Paper tuning.....Does it really work or is it smoke and mirrors?

[Pepper]

Paper tuning is ok for some applications,(compounds mostly) because it relies heavily on your ability to consistantly repeat your shots.
Form is very important.  If you vary from shot to shot, your results will vary.
Bare shaft tuning works better for traditional shooters, IMO.

[Friend]

dbishop,

I would suggest hooking up with an experienced archer to assist you with your set-up. Once you become cognizant of the principles and your confidence increases, you will be both, a much more confident and satisfied camper.

1. Bare shaft tuning is extremely productive.

2. The tell-all is tuning with your broadheads.

There are those that just skip the bare-shaft method and go straight to BH tuning with respect to their field point arrows.

[LimbLover]

I have friendly disputes about paper tuning and bare shafting with a buddy of mine every time we get together. He spends a lot of time doing so and swears by it. I have never done it. I started out with a 50# bow and learned what shot well out of it for carbons and aluminums using spine charts and understanding that the charts are usually pretty stiff. I spoke with a professional about spining woods and figured out what shaft would work best for me in that regard.

From then on out, even after changing bows, etc - I've simply kept the same length and adjusted point weight. I haven't had a problem since.

I'm not opposed to trying it, I just haven't had the need.

[Lee Robinson .]

I believe both paper tuning and bare shafting are great tools, but neither should be an obsession.

I have found the best fletched arrows are SLIGHTLY weak when bareshafted.

[Swamp Yankee]

Same as Kenneth here too.  Paper or bare shaft tuned doesn't always result in great broadhead flight for me either.  However, once I've got everything tuned to where the broadheads and field points shoot the same; bare shaft and paper testing looks great.  With that, I only use bare shaft tuning initially to pick a shaft size, then fine tune with broadheads.  Works for me.

[Mikelo]

Well, I have just been doing paper tuning and it seemed the impact was below the tear so I moved the nock several times down, but it was useless, so the next point as you know was check the clearance, but in a traditional bow  you may find it is difficult to avoid some contact between the 4" 3 fletched arrows and the arrow shelf. I shoot 55# @ 28".
And next I dealt with the bare shaft tuning, to find the .400 spine fatboy with 125 grain points arrow shot at 20 meters doing a sharp bend to the right at about middle run to the target...

Buff, next thing to do is set fire to the whole stuff...!!

The funny thing is that I have just won a county prize in 3D hunting with those arrows...

[Javi]

I paper tune with a bareshaft for a starting point on nock height, then I use the paper to soak up the grease from some fried taters...    

After that it is all bareshaft to check spine and then on to BH tuning..

[Pepper]

I'm with Ken also, paper tuning relies on your form, any flaw, or shot to shot flaw will give you false results.
If your form isn't perfect, I'd bhd and bareshaft tune.

[Mikelo]

ha ha!!

So what to do with the .400 spine I have? According to Easton, it is fine, but it does a terrible bend at about 10 metres... is it a question of grains at the front?

[Javi]

Originally posted by Mikelo:
   

ha ha!!

So what to do with the .400 spine I have? According to Easton, it is fine, but it does a terrible bend at about 10 metres... is it a question of grains at the front?

How much you got sticking out passt the riser at full draw?

[sawtoothscream]

i just bareshaft now.  did paper before and like the bare shaft results more

[hvyhitter]

I never could paper tune well. Sloppy release can give funky results. I use to bare shaft but havent in the past ten years or so as I can usually pick the right size shaft and tune with point weight, strike plate and brace height. I just make sure my broadheads group with the field points out to about 30 yds.

[Zradix]

Originally posted by Mikelo:
Well, I have just been doing paper tuning and it seemed the impact was below the tear so I moved the nock several times down, but it was useless, so the next point as you know was check the clearance, but in a traditional bow  you may find it is difficult to avoid some contact between the 4" 3 fletched arrows and the arrow shelf. I shoot 55# @ 28".
And next I dealt with the bare shaft tuning, to find the .400 spine fatboy with 125 grain points arrow shot at 20 meters doing a sharp bend to the right at about middle run to the target...

Buff, next thing to do is set fire to the whole stuff...!!

The funny thing is that I have just won a county prize in 3D hunting with those arrows...

You may have your nock set too low and are actually bouncing the rear of your arrow off the shelf. That will give you a nock high on paper.

I do my initial paper tune at 6 feet. I then move back to 8 or 10 yards to verify that all is right. Paper tuning will tell you in just a couple shots whether your nocking point is high or low and if your spine is weak or stiff. I will not set a bow up without paper tuning as part of the process.

Bisch

Originally posted by hvyhitter:
Sloppy release can give funky results.  

This too!

Bisch

[Zradix]

yeah, A sloppy release will give funky results no matter how you're testing.

I like to paper tune. Others like bareshaft.
I like paper tuning as there is a physical tear that you can look at and adjust accordingly and it is testing a finished arrow.

Bareshafting just doesn't test the finished product.

You can back away from the paper once things are good from a few feet away. Just to check at longer distance.
When doing this I have never had an arrow flying sideways at distance that was poking holes at a few feet...unless I messed up my release.

[Mikelo]

Well,  Javi, I have just half an inch passed my riser at full draw, it it the normal length, isn´t it?
Zradix, that may be right, I have tried moving the nock downwards but I am trying moving it upwards, it may be the arrow bouncing...

And with the weird direction of the arrow when flying? It changes abruptly about half a meter! Thanks I have a big parapet for the arrows!!

[SveinD]

Originally posted by mysticguido:
I do better paper tuning then bareshaft tuning. I have to find the video that shows an arrow coming out of paradox.

Well I believe this is the one you're talking about!
 
Made by Daniel, aka Yononindo, a member here!

Enjoy!

[Friend]

Bottom line is how do your BH's fly w/respect to your field points. Tuning BH's, at least, 5 yards beyond your effective hunting range will put you on the mark.

Yes, I may bare shaft tune at longer ranges for starters but have faith once my BH's are tuned. When my 1.5" 3 blade BH's meet this criteria, my arrow flight is beautiful.

Also, note that tuning is limited by your own ability to consistantly execute a shot.

[Javi]

Originally posted by Mikelo:
Well,  Javi, I have just half an inch passed my riser at full draw, it it the normal length, isn´t it?
Zradix, that may be right, I have tried moving the nock downwards but I am trying moving it upwards, it may be the arrow bouncing...

And with the weird direction of the arrow when flying? It changes abruptly about half a meter! Thanks I have a big parapet for the arrows!!

Normal.. I don't know.. My arrows are a good bit longer than that.. but I start full length and trim to spine... If I can't get there then I go up a spine range on the arrow and start over..