[Rick James]

Like Matt, I would likely use a feather fletched helical for this application. I have shot them through a Whisker Biscuit and have friends that have thousands of shots on feather fletched arrows through a biscuit, and they hold up fine if you do a good job and dot the top of the feathers with glue. I'm honestly thinking of making the jump to 4" feathers this year.

[TFOX]

I am also with Matt on this one.


I haven't ever run into a situation where my point selection or vane selection made enough difference to worry with as far as spine is concerned but I have had it make a considerable difference as far as foc is concerned,but,I use archers advantage to get the properly spined arrows for my setups.