Paper tuning vs Bareshaft tuning

DanielB89 · March 28, 2014, 12:03:00 PM

I would like to know what is your "go to" method for tuning new arrows? Do you bareshaft them and just watch the arrow as it flies and adjust accordingly, or do you bareshaft paper tune to essentially do the same thing?

I know black widow suggests just bareshaft tuning and doesn't worry about the paper. What do you do??

Feel free to explain why you do what you do!

JRY309 · March 28, 2014, 12:15:00 PM

I have been bareshaft tuning my traditional bows for many many years.I don't feel the need for paper tuning on traditional bows.I feel you get more out of paper tuning with wheel bows,they have more adjustability.Most stickbows you have brace and nock height adjustments.Maybe paper tuning with ILF bows where you have the same adjustments as wheel bows on most ILF bows.

Zradix · March 28, 2014, 12:18:00 PM

Neither..I paper tune with feathers on.

I'll normally shoot a couple bare shafts before I fletch em to make sure they're about right....but not through paper.

Easykeeper · March 28, 2014, 01:01:00 PM

I do neither.

I shoot two or three bare shafts and two or three fletched shafts (all identical except fletching) into groups and compare the impact points. Point weight (easiest), shaft length (less convenient), or spine is changed until they group together. I have the best results when done at 25-30 yards.

Wheels2 · March 28, 2014, 01:16:00 PM

I shoot bare shafts indoors under the ceiling lights at 15 and 20 yards. I also have someone stand and look over my shoulder for flight. However, the range targets are the layered foam so arrow angle is preserved when they hit and stop in the target.

Cari-bow · March 28, 2014, 01:21:00 PM

Why would you paper tune a bare shaft?
I paper tune but always with feathers as I'm going to hunt with.
Abe

FerretWYO · March 28, 2014, 01:26:00 PM

I bare shaft. Until it's right. Then I check through paper with fletched shaft. Interesting note is I have never had a bad tare after bare shaft tuning is done right.

mahantango · March 28, 2014, 01:46:00 PM

I'm with Ferret. Been at this long enough that I can pick a spine/point wt. that I know will be pretty close, then bare shaft tweaking length and point wt. I don't worry about nock left/right or angle they are sticking in target, just point of impact. When the combo is right, I can hit ping-pong balls at 12 yards with the bare shafts and I know they are only going to fly better when fletched.

30coupe · March 28, 2014, 01:49:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Zradix:
Neither..I paper tune with feathers on.

I don't see the point of shooting a bare shaft through paper. Paper tuning is done with fletched shafts. Coincidentally, I also shoot fletched shafts when hunting, stump shooting, target practicing...

LB_hntr · March 28, 2014, 02:46:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by FerretWYO:
I bare shaft. Until it's right. Then I check through paper with fletched shaft. Interesting note is I have never had a bad tare after bare shaft tuning is done right.

X2...exactly how I do it too.
my release is not good enough to get 100% perfect bullet holes like the compound days but they very close to perfect and im happy.

texbow2 · March 28, 2014, 03:05:00 PM

I start with shooting bare shafts and fletched shafts until they group together(say within a 6" group at 15-20 yards). Then I do the same with fletched FPs and broadheads as that is the end goal.

anw0625 · March 28, 2014, 04:34:00 PM

How far are you guys standing from the target?

Bjorn · March 28, 2014, 04:41:00 PM

I do the formula and then BS without paper at 20-30 yds just to confirm.

JamesKerr · March 28, 2014, 05:35:00 PM

I just bareshaft at 15-25 yards. I don't pay any attention to how my bareshafts fly but rather where they group in relation to a group of fletched arrows. After that I check my arrow flight with broadheads. Many times though I can just broadhead tune with my shafts as simmons tree sharks tend to show any small tuning problem you might have. Once I get my broadhead arrow flying perfectly straight I then shoot a group of field tips and broadheads and if they both fly perfect and group together I am good to go. If they don't then it usually just takes one or two twist of the string to increase or decrease brace height.

Wheels2 · March 28, 2014, 05:38:00 PM

Paper tuning is designed to check arrow alignment as it comes off of the bow. I use it on the wheel bow set three feet from the front of the bow. Given the paradox from the recurve, I never thought it worth while to use with traditional.

SuperK · March 28, 2014, 07:01:00 PM

I do like EasyKeeper with aluminum and carbon. What I do my wooden arrows is to shoot bhs. and field tips to see if they group together. I have shot through paper but have had mixed results.

Stumpkiller · March 28, 2014, 07:47:00 PM

I bare shaft to check my nock point setting and do some brace height changes to see if I can improve flight. Don't paper tune.

I shoot at longer distances to see how the arrows match the bow. The less I see of the arrow after release the better.

old_goat2 · March 28, 2014, 09:13:00 PM

I bare shaft into a target at home in the basement. Can'tsee the fflight because of the lighting but see how arrow is oriented in foam target and adjust until arrow is straight in target. Then I bare shaft regular when I get to range and I'm normally good to go. I do the shots into the target from various distances to ensure I'm not getting false results.

March 28, 2014, 09:25:00 PM

Well, I could not vote! There was not a choice for what I do. I paper tune, but I use fletched arrows. All of my bows are almost the exact same poundage, so I know what arrows will be close when I start. I then shoot fletched arrows thru the paper and let the paper tell me how I need to adjust my nock height and spine (only one thing at a time though).

I paper tune from 6' and then from about 12'-15' to make sure all is good. After paper tuning, I put broadheads on my arrows and verify that the tune is what I want.

This method has worked very well for me over the years.

I will also add that a fairly consistent release is needed for the paper tuning to work well and give reliable results.

Bisch

Mr. fingers · March 29, 2014, 12:28:00 PM

I paper tune a bare shaft with all components minus feathers at 6' the out to 30' iI tune by starting with a full length shaft and trim 1/4 " at a time when I get close to a perfect bullet ill trim 1/8 at a time till I'm there. then ad feathers I'm usually dead on feathers weight next to nothing. I will then step out side and double check with a fletched arrow and a bare shaft .they seem to always group together.
Final test is BH and FPs. Hitting together .Im usually right on if a have to anything it's usually a form adjustment or a,slight nock or brace hight.
BHs and FPs together That's where we all want to be it doesn't matter how we get there just so we get there.