Folks I have been tuning arrows to my bows for quite some time, but I have run into a strange problem I have surewood douglas fir shafts that I tuned really good bare shaft, I fletched them and the arrows actually fly true but drop about a foot below where I am aiming, so I lowered the nock height and the arrows porpoise, but hit exactly where I am aiming.

It's scary how accurate the are but porpoise.

I am talking about a 1/8 inch difference, I never had a setup so critical and I am stumped.

Basically, nock high, arrows drop a foot nock low, and the arrows hit were I look, but porpoise.

I also worked on my arrow rest by cutting away the part near the belly of the bow assuming that it was interfering with the arrows,

My fletching jig is 36 years old and kind of makes the feathers wavy, I need a new one, but didn't think that would be the problem.

Any Ideas, Help Please.

Here is another photo, it's difficult to see how wavy they are, if you look in the previous photo at the banded feather you can really see how wavy the feather is.

Have you tried moving the nock point only 1/16"? I have a couple of my Yew bows set at 9/16" instead if the normal 1/2" or 5/8" and it seems to work. You could try turning the cock feather in to see if it makes a difference coming off of the shelf. Lance

I doubt it has anything to do with the fletching shape. I've shot some horrific looking feathers and they fly just fine. Make sure you aren't dropping your bow arm during the shot. If your arrows aren't porpoising, then it's just a you thing more than likely.

You stated that they tuned really good bareshaft. Does that mean that the bareshaft flew level and hit where you aimed? If so and the fletched shafts are hitting lower i would move forward with tuning to get the bareshafts and fletched shafts hitiing in the same place. In this case i believe it would mean raising the nock point. This may also serve to eliminate any fletching contact you may be getting. Doug fir are heavy shafts-- not sure what you were shooting previously.

I always shot POC, these are my first Doug Fir's They went like darts flew perfectly straight bare shaft and hit dead center at twenty and fifteen yards, I thought I had the perfect arrows and I was going to start touring with Byron Ferguson...Ha!Ha! I fletched them and shot many times I turned the cock feather in I raised the nock point up 1/8 inch at a time then lowered it, I trimmed the arrow rest thinking it might be contacting that somehow.

What I have is when I raise the nock point my arrow dives and hits low.

When I start lowering the nock point 1/8 at a time it will get to the point where it will all of a sudden hit where I am aiming, but the arrow will porpoise.

As far as spine these shafts don't show any sign of stiff or weak shafts, bare shafts or feathers.

I have never ran across this before.

George, This is a Hickory bow I made from a stave and it is a heavy bow, maybe I am dropping my bow arm, I will check that out tomorrow, thank you.

I may add I shot different arrows that were POC and they flew beautifully and the nock point location was not critical.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

Does it matter which way the grain in the arrow goes as far as front to rear.?

I am a little confused also. If your bare shaft and fletched are hitting together. It is not the feathers. Like it has been said if they are, split the difference on the nocking point. If they are not, you are not quite tuned.You will get it,just keep after it. You might alss tinker with the brace height but I don't think that is it. >>>----> Ken

2 Bears I finally tuned the nocking point 1/16 at a time until I got the arrows hitting where I aim, at twenty yards I can consistently put the arrows within four inches of each other and in the bulls eye.

But they still porpoise a little, that is what I can't get out. I never had an arrow I couldn't tune, I have shot bareshafts for almost six months before I finally put feathers on them, the arrow didn't need them.

These arrows are 27.5 inches from BOP to bottom of string nock. they are spined at 48 to 50lbs. in a 50lb longbow.

I know it has to be the arrow because my other arrows fly great from it. Maybe Like George said I may have been tired tuning and was dropping my bow arm, I will check that out tomorrow.

Ron I get that the bare shafts are hitting where you look. That is great I often don't bother fletching a set of arrows. I still didn't hear or maybe I am missing it. Are the bare shafts and fletched shaft both hitting together? Tuning for point of impact is a slightly different thing than tuning for perfect flight. If they are hitting together both of them where you want,I am puzzled too. A new riddle. Please keep me posted. >>>----> Ken

You're dropping your arm when you shoot the fletched arrows to see where they hit.

But, to Kens point, do the arrows (bare and flecthed) group together? If they don't you aren't tuned.

Ron, sent you a PM.

Ron...from over the net here's what I see...

The bow has a rather "Flat'ish" shelf.

I'm thinking your lower hen feather is getting a long hard ride off of that flat shelf kicking tail high...(quickly corrected by your full helix feathers)...and then impacting low.

Rotating your nocks to "Cock Feather Up" will reduce or maybe eliminate that.

A good way to check first (before rotating nocks) would be to shoo and observe a few shot "Cock Feather In" and while they may fishtail or strike a touch weak?...if they hold the same elevation with your bare shaft then there's the problem and your feathers are pushing hard up off the shelf.

Creating a small defined bump under your shelf-plate can help also...jam or lay a toothpick under there and at least the feather won't have so much shelf contact.

Just some idea's. ;)

Have you actually weighed the arrows? Is the Fir heavier than a cedar shaft? I have a set that is.

Fir is much heavier than POC--.49 SG as opposed to .41 SG.

It would give me no issue. I'd set the nocking point for good flight and aim higher. Guess that may be beyond you pay grade?

2 Bears yes the bareshaft and the fletched are hitting exactly where I aim when the arrow locator is set that way.

Jinkster, I thought of that, I have the bow shelf angled front and rear to create a small area for the arrow to touch but the beavertail rest came loose in the belly side of the bow, it's not in the photo, but I cut that part away so I would retain that small contact point. You can't really see it in the picture but the arrow rest is loose and raised on the belly side of the bow. Now there is just a small contact point. I shot with cock feathers in and there was no difference.

I think Mountain Man may have hit it on the head, I think my brace height may be to small at 6.75 when I nock an arrow I noticed that the feathers just touch the arrow rest, the feathers may be hitting the bow before the arrow leaves the string, anyway it's worth a try. I will raise it to 7 inches today and try again, will let you know, at least I hope it's that simple.

Thank you everyone for coming to my rescue, my brain doesn't work all the time and I appreciate the jump start....Ha!Ha!

Jim Davis, I don't understand what you are saying, but When you have to aim a foot above the target at 15 yards to hit it something is drastically wrong.

There is no good arrow flight the arrow is either dropping drastically or porpoising, take the feathers off and then I get good arrow flight, so Jinkster hit it also, it most likely is the feathers, but the reason is that the brace height may be too small. As soon as it gets daylight here and I do the morning chores feeding me and momma and all our animals I will try that theory out, and if that doesn't work then I will remove my rest and redo it, maybe a brush or rug rest something not as hard as beavertail, of course after I make sure I'm not dropping my bow hand when I shoot, shooting arrows is a lot of work.....Ha!Ha!

Thanks again everyone, you folks are the greatest.

OK the results are in, Mountain Man you get the prize.

I reset my brace height to 7" and the arrows flew perfect as the photo shows my first two shots of the day at 20 yards

It was the brace height, don't ask me why, but it worked.

Thanks everyone it sure had me stumped.

Glad i could help ole pal

Jinkster, That beavertail rest and back plate is so stiff it looks like it is flat, the arrow only touches about an 1/8 of an inch, I think I will take that off and install a brush or rug rest but leave the beavertail back plate.

Thanks for pointing that out, that wasn't the problem in this case, but it could very well have been and later could be, so I will correct that.

When I made the bow I filed two different angles on the rest and put the high point about 1/3 up forward of the belly, actually I shot about 175 arrows from it just using the bare wood no rest or back plate, it was a little noisey but shot great.

You had the same ideas I had, I never thought about the brace height because my bareshafts were tuned about as good as you can get them. I can drive tacks now, thanks for the help.

Does anybody think that he would not have had this problem with 4 in feathers? I’m thinking increasing BH or shorter fletch would accomplish the same thing, which is getting the nock off of the string before the fletch reaches the bow.

MP

I suggested brace height but didn't think that was the problem. However I didn't know it was that low. I like 4" fletches for that reason especially on low brace height bows. Sure glad you got it solved. These threads help us all solve a problem sooner or later. >>>----> Ken

Well guys most longbows usually have a 6.5 to 7. inch brace height, my Yew bow has 6.5 and shoots great, I just didn't expect this to happen as I have never run across this problem in the 50 plus years I have been shooting.

Re-curves have 7.5 to 9 inch brace heights, you won't see this problem there.

I couldn't figure it out, so I came to the leatherwall and the good folks gave me suggestions that all were probable causes and trial and error one of the suggestions worked.

Thanks again all my bow friends.

maybe try putting a match stick under the shelf to give the feathers a touch more clearance? would only take 5 minutes to try.

Are your nocks snapping on the string? Maybe they're fitting too tight. File em!

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