I could really use some arrow help!
 

What I'm sort of looking for is someone that knows the ins and outs of arrows, FOC, fletchings, gpi, etc.... to maybe take me under your wing and teach me the ropes and set me straight on all of it. There's alot of info out there and I think the more I read...the more I get confused. So if someone wants to take on a little task...shoot me a PM.

Thanks,
Xtec(Pat)

RE: I could really use some arrow help!
 

This is a good place to learn those things, and to meet folks who know their stuff.
I would start by reading the easton Tuning Guide. It gives a good overview for starters.
That will spark specific questions that you can get answered here.

I feel the best way is to join an archery club or talk with members of one you already belong to. It's much easier to discuss it all in person, and there is way too much to learn in one discussion. The gain in knowledge and understandingneeds to be more of a gradual evolution rather than a one time "dump" of info.

RE: I could really use some arrow help!
 

I totally agree with you bul, that's why I elected to see if one person would like to give me the insight and info that one would need. Rather than posting question after question on this board without knowing what is the correct info is. When posting on other things or with other questions, I take what people give me with a grain of salt because most times it's what a person believes or their opinion. With all of this, I guess I'm looking for hard facts to the subject. No offense to everyone with that though.

Thanks

RE: I could really use some arrow help!
 

You got the right idea.
I see conflicts in stuff all the time, even among the experts.
Pro shops will usually think of themselves as knowing everything and not be as open-minded as archery consumers. The shops have to push what they sell adn usually have one person running the show and making decisions on how best to do things. Customers have nothing to lose by telling you when something will or won't work.

There is always more than one way to do something.
If you don't get any bites here, you might try again in the regional forums to find somebody near you.

Good luck.
-Bulz

RE: I could really use some arrow help!
 

Some of thebasics of what I know...

-Arrows MUST be spine matched to your bow/setup.
-If a bow goes out of tune, it could be anything. An experienced shooter can make a good guess what it is without much trouble.

(Now for the secondary stuff)

-There are about 50 different ways to figure draw length. Try several. Get a rough idea. Use what's comfortable.
-Your draw length is different from your bow's draw length.
-Your draw length is different than you arrow length.
-You may want to have longer arrows to keep broadheads off your hands.
-Tuning is different with release vs. fingers. Know what applies to you.
-Use paper tuning only for a roughcheck of how the arrow is leaving the bow, not to verify proper spine.
-Bare shaft tune for the best results.
-Broadhead tune too if you hunt with that bow.
-Make sure your broadheads spin true.
-Make small, tiny, itty-bitty adjustmentswhen tuning, or you may overshoot the sweet spot.
-If tuning proceedures are not working, you probably have a fletching clearance problem.
-Centershot is where the arrow should point for best performance. Better to change other things firstwhen tuning. Don't mess withcenter shottoo much.
-If you change ANYTHING on your bow, re-check your tune.
-Save most changes until after the hunting season is over, unless something breaks.
-Control as much as you can to make each of your arrows identical. (Make your own.)
-Don't buy your broadheads until you've got your bow tuned well. You may have to change point weights, and be left with a pileblades you can't use.
-Lighter arrows = faster arrows = flatter trajectory = more margin for error in the field = more meat in freezer. (Of course I use heavy ones. :D)
-Feathers are lighter, faster, and more forgiving than vanes.
-Vanes are more durable than feathers and retain their steering ability better than feathers when wet.
-Helical fletching steers better than offset, and offset steers better than straight.
-Longer and higher profile fletchings steer better, but add more drag causing extra drop at longer ranges.
-Use more steering with broadheads, and even more with fixed blades and feathers.
-FOC (forward of center) is how far in front of the center of the arrow the balance point lies.
-FOC should be up around 10 or 12% with broadheads. Can be less for target setups.
-Make sure everything is tight before shooting.
-Your top pin is always for your shortest range. (Heck of a thing to use the wrong pin and miss high at 10 yards.)
-Know how high your bow shoots half way out to your first pin distance. From this point down to the sight pin you are using is the area that needs to be clear of obstacles before you shoot.
-Get the smallest diameter pins you can. (Much better sight picture.)
-Shooting from antreestand is the same as shooting from the ground. Just don't trust your rangefinder. Use only the horizontal distance to your target. (A bit less than what a rangefinder would show for the diagonal distance.) Pace off distances to landmarks (or range them) while on the ground. That's the distance to use for your pins.

I'm sure there's more, but that's what sticks in my head at the moment.
I know some of that was more hunting than technical, but it all ties together from my point of view.

I hope this helps somebody.
-Bulz