Acually yes. I did my science fair project on this. Helical fletch is best for out doors and straight is good for indoor. The helical helps correct the arrow in the wind. That's what I found in my results

 

Interesting results. That makes sense. I started shooting with straight or offset fletching many years ago. Later, I found helical worked much better, whether I used target points or broadheads. I mostly shoot outdoors. When is there ever not even the slightest breeze outside?

 

the only reason you should need to use helical is if you are using longer fletch. the helical avoids some of the increased turbulence that longer fletch generates when straight fletched with offset and allows better seating of longer fletch because the vane sort of wraps around the shaft. the general rule, is to use some helical if the fletch is longer than 2-1/2 inches on shafts up to about 10 mm.

 

Thanks for that info.

 

I encourage people to have the ability to fletch multiple ways. And fletch a few of whatever your specific arrow is at the time each way, and see which works best for you . It may vary from arrow to arrow and fletch to fletch. I have not found a lot of difference with Blazers,but they are a relatively stiff vane ,high profile made to provide arrow correction by its design.

 

I've found much the same as above. Straight works and did for me for 3D out to 60 yards. I later went to offset with short and longer vanes. I really didn't see accuracy improve.
I found that using a straight clamp and getting as much offset as I could get was better with short vanes than using helical clamps.
And there is a difference. Drop with long vanes and full helical does make a arrow drop at longer distances, but sighted in full helical arrows are just as accurate and any method.

I play..I've straight clamps and helical clamps and enough vanes laying around - Mine Blazers to 5" AAEs. I used AAE 3.87" vanes set to right at 2 degrees offset. Sighted in dead on at 35 yards. I then tried 4" NAP Quick Spins set to 2 degrees offset. The drop was crazy for 35 yards - like 8 inches.
And I often wonder why the Quick Spin 2" isn't used by many when they want spin.....I've one clamp cut for clearance of that tiny tab that creates the spin....

Full helical - 4" Bohning Killer =========== And clamp length feather and 1 3/4" X vane. Guess which dropped a bunch...

 

Anyone have any real data or results that show much of a difference in accuracy of helical over straight fletch?
Speaking of all field point target and 3d shooting, so no need for stabilization or steering for a fixed blade broadhead in this case and conversation.

I’ve tried shooting both in groups as a test at 80 yards and haven’t found any measurable difference.


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The one thing I found that had the biggest impact on arrow flight at distances beyond 60 yards when using straight fletch (blazers and AAE hybrids) with an offset, was to shoot a bare shaft with a mark on the shaft from 2ft to verify the natural spin of the arrow (string induced) and fletch a right or left offset accordingly. As the others have stated, indoors straight fletch will get er’ done.

 

There is no valid proof Clocking increases accuracy......It's been noted for more than 15 years. The only "proof" is one's mind..........

 

I suspect frankly the difference is not that great and tends to get swamped by form inconsistency. Having said that, I have found that my own groups seem to be better with helical vs straight, largely because my bad shots don’t seem to be as poor. I have a 1/2 dozen standard Blazer and a 1/2 dozen AAE on some Axis 400s that I go back and forth with. The last 3 bows I have had seem to be modestly better on average with helical.

 

Helical or offset will stabilize the arrow faster not only because it is spinning but because it has more drag. Helical and offset will also slow your arrow down faster.

I always fletch helical, how much depends on what vanes and whether I'm shooting Indoor, Outdoor 3D or Hunting.

I have been shooting left and right helical out of the same bow and I haven't noticed any difference in accuracy or poi out to 80 yards.

I'll admit, I'm not the best shooter around and Clocking may very well work for the very best archers. It makes sense that it would work, I just haven't seen it.

 

Helical or offset will stabilize the arrow faster not only because it is spinning but because it has more drag. Helical and offset will also slow your arrow down faster.

I always fletch helical, how much depends on what vanes and whether I'm shooting Indoor, Outdoor 3D or Hunting.

I have been shooting left and right helical out of the same bow and I haven't noticed any difference in accuracy or poi out to 80 yards.

I'll admit, I'm not the best shooter around and Clocking may very well work for the very best archers. It makes sense that it would work, I just haven't seen it.

I pretty much agree with you, offset and helical and drag will stabilize a arrow and then tends slow the arrow, but takes some distance for drag to take real effect. And it does make sense that Clocking should work, but no one has proven it. If I could prove it I'd not only say so, I'd give examples of it........
I'm not a top shooter and wasn't when I shot the groups below - shot years ago (3 shots from 35 yds, 5 shots from 60 yds and 3 in the black dot). Not Clocked, arrow ends not square, not even spine indexed (CXL 250, .0025" for straightness).
When I shot Field and Outdoor I practiced until I dropped. I really took pride in cleaning the Field 80 yard Walk Up and the Hunter 70 yard Walk Up....And then I'd mess up on shorter yardage.
I thought the example given by Pro Donnie Thacker in the Lancaster Thread a poor example. ***"Arrow Clocking" LCA Crew Article By Donnie...

 

Clocking has been proven that each arrow can spin differently take a dozen of any brand same weight,size, spine etc. And they wont all clock the same making it un necessary.
I feel helical is overrated. On vanes 3" and shorter.

 

Adding rotation aids in stability and accuracy. You could absolutely overclock an arrow. Or under.

 

Let's not go off the deep end. There is no over clocking or under clocking a arrow.

 

Some good discussion, I used to think that an arrow had to be spinning to be the most accurate and consistent, but I've proven to myself that my initial assumptions just weren't factual.

There will be someone along shortly , comparing arrow flight to bullets, " thats why de spin dem bullets fast...makes 'em accurate" . If we could spin an arrow at 20,000 RPM instead of 10 RPM, we might see a difference. The gyroscopic stability obtained from the limited amount of rotational velocity of an arrow shaft, is negligible at best...IMO.

Like others have stated, the reason helical or offset " flys " better, is that it's producing more drag and making sure the back of the arrow remains at the back.

 

Some good discussion, I used to think that an arrow had to be spinning to be the most accurate and consistent, but I've proven to myself that my initial assumptions just weren't factual.

There will be someone along shortly , comparing arrow flight to bullets, " thats why de spin dem bullets fast...makes 'em accurate" . If we could spin an arrow at 20,000 RPM instead of 10 RPM, we might see a difference. The gyroscopic stability obtained from the limited amount of rotational velocity of an arrow shaft, is negligible at best...IMO.

Like others have stated, the reason helical or offset " flys " better, is that it's producing more drag and making sure the back of the arrow remains at the back.

Spinning a bullet faster does not necessarily stabilize it. Its dependent on velocity, weight, shape. Sound familiar?

 

George Ryals says he has tested everything at distance and clocking makes no difference. “Choose left or right helical for cable clearance benefits. Starting about 24:00 (Recommended left helical clears cables better for right handed shooters)

 

George Ryals says he has tested everything at distance and clocking makes no difference.

Bowhunting saftey online course says rifles knock animals down.
Did he show his work?
These people disagree that "spinning an arrow" does nothing, provided video evidence to back it up. If you know anything about MOA then you can see they are correct in their argument. The faster the arrow is stabilized the more accurate it will be. And that can be seen exaggerated the farther you get from the shooter.

Why True Helical? - Arrow Fletching | Arizona Rim Country

True helical fletching doubles the arrow spin rate and gives you tighter groups, better broadhead flight, flatter trajectory and a quieter arrow.

www.ezfletch.com

 

So if the same arrow is fletched with the same vane. One straight, one offset, and one helical how much of a difference would I see at 40 yds?

 

Probably not that much difference - lol. But I would imagine anything beyond 40 would get pretty squirrelly.


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The FITA forum discussion on arrow spin and Miller Twist...

Aida Roman's vanes at the 2014 world cup final

I noticed this recently while watching old matches. In 2014, Aida Roman used straight fletched AAE max? vanes at the World Cup final in Lausanne. They don't spin at all - or at least not in the first 15 meters here. Slow motions of her arrows at 3:53 and 10:00 here. At 6:14 Chen Ming's arrow...

www.archerytalk.com

and in anyy "accuracy" test comparing different offsets/helicals/fletch configurations I have never come across a study that included a fletch design that provided for the same drag as the traditional fletch methods but did not induce twist; so conclusions are often that greater helical/twist rates are more "accurate" but these conclusions are skewed/faulty because an arroww with the same nock end drag without spin has never been included as far as I've ever read.

 

Now that the knock down, drag out fight has calmed and helical seems better...are we seeing differences in the amount or type of helical? I believe I get better broadhead steering with AZ EZ fletch which touts “true helical” vs my cut down bitz clamp both lef helical. Is there truth to their marketing (ez fletch) or am I just seeing things because of the visual appearance of such fletching differences? What I may be asking is that since many put some offset in with helical on a Butz to get more is that causing more turbulence?
On another note - awesome videos by Nestly. They are very informative

 

I dont agree with arrows kill in the same manner as bullets. That doesnt make sense to me at all. Im no ballistics expert and not even close but...... in real world, i have never shot a deer in the lungs with an arrow and killed it absolutley instantly however i have IMMEDIATELY killed many upon impact with a 30.06, shotgun and even a 357 handgun.... hit in the lungs - dropped without a step.
Like i said, im no expert in ballistics but theres obviously something different goin on there

 

Those are all high velocity rounds, depending on the shotgun. And the energy transfer of a one ounce lead slug speaks for itself. Thats a lot of weight and surface area. As does the fact people spend half a day trying to find deer they shot with basically 9mm pellets.
The point is being hammered home by these comments. A 30-06 is shooting in its military clothing a 150g bullet @2750fps.
This is not what is being discussed.
I specifically said non magnum pistol rounds and low velocity rifle rounds.
There have literally been exhaustive studies done by the FBI. I encourage you to read them. The conclusion is all the basic players in the non magnum handgun rounds are the same. They all penetrate to an acceptable level with proper ammo choice, they all expand and stop inside the acceptable distance to prevent over penetrating, and they all kill by blood loss, cutting off the oxygen supply or a direct hit to CNS. Period. End of story. It comes down to what makes a bigger hole.
They did this extensive testing because they found law enforcement misses 80% of its shots. Across the board.
Your bow has a higher chance of killing something than a 9mm when you compare arrow to bullet.

 

I shot trad archery for 3 decades and always shot right helical feathers off the shelf of my custom recurves. So when my draw shoulder nudged me into compound archery a decade ago, I continued to shoot vanes of various lengths fletched in the same manner. Bare shaft tuning was introduced to me in 1977 during my FITA competition days, so it is clearly not a new concept by any means. However no one that I knew or read of was a bit concerned abot "clocking".....whether stickbows or compounds.

Since reading about the concept many times on AT, I have played with it a bit and found that various bows tend to have nuances in their delivery of a shaft/arrow. My current 19 Elite Ritual 35's shoot a bare shaft counter clockwise, but I find a left offset is not a bit more accurate with a small variety of vanes I've tested. As a matter of fact, I recently purchased some preowned 340 Easton Aftermaths that were flected with AAE Hybrid 270's in a left offset and left them on to compare. My typical arrows are Blazers or 3" Q2I Fusion XII vanes in a right helical. Shooting indoors at 20 yards at a vertical line, I have found on repeated days that the left offset tend to impact about 3/4" to 1" left of my aiming point, while the 3" Fusions with a right helical hit dead on. This was not just a few arrows in one session, but dozens of shots of each over several sessions. Explain that to me......