I'm fairly new to bow hunting and I'm trying to get my bow and arrows tuned before deer season starts in a few weeks. I read that bare shaft tuning is a good way to tune the knocking point and arrow spine. Well I started off with some arrows that are considerably lighter spine( according to online arrow selection charts) and long so I could have them cut down as needed. I'm shooting 31 '' Gold Tips xt hunters 5575 with a .4'' static spine with my old 1970's bear kodiak hunter at #55, and I have a 29'' draw and 125 gr tips. My bare shafts are hitting roughly 4 to 5'' left of the the fletched and leaning to the right which if I understand bare shaft tuning indicates a stiff spine. My question is why would my spine be stiff if I started on what I thought to be a fairly light spined option, is it because my old bow is weaker than newer ones that the chart were calibrated for? Should I go ahead and buy lighter spine arrows, or is it possible something else on my bow or my shooting form needs correcting, as I am fairly new to shooting and that could be the problem.
Don't worry about the chart. You should be fine with those shafts. How fare are you shooting? If you are out about 20 yd. or so you are not so far off. Start putting on heavier points. Try 145 and 175 to see what you get. You can put in brass inserts if needed; probably 50 gr. will work if you want to stay in the 125-145 head range. You have some shaft length to work with for tuning. I shoot about the same weight and draw with the same shaft. I am shooting a 30.5" with 175 on the front. I have a newer bow cut to center with FF sting so your set-up will vary some. Just keep at it.
On a spine tester, those shafts will spine 78-80#. A little stiff. As Extrema posted above, though, add weight and see what you come up with.
http://www.acsbows.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/tuninglongbowsandrecurves.pdf