Whats best target fletchings EP16 or EP23

[sambow]

I am making up some Axis FMJ's for my compound primarily to be used for target at up to 90M.

I cant decide whether to use EP16's which look tiny on quite a thick shaft or EP23's.

What decides what is best fletching size to use? Are there any rules of thumb?

[geoffretired]

Sambow, I think some archers choose fletchings by what they will do with the arrows. Indoors they may go for bigger fletchings to straighten up the flight sooner. Outdoors at longer ranges they may want smaller ones so the wind has less effect on them or so they don't suffer so much from drag slowing them down.
Lighter draw weight bows may need smaller fletchings to help get higher sight marks for longer ranges. I guess they will have thinner arrows to match the bow, so it seems, in that sense,thin arrows and small fletchings go together.
With some stiff but thin arrows, the connection between the two is not so strong.

[rstamp]

The theory is (and don’t shoot me if you differ) indoors steering and outdoors trailing.

Indoor where there is
• No wind
• Short Distance

The vanes are required to bring the shaft under control as quickly as possible over the shortest distance with minimal drag. Hence the use of a larger vane usually offset to induce rotation.

Outdoors where there are
• Potentially much longer distance
• Wind particularly recent shoots.

The pile pulls the shaft along with the vanes used to stabilise the arrow with the minimum of drag. Hence the use of smaller vanes sometimes indexed to induce a spin (but be careful as indexing dramatically increases the drag effect) on this point a better FOC may also help.

PS 30 inch Navigator FMJ 400’s with 120 pile and tight flight 200 (2”) indexed to 1 degree are what I occasionally shoot in a 60lb bow.

[Watch_Man]

EP16 or even better with the Axis FMJ is the FOB - 100% FITA Legal and they have one specifically designed for the Axis FMJ.

[sambow]

Originally Posted by Watch_Man

EP16 or even better with the Axis FMJ is the FOB - 100% FITA Legal and they have one specifically designed for the Axis FMJ.

I don't know much about FOBs other than they look like a plastic cotton reel. I've seen from other posts that you are using them. could you answer some things?

Whats the advantage?
How big are they in diameter?
Are they hard plastic? If so what would happen if there was a clearance issue (recently the screw holding my cable guard worked loose and the guard swung fully in when I released catching the arrow vanes. I would hate it to deflect the arrow to a degree that explosion occurs)
I have just wrapped my shafts in preparation for fletching, I guess if they are designed to fit Axis FMJ's that probably means I need to unwrap them?
Are they available in the UK?

[sambow]

Originally Posted by rstamp

The theory is (and don’t shoot me if you differ) indoors steering and outdoors trailing.

Indoor where there is
• No wind
• Short Distance

The vanes are required to bring the shaft under control as quickly as possible over the shortest distance with minimal drag. Hence the use of a larger vane usually offset to induce rotation.

Outdoors where there are
• Potentially much longer distance
• Wind particularly recent shoots.

The pile pulls the shaft along with the vanes used to stabilise the arrow with the minimum of drag. Hence the use of smaller vanes sometimes indexed to induce a spin (but be careful as indexing dramatically increases the drag effect) on this point a better FOC may also help.

PS 30 inch Navigator FMJ 400’s with 120 pile and tight flight 200 (2”) indexed to 1 degree are what I occasionally shoot in a 60lb bow.

I favour EP16s from the point of view weight and clearance (I can maybe bring my cable guard in more and have less limb lean). But they just look so small to steer the arrow.

[Watch_Man]

Originally Posted by sambow

I don't know much about FOBs other than they look like a plastic cotton reel. I've seen from other posts that you are using them. could you answer some things?

Whats the advantage?
How big are they in diameter?
Are they hard plastic? If so what would happen if there was a clearance issue (recently the screw holding my cable guard worked loose and the guard swung fully in when I released catching the arrow vanes. I would hate it to deflect the arrow to a degree that explosion occurs)
I have just wrapped my shafts in preparation for fletching, I guess if they are designed to fit Axis FMJ's that probably means I need to unwrap them?
Are they available in the UK?

Advantage is less wind drift and quicker stabilisation of the arrow. They are quick to re-fletch if you get damage , about 2 seconds as they are just held in place by the nock.

How large in diameter - 2.5cm and 1.25cm deep

Yes they are hard plastic - this is the drawback for most users as you need a fall away type rest. But as both Wendy and myself use fallawys that isn't an issue for us.

Wrapping would not affect it.

Nope not available in the UK but currently (unless it has recently changed) Paul Morris ships them to the UK for the same rate he charges US customers.

The two biggest drawbacks of FOBS are:

1. As already mentioned - you need a fall away

2. In some cases face shape can stop you using them. If you find your vanes are digging into your face now then you may have problems with FOB's.

They are very popular in the USA and gaining popularity all the time, just visit Archery Talk and do a search on FOB.

[kennls]

Originally Posted by Watch_Man

The two biggest drawbacks of FOBS are:

1. As already mentioned - you need a fall away

2. In some cases face shape can stop you using them. If you find your vanes are digging into your face now then you may have problems with FOB's.

They are very popular in the USA and gaining popularity all the time, just visit Archery Talk and do a search on FOB.

How would you fellow archers like these in fita shooting, where a normal vane bends or break on contact, this will deflect their arrows or be shot off by competitors?

Or is it just for 3d?

The concept seems to look good, but would people hate standing on the same 90 m target with you?

/Kenn

[ben_e71]

Originally Posted by kennls

How would you fellow archers like these in fita shooting, where a normal vane bends or break on contact, this will deflect their arrows or be shot off by competitors?

Or is it just for 3d?

The concept seems to look good, but would people hate standing on the same 90 m target with you?

/Kenn

yeah that was what I was thinking surely it doesn;t allow you to snuggle your arrows up next to each other in the target....

[sambow]

Originally Posted by kennls

How would you fellow archers like these in fita shooting, where a normal vane bends or break on contact, this will deflect their arrows or be shot off by competitors?
/Kenn

Interesting point. I guess I would have to make sure I wasn't shooting next to Chris White in case by some miracle I got an X. I could just see his face if all his 6 X's pinged off my FOB and ended up as nines

Looking at it another way though there is a 50/50 chance the arrow may be pulled inside the FOB and hence closer rather than deflected away!