Straight , Helical or Offset?

[Thermodude]

Couple mornings ago I found myself to be deep in a delima! Being the creature of habbit that I am, early in the mornings after I arrive at the office I spend some time eating my breakfast, drinking my coffee and checking out the new posts on the forum. However on this fine morning I was unable to view the forum because of technical problems...........so in a moment of weakness, I became a glutin for punishment and went over to AT..... Not to far into my journey I came accross a thread that was hosted by a true expert of broadhead tunning! To make a long story short he went on the say that in order to shoot fixed blade heads they have to be shot using helical or offset fletching. Well.................Ive been shooting mine using straight fletch longer than I can remember with no problems at all. I guess my opinion on this is that if your bow is tuned and the head matches your bow and shooting style it dosnt have to be shot using helical or offset fletching....................opinions?

[Double S]

I shoot vanes with a slight right offset. My fobs come with a 2-3 degree helical.

[bob cooly]

Thermodude. I have my best luck with Golt Tip XT Hunters 400 29" with a Magnus 100 Buzzcut 4 blade and Blazers fletched on the AAE mini tool that puts like 6 degree right helical or a 3" AAE flethed again on the AAE tool. Also any Muzzy you care to put on.

[wscywabbit]

Well, it kinda makes sense that a helical or offset would get you better results. More spin imparted on the arrow would tighten your group and limit a broadhead's ability to steer the arrow... same reason a rifle's rifling spins a bullet, and the more twists/inch of barrel is more accurate down range.

I noticed that even switching to a 2* helical from my straight produced tighter groups. Feathers seemed to help over vanes as well. Either that or I'm just getting better!

[Thermodude]

I agree 100% that a helical or off set fletch works well to stabilize flight, what I was getting at is that its not all in stone that it has to be that way. Ive shot helical and off set with good results, but for the last few years with the broadheads Im using straight fletch has worked just as well.........and when I say well I mean dead on with my field tips with perfect flight. This being done with short , high profile fletch.

[Tosi]

Thermodude, if it works for you and you feel comfortable with the set up, sleep well. I also had the same issue "what's better" (Straight or Offset). After spending too much $ on blazers, quick-spins, AZ EZ fletch straight and offset inserts, plus hour in the back forty redneck testing. I finally gave in to what the experts were saying about broad-head flight and offset. I feel comfortable with AAE Max hunters and a right offset with an Easton Axis End-Fused @ 420g. The big difference for me is out after 50 yards. My groups are tighter with the offset. Saying that! It all relates to hunting styles. Here in N. AZ you need to be skillful and have the ability to hit that 60+ yard short at times depending on terrain. I think we all believe and strive to achieve the best when it comes right down to the hunt and harvest of any big game. My new issue is stay with Slick Trick 100g Mag or change to Steel Force 100g Phatheads. It's never ending....

[bfisher]

You can probably get away with just straightfletching if, as you say, the arrows are spined very very close and the bow istuned just so so. The reasoning behind shooting offset or helical is that not everybody achieves that perfect tune or even know there is such a thing as tuning, A lot of people are still unaware that the broadheads must be aligned as perfectly as possible with the shaft. Not everybody works on their form till it's nearly perfect.

There is a point of no return when shooting helical, though. Get too much drag on the back end and groups can actually get larger at longer distances. There's always some balancing act.