Tuning question

[wildgame]

Hey guys I need help with helping a longer draw fella. He has a blacktail hunter longbow he has a measured 29.5 draw length, bow is 52@28 he'd be around that 55 mark at 29.5. my question is I'm trying to get him set up with a arrow that will tune and a 340 spine is showing weak with a 30.5 inch arrow ( nock left with bare shaft) and 200gr head with 80gr inserts. I want to make sure there's something else I'm needing to look at before I order 300 spine arrows. Now I have no experience with a longer draw like he has and maybe this is a dumb question and I'm over thinking this.  Thanks in advance

[Possum Head]

Definitely not a dumb question because you are trying to learn to help a friend. I have got excellent flight with similar draw weight with identical insert and point weight while using 400 Goldtips at full length. 340s seem extreme. All this from a guy that don’t bare shaft but I’m convinced I’ve got an eye for good flight after many years behind a bow

[740 stickbow]

Possum head beat me to it but I was going to ask if you have tried a 400 spine shaft before the 340? With that point weight and draw weight I would think you could get a 400 to tune. Probably be a little weak full length but I would think it would straighten out very quickly with a little trimming. My guess is your getting a false weak reading but hey I learn something new everyday just looking to help

[Orion]

Agree.  340s are too stiff.  The shaft is bouncing off the side plate giving a false weak reading 

[Sojurn]

I agree with the arrow bounce.  I draw 29.5 -29.75 and most arrows spine out at 400.
  The release can also show false weak.  I'd go with a 400 spine,  leave them full length and use more fletching if you need it. 
  His form is likely to change over time anyway, and if it really needs to be stiffer there are other options. But if it's too stiff, he's hosed.

[wildgame]

Ok so tonight I tested if we were getting a false reading, I had him shoot a arrow I found from shooting compound, 250 spine. 29.5 length with 335 total up front and alot better flight with a little nock right( 1 1/2 inch nock right)! Then grabbed a 400 and 29 inch 300 total up front, then a 500 same length with 250 up front and got extreme left nock bare shaft! I believe I'm going crazy with this thing! Lol I'm far from a expert but I've never seen a trad bow of that draw weight shoot that stiff of a arrow! Thanks for the reply's!

[wildgame]

Ok new development, I've got him in a 30.5 length 340 spine and 216 total up front and it's tuning really good. We worked on form and his release/hook . So I think we're getting close! Still seems to me it should be on the stiff side but a consistent straight arrow out to 18 yards is what we're getting now.

[Orion]

OK.  You're almost back to where you started, except for a little lighter front end weight.  Cleaning up the form has a lot to do with the better arrow flight  I still think the shaft is on the stiff side (stiffer than when you started because of the lighter point weight), but there are a number of things that might help explain your findings.  First, a low stretch string will require more spine.  And a bow cut to center or past center will require more spine as opposed to one cut proud of center.  And third, arrow diameter.  If you're shooting skinny shafts, such as Easton Axis, for example, you can also get buy with a little more pine. 

In short, a skinny arrow, low stretch string and bow cut to or past center would get you to about where you are now.  Regardless, if it works, you're done. Doesn't matter what we think from afar.  Good luck.