sauer14

Hi every one, just started to learn to shoot with an old bear recurve. The bow has no arrow rest and none can be added according to Cabelas. It just has a shelf. No sights either. I have been told the the best arrows to shoot with this set up is feathered fletching rather than plastic fletching, because the feather fletching is more accurate.
I have also been told to use a 3 vein arrow rather than a 4 vein.
My question is how much more accurate is feather fletching vs plastic fletching on my set up.
Any advice for the novice would be great.
thx in advance

Bowguy1

Imo you may learn to shoot better faster shooting off a shelf. It places the arrow closer to the knuckle so things seem to aim more natural. On the sideplate I place a piece of matchstick so less contact occurs.
The small feather thing may work, I've never shot anything but 5" helical. It stabilizes the best typically n with little ways to adjust its best to help the arrow out.
Nock point height may need to be adjusted so shoot through paper to get a read

bronko22000

IMO the best fletching you can use would be 4" helical feathers. You can shoot off the shelf provided you have some sort of cushioning on it like a thick felt pad. And like Bowguy said, a raised area on the side plate. I like to use a stick on leather patch with a slight high point in the center for the same reason he stated. I prefer shooting directly off the rest but should you decide on using an after market one my choice for a rest though would be a stick on flipper rest.

Sirius081972

I like hookeye's answer

Hatfield Hunter

I used a flipper rest for more years than I can remember just for the sake of shooting a stick bow shoot cedar arrows also ! I always shot 4 fletch four inch feathers don't know why but the shot wonderfully I shot white stag made in wi wish I could find one again loved them did not stack and looked good H H

alibz

amazing ^_^

Wingbone

I have found that shooting off the shelf makes it easier to shoot instinctive accurately. It puts the arrow right above your knuckle. Shooting becomes more like pointing your index finger. When shot off a shelf, feather fletching will collapse as it crosses the shelf. Plastic vanes won't do that and thus will kick out the back end of the arrow on the way out. That messes with your arrow flight.
I shot off the shelf of my recurve for over 30 years with perfect arrow flight. I glued a paper match stick-sized piece of leather onto the shelf at the high point leaving a slight gap between it and the riser. Over that I placed a patch of self-adhesive velcro (the fuzzy side). On the riser adjacent, I glued a patch of buckskin. This setup gives a single silent contact point for the arrow and the small gap allows the hen feather vane to pass through without disrupting the arrow flight. The velcro wears after a while. I'd just pull it off and replace with another patch.
Bowguy is correct, you'll need to adjust your nocking point higher than you think to get good arrow flight off your shelf. I think I had mine set about 3/8 in. or so above plumb.

bronko22000

I'm going to add to my previous comments here. Feathers are NOT more accurate than plastic vanes. Feathers ARE more forgiving than vanes. If your arrows are properly spined for your draw weight it shouldn't really matter what type of fletching you are using. In case you haven't heard or read about it there is a phenomenon called "archer's paradox". Shooting a bow with fingers the string rolls off the fingers. Because of the energy being transferred into the arrow and the amount of spine in the arrow plus the weight of the tip the arrow will flex. The rear of the arrow will flex away from the bow, back toward the bow then away from the bow. The correct spine will have this flex so that the fletching will not come in contact with the rest.