i kno there aresome posts already out there on this but there has been some dispute on which tuning works better between bareshaft and paper tuning .....my question is if u use bareshaft tunin to see if an arrow stiks to the left or right n tha target(i kno sum people use bareshafts to try and grup them w/ fletched arrows, but ive heard of thisapproach too)wudnt the tear in the paper wile paper tuning sho u the same thing?

In my experience, you can get a better, more closely matched tune when bareshafting and broadhead tuning than with paper.

I feel, and have seen,that tuning with paper will get you in theballpark, but will not tell you whole story. Bareshafting makes small imperfections visible that cannot be detected with paper. It's like using a magnifying glass to look at the same thing: you're just going to see more detail.

I can be shooting bullet holes in paper at various close range distances, but still have a foot or more difference in POI (point of impact) at 30 yards. After adjusting stuff through the bareshafting process, it still shoots bullet holes in paper.

I'm repeating myself from another recent post, but you want your arrows to fly naturally without having the fletch trying to steer them. The fletchings are there for one reason: stability, not steering. That's why some shooters can get away with these tiny little itty bitty vanes with not so much as 1 degree offset to make the arrow spin. The arrow flies straightlike a dart because the bow and all of its components have been adjusted to match forces equally with the spine of the arrow.

I would question advice from anyone who has not tried multiple methods of tuning to see the difference for themselves. For that matter, try it yourself and see. In the end, you can choose whatever you feel works best for you, and will gain much valuable experience.


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Also, as a note to those banging their heads trying to get their bow dialed in soit is perfectly tuned: Make very small adjustments, and only make one at a time. The sweet spot can be easily overshot. If your results are erratic or don't make sense, remember that not having good fletching clearance can mimic almost any problem, so check that too. Form can also play a huge roll. You must have consistent form. However you hold and release the bow must be the same every time. If it isn't yet, work on that first. Attempting to tune beforehand would be like trying to level a piece of plywood that's floating on the sea in a storm.

The main difference between the two is paper tuning will only tell you what the arrow is doing at a specific point in flight, where it goes thru the paper. You would have to shoot it at several different distances to get a good idea of what is happening. And it still may leave you confused.

It is however a good way to see what is happening with the arrow as it leaves your bow. It is a good starting point in tuning, but by no means the end. I don't bother with it most of the time because with my bows I can darn near eyeball the set up and get it shooting well enough to skip that step.

Bare shaft tuning is really for finger shooters, and better yet for traditional shooters. It can tell you if your spine is correct and if the arrow is clearing the bow as it leaves. It doesn't work so well for this when you are using a release, but can still be of some use. A modern compound with a release is much more forgiving on spine than shooting with finger or using a traditional bow.

Basically bare shaft tuning will tell you what the arrow is doing when it hits the target since there are no fletchings to correct the flight on the way. If you get a good bare shaft tune it will insure your arrows are flying straight to the target. Do not confuse this the arrows actually flying straight, because they may do some weird stuff on the way to the target, that is what the fletchings are for. However if they impact in the same spot you know they are traveling in a straight path to the target.

I feel bare shaft tuning a step beyond paper tuning, not the same thing or a replacement for it. Just the next step. And then after that you would move to fine tuning/group tuning or broad head tuning for a hunting bow.

Broad head tuning is a good indicator of spine though. If you have a bow that paper tunes well, and/or bare shaft tunes well but does not shoot well with broad heads or is pretty far away from the target tipped arrows then your spine is probably off, most likely weak. Or your arrows are not matched well.

Keep in mind none of these tuning methods is bullet proof and can be effected by other things, mainly form, release, and follow thru. If you don't shoot that well to begin with don't expect miracles. You can't tune any better than you can shoot, remember that. If you have trouble shooting consistantly with fletched arrows at 20 yards don't expect to be better with bare shafts or shooting thru paper up close. It will be worse I can assure you. Inconsistant grip or torque will wreak havoc while paper tuning. And having poor anchor points will make bare shaft tuning a nightmare.

I have gotten extremely weak spined arrows to shoot bullet holes, bare shaft tune and group well. So don't rely on these tests to varify that you have incorrectly spined arrows. If you have really good form and technique you can shoot a poorly tuned bow with target tips pretty well. Fixed blades may be a pain though.

I would say 90% of the time if the arrow does not go where you wanted it to, it wasn't the bow, maybe even more than that.

Perfectly matched arrows really help as well. Number them so you can tell if one specific arrow does the same thing every time, then get rid of it if it is really bad.

Paul

Well said, Paul.

Numbering arrows really DOES help.
Instead of getting 1 or 2 flyers out of a group, you can track trends and find which specific arrows are the problem children. Then you can fix them or eliminate them from your batch of'good' arrows.

You posted the same time I did. And I agree about the fletching contact and form issue. Tuning is the end of the game, first you need to get the bows basic set up right and make sure you can shoot consistantly.

Paul