Cock feather

[CaptLarry]

#133534

Do you shoot with the cock fletching against the bow arrow rest, or away from the bow arrow rest? Why?

 

[Raymond Coffman]

#133538

CaptLarry

I shoot with the cock feather out(away) because that is how I learned (a long while back), and it was the trad standard. I am not sure it matters to the practical archer. My goal is to be consistent in how I shoot – because consistency enhances precision. So I still shoot cock feather out – but

I am a shoot for fun and practice for hunting archer. I can normally keep my arrows in a tea cup at 20yds ( when shooting regularly). I shoot barebow / instinctive and my current bows are close to center shot. I just did my daily shoot this afternoon ( RD longbow / carbon arrow / 3 feathers) and changed the fletch position every other shot and could not see any difference in my group accuracy or point of impact. Different type of bow (less center shot ) or arrow ( thicker) might be an issue. I have done this in the past with the same results. What made me curious years ago, was if I grabbed an arrow and hastily shot it under stress without the cock feather out ? What would happen? Nothing bad so far, for what I do anyway and my level of accuracy.

Maybe Stephen will wade in and give us the bowyers perspective or some science here. Any body else out there play with this, or know of any tests ?

Scout

 

 

 

[CaptLarry]

#133540

Scout,

I just renewed this hobby after about 40 years, and I am like you, for fun and occasional hunt, traditional, instinct/gap shooter.

That is what I figured about the cock feather, just wanted to be sure. I did see pictures of Fred Bear (also a leftie) and the placement of the cock feather was both positions……sooooo, that being said I will continue as before.

Thanks for your reply!

[Raymond Coffman]

#133542

CaptLarry

You bet, glad I could help, and it is good to hear you are getting back into trad archery. I was dormant for awhile myself, but returned in force a few years ago.

We hope to see you here often–

Happy Arrows

Scout

 

[Stephen Graf]

#133544

In my experience, it depends on the brace height, nock set hight, shooting form, arrow spine, and how close to center the arrow shelf is cut.  Even the glove or tab can make a difference.

If you shoot with the cock feather out and notice wear on the lower shaft feather, then maybe shooting cock feather in will help.

The closer to center the riser is cut, the less difference it seems to make.  For very narrow shelves, or off the hand shooting, cock feather out seems to work best for me.

Each archer is different.  But the difference in arrow flight between the two orientations is subtle at best.

Them that shoot 4 fletched arrows (I did that for several years) will smile at our musings as their arrows are symmetrical and the question is moot.

I liked 4 fletched arrows.  I went back to 3 because it took less work to make an arrow, and required fewer feathers to grind.

[CaptLarry]

#133545

Stephen,

Hmmmmm…….. 4 fletched eh…….

Thank you for the good discussion, you have certainly given me some food for thought. I will double check my alignments, and just practice more. I was surprised that after all these years my first shoot I could keep the shots in a 10” circle at 20 yards. I just have to redevelop my sight picture.

Thanks again!

Capt Larry

 

[Raymond Coffman]

#133546

Thank you Steve for the definitive answer. In the back of my mind I was thinking less center shot bows might show more of a preference, from discussions of this issue in past forums ( I don’t have one at the moment to test). Yes on 4 fletch as you say.

Scout

[David Coulter]

#133550

I’ve been shooting four fletch for a few years now. As I remember you shoot the cock feather out for clearance, so that tiny bit of a bump isn’t hitting the riser. Maybe that’s where the center shot comes in, as the arrow doesn’t have to wrap around the bow so much. The main reason is that’s the way it’s always been done, ha!

[CaptLarry]

#133555

Howdy!

I have noticed no appreciable wear on the cock feather to date…….but I am going to work with all of your excellent ideas….I just have to get a more consistent site picture down. Right now my elevation is good, just striking the target right of center. I will work with reversing the cock feather position to see if it makes a difference.

⚓️

[Ralph]

#133576

Ha David….”Like it’s always been done ain’t always a bad deal”.  Folks over the millennia have been shooting bows and things that have been passed down to us seem to work fine .

I shoot cock feather away. I shoot longbows mostly, the old fashioned 3/16th” away :-)) from the side plate. Center shot messes up my brain, like it needed added help for that.

I grip the bow way close to the shelf so any thing going on with the feathers get the attention of my index real quick. Like not smoothing down the forward ends of the fletchings!!!!! That’s a quick attention grabber and a way for me to make a subtle hint.  :-))

I also don’t glue my nocks on permanent, use just a tad of glue to hold the nock in place, when I fletch the shafts cause I have my own little way of aligning the nock with the feathers.

My index finger is very particular about how I do things and shooting cock feather in has a time or two created a dislike of such.

That though was probably due to a malfunction of mine.

Anyway enough bad experience and scars that I’m happy with the “always done it that away thingy”.

I also shoot some 4 fletch.  Why? There’s not only “always done it thataways” but we’re allowed to have “just causes” too.

At my age I figure I can have some “just cause I wannas”.

Be well, R2

 

 

[Stix]

#134552

A properly tuned arrow setup will fly great with cock feather in or out. Cock feather in helps with arrows that are tweakly stiff. I shoot cock feather in because I cut the arrow shafts, 1/2″ too short, which made them very slightly stiff, They fly like darts.

[Larry Knott]

#134677

Cock feather out tunable nocks Carbon arrows works best for me.Great topic

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