Nock high! Having trouble

[Michael Arnette]

I'm having trouble with nock high shooting my last several bows. Can't correct it with bareshafting so I've just been dealing with it for a couple years.
I'm shooting 3 under with custom made TallTines and have played with every nock position I can think of. All manner of carbon, wood and aluminum arrows too. I've never had this problem until the last two or three bows so I'm not sure what the deal is??
Help please  

[Michael Arnette]

Oh, and we are talking way way high...I used to be able to get it slightly high as desired

[MnFn]

Sorry to hear that Michael.  I know you will figure it out with help from some of these guys.

I won't begin to try to give you help as there are much better sources on here.  I also shoot a Tall Tines and a Blacktail bow and  I do struggle with it as well - no matter what bow I shoot, but it is manageable.  So, I will be following the responses you get.

For me it is all about form.  I don't think it has anything to do with which arrow or bow I shoot.
 Gary

[Montanawidower]

I suffered the same fate.  It cost me a great buck last fall.  I was convinced I had developed a kink in my form.  Then I remembered I started using Dan's Toelke's new modern strings.
 I went back to Dacron 14 strand strings this summer.  Weird, but it worked.  Something about my high FOC, carbon, plus the new 8 strand Toelke string.  I would get very nock high, with every conceivable nock position.  

  Somebody with more bow knowledge will probably have an explanation.  Dan is a man of few words and just said said "yeah that happens sometimes with high FOC"?

Jeff

[2bird]

Sometimes you need to raise your nocking point. i know it sounds backwards but you may be getting a false reading. i have had it happen several times. worth a try.

[damascusdave]

You need to have a knowledgeable trad shooter watch you shoot from a number of different positions...I have a friend who can see good arrow flight, or glitches in arrow flight, simply by watching over my shoulder as I shoot...and I agree that most issues like that are caused by not going high enough on nocking point and the rest are caused by something rather subtle about your form which a good observer/coach will catch

DDave

[olddogrib]

Just how high is your nock set?  If your arrows are rebounding off the shelf due to the nockset being too low, that ought to be obvious in flight.  The reason I ask is because there's a national champion level archer on another site who has videos of how to intentionally run a high nock set(up to 1") as a gap reducing technique. He doesn't worry about bare shaft tuning, just consistency with fletched shafts.  I shoot 3U, but have played around with the concept enough to know that on most bows I can move the nock set from 1/2-3/4" high with minimal detriment to flight (as long as I get a clean release) with the effect of just lowering the impact point.  I normally shoot 5/8ths all the time, but it was enough of an "eye-opener" that I don't understand why people fret over it. Have you had someone stand to the side and confirm your limbs are equally loaded at full draw?  My release is far from perfect(heavy ring finger) but I was able to compensate for a lot of my flaws by going to the ILF platform and optimizing tiller.

[smokin joe]

When a constant nock high happened to me, I took a different tuning approach. Here is what I did:
1. I set the nock really high -- about 1 inch
2. I shot and was rewarded with a nock high bare shaft
3. I moved the nock down 1/16" at a time and shot again, and again
4. At a nock height of 5/8" the arrow went straight
5. I shot a fletched shaft, and got a bunch of bounce from the fletching contacting the shelf
6. I raised the nock a bit to get rid of the fletch bounce.
7. I shot again and the fletched arrow was perfect.
8. I measured the nock height and it was 3/4"
9. I shot the bare shaft again and it was slightly nock high
10. Since I like perfect flight with a fletched shaft, I figured I was done.

Start way too high and work your way down slowly and you will find what's best. Be patient.

[2bird]

I just look for the bare shaft to group with the fletched arrows, I don’t worry about nock position on the bare shaft. If they group together then I would call it good.

[kevsuperg]

If you don't already, try two nock sets, brass or tie on and see if that helps.

[ChuckC]

Smokin, if you are good with your fletched arrow flight, cool,or try that 5/8" with the arrow reversed ( cock in) and see what that does.  My RER prefers cock in.

Michael, as stated above, have someone else review and watch your form to see if it is a form / release issue and not an equipment issue.  In lieu of that, make some video of yourself in action.  Close up, not so close up.  Look at release of arrow and at your arrow hand form ( elbow up ? Fingers in line and not pulling more with one finger).
ChuckC

[Biathlonman]

Try a different string.  I had a string one time that would always shoot nock high. No idea why, but I eventually threw that new string away and haven't had issues since.

[Looper]

I'd bet your arrow is sliding down the string upon release. If it is, no amount of adjustments will correct it.

The cure is to install a second lower nock set. Start with the top of the lower nock set 1/8" above parallel. Put one of your arrow nocks on the string and put the top nock set on leaving a 1/16" gap. Whether you use tie on nock sets or brass ones, leave them just loose enough to be able to twist them up and down. You don't want them to slide on the string, so they'll need to be on fairly tight, just not crimped all the way.

If that doesn't cure it, or if you already have a double nock set, then you'll need someone to watch you shoot. You could post a video over in the Shooter's Forum if you can't find someone knowledgable to watch you.

[Michael Arnette]

Well I fixed it! Went to a mini carbon shaft...Easton traditional. I think it allowed me to get my nock just low enough and still have fetching clearance.

Thanks all!

[kevsuperg]

alrighty then, good for you

[DanielB89]

Michael,
If i were you, I would swap to some mini carbon shafts.. more specifically easton traditional brand.  They should allow you to get your nock just low enough and still have fletching clearance!  

[yth-mnstr]

I've always had good luck with tying a bottom nock under my arrow when that's happened to me.

[Michael Arnette]

Daniel, that's exactly what I did. Worked great! Anybody want some brand knew carbon express heritage shafts? Lol