Bareshaft testing and nock height - need input

[bradsmith2010]

there can be quite a difference in variation, in how someone holds a bow or releases the string,,
so one set up might not work for all,, but overall, I think a well made bow is not that finicky, and will shoot a wide range of arrows if need be,, bare shafting is not a normal part of my bow tuning, but I dont discount its merits either,, I am probably just to lazy to take full advange of the process,, if the arrow is flying good out of the bow,, feathers or not,, I am happy with that,, 

[BowEd]

That's why 1 set of a dozen or two arrows tuned correctly shoot fine on a number of my 50 to 55 # bows.No need so much for so many arrows any more for the same poundage bows.That's my goal most times.The only thing then is the mass weight or the high or low impact difference at greater distances.

[jayman448]

i had this concept of tuning come up last year right before a shoot. my shooting was all over the place and i was frustrated as hell so one of my buddies brought me over and got me to shoot. my form looked ok so we rip off my fletchings off one arrow and shot it. darn thing took off at a 45 without those feathers... "theres your problem"

[loon]

ugh, i guess that's also my problem.. unmatched arrows, bs groups.

[bradsmith2010]

sometimes its not the arrow, it might be the way the bow is set up,, brace height,, arrow pass,, etc

[PEARL DRUMS]

Grip means a lot as well. Your hand placement and pressure spot has to be exactly the same every time.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I couldn't help myself, curiosity over whelmed me. I grabbed a bare shaft that spined and weighed the same as what I've been using on several bows for quite a while now, 51-52#. I glued a nock and point on and went outside to shoot it. I shot at 8-10 yards. Its dead straight, no up or down or left or right. I expected as much based on my past experiences, but you guys almost had me convinced my arrow flight eyes aren't as good as I had thought and perhaps my arrows weren't all they could/should be. I guess I can see the flight well enough to know if the arrow matches or doesn't. I feel better now knowing my eyes didn't deceive me. 

[Aaron H]

I have heard that you want to test them at about 10-15 ft.  How far out does everyone else test?

[Knoll]

Begin shooting at close distance is prudent strategy to avoid breaking them if they're way too strong or weak spinewise. I start at 5 yds.
As I get them flying decent at that short distance, move couple yards away.
Rinse and repeat.
I usually stop at 15 yds.
Also, as I get them better zeroed in, whack just 1/4" off at a time. Yeah, it takes me awhile, but I have the time avail.   

[jayman448]

i mean it is the same as anything... just like a rifle.. it could very well be that your jerking the trigger... but how would you ever really know if your scope is out, your barrel is dirty, and your using inconsistent ammunition for your gun.

[bjrogg]

So far I only have 12 parallel shafts and I didn't bother with extensive bareshafting these. I fussed with my 1st and 2nd worked out the same I had my numbers made the rest the same. I shot each one bareshaft before I fletched just the same they all shoot fine. My shoot arrows are far more time consuming. I mean far far far more time consuming. I don't have a lot of different bows to shoot from yet just 3 and they are close in draw but not exactly the same. One doesn't have arrow shelf so it doesn't like the same as the other two which are both close to center shoot. My shoot arrows I always bareshaft now and flip them over to see which way they shoot best. I try to file center section of shafts to get my Happy spine number caution to slightly high side the file point end down
To try to match my physical weight. Then I put on my 125 grain target point and shoot it bareshaft and work it till it flies right. Once you have the numbers you can get pretty close from the start, getting that 1st one right for the bow is time consuming especially with my limited experience. It is very true you have to do everything with good consistent form for good results but if you have know idea what your bow likes I think with shoot arrows bareshaft testing is a very valuable tool.
Bjrogg

[Pappy]

Unless I am making shoot shafts or Cain I don't bare shaft every arrow,with them I do. I start with 1 if they are bought shafts, I spline test all of them and mark what they are, they aren't always the same bought or not. Then I take 1 and tune it, then I just make the rest to match by scrapping/ add length or shorten. I use a 160 field tip on all of them because that is about what all my hunting heads either bought or made weigh. I shoot about the same arrow in most bows but as we all know 50lbs at a given draw ant the same in every bow as far is speed/performance/early string tension/RD/flipped tips/center shot all make a difference /all bow aren't equal. May not be much but some difference , so beings I have nothing else to do  I take the time and tune arrows for every bow. Like Pearl said Yes I can go in the cabin and pull out a hand full of most any of my arrows and they will shoot pretty good on of about any of my bows, just not as good as they could if I have tuned them. It's like anything else in this stuff we do, no real wrong or right, if it don't bother you than by all means don't waste your time but if it does bother you as it does me then bare shafting works very well.  One last thought, the arrow is the most important part of an accurate shooting of a bow. You can have the tiller off and it may not be as smooth and may have more hand shock but if you have a well tuned arrow to the bow it will hit the same spot every time if you do your part and the same thing every time you shoot it. Guys spend hours finishing a bows and dolling them up after it is shooting and think nothing of it.   I am a little slack on that but not with my arrows.
 Pappy

[bradsmith2010]

you are right Pappy,,, I can shoot a handfull of different arrows pretty good,, probably good enough to kill a deer,,
but if I have the time,, one of those arrows shoots consistantly better,,,if I take the time to match that,, then the bow can shoot real good,, I have to be in pretty good practice to see the difference , but when I am I can,, I have some really nice laminated birch shafts, that shoot great out of my self bow,,, I am hoping to get some dogwood to fly that good,,

Jayman, you are right, if you release is not good or form is off,,,, you are not going to be able to tune the arrows,, just takes alot of patience and practice,,

[BowEd]

Pappy's right in his train of thought.
The only place that sends me very even dimensioned consistent weight and spine within 10 to 15 grains and spine of under 5#'s difference is surewood shafts for parallel shafts.He'll hand pick through them.They are'nt cheap though.
bjrogg...Once I get one shoot shaft done I've got a pattern so to speak if all the other shoots are from the same area or the same kind.The rest usually all fall into the same diameter/length/and spine for me.Still some just don't make it after bare shaft tuning.It's just the way it is I figure,and yes those shoot shafts especially dogwood do take more time to make for me anyway.

[Bender]

I cant see why one 50# self bow needs anything different than the next 50# self bow. That's why I asked just how much variance you bare shafters have from set to set in similar bows.

Heck I have one red oak board bow, true self bow, no backing, its a dog. I also have a nice Osage stave bow, true self bow, no backing. Its not a dog. They definitely take 2 different arrows. The Osage bow is significantly more efficient than the board bow. It is also narrower in the grip. It became very clear during tuning that the Osage bow needed an arrow that was significantly stiffer than what the board bow needed.

Difference between the arrows? 5# of spine, 2" of length, 11/32" vs 5/16".