Why Shoot Right Fletching if Your Arrow Rotates CCW?

[BoilerBowHunter]

So I've wrapped my brain into a bit of a pretzel on this one. Here's what I know (or think I know)...

Most arrows clock CCW off the string which theoretically means most people should be using a left fletching. However, my guess is that most archers shoot a right fletching. I called Iron Will to inquire about this because I'll be shooting a single bevel and don't want to pull the trigger until I decide on RH or LH bevel. Their customer service stated that their engineering team has evaluated this and determined that the initial rotation of the arrow is very low force and is easily overcome by the fletching. Iron Will customer service stated that everyone there shoots a right fletching while acknowledging that most arrows clock CCW off the string.

At the same time, I think most people would tend to agree that if the arrow naturally wants to spin left then it theoretically makes sense to not fight that. Every little bit helps, right?

So who knows all of this and still chooses to use right fletching, and why? Honestly Iron Will's feedback is good enough for me, but I'm genuinely curious to get some feedback. Is it the threat of loose field tips from the CCW rotation? Societal norms and the fear of being ostracized at your local range for defying the mainstream? Fletching jig isn't setup for left fletching and don't want to spend the money on yet another thing that likely has no bearing on accuracy for the average shooter (this is where I am...)?

 

[Bump79]

I know mine turn left and still use right. Mainly due to it not making sense with threading out. Not to be rude - but it's likely just brain cells not worth wasting. How big are your groups currently? The gain in precision/accuracy from shooting left hand might be 1/8" at 30. There's about 100 things to fix before you get to where you'll be able to tell like Levi Morgan or Page Pierce who talk about it. Worth it if you're cutting lines and but then you better be a pro shooter.

Most of this stuff comes down to preference. I've gone down the rabbit hole and fletched probably 40+ different configurations of vanes. I sell custom arrows though so I felt that I needed to be able to have that under my belt. At my shooting ability as a hunter just can't tell even at 80. The only final determinate that I have found is that you need "enough" height and length in you vane for your application. General rule >.5" long and >2" longer for any hunting scenario. Outside of that the biggest difference is:
1) Some vanes adhere better/easier
2) Some vanes are more durable
3) Some vanes are quieter

 

[Bump79]

Fletching jig isn't setup for left fletching and don't want to spend the money on yet another thing that likely has no bearing on accuracy for the average shooter (this is where I am...)?

This is valid too. You're going to buy a different clamp - $40. Then you've got your broadhead selection narrowed.

I think IW is right. If you're bareshaft is clocking like 10 degrees or 20 degrees that's just such a small torsion I don't see any way it matters.

 

[BoilerBowHunter]

Not being rude...I fully agree with you. I just think it's interesting, and I like hearing from other people who have wasted time thinking about such topics! I enjoy the science behind this stuff and how it translates (or doesn't translate) into the field.

Thanks for the response!

 

[Mighty Mouse]

I don't know how or why right (CW) offset/helical fletching became dominant, but I'm convinced that fletching direction has no appreciable effect on accuracy, speed, or anything else an archer should care about. I would guess that the default to right fletching probably started in traditional archery for reasons that no one now remembers and persisted simply by inertia.

It seems that this became a popular topic after Levi Morgan divulged the "secret" of arrow clocking on YouTube a few years ago. Then a bunch of other influencers started talking about clocking and now it has become a thing folks think they need to do but don't know why. IMO clocking is a waste of time.

 

[Bump79]

Not being rude...I fully agree with you. I just think it's interesting, and I like hearing from other people who have wasted time thinking about such topics! I enjoy the science behind this stuff and how it translates (or doesn't translate) into the field.

Thanks for the response!

You bet! Not to take away a sale from Iron Will but if I was to go with left bevel I'd look at the new .166 glue ins from Trifecta.

Or if going that route I'd go with the IW Snyder Core. You can actually get more bang for your buck this way.

 

[Bump79]

Vane Testing / What's the best vane for my arrow - John Stallone Days in The Wild

Finding the best vane for you arrow set up can be an absolute chore there are so many types and styles and things to consider and what it comes down to is fletching up 3 of all the types and styles you want to test and shoot them, shoot them inside, outside, in wind, your self , shoot them with...

johnstallone.me

 

[BoilerBowHunter]

You bet! Not to take away a sale from Iron Will but if I was to go with left bevel I'd look at the new .166 glue ins from Trifecta.

Or if going that route I'd go with the IW Snyder Core. You can actually get more bang for your buck this way.

I've already got the arrows purchased and they're .204 ID...

 

[Bigborealaska]

I fletch left helical. I don't think it matters or makes a huge difference at all. Arrows clock left off my bow so I figured why not can't hurt so I did.

I also have not had any issue with broadheads or field tips unscrewing either.

 

[Trial153]

There is no bigger mental masterbating in archery than this topic. It’s an absolute waste of time.

 

[wapitibob]

Fletch the same direction as the bevel rotation, it makes a slight difference. You can see it in gel testing. It makes no difference on non rotating heads like a slick trick or similar; those heads don't rotate in media regardless of fletch.

 

[entropy]

A user called 1nestly has a bunch of videos posted on YouTube that are slomo high res videos showing how quickly fletching of different types start rotating off the string (among a bunch of other videos).

Spoiler alert: left fletched arrows start spinning like a top right off the string, right fletched arrows take a lot more time and distance to achieve the same kind of spin.

But I agree with the above posters. My experimentation with right/left fletch yielded no precision or accuracy difference, with broadheads or field points, out to 75 yards. I fletch right, mainly because what single bevel heads I have are right bevel.

 

[MallardSX2]

There is no bigger mental masterbating in archery than this topic. It’s an absolute waste of time.

I think you misspelled masturbating.

 

[Jethro]

I archery hunted a long time before ever hearing about this. I enjoy the discussion because it’s interesting. I’ve never clocked my arrows and have no intention to. My FT and BH hit where I’m aiming and I know I’m not good enough that changing my fletch direction will get noticed.

 

[Billy Goat]

If the point of fletching it to create drag on the back of the arrow, why wouldn't you want it counter to the way the arrow wants to spin? It will cause it to react faster.




All of my bows that I have checked, rotated CCW, even the ones that had strings twisted CCW that everyone thinks controls rotation.

I can't detect a bit of difference in accuracy dependent on fletching direction, and I have tried. At distance, with a shooting machine.

Shoot what you like, I don't think it makes a bit of difference.

 

[sveltri]

High level archers have tested this and found that it makes ABSOLUTELY, 100% no difference.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I shoot left fletch, because why not.

 

[MattB]

To answer the question, because some people have right hand jigs and the direction of rotation doesn’t matter (by that I mean in practice, we understand it is hugely important on he internet).

 

[Bigborealaska]

High level archers have tested this and found that it makes ABSOLUTELY, 100% no difference.

I agree my thinking is do what makes you happy with your setup and your shooting and if you are happy with it nothing else should matter.

 

[wapitibob]

If the point of fletching it to create drag on the back of the arrow, why wouldn't you want it counter to the way the arrow wants to spin? It will cause it to react faster.

A left spinning arrow with rh fletch will come out of the bow spinning left until the fletch counter acts the natural spin and takes over. That's about 10 from my bow when I checked it; 2.25 FF with roughly 2-3 deg of offset.