Help me with Bare Shaft Tuning

[Mint]

Normally I just play with the point weight to get my arrows flying well but I've got some arrows that are for a heavier bow that i would like to use out of my lighter bow with a heavier point for my hog hunting trip. I would like to try bare shaft tuning but I'm a little confused on which method to use. I see Ken Beck has a video where they shoot at a bullseye and adjust the point weight to get arrows hitting dead center as opposed to hitting left or right. Then I see other videos where you study how the arrow actually sticks in the target whereby if shaft is pointing left or right will determine whether to add more point weight or less.

Which method works best or does it not matter? Thanks

[Tajue17]

I go by flight,,, if you dont already have a bareshaft carefully scrape the fletching off one arrow,, hold bow perfectly vertical at about 10yrds away from target and try to be sure everything with your form is perfect especially even tension on string holding fingers,,,,,, tell us what you see when you shoot that arrow a few times..

[BAbassangler]

I've shot bareshafts Olympic style at a vertical line, into a solid target (for tail direction), and fletched shafts until they just behaved...bareshaft at 15-20 yds is my favorite.  20-25 might be better yet, because targets can fake you (and your eyes too) out by pulling it straighter than what it was flying when it hit the target.  So for me a bareshaft on a tight bale of hay wins.

Jumping up in spine can be a challenge as well too.  My only luck was to run them longer than my usual, or REALLY load up with point wt until it flew straight...at that point they were finicky with consistent draw/flight...my  best success so far, was with 400's when I usually shoot 500's.  I had to use a 'nubby' little, short 50gr half out...seemed to let the stiffer arrow bend easier.  With 100gr and longer inserts I could only build 700+ gr arrows; now down to 630.

[Arctic Hunter]

I go off arrow flight. If you're having trouble seeing it, have somebody stand over your shoulder with an iPhone and video it in slow motion.

[Stringwacker]

I bareshaft with one shaft and watch the tail position in flight...and adjust as needed.

I've tried the three fletch and one bareshaft method and its not as good for me as the single tune method. That  doesn't neccsarily mean that its really better; probably that I'm just more comfortable tuning this way because I've done the single arrow method for decades.

When I'm done I can shoot a perfect arrow up to 25 yards with no feathers.

[Mint]

Thanks for responding, it looks like everyone looks at the flight as opposed to how it sticks in the target which makes sense to me. I'm going to use a lighted nock to tune since i will be hunting with them so that should make it easier to see what is happening.

[Rob DiStefano]

Barebow arrow tuning ... not the be-all, end-all, but at the least some things to consider.

[Kirkll]

Don't overlook the thickness of the strike plate for tuning, and the material used. Depending on your riser, and how far too, or past center it's cut. The strike plate material used can make a big difference on stiffer shafts. For example.... A Velcro strike plate is soft and has a bit of cushion, and a thin leather strike plate is harder and can allow more center shot using a stiffer shaft with less tip weight.

Food for thought...

[McDave]

Thanks for responding, it looks like everyone looks at the flight as opposed to how it sticks in the target which makes sense to me. I'm going to use a lighted nock to tune since i will be hunting with them so that should make it easier to see what is happening.

If you're shooting in daylight, you shouldn't need lighted nocks to see deviations in the arrow flight.  If your arrow is flying true, all you really see is a nock flying away from you, but as soon as you have nock left/right/high or low, you see a shaft flying in that direction, and it's really obvious.

You shouldn't have to make any particular effort to focus on it.  Continue to focus on the target and you'll see everything you need to see in your peripheral vision.