As I've mentioned in other threads, a few months ago I bought a bunch of archery stuff from an old guy who didn't want it anymore. One of the items was a 1968 Bear Grizzly. I couldn't find any aluminum arrows locally, so I had to buy carbons for it. They seem to fly okay with field tips, but they sort of wobble with Judo Points. I've experimented with brace and nock height, but the problem persists.

For many years I was used to aluminum arrows with 5" feathers. These new carbons have 4" feathers. Could this be causing the unsteady flight with Judo Points? Will these feathers be able to stabilize Bear Razorheads? Or is there not enough feather there to do the job?

What spine carbons? What weight field and judo points?

You need to tune your arrows to your bow or your bow to your arrows. Large feathers can correct tuning issues with field points but broadheads really should be tuned. 4 inch feathers are more than enough. I prefer larger feathers for aesthetic reasons but am tuned to be good with it without feathers

4.25" is all i use-- i can get two out of a full length feather. I am sure i could drop the .25" w no trouble. I carefully tune my arrows and consequently they need very little feather to stabilize. If your tuning is marginal more feather will help.

Worked out great last year. GT traditional Classics 4" shield and buzzcut stingers. Passed right through. JF

I use 3" with Magnus heads no problems you don't need all that feather

I've used 4" fletchings for years. If you tune your arrows to your bow correctly, it's more than enough, as Dkincaid said.

I've used 4" fletchings for years. If you tune your arrows to your bow correctly, it's more than enough, as Dkincaid said.

It's been a topic here for years....the archive is your friend in these kind of questions. Anyway, you can use 2" feathers if you want. Some guys here do just that to good effect. 4" feathers have worked for more decades than most here, if not all here have been alive. Just tune the arrows to whatever you want to use.

Do the field points and judo points weigh the same? I'm guessing the judo points are heavier?

I like 4" but also like them in 4 fletch.Still always need to make sure your arrows are well tuned with any fletching you decide to use.

All I shoot is 4".

yes they will work

I'd say it's a question of getting a clean release.

I use 2 inch razor feathers with big delta's on some bows. So, yes they are enough if it's tuned. 5" wont be enough if it doesn't have proper tune shooting it. God Bless

I had a conversation w Byron Ferguson once and he said he liked 4" w carbons.

4" is fine if you're tuned, no size is if you're not.

As many others have said---Yes. The better you are tuned the less fletching required. 4" is plenty. I use 4" parabolic for hunting and just what ever, including bare shafts for practice.>>---> Ken

I shoot 4" parabolic feathers on all my carbons. Seems to work for me.

It's good if you have tuned your equipment correctly. I do shoot bigger feathers though. I just like more feather on my arrows.

Yes, but I think the 5" does a better job. I don't See any difference in drop over hunting rsnges5

I also see the 5" better in flight

I'm a firm believer in shooting 2 inch after 40 years of five inch. Plus I use the to stabilize the big 160 Snuffer.

When you see the arrow from the rear you can't tell how long the feathers are.

Bowmania

Sounds like another tuning issue! :o) Regards

Sounds like a tuning issue to me. My carbons wear 4" feathers and they are spot-on out to 25 yards.

Another one here that has used 4" feathers for many years,they've worked for me. Used them on aluminum and gold tips.

Fletched arrows sold in retail stores as well as archery pro shops are usually fletched with the compound shooter in mind. This often means no helical twist in the fletch clamp. Check your arrows and see if they were straight fletched or with a helical.

I use 3" feathers if you are well tuned 4" is more than enough feather you would be surprised how little feather you need if you are tuned properly....

I find 5" feather work well for me.As said before they are probably slower but they hit target straight in. With 4" feathers ( which I have bee using for many years on both metal and wood, the flight is less than I like. . They flirt before hitting the target. Yes , I know about the tuning.. I just like 5"

i've used 4" parabolic and shield, both work great. like others have said, tuning your bow correctly with the right arrow is key.

Many years ago I was told you had to shoot a heavy arrow to kill deer, so I used to shoot 5 and 1/2" high banana fletch to straighten out a grossly over spined heavy arrow.

Then, I learned how to tune my bow and went to 4" fletching. The darnest thing happened. I found out 8.5 to 9 gpp would shoot thru anything in North America.

Just FYI, I have 4" shield on most of my spruce arrows that fly perfectly. I also have some 4" parabolic on seven of them too, and they also fly perfectly.

And one thing I have not seen mentioned here so far…

Not sure how long ago it was, but I ordered some arrowdynamics tapered carbons and asked for 5 inch helical. The gal taking my order asked me if I would please reconsider and go with 4 inch instead, because she said it was very difficult to get decent glue adhesion when using that much arrow on a skinny shaft.

So my carbons have pretty much worn 4” ever since...

Anyway... JMO, if you are having any arrow flight issues, it’s not because you don’t have enough feather.

I used to shoot the big 5.5" banana all the time - I thought I needed all that feather. At the time I was shooting an 80# Hill-style bow with 2317s.

Have dropped a few pounds of draw weight since then, and now shoot a 57# Hill- style longbow and 4" shield-cut feathers, 4-fletched. One thing I really like about the 4" fletchings is that they clear the handle of my bow at no-draw position, where the 5 or 5.5" will be laying on the arrow rest.

Ive shot tree sharks with 3 in. fletch, just need arrows properly spined.

4 inch real turkey feathers using the 3rivers little chopper (feathers ground by stykzz) and this big Abowyer Brown Bear = flies like a bullet!

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