My buddy and i were doing some more target practicing today . Our target is getting a real soft spot around the center . The bolts we were using were sinking in the foam till there was only a inch of the vanes sticking out witch was damaging the vanes . My question is why do they still fly as good with the vanes messed up . We even had one that had a part of one vane missing we tried , it shot just as good as the others even at 40 yards . Just curious , i still wouldn't take a bolt out hunting with damaged vanes eventhough they still seem to shot as good as a new one .
I have had the same experience Duber. I can't figure it out either. I was shooting yesterday and I used my older bolts because my target has softened up too. The fletchings are all warped and one has half of one fletching missing and they still shot true every time.
Heh Ben.S . I don't think i will worry to much about which fleching to use after seeing how messed up it can be and still shoot bang on . I tried the messed up ones again to see if it wasn't just fluke on the weekend . They still shoot straight !!!!!
Don't know how far you can shoot one, but I have shoot 10 -15 yards with no vanes and be dead on...This is with field tips only....Put on a BH and you may find they aren't so true....
I've tried with broadheads too Gary. Still right on. I still don't trust them for hunting though. I only use the best for hunting. I didn't mean to suggest that you should use the damaged ones to hunt with Duber. Keep those for the targets. Good Hunting!
I agree that hunting with them would not be a good idea . But my point is that some people really debate feather verses vanes or 4 inch verses 5 inch ect. but after seeing how well they still shoot with damaged or even missing fletching it leaves me wondering how much difference it really makes .
I know a pretty neat trick for fixing damaged fletching, and many other plastic parts. My pal is an auto mechanic. He showed me this with a bent nylon clip that held on an electrical fitting on my car. You just heat it up with a lighter, but don't get too close, and goes back to where it was molded. As he says, plastic wants to go back to the shape it was formed in.
I have done this with deformed fletching, and it works great. Just start about two inches away, and move the lighter back and forth under the damaged part until it starts to go back to where you want it.
russm wrote:I know a pretty neat trick for fixing damaged fletching, and many other plastic parts. My pal is an auto mechanic. He showed me this with a bent nylon clip that held on an electrical fitting on my car. You just heat it up with a lighter, but don't get too close, and goes back to where it was molded. As he says, plastic wants to go back to the shape it was formed in.
I have done this with deformed fletching, and it works great. Just start about two inches away, and move the lighter back and forth under the damaged part until it starts to go back to where you want it.
With feathers you can use steam, such as from a kettle. Likely this would work with plastic, and might have less risk of overheating and making the vanes brittle.
"Gun Control Laws"--trying to nag criminals into submission.