Longbow buildalong arrow tuning question

[RGK]

Rather than making folks suffer through a 12 page thread to ask my question, I started this thread. I was shooting my Son's new longbow in a effort to do some bare shaft tests. I used a 125 grain field point and shot two arrows with fletching and two without. I started at 15 yards and ended up all the way out to 30 yards shooting the bare shafts and I am left with some confusion.

The results were different at various yardages. At 15 yards, the arrows all hit in the same area but the bare shafts were just slightly nock right and nock high. (Right handed bow)

At 30 yards they were more nock right but no longer nock high. How far back should we be testing the bare shafts?

[adam]

I usually start at 10 then 15 and then 20. I don't group tune i just watch the arrows in flight. If it is flying nock right your shaft is too stiff for a right handed shooter. I would just add some more tip weight and try again. Nock high should just be a nocking point adjustment. Hopefully, As stated in masters of the barebow vol.2 some nock high issues may never be fixed. Maybe this helps.

Adam

[RGK]

Yes, I do recall watching the bare shaft in flight being nock right.

[adam]

I forgot to add since you are group tuning if your arrows are stiff they should be hitting left of your fletched shafts. Are you shooting wood arrows?? If so i thought i read on here that you are not supposed to bare shaft tune them something about them breaking?? I'm not sure i don't shoot wood. Maybe someone else can chime in and help you out if that is the case. Also at 30 yards any tuing issues are going to be magnified. You can also put a broadhead on a fletched shaft and that will magnify your tuning problems more also. I'm no expert at this i'm just trying to help with the info that i do have.

Adam

[adam]

This is also a good place for information on bare shaft tuning.

 http://www.acsbows.com/bareshaftplaning.html

[bigcountry]

I usually won't go past 20 yards  Arrows seem to lose stability easy at that distance,  but sounds like its dialed in if you are hitting same POI at 20.  

But it is odd, for you to see it switch out to 30yards.  Usually when a arrow planes, without fletch or feather, it usally cannot straighten up.

[Bob L.]

In dealing with a false High nock issue that I had, I start the nock very high (1") to prevent a false reading from being to low hitting the shelf and then start adjusting the nock lower by 1/16th until they are all grouping well out to 30 yards. I noticed I couldn't tell a nock issue at 20 yards with my groups until out at the farther ranges from 25-30 yards. Once nock issue is out of the way I bareshaft for stiffness. If shafts are still shooting left of the feathered group try a 145-160 grain point for all arrows. I loved your build by the way, Are you selling the blue print for that form, I want a copy!

[Bjorn]

If they are hitting the same at 15 and again at 30 ignoring the nocks; then fletch and go have some fun! Bareshafting out to 30 yards is overkill.

[RGK]

They are hitting in the same spot but slightly nock high and slightly nock right. the bare shafts to do group any diff than the fletched arrows, they just stick in the target as diff. angles.

[Bob L.]

drop the nock 1/16th, I think they are still a tad stiff, can you try 145 points on all shafts and arrows and see if they all stay together, if the shafts are just slightly weak with 145's that may be good cause feathers will finish stiffing them up.