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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Steiger3208 on February 17, 2015, 10:29:00 PM

Title: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Steiger3208 on February 17, 2015, 10:29:00 PM
I just purchased a 2014 Martin hunter recurve. I am trying to bare shaft tune it. I have 55/75 gold tips with 100 grain brass inserts.  I have went all the way down to 125 grain point and it still shows weak a arrow. The bow is 45@28. I'm drawing 29".  Do I need stiffer arrows?  The book says 6.75 - 7.25 bh. I'm at 7.25.  if you raise brace height more that weakens the arrow, shortening stiffens arrow according to Easton tuning PDF. hate to go to low on bh. Any thoughts.  Thanks   Wes
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Coach Jones on February 17, 2015, 10:33:00 PM
I would think you would need a 35/55 but I am no expert.
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Steiger3208 on February 17, 2015, 10:43:00 PM
I have 35/55 also and they showed weak also with aluminum inserts and 125 gain heads.
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: karrow on February 17, 2015, 10:50:00 PM
I agree with Coach. some arrows can be so stiff for a certain weight bow that they show week. something in the 500 spine range should be close.
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Steiger3208 on February 18, 2015, 04:11:00 AM
I've tried the 55/75 and the 35/55 with an assortment of field points from 125 all the way up to 225 grain and they all show weak.  This is the first recurve I've owed, always been a longbow shooter. When I site the string down the middle of the limbs the arrow appears to be the arrows width to the left of center, the plus side.  (I'm shooting right hand).  Do I need to move the arrow plate out more like my longbow?
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: bogeyrider63 on February 18, 2015, 09:21:00 AM
According to stu's calculator. 3555 cut to 30" with 100gr. point and aluminum insert should be real close. 5575 are going to be real stiff in my opinion. They may show weak if they are kicking off the riser.
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: KentuckyTJ on February 18, 2015, 09:46:00 AM
55/75's most likely will be to stiff for that bow at that draw. Your arrow is hitting the shelf or side plate or you don't have two nock sets and your arrow is sliding down string after release.

Put a nocking set under your arrow nock if you don't have one, then spray arrow rest shelf with foot powder or put lip stick on edges of your fletchings or up and down the bare shaft to find our where its hitting your bow.

These would be first two things I would do with your bow. If you don
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Bladepeek on February 18, 2015, 11:48:00 AM
You say the arrow appears weak when bare shafting. Are you basing this on where you hit compared to your longbow, or how the arrow flies compared to a fletched shaft.

Unless I leave a 5575 full length and REALLY load it up, it will be too stiff for any of my mid-40# bows.

A 3555 cut to AROUND 30" with 175gr - 200gr  up front with a standard aluminum insert should be quite close I would think.
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Steiger3208 on February 18, 2015, 12:32:00 PM
Bladepeek, I was paper tuning in my garage. 8-9" sideways tear. The best I had was 35/55 with 125 head. Reduced tear to 5". My thinking was to use 55/75 and start out with 225 heads and work my way down because I didn't want to shoot less than 125 head on the 35/55. I shot the 55/75 all the way down to  125 head and still 8-9 tear.  Showing weak.    :dunno:
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: bogeyrider63 on February 18, 2015, 01:08:00 PM
Make sure and rule out that the arrow is not bouncing off the side of the shelf. Sound's like that could be the issue,especially if the 3555 is showing that much of a tear.
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: ISP 5353 on February 18, 2015, 04:20:00 PM
Another thought would be to have another good shooter shoot a few bare shafts out of the bow and see what your results are.  It may give a little insight into what is going on.  Good luck!
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Bladepeek on February 18, 2015, 04:37:00 PM
I'm with bogeyrider63. That's way too much tear to be from a "too weak" arrow. They sound much too stiff to me. That brace height also sounds like the minimum for most recurves. I really think that arrow is bouncing off the side plate badly. What length are the arrows, by the way?

Just for grins, load that 3555 up with a 200 gr point and see what it does. That could make it a little bit weak, but you should see quite a difference from that huge tear.
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Rad on February 18, 2015, 04:52:00 PM
Hello,

I have had a 1958 bear recurve at 60" pulling 48# for the last 4 years and have only been shooting with it when I first got it, and  recently been getting back and practicing on the reg.  Probably less than 50 arrows from it since i took ownership.  I am having problems with brace height and nocking point. Even with many twists its only at like seven and three-quarter inches.  Fistmele is right at 7", but I've read recurves go up to nine inches so I'm wondering if this type of bow has a low brace height relative to other recurve bows? It was doing well anywhere from 7.25"-8" and anything over that just feels like too much. My arrows are porpoising and going into target tails down like ten or fifteen degrees lower than 90 degrees if it went in straight. Just a slight fishtail to the right just a few degrees.

Also, it seems like I need to find the best nocking point and want to move it about, what should I use for a temporary nock which won't slide around too much?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Kingstaken on February 18, 2015, 09:03:00 PM
Do you cant the bow much?
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Draw A. Leterfly on February 18, 2015, 11:24:00 PM
Hi Wes,  I have a recurve 46# at my draw that I tuned 5575's for just today. A 31 1/2" 5575  with OE aluminum insert and 145gn point is what my bow likes. I draw close to 29" as well. I didn't have any 3555's but I couldn't get CX 150's short enough.
Hope this helps,
Darren
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Rad on February 19, 2015, 12:09:00 AM
QuoteOriginally posted by Kingstaken:
Do you cant the bow much?
I do, quite a bit
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: bogeyrider63 on February 19, 2015, 11:48:00 AM
Believe brace height range on that bow is 7-7 3/4". Try lengthening the brace height a little at a time and see what that do's.
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Rad on February 19, 2015, 11:18:00 PM
Thanks!
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Longbowlogan on February 20, 2015, 07:59:00 AM
I'm sure you know this but when you bareshaft you need to hold your bow straight up and down with no cant to it.
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: PastorSteveHill on February 20, 2015, 10:48:00 AM
I will go against the popular opinion here...   I think the 5575 will work great.. But you may not need so much weight up front...

I'm betting a 5575 cut to about 30'' with a 175 gr. tip / no brass insert/ will hit about right...
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Bladepeek on February 20, 2015, 11:50:00 AM
There is just something drastically wrong with this picture. A 45@28 bow, pulling probably around 48# at your draw showing weak with a 5575 and 125gr point just doesn't match anything I've ever seen. I don't mean to suggest I've seen it all, but 2 or 3  spine groups above what seems to work in most cases just baffles me. No amount of cut from/past center is going to account for that much deviation. It just seems the bow is much heavier than it is marked, or something in the nock point or release that is causing that arrow to bounce all over the place.

There must be some other trad archers near you in Ohio that could take a look at what's going on and give you an impartial evaluation of the problem.
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Steiger3208 on February 20, 2015, 02:37:00 PM
Dynamic spine arrow calculator , on three rivers archery web page is calling for gold tip 75/95 black arrows with 100 grain brass inserts and 125 heads for a Martin hunter recurve 45# @ 28 bow drawn 29".  This makes sense now. 55/75 w/brass100 grain and 125 heads say it is way under spined.  I'm going to buy some this weekend and try them. I think the 100 grain brass insert is throwing everyone off. I will let you know my results. Thanks,  Wes
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Beau J on February 20, 2015, 03:18:00 PM
I really think the 75/95 will be far too stiff. I would double your check nock height if it is too low it is very likely giving you a false weak reading.  BeauJ
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Longbowlogan on February 20, 2015, 03:37:00 PM
I agree with Beau J, play with your nocking point because that can play a part in your left and rights. If you have a bad release then you won't get a accurate reading from the bareshaft either.
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Bladepeek on February 21, 2015, 02:24:00 PM
Steiger3208, I ran all your numbers through Stu's calculator and they do seem to line up.

I've never built a really heavy, FOC arrow, but am going to give it a try.

It will slow my arrow down to about 155fps, but this would not be something I'd use for 3-D anyway. Might prove to be just the ticket for stuff up close, which is where I try to get my shots anyway.

I'm interested to see how your 7595s work out. I'm shooting quite a bit less bow, so I'm going try do the same thing with a 5575 for my light, 38# Blacktail. Right now I'm shooting a 30" 1535 with 11gr insert and 145gr point that is right on. I've shot my 3555s, set up for a 46# bow from the Blacktail and they fly well with a total of about 230gr up front. We'll see what happens when I put the anchor (and boat) up front.
Title: Re: Recurve bare shaft tuning
Post by: Bellasm on February 21, 2015, 02:58:00 PM
You could try and put a tooth pick or thin piece of wood behind the strike plate. this will stiffen the shaft.