The only thing on a bow that would impart spin on an arrow would be the string being out of true plumb. I don’t see any other way it would start a rotation on the arrow. String straight or plumb, nock straight = no rotation. Unless it was drag on one side of the rest. If so, what starts the rotation?
Got me there! If your bow spins counterclockwise in the US, does it spin clockwise Down under in Australia? What does it do it Kentucky?
It is always dangerous to post youtubers, but these two kind of sum up the argument. The second one is how I have always understood it and has been my experience with strings and bows. It is how the string is twisted at the factory is what invokes the spin. Arrows need to spin to stabilize, so by using a helical natural to the bows bare-shaft results, you get better spin and earlier recovery in the arrow out of the bow, no fighting between broadhead and fletching. This may not apply so much to mechanicals, as I shoot fixed. It could help increase spin rate and accuracy for the mechanical, though. Using a high FOC increases the accuracy, since the fletching is less involved with majorly correcting the arrow and only needed to correct human error. So arrow shot pristinely, all proper factors helical not critical. But, we are not Hooter Shooters and we all have flaws, so the natural helical allows for the arrow to help correct those flaws. As Levi Morgan points out, you do not want a lot of helical for long distances due to possible parachute affect, but again high FOC could change that and again even a strong helical will have very little need, except to correct small flaws in the archer. This is due to the high FOC pulling the arrow, so no need for a lot of fletching to work. My personal tune is to tune bare-shaft and find the natural spin, then put a 1-2 degree helical, nothing crazy. I feel like it gives the archer, the bow and the arrow a fluid, natural release. Happy Shooting and Hunting! Sent from my iPad using Bowhunting.com Forums
Arrows always group well in Kentucky. They always tend to keep it in the family with only one or two fliers . And yes I recognize the age of the post but there quarantine is driving me crazy.
I tested this a while back. My bows shoot a bare shaft with left spin and lower poundage bow had less rotation at 5'. Straight fletched had left rotation at 5'. 3° right helical had right rotation at 5'. When shot through whisker biscuit the helical had more rotation at 5' than drop away. I was going to left offset some fletching but didn't think it was worth it for me anyway. Just sticking with straight and right helical on my arrows.
going to post here but also in the trad section- I am just getting in to trad and am going to re-fletch a dozen Pile Drivers that I have lying around. I used to fletch all my own back in the 90s when I was shooting aluminums and back when I was still shooting RH. Does LH/RH make a difference in which direction I should fletch? Seems likely not as some are just saying to make the helical go in whatever direction the arrows naturally spin. I will be using CoC fixed heads- probably not beveled for now although once I burn through the ones I got that will change. I will be shooting off the shelf...just looking at LH/RH helicals it seems like a L helical would naturally come off the shelf better on a LH riser but not sure
As a bowhunter I want helical, I want those arrows to spin and stabilize, esp. when shooting fixed heads... I use a good helical even for 3D and indoors 300 rounds(Spots) ... straight fletch provides minimal stabilization ... an strong offset is better, but still not as good as helical .... some of the skinny shafts out now may need the offset as a strong helical is difficult to achieve ... as for left or right with mech's and replaceable fixed blades it dosnt matter, btw I shoot a right helical using a AZ EZ Fletch and Blazers... however as a right handed shooter, I would use a left helical if I was shooting traditional, and esp. if off the shelf as I want my feathers going away from the riser ..
