Bareshafting: Leave 'em a little weak?

[RK808]

My $0.02 says leave em a little weak.  I personally shoot all my bare shafts a little weak.  Seen my broadhead flight more adversely affected by stiff over weak.
Also experienced that a little nock high was more forgiving than a little nock low.  

I think it's pretty good you got a bareshaft going!  Know many folks that never do.

[kawika b]

It's easy to get them going... now getting them to go in the direction you want them to is another story, lol.

[stickum]

I have speculated that the old addage of leave them a little weak came from the time of wood arrows and WOOD bows. Colder weather could have a greater affect on them than our more modern gear.  And most hunting seasons are during cold weather.  (just me thinkun)

[V I Archer]

I recall Ken Beck advising to leave shafts a tad stiff rather rhan weak in the Black Widow tuning video.

[Tall Paul]

V I Archer:  I've never seen that video.  Do you still have it?

[Tall Paul]

ttt

[slivrslingr]

Not to point out the obvious, but why not just fletch 3 as is and shoot them with broadheads to see how they fly?  If you're happy with their flight, you're good to go, if not, shorten them a tad.  You can talk theory and crunch numbers till you're blue in the face and bareshafting will only get you so far, you have to start shooting with fletch's and bh's to really see well tuned they are.

[Bill Carlsen]

Leaving them a bit weak is the conventional wisdom. In my case, however, I seem to do better if the are dead nuts on with my fletched arrows.

[Running Buck]

As a kid in the late 60's I was told that having your shafts a tad weak would compensate for "short drawing the bow" during the moment of truth when you are focused on the animal. I have always tuned this way and so far no problems.

[30coupe]

To me, bare shafting is just to get me in the ball park, so 80 percent would be fine. Then I switch to broadheads because that, after all, is what I will shoot at game. If I am shooting the bare shaft with my fletched field points 80 percent or better, I rarely have issues when I switch to broadheads. Everyone has a different take on it, but I think we can all agree that the broadheads MUST hit dead on. If that is happening, go hunting.

[Tim Finley]

Your draw length is so perfect that 1/8" is going to make a difference ??? Mine varies its never the same from shot to shot but my arrows fly good . Paper tuning will drive you nuts !!

[Tall Paul]

My draw length and form are far from perfect.  But when I do everything right (solid anchor, etc.) I can see that the shaft is occasionally weak.

In general, if you overdraw, it'll show weak.  If you shortdraw, it shows stiff.

So yes, by cutting the arrow down by 1/4" at first, and then by 1/8" as you get closer, you can see a difference.

[Tall Paul]

I'm not paper tuning, but bare shafting will definitely drive you nuts!

[kawika b]

Originally posted by Running Buck:
As a kid in the late 60's I was told that having your shafts a tad weak would compensate for "short drawing the bow" during the moment of truth when you are focused on the animal. I have always tuned this way and so far no problems.

This I have read too... sound advice for the new hunter who will more than likely get buck fever the first go 'round

[BWD]

A slightly weak bareshaft does not always equate to a weak finished arrow. You could always take another 1/8" off after fletching, if needed.

[ALDO]

Tall Paul,
All good advice here, I like to shoot flecthed and bare together and then flectched field points and fletched Broadheads together.  One thing not mentioned is if the 20% are the same arrows each time. Not all shafts spine exactly the same, at least I have found this to be true.
Good Luck,
ALDO

[sawtoothscream]

I just bareshaft until it looks like there is no kick in flight or very little.  then I fire through paper and fine tune it.  Seems to work for me since my broadheads and field points shoot awsome with all my bows.    try shooting through paper and see what it does

[AkDan]

If you're that close you could also tweak your brace height slightly to fine tune!

[ddauler]

I agree just a lil weak will be fine when fletched. And of course when you freezing cold and draw a lil short!