4" or 5" Feathers??

[NWBuck]

What's your choice? I was just fletching up a few target arrows over the weekend and had a bunch of 5" feathers around, so I used a few of them up. I noticed some arrows I'd purchased recently had 4 inchers. Is there a big difference? I'm assuming the 5" may stabilize the arrow a bit more in flight, but perhaps sacrifice a little speed? I shoot a big heavy aluminum arrow (2317), so maybe the 5" is the right choice? Thanks.

NWBuck

 

[Rackaddict]

You'll get more stability with longer fletchings. A little speed will be sacrificed but if you're shooting heavy arrows anyway you may not notice it too much. You lose speed with feathers due to wind drag but they are easier to tune than vanes.

 

[muddy]

Yeah, what Rack said.

 

[DLO]

Hey NW, try shooting a bare shaft to see how your bow is tuned. If you can shoot a bare shafted arrow reasonably well at 15-20 yards, you can fletch your target arrows with fletching shorter than 4 inches. IMO, a 5 inch fletch is overkill for a bow that is tuned properly. Why put more on if you don't have to, you know?