New to trad archery and forum. ALL spine bare shaft hitting left but group well.

[Kstar]

Hi everyone. This is my first post on the forum so I apologize ahead of time if I say something stupid.

Quick version: 350,400,500 spined bare shafts all hit about 1ft left (with nock right) at 20yds with 45lb bow, but fletched versions of them all group about 3inches on target. Advice?

Detailed exhaustive version: I have a Hoyt Gamemaster 2 45lbs right-handed and I am about 5'11" (approximately 28" draw length). The brace height is set at 7 1/4" which I know is on the low end for GM2, but adjusting it further doesn't seem to do too much (to my untrained eye). It has a NAP Centerest Flipper. I've tried 340, 350, 400, and 500 spine shafts at different lengths with different tip weights, but they ALL fly about 1ft to the left (and nock right) and about 3in high at 20 yards. What I don't understand is that the same arrows fletched all group about 3in at 20yrds bullseye (I'm new to trad archery, but I used to shoot compound instinctively), so I suppose it could be form, but that's where y'all come in. I've also experimented with tighter/lose nocks, and none of it seems to matter. Should I try 600 spine? Should I shut up and shoot, or am I in for a rude awakening beyond 20yds? I need knowledge bestowed upon me before burning more time and money! Thanks!

[Terry Green]

It would be nice if you could film yourself from overhead from the rear you might be pushing them left due to bow torque.... or you're likely over spined

[Kstar]

The arrow charts all say I need 400 or 500, but I heard they weren't to be taken as gospel with recurves. Is that true? If the vanes are compensating that much, am I losing a butt load of energy?

[mec lineman]

I shoot 600 out of my mid 40 bows

[Alexander Traditional]

I think you definitely need the 500 and leave them full length,and cut them down if need be.

[dbd870]

Yeah I suspect you are overspined. I shoot 45# and I'm using 500's with a 200gr head.

[McDave]

Originally posted by Alexander Traditional:
I think you definitely need the 500 and leave them full length,and cut them down if need be.

+1.

Are you shooting the Gamemaster off the shelf or off a rest?  I had a Gamemaster some time ago, and found it difficult to tune off the shelf.

Fletches will correct most tuning problems, sort of.  That is why we tune with bare shafts.  If you watch somebody shooting with fletched shafts that are not in tune, you will notice a kick right, left, up, or down when the arrow is released, followed by a more or less straight flight after the fletches correct the wobbles.  The reason we tune is that those initial wobbles cost you arrow speed and accuracy, even though they eventually get corrected.

There are more form than tuning issues that cause problems with arrow flight, however, and you should try to get those worked out first.

Like Alexander, I'm pretty sure .500 spine arrows are what you want with that setup, and the only questions are what point weight and length you need.  But leaving the shafts full length and experimenting with point weight would be a good start.

[Kstar]

I'm using a NAP Centerest flipper right now. I went ahead and ordered some 500 and 600 shafts (Lancaster had some Easton aviator 600 thingys for $2.92, so I figured I'd try a few). I'll screw with them when they come in and see how things go.

[Orion]

I agree that you're overspined with 340s and 400s, but the 500s should work with a couple hundred grains up front, as others have suggested.  The 600s with less up front will also work.  

Does your bow have a cushion plunger?  How does your arrow align with the string? That is, when viewed from behind with the string bisecting the limbs, where is your arrow point in relation to the string?

Since you did not have this problem when you shot a wheelie instinctively, I suspect it's a spine issue, but worth checking your eye dominance as well.

Let us know what you find out.

[Kstar]

The bow does not. I'm wrestling with the idea of getting one and a new rest, but I'd like to keep it simple if possible.

The arrow points out to the left roughly 1 diameter of the arrow (the right side of the arrow is "touching" the string when looking from behind.) when string is centered.

I brought out my bowfishing bow (only compound I have right now), tested the same shafts with it, and they behaved perfectly. I never thought about eye dominance with traditional bows for some reason. I'll definetly research that. The 600's will be in Friday, so that should be interesting.

[wingnut]

Where are you in TX?  It sounds like you have the rest to far out.  Try bring it in one turn at a time until you bare shaft and fletch arrows impact together.

BTW .500 is the stiffest you should need for that bow.

Mike

[Kstar]

I am Portland right now (near Corpus). I messed around with the rest early on, but, now that I think about it, my (bad)form might have contributed to its current placement, so I'll give that a shot.

[mahantango]

I shoot .500 out of my 60# GM, so I would say you are probably overspined.