How much helicle?

[Kegan]

Now that I've gotten the shafts to the point where they're all tapered with pretty nocks and stuff, I'm looking at my fletching with a little disappointment- they're frankly butt-ugly. I was debating using my brother's fletching jig, but as you can see in the photo (that's not a full arrow on the left- just a piece I had lying around), the difference in helicle is substantial. Would this still be enough helicle?

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[mullet]

  An arrow with a helical twist , like the one on the right will recover very quicklt. But it will slow down faster and make a buzzing noise. Shooting short distance and through heavy brush it's great. The one on the left is about how much Twist I put in mine and have know problem if the arrows are splined right and matched.

[Kegan]

  An arrow with a helical twist , like the one on the right will recover very quicklt. But it will slow down faster and make a buzzing noise. Shooting short distance and through heavy brush it's great. The one on the left is about how much Twist I put in mine and have know problem if the arrows are splined right and matched.

I've been using the ones on the right (that style at least) for about a year now. They work fine up to about 50 yards, but eyond that kill with elevation.

I'm glad to know the left one is enough for accuracy, thanks Mullet .

[FlintWalker]

If your setup is tuned perfectly, you don't need any helical at all.  I like to run as much as I can get with my jig even if bare shafts shoot good.  I just like for that arrow to spin as much as possible.  It's like throwing a football.  The more spin, the more stability.

[Justin Snyder]

I like the one on the left myself.  If the arrows are spined right you can shoot them without feathers. The only reason for a lot of helicoil is making flu flu arrows.  Justin

[Kegan]

Thanks guys. You've put my mind at ease. Now I can make them pretty .

[Pat B]

Kegan, My fletch jig is a JoJan straight fletch. I usually offset so my fletching comes out about like the left one. You can fletch an arrow with totally straight fletching and the arrow will still spin because of the make up of the feather.  I prefer an arrow with a slightly offset straight fletch over helical because like Eddie said it is less noisy and a bit faster.     Pat

[Hillbilly]

I'm with Shannon-I like a good bit of helical with hunting points. An arrow that will fly good with a field point may plane and do wierd stuff when you stick a broadhead on it. I don't take long shots at critters, anyway.

[Mechslasher]

like pat, i usually use a straight fletching jig with a roughly 5 degree offset.  this is enough to give a good spin rate and still be silent.  i just finished a set of carbon arrows, that i'm using with a glass bow, with as much helical as i could put on them.  i'm figuring that with the glass bow i have some fps to spare.  it's shooting around 210fps.  i'm setting it up as a spare for a hog hunt this spring in case it rains.