Tightness of nock on string vs arrow flight

[archer66]

I am a right handed shooter shooting a 40 pound Bear Kodiak Magnum.  Draw length is 25 inches.  MY arrows are Beman MFX classics in 600 spine cut to 27.5 inches.  I am using 75 grain inserts and 125 grain field points.  Fletched with feathers.  Since the day I bought these arrows the nocks fit the string too tight but went ahead and shot them for a few months because arrow flight was very good...accuracy pretty good..about 4 inches at 20 yards.  Ok...so tonight I decided to use sand paper to widen the gap a bit on the nocks so they fit my string better...hoping that doing so would tighten my groups.  Mission accomplished they fit real nice now...however arrow flight now isn't great and accuracy has degraded.  My groups are now wider and to the left.

SO...do you think it's more likely that I didn't get the nocks sanded evenly on both sides?  

OR

Is it possible that the arrows are leaving the string easier resulting in more energy absorbed by the spine of the arrow leaving me underspined?

I'm not sure when I'll finally run out of stupid questions for you folks!!  Glad you are here to ask.

[Night Wing]

When you change something on an arrow, it always shows up.

For a right handed shooter, since you didn't state how far in inches to the left your arrows are now impacting on the target which implies a stiffer arrow, I say "raise your brace height" by one whole twist or more of the bowstring until your arrows are moving to the right and hit where you're aiming at.

[Rob W.]

Setup probably a bit stiff. Also, when I sand my nocks I use one of those thick double sided emery boards my wife uses on her nails. Does both sides of nock at once. Rob

[archer66]

I used sandpaper folded several times so it fit fairly tight in the nock....my intention was to sand evenly so I turned the arrow over periodically in case I was applying more pressure on one side than the other.

My groups are flying about 4 inches left....there is noticible wobble in arrow flight and impacts are at slight angles as opposed to what I had before I did this.

[MT Longbow]

Good thing x nocks are cheap and easily replaced if you dont like your results.  for me I just reserve the string with .26 crown instead.  Ive had a few fat strings and some with the monofilament serving and .26 crown is good for x nocks.

[Night Wing]

Since it 4" to the left at 20 yards, try raising the brace height by one 360 degree twist and shoot some arrows. If they're still shooting to the left, but not by much, try raising the brace height by a half twist (180 degrees).

[robtattoo]

Well, technically speaking, the looser your nock/string fit, the better your arrow flight should be. Any form of interference on the arrow will affect flight. The less interference, the better.
As to unevenly sanding your nocks, it shouldn't make any difference (well, not enough for you to notice)
Looking at your setup, I'd say that your shfts are way too stiff. At 25", you're only pulling in the region of 30-32# If it were me, I would've left the arrows full length. You could try adding extra weight up front (try 200-250gn) but adding weight to skinny carbons doesn't affect the dynamic spine as much as changing their length.

[archer66]

Originally posted by robtattoo:
Well, technically speaking, the looser your nock/string fit, the better your arrow flight should be. Any form of interference on the arrow will affect flight. The less interference, the better.
As to unevenly sanding your nocks, it shouldn't make any difference (well, not enough for you to notice)
Looking at your setup, I'd say that your shfts are way too stiff. At 25", you're only pulling in the region of 30-32# If it were me, I would've left the arrows full length. You could try adding extra weight up front (try 200-250gn) but adding weight to skinny carbons doesn't affect the dynamic spine as much as changing their length.

Sorry....I wasn't clear....the draw weight is 40 pounds at my 25 inch draw weight.

[Rob W.]

40# at 25" should be O.K. on spine. Try turning nock to get different feather contact. Might help. Rob

[J. Holden]

One thing to try next time, I have yet to try it, is to warm up the nock in some almost boiling water.  Then put the nock on the string and loosen it up.  When it cools it should fit like you formed.  I read this, have yet to try it, but it sounds plausable to me.  Good luck!

-Jeremy  

[Rob DiStefano]

loose arrow nocks on the string center serving - ALWAYS!  tight or even pinched nocks will affect your loose and make the arrow do bad things in flight and typically give erratic arrow speeds which will affect arrow trajectories.  i verified this many times over with a chrono.

[cahaba]

I like to use a kettle and steam my nocks. Slip them on the string a time or two and good to go. If I can tap the string and my arrow lets loose from the string Im happy.

[Terry Green]

CLICK HERE

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Originally posted by archer66:
SO...do you think it's more likely that I didn't get the nocks sanded evenly on both sides?  

That's why I feel it's easier and more consistent to reserve one string so it fits all of your nocks than to adjust a bunch of individual nocks to fit a single string. With respect to nock fit, I've seen excellent shooters who use loose nocks, and some of the best archers in the  Barebow class (string walking) I knew when I shot NFAA field competitively used relatively snug nocks. As for mine, I like them tight enough to not fall off with a light tap, yet loose enough that I can't lift the bow off the ground by pulling straight up on a nocked arrow.

[Bud B.]

I would recommend a double nock on the string to prevent the arrow nock from slipping down even slightly. I have found for me that double nocking the string helps tighten up wobbly arrow flight. One on top and one underneath.

I also like an arrow nock that stays on the string if holding the arrow's weight but trying to hold the bow weight it easliy slips off the string as mentioned above.

[Terry Green]

For what its worth. ...I've never had an issue with a sanded nock and flight issues. I do try to get them even I can tell u that.....but feel that even it I don't.......I'll never know due to no issues with flight . All issues with TIGHT nocks are are erased when I sand them vs nocks that are too tight. Serving might be better but sanded is still way better than too tight.  Not sure what 'snug' means vs tight........but I like my nocks like Jason said.

Again, never an issue with any nock I've sanded to that degree.

I've killed a host of animals with nocks that were sanded.

[COOCH]

I've been sanding my nocks for years.I've allways shot speed nocks but with skinny carbons you get small nocks,soooo a bit of sanding and smooth nock, better arrow flight, and a quieter shot.I know it makes a huge differance with flight.

[archer66]

Soo...can anyone venture a guess as to why I got great arrow flight with my tight nocks and am now getting erratic arrow flight with my sanded nocks?  They aren't sloppy on the string...in fact they still dont fall off when I tap the string.

[Keefer]

David,

  Sorry to confuse you about the tie on nock...It was suppose to be for Archer 66 and I clicked on your post by mistake ..Keefer's

[Terry Green]

Archer....how many nock points do you have?