primary

[jamie]

recent discussions here would have you believe the primary feathers are the only feathers for fletching. they are more durable but i have to disagree. i shoot from 10 yards to 100and so on and expect perfect flight at all distances. the thing is i dont use only primary feathers. i even mix primary and secondary on a shaft with no ill results. i think if you need to do so that there is a good chance your arras need to be tuned to the bow better or there is a form issue that needs to be worked on. just figured id stir up a hornets nest and post this lol. peace

[billmac]

I don't have an opinion but thought I'd jump into this thread with more questions.  Do you folks use both sides of the feather, assuming the feather is tall enough?

[Hillbilly]

Jamie, I use secondaries a lot too, and they fly fine. Billmac, I use both sides of the feather when I can. Just treat the other side as if it came from the opposite wing (Don't mix both sides of the same feather on one arrow). Even the little off-sides on primaries make good low fletches, no trimming required.

[Justin Snyder]

I think the major difference in primary and secondary is how much spin it adds to the arrow. If you cut them short, there isn't as much difference in primary and secondary stiffness as there is from one type of bird to another.  Justin

[Pat B]

I use primary, secondary and tail feathers, left and right wing...and tail.  The tail feathers have more color than the wing feathers.   Pat

[Coo-wah-chobee]

 Like Pat said" I USE"EM ALL" an ALL work great...bob

[jamie]

man i thought id cause controversy and everybodies agreeing. guess i'll have to try again.

[1/2primitive]

I have used secondary for a while and they fly fine, but I just prefer primary feathers.  I don't have a good reason why, just do, I'll use any feathers though.
      Sean

[sonny]

Jamie has apparently forgotten that we're all a bunch of frugal archers.. whose motto is likely "Use it if you got it!" or "Make do with what ya got!"

[mullet]

   Well I'll dump the apple cart.I don't like secondary feathers.I think they are too flimsey.I like to use turkey primary's and tail feathers.The primaries already have the natural helical twist.I don't care if I shoot right or left.I hunt with or know alot of hard core turkey hunters.three of my friends are in the record book for killing a bird in every state that has them.They save me feathers and wing bones.Another buddy just got back from Mexico and a 33,000 acre ranch that he is helping set up for turkey hunting. I usually have a real good supply of turkey wing feathers and tails.
    A good stiff primary feather is good insurance for a badly tuned arrow.And face it.How long did it take alot of you old guys on here to really start worrying about arrow flight instead of bow performance?

[Coo-wah-chobee]

 Learned that arrow flight was more important than bow performance at 8yrs old from granfather, after hittin me on head with bow a few dozen times. I learn slow . Oh and watch that ole'guy cr@#, your gonna git there pretty sonn , well maybe your there already ! .bob

[Pappy]

I agree that the secondary fly fine but they just don't hold up as well and like Mullet I have a good supply,got 40 pairs gave to me so far this year and more to come that I just don't need them.I also
have some goose hunting friends that give me all I need.I use left on mine but have used both
and have seen no differences in the flight. :)I hate to make arrows so I use what will hold up longer
even tho I loose them pretty quick.
   Pappy

[Justin Snyder]

Pappy and Mullet, would you like to kick me while I'm down, or rub salt in my cut.  If you are running out of room for all those feathers, I can liberate some of them for you.  I don't want them to clutter up your arrow making space.  Justin

[DanaM]

yea what he said

[Pappy]

justin If I had known you wanted some I would have hooked you up while you was in Tn.
I don't know if you would have had room tho .Let me get them all sorted out and I will hook
yall up,I am kind of getting cluttered. I don't know what I am going to do with all the wood,feathers Rock cain and shafting,Guess I will just have to add on again. 
   Pappy