I am not new at this and did not have trouble tuning my Kota recurve, but I am having a heck of a time with this longbow.  I shoot 5575 gt cut to 29" with a 200 gr head.  The bow is 50#@ 28 inches and my recurve is 51#@29". So I figured try 5575 and start full length.  I got to bare shaft with 300 grains up front and they were still shooting stiff, so I bought some 3555 gt and started over. I got to 300 grains on the front at full length and they were still shooting stiff, so I bought some 1535 gt. at full length they shoot on target with 250 grains upfront, but they are still full length and I am at the total weight I want.  Could me shooting them at full length have anything to do with this problem?

I have to admit, 250gr. on a full length 1535 with a 50# bow, sound awful strange. I think I would probably check the draw weight of that longbow with a scale first, and then call the bowyer. Find out what he recommends.

It's important to know how your riser is cut in relation to the center of the bow when trying to match arrows to a bow. It would really help you if you had that information for your recurve also, to use for comparison against your longbow.

I know one time I was tuning some arrows and was all the way up to 300 gr., come to find out I had it backwards, it was to weak and I thought it was to stiff and went the wrong way. Ended up at 145 gr.

Hope this helps!

Gonefishing, I think it is strange also.  It is 50 @28 it is not cut to center and my recurve is cut 1/8th past center.  I realize what that does to your spine window you can shoot so that is why I figured going down to 3555 was not that big a deal. I will call the bowyer and think I will start over.

I have had carbons shoot stiff or weak no matter what I did and I eventually discovered that if they are very over/under spined they can react the OPPOSITE. I would recommend you try 2 things, first try grouping bare shafts with fletched to see how they group relative to each other and try a stiffer shaft to verify.

As you probably know carbons are very length sensitive.

here's a link to the bareshaft planing tuning method which I find to be the most consistently accurate for me.
http://bowmaker.net/tuning.htm

Chopx2, amazingly that is the same resource I use.  I think I found the issue. I had a boa quiver on the bow and I took it off and just for grins shot the same fletched arrows I shoot from my recurve. I shot perfect or at least as good as I do with my recurve.  I put it back on and they showed to be stiff by six inches.  I am going to bare shaft with 5575 gt tonight with no quiver to see where I am.  I am betting there will be some difference because of sight window.  Also you are right about carbons and length. I am going to cut to 29" and then start the tip weight experiment.  Thanks for the input guys.

I would bet the 3555's are going to be the arrow

3555 with 200-225 up front

Aw, the sweet smell of success!

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together!

QuoteOriginally posted by Elk whisperer:
3555 with 200-225 up front

X2 if you are going to cut them to around 29"

maybe even 275 up front..