I can't figure out this bare shaft thing to save my life! I'm shooting a Toelke Pika 56" 50#@28" my draw is 28 3/4. I want to shoot 125 grain head with a 75 grain insert. My 500's can't be cut down any more and are still showing weak. Am I getting a false reading? Should I try 400's? I want at least 10gpp to hunt with. My recurve was a breeze to tune but the longbow is driving me nuts! Any help would greatly appreciated. Thanks
I would think a 500 around 29.5 inches would have been perfect or close at least. How weak? and how are the impact points looking vs. fletched shafts?
I would try a heavier point to see if they show even more weak. But if it straightens them out, then you know you were getting a false weak reading. I think a false weak reading is easy to get because with arrow actually being too stiff, the nock end is hitting the side strike plate and getting thrown to the left (assuming you are shooting right handed). If that's happening, a heavier head will straighten it out. You could also use some kind of marking material on your fletchings (lipstick works good) to see if your getting marks on your riser. Then see if the marks stop happening when you use a heavier point.
Good luck!
Steve
After just getting through my first run at using carbons with a 50# bow I'm betting you are getting a false weak. I ended up with a 500 cut at 30.5" and a 250gr point.
Im shooting 400's out of my Centaur with 200 grain heads. 58" 50#@27. Don't know if this helps. Take a look at this link.
http://www.tuffhead.com/education/tuning%20the%20efoc%20shaft.html
Jeff
Either would work and be heavy enough depending on the length of the arrow.
Give Dan a call. Super helpful with tuning and shooting issues
Listen to the arrow. A lot of Dan's bows that I've had have required a very stiff arrow.
Handgunner, I have the same problem with my 45 - 50 lb bows, so I do not think it is unusual. I can shoot 500 spine with the 125 grain head and standard insert giving me an arrow weight of about 450 grains. I feel this is too light for hunting. I can't go shorter to use a heavier head to get the arrow weight up. So I shoot 400's with about 300 grains of point weight and hunt with about 600 grain weight arrows. The good thing is that since I went to this combination every deer hit has ended with the arrow sticking in the ground after fully penetrating the deer, bones and all (no shoulders though - using grizzly and abwyer heads).
How weak are they showing? I just did a little tuning with my Super D and with a brace of just over 7", my bareshaft 31" Axis 400- 50 gr insert 200 gr point, were showing weak. I took the brace down to 6 3/4 and they straightened out.
My bare shafts are grouping with the fletched but are kicking nock left really bad, my Centaur 52#@28 is doing the same thing. I was thinking something is wrong with my release or form? I'll try lowering the brace height to see if that helps, at this point I'll try anything. I've got two dozen 500's so I would really like to make them work. Last Arrow I may do exactly what you have. Thanks again guys!
HG41,
Are they the black shafts, trads or fmjs? I've found the Black's to be dynamically stiffer than the trads which are dynamically stiffer than the fmjs
Forgot one thing, make sure the nock fit on the string for your bare shafts are minimal. If they snap onto the string, your going to get bad readings. Just barely a fit, is what you want.
Also could be you plucking the string or another release issue if they are overall grouping with the fletched.
Light grip on the bow, try not to torque as well
My nock does snap on the string, I've got a nock tool from 3Rivers on the way. I'm shooting the Axis Traditionals.