Very frustrated.... Can't get my 68 56" 47# Bear Grizzly to tune properly... I've tried Axis, GT trads, and Carbon Express heritage and the bow seems to like 500's w 125 grain tip.. however,
I can't get my nocking point set right. The best I've gotten is a 1/2 tear at 1" nocking point!! I've added a tied on nock and tried to micro tune, I've also cycled through different brace heights and nothing seems to fix it... HELP!? Also, I know it's not me or my form because I can pick up my other bows and shoot them perfect on paper but as soon as I go back to the Grizzly it's the same problem..
Wonder if the short length might be causing some sort of problem with pressure on your nock. Just a suggestion as I'm pretty new to tuning myself. Be interesting to hear what some more experienced tuners have to say
Is your elbow too high on the arm that you draw the string with. If your shooting split finger you might be pushing down on the arrow nock.
Some people /bows are just cursed with that. I know I am. As long as everything groups together (fletched, bare shafts and broad heads) you're fine. I think sometimes we over think things.
QuoteOriginally posted by OBXarcher:
Some people /bows are just cursed with that. I know I am. As long as everything groups together (fletched, bare shafts and broad heads) you're fine. I think sometimes we over think things.
X2
Jesse, are you shooting off the shelf? Are you using 3 fletch or 4?
Some will say it doesnt matter, but regardless, ive had clearance issues where a quill/fletching is bouncing off the shelf. If you are using a 3 fletch configuration, turn the nock so your fletching orientation is 12 o'clock (cock), 8 o'clock, and 4 o'clock.
Another possible answer to your problem, is to add a feather arrow rest. Many of them older bows used an add on rest, and the feather rest may just solve your headache very cheaply.
Are,you shooting split or 3 under? Just curious.
Brace height in my experience has nothing to do with proper nocking point position. What works best for me is to get about 10 feet from a soft target and shoot a bare shaft. I adjust the nock point up or down depending on how the shaft impacts. The goal is to get the shaft parallel to the ground. If the nock in the target is high lower the nock point, vice versa if it is low. If you can't make this work then I would be wondering if the nock is too tight on the string, you are putting some kind of pressure on the nock at release or worst case scenario, your bow is in correctly tillered. In one rare recent incident I was having fits. It turned out the elevated rest I was using had a failure in the tape and was loose. Some new double sided tape solved the problem.
In my experience, nock height can be very sensitive. Usually I have to adjust nock height in 1/32" increments until it is perfect. For example, one high-performance bow that I have finally tuned in perfectly at a nock height of 25/32".
When I tune a bow that is being touchy about nock height I start at something that is likely to be too high, like one inch, and work down slowly in increments that are about one or two wraps of the serving at a time. It works, but it takes a lot of patience.
I also tune and shoot with two nock points - one above and one below the arrow nock.
I have bows that shoot nock high no matter what. I think it's my release that does it. I think sometime I tend to jerk a little bit. I didn't notice it until I recorded myself lol n slow motion. I move the bow up just enough to cause the arrows to ramp up a little. My broadheads fly just great so I don't worry to much. But I am going to try smokin joes theory. I like what he said about moving just a tad at a time. Maybe that will help me to.
I've never had a problem with nock height with carbons, but I always do with aluminums. Always nock high, no matter what. :dunno:
QuoteOriginally posted by Shadowhnter:
Another possible answer to your problem, is to add a feather arrow rest. Many of them older bows used an add on rest, and the feather rest may just solve your headache very cheaply.
Good point. My '59 Bear Kodak originally came with a feather arrow rest, and it won't tune right without one. Well, maybe any rest that elevated he height of the rest to the same height as a feather rest would work, but since a feather rest worked, I wasn't interested in experimenting with anything else.
To answer a few questions - I am shooting 3 under and I have rotated between Bear hair rest, feather rest, and calf hair all resulting in the same issue.... My plan is to get it as tuned as possible and then attempt broadheads. If it shoots true I will just disregard my OCD and move on. However, I will be sending Bear an invoice for my newly prescribed blood pressure medication! Imperfect tuning bugs me!!!
If it was me I'd shoot broadheads and see what's up. You might already be good to go and not know it.
Are you shooting with 2 nocks on the string, one above and below where the arrow nocks??? I shoot 3 under and always shoot with 2 string nocks. On some strings the arrow nock will move alot down when the arrow is released if there is not a 2nd string nock. If you are not doing this, this will probably cure your problem.
Are you shooting with 2 nocks on the string, one above and below where the arrow nocks??? I shoot 3 under and always shoot with 2 string nocks. On some strings the arrow nock will move alot down when the arrow is released if there is not a 2nd string nock. If you are not doing this, this will probably cure your problem.
I also have a '68 Grizzly #48. I shoot 2016's. Never had much luck with carbons.
I could never get a good bullet in paper with my Bob Lee shooting 3 under. Still managed to get my FP and BH to group together. And bare shaft,decent.
Have you tried shooting cock feather in at 3:00 instead of at 9:00?
You might be over-thinking it as others have said. Remember, it is a primitive sport. I know easier said than done, I am guilty of the same thing. I would recommend to take a break from tuning for a week or so and enjoy shooting that bow. Clear your mind. (works for me if I remember or my wife reminds me) Then try some broadheads. If they are much higher or lower than your field points try tuning through paper again. If it is acceptable then you're done. I have a few bows, most I can get bullet holes through paper, 1 a tad nock high is best I can get and my short 52" bow always shows nock high, maybe because of the extra pinch? I had to let it go and just accept it. If I can get a broadhead where it needs to be, it isn't flying sideways or fishtailing then it's fine.
Thanks for tips everyone! I was able to add a lower nock like a few suggested and that tightened me up some and then I just relaxed and shoot some broadheads and they flew true! So I appreciate everyone's help. Glad to be able to just enjoy shooting this classic bow.
Sounds like you're good then! Also, I see you have other bows to shoot. If you ever get hung up with something on one bow, say all of the sudden a setup that was tuned seems out of tune put that bow down for a little while, pick up a different one and enjoy it for a little while. Then go back to the "problem bow". You might find that the issue resolved itself. A lot of this is mental and we can be our own worst enemy sometimes.
Great advice!
Originally posted by OBXArcher:
"Some people /bows are just cursed with that. I know I am. As long as everything groups together (fletched, bare shafts and broad heads) you're fine. I think sometimes we over think things".
I too ran into a bow this year that, no matter what I did, it would paper tune nock high. The only bow that caused me to lose some hair trying to figure it out. But like OBXArcher says, I found that I still grouped the arrows well and so have let it be.
FWIW I also have a compound (that I haven't shot since Labor day weekend of 2016). It used to drive me crazy paper tuning. It is a 60 pound bow that shoots a 400 grain arrow just at 280FPS. After a few shots through paper it would always show nock low and I mean seriously low. It was due to residue building up on my drop away rest. At the time I was shooting G5 Montecs and I was dead on out to 30 yards with my field points. Now me listing the speed was not to brag but in my experience (and I am no expert so someone correct me if I'm wrong) the faster the bow the more tuning problems and errors are magnified. At 40 yards I was seriously high with those Montecs. I switched to 2 blade Magnus Stingers and the nock low with a 280fps bow was not a problem. 2 inch groups out to 50, 4 inch at 60 yards. And again the reason I switched to all Trad was the "driving me crazy" part, it's not a rifle, it's a primitive weapon. Get close, both in tuning and your target/quarry and you should be fine.
You need to build the shelf up so that your arrow is resting on a single point, similar to how regular arrow rests are.
I used to have the same problem with my recurve.
I now shoot a longbow with a short and narrow shelf and I have no nock high/nock low issues and I don't even use a nocking point.
With the long wide shelves built into most recurves there's too much surface area for your nock to potentially hit and bounce off of so I'd build it up higher and shorter.