bare shaft tuning
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 148
bare shaft tuning
I have paper tuned and then bare shaft tuned my bow. The bare shaft hits where my fletched arrow hits but I can see the bare shaft fish tale in flight. Is this normal? what is the solution. If I had to say impact is not perfect with fletched arrows I would say to the Left no more than 1-2inch same horizontal line. I feel 1-2 inch is acceptable but then again this is why I am asking? I might add the distance is 18yds. At 10 yds, I cant see the arrow at all until impact. I am shooting Switchback, 30in, 68lbs Carbon Express cx300 with 100gr tip. Approx 388grains total weight. Chrono at 297..........Thanks for all..............Mitch
#2
RE: bare shaft tuning
If a bare shaft flew perfectly, why would it be necessary to fletch them? Yes, it is normal, and as long as they are hitting where your fletched arrows hit, or VERY close to it, you are tuned good. Actually, if you paper tuned your bow, that's as good as it gets.
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Blissfield MI USA
Posts: 5,293
RE: bare shaft tuning
I don't agree with that last statement at all. I don't feel paper tuning tells you much of anything and is only the starting point of tuning, certianly not the end. I know quite a few that don't even bother with it, including myself.
I agree though, when I bare shaft tune I do not concern myself with how the arrow flies or how it looks in the target after it hits. I am only concerned with where it hits in relationship to my fletched arrows and how it groups. If you feel you could do better with the centershot, then by all means work on touching it up. If changing your rest has no impact then it may be spine. Try taking a turn out of each limb or adding a turn and see what happens. This will change the spine of your arrow.
Another good thing to do is to shoot at a vertical and horizontal line for groups. Adjust the rest or poundage until they are as close as you can get them to the line. When shooting for centershot shoot the line that runs from the top to bottom of your target and only concern yourself with how the arrows hit from left and right. And when adjusting the nock point do the same thing with the line that runs from left to right. Only concern yourself with how they hit up and down. This is how you fine tune your rest usually. It takes some time and dinking around.
Remember with a release there is no set rules. Usually the obvious adjustment works, but not always. You just have to tinker around until you get the results you want. And go in small increments. Sometimes if you go too far it will do the same thing again.
And remember, you can't tune better than you can shoot. If you have trouble grouping fletched arrows together don't expect things to get any better with unfletched ones. They are more sensitive to rest adjustment, grip, torque and form.
When I bare shaft tune I don't use a competely unfletched arrow. I take some fletched arrows and cut the fin off the fletchings leaving the base and glue. This helps the arrow retain it's original weight. Taking weight off the back of the arrow will effect its FOC and dynamic spine. This effects how it flies.
Good luck,
Paul
I agree though, when I bare shaft tune I do not concern myself with how the arrow flies or how it looks in the target after it hits. I am only concerned with where it hits in relationship to my fletched arrows and how it groups. If you feel you could do better with the centershot, then by all means work on touching it up. If changing your rest has no impact then it may be spine. Try taking a turn out of each limb or adding a turn and see what happens. This will change the spine of your arrow.
Another good thing to do is to shoot at a vertical and horizontal line for groups. Adjust the rest or poundage until they are as close as you can get them to the line. When shooting for centershot shoot the line that runs from the top to bottom of your target and only concern yourself with how the arrows hit from left and right. And when adjusting the nock point do the same thing with the line that runs from left to right. Only concern yourself with how they hit up and down. This is how you fine tune your rest usually. It takes some time and dinking around.
Remember with a release there is no set rules. Usually the obvious adjustment works, but not always. You just have to tinker around until you get the results you want. And go in small increments. Sometimes if you go too far it will do the same thing again.
And remember, you can't tune better than you can shoot. If you have trouble grouping fletched arrows together don't expect things to get any better with unfletched ones. They are more sensitive to rest adjustment, grip, torque and form.
When I bare shaft tune I don't use a competely unfletched arrow. I take some fletched arrows and cut the fin off the fletchings leaving the base and glue. This helps the arrow retain it's original weight. Taking weight off the back of the arrow will effect its FOC and dynamic spine. This effects how it flies.
Good luck,
Paul
#5
RE: bare shaft tuning
When you bare shaft tune the shots must all be good releases. Quite often you will try to hold the bare shaft longer to insure a good shot. I shoot the bare shaft as the second arrow with a fletched first and last. A perfect impact should be 1/2 to 1" below centerline of the fletched arrows. This seems to give the best results for me.
#6
Join Date: May 2003
Location:
Posts: 17
RE: bare shaft tuning
Paul,instead of just cutting some of the fletching off,I cut all of it off and replace it with the same weight in electrical tape.I weigh the tape to meet the exact weight of the fletching.Works great.I got the idea from an article written Bobby Worthington in North American Whitetail magazine.
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Blissfield MI USA
Posts: 5,293
RE: bare shaft tuning
That works if you are using a drop a way, try it with a prong rest though. I just think my way is easier and quicker is all, both would work though. Also leaving the fletch bases on exactly simulates the length and orientation of the weight on the shaft. You can actually take them all the way off and works fairly well to be honest, they just impact a little different at longer ranges. For 10 and 20 yards it should work fine any way you do it.
Paul
Paul
#8
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 148
RE: bare shaft tuning
Thanks for the response. Next question, Wouldnt the bare shaft without tape or fletch remains impact higher since the total weight is less? I understand the theory of leaving weight on the fletched end. Also, someone said something about bare shaft shooting through paper for tuning. Is this the way I should of done this before I grouped a bare shaft with fletched arrows? Again thanks in advance............Mitch
#9
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,175
RE: bare shaft tuning
You can go ahead and shoot a bare shaft thru paper, if you just want to drive yourself completely nuts.[8D] Nothing good can come from doing that.
No, a bare shaft without tape will not hit higher. You won't be shooting that bare shaft at any distance far enough for the difference in weight to show up in point of impact. If the bare shaft strikes higher than your fletched shafts, then you need to adjust the nock point up to bring the bare shaft into the group.
No, a bare shaft without tape will not hit higher. You won't be shooting that bare shaft at any distance far enough for the difference in weight to show up in point of impact. If the bare shaft strikes higher than your fletched shafts, then you need to adjust the nock point up to bring the bare shaft into the group.