Bare shaft always nock high

[8upbowhunter]

I recently bought a Bodnick Slick Stick to tinker with while I wait on my Javaman Tanjavur to get built later this year since it is the same specs 60" 50# @ 28". My DL is 27.5" and I shoot 3 under with a tab. Arrow is a GoldTip XT hunter 500 spine full length(30")and started with my nock point set at 5/8" and arrow flight was bad nock high. I continued to increase nock height all the way to 7/8" and found it shot best at 3/4". I never tried below 5/8" since it continued to improve up to 3/4" then got worse as I went above that. I sprayed the back end of the shaft with foot powder and it is not making contact anywhere giving a false high. Bare shaft at 3/4" it flies a little nock high but looks good with a fletched arrow and both hit in the same place. My other 2 longbows and my recurve bare shaft almost perfect at 5/8" so should I just leave it there since both hit where I am looking and the fletched arrow seems to have good arrow flight or am I overlooking something.

[McDave]

3/4" is within the normal range of nock heights for 3 under.  Nock heights vary from bow to bow, and it looks like you've done a good job of locating the nock height for your Bodnick.  I see nothing to be gained by trying to have all your bows be the same nock height.  It is important when shooting 3 under to keep the weight off your ring finger, and may reduce your nock height if you do that.

[8upbowhunter]

Thanks Dave but my intent was not to have them the same height, I just used them as a reference as they fly like bullets at that height. I wanted to know if a slightly high nock bare shaft was normal/acceptable or is there something else I could try to get it better. I will try less pressure on my ring finger as you suggested and see what happens. Sorry for the misleading question, thanks for your help.

[McDave]

Usually, the inability to achieve level bare shaft flight at any nock height is due to a form issue.  However, you state that your other bows bare shaft almost perfectly, so I assume form is not the main culprit here.  I assume you don't have a problem with nock right or left, or you would have mentioned it, and the spine you selected for your arrow seems appropriate.  Possibly cutting your shaft back to 29", which would require you to use a somewhat heavier point, might improve arrow flight.  Possibly changing your brace height might help.  It could be a tillering issue with the bow itself, which you can't easily do anything about.

[8upbowhunter]

Being this bow is much shorter than my other lonbows I am sure form plays a role in it since it probably isn't as forgiving. I will try less pressure on my ring finger and see what that does. I also disregard the shots that I know I did not have good form or release. As far as left/right they fly perfect when my form/release is good. These arrows are only 30" with standard inserts so I had to go with 350gr up front to get them right. I had those and some 600 spine GoldTip traditionals on hand and got both shooting good except for the slight nock high. I ordered some CE Heritage 150's this morning and some 100gr brass inserts for it. My goal is 250gr up front with a total arrow weight of around 600 gr. The CE's are 32.5" and I have an arrow saw to trim them as needed. Thanks for your help and I will let you know how everything works out after all this rain gets out of here.

[8upbowhunter]

Couple of groups from this morning. I think I can live with the slight nock high bare shaft since the fletched arrows are flying like bullets when I do my part.

 

 

[McDave]

Actually, the amount of nock high you show in your picture seems ideal to me.  Even when I'm able to achieve level arrow flight, I will dial it back until I get about the same nock high you show, because I think it is a more forgiving setup.

I'm amazed that you need 350 grains point weight to tune a 500 spine arrow cut to 30" to a 50# bow, but bare shaft results don't lie.  By comparison, my 50# bows are typically in tune with a 500 spine arrow cut to 29" for my 28" draw with a 125 or 150 grain point.  If I want a heavier point, I have to go to a 400 spine shaft.  Maybe it has something to do with how much a bow is cut past center.  Mine are generally about 3/16" past center.  I don't know how much a Slick Stick is cut past center.

[8upbowhunter]

I read somewhere that stated it was just barely cut past center like 1mm or something like that. I will leave it there, I am fairly new to all this, just started in trad a year ago after some 35 years with wheels. Decided last July I was going all trad and the wheel bow has been collecting dust since the 2014 season. The 600 spine arrow I tuned to this bow is also 30" and had to go with 200gr up front. Could be my shooting style or the bow but as long as they shoot good I am good with it. My two 60# bows shoot a full length GT Trad 400 spine with 250gr up front great so it could be my form/shooting style rather than the bows idk lol. Thanks for all of your help.

[8upbowhunter]

I read somewhere that stated it was just barely cut past center like 1mm or something like that. I will leave it there, I am fairly new to all this, just started in trad a year ago after some 35 years with wheels. Decided last July I was going all trad and the wheel bow has been collecting dust since the 2014 season. The 600 spine arrow I tuned to this bow is also 30" and had to go with 250gr up front. Could be my shooting style or the bow but as long as they shoot good I am good with it. My two 60# bows shoot a full length GT Trad 400 spine with 250gr up front great so it could be my form/shooting style rather than the bows idk lol. Thanks for all of your help.