tuning
 

I paper tuned my bow and it seems to be punching a good hole but i think i see the arrow spiral a little to the target .
What else should i check ? should i try other methods ? how does shooting a bare shaft work ?

RE: tuning
 

If you are using a helical or offset fletching (recommended) then it's possible that you are just seeing the odd colored fletch roating during flight, which is quite normal---and common. Is this the case? Maybe you should have someone else watch your arrows as you just shoot.

As for paper tuning, do you paper tune at several different distances? Tuning at a single distance doesn't tell a whole lot as you are tuning the bow to punch a hole at that one distance when in fact the arrow could be doing something crazy at another distance.

Personally I don't waste my time with paper. I still go the old-school route and bare shaft tune. This entails starting at about 6' from a target and getting the arrow to enter the target square, both vertically and horizontally, backing up a few yards at a time and readjusting as necessary to remove any planing. Usually I start at about 6' then back up to 10 yards, then 15, 20 and so on. When I get a bare shaft flying like it's on a laser, with no planing, out to 35 yards then I sight the bow in as close as possible. Then shoot bare shaft and fletched arrows for comparison. If they both fly to the same POI then I'll shoot those two and a broadhead tipped arrow, comparing all three. Most times I can get them to fly into the same bullseye at 35 yards and I call it quits.

Consider that to bare shaft tune your shooting form has to be very consistent and you can't be gripping the bow. Any torque applied is going to give a whole bunch of frustration. Another thing that is critical is to have arrows that are pretty consistent in spine, both from arrow to arrow and around each shaft. Many carbon arrows vary some around the shaft diameter. Broadheads have to be aligned with the shaft, too, as they should anyway.

Easton's Tuning Guide explains a lot of this very well along with other methods of tuning. Don't be afraid to turn those limb bolts during tuning. It's a much overlooked method of getting the tune spot-on. Draw weight is just a number so don't get caught up in the idea of HAVING to shoot a certain poundage. Tune the equipment, weigh the bow and take other measurements, and record them for future reference. Then just go shooting.

RE: tuning
 

Thanks great info. I shoot a slight off set . i will try the bare shaft and see what happens . I am also going to try another set of arrows because when i got home i noticed
a fletch tip was lifting and might be what was throwing it off

RE: tuning
 

Screw on some BH's and BH tune it at 20yds, and see what that tells you.

RE: tuning
 

Ok will do . I think it is just my eyes because i had someone stand behind and they don't see it . Also i was shooting 3d when i noticed this and when I went into the range with better lighting I didn't notice as much

RE: tuning
 

well I bare shaft shot it out to 20 yards with only a 3 degree difference higher than a fletched arrow . It was still hitting the mark i was aiming at so i don't think i am going to change a thing. The broad heads are hitting very well too.

RE: tuning
 

Well, I'd say that if you have a bare shaft, fletched arrow with field tip, and one with a broadhead all htting the same mark at a given distance then it is certainly time to take all the necessary measurements on the bow and just get to the business (fun) of shooting it.