I have some GT Trad carbon arrows that I’m bare shaft tuning . (Still learning how to). From where I’ve cut them down to they are flying straight and grouping really well at 20 to 30 yards. Will adding feathers change that? Guess I’m wondering if they should be grouping a little left or right prior to adding feathers. I’ve heard that adding feathers will change the stiffness.

Feathers will make the shaft slightly stiffer.

My bareshafts when tuned up fly into the same group as my fletched arrows with 3 five inch feathers. So you should be good

I’m not clear on why you would not be shooting bare AND fletched as you went about your tuning, since the goal is to get them all hitting in the same group...

But if you got close with the bare shafts, you shouldn’t notice the fletched hitting any different.

So they should be shooting slightly to the right before adding feathers? (right handed bow)

The tuning idea is to get bare shafts and arrows hitting the same place. If you're grouping well with bare shafts at 30, I'd guess you're good--very good.

btw... if bare shafts hit a little weak and a little low you're even better, but that's a discussion for another day. :^)

Feathers will make them stiffer, but not so much you may notice. Certainly not more than 25gr of point weight will fix.

Shoot bare and fetched shafts together to obtain a consistent group. If you don't, you're to be beating your head on the ground.

You need to understand what you're looking for if you intend on using bare shaft tuning. It's merely having them group with the fletched arrow. If they do, then you are where you need to be.

Youll get a ton of opinions. I do shoot bareshafts and fletched and get them hitting same place. The final tune broadheads and field points to same spot. I have no doubt though that your tune should work for you. Yes fletching or any weight on the back of the arrow can make them dynamically stiffer, but ive found this to be very minimal. Enjoy your rig-- - bet it will be shooting well for you with your bareshaft tuning.

Fox -

Bare shafts will go where THEY want to go, fletched arrows will go where YOU want them to go.

Once you understand that, the rest falls into place.

And remember, bare shafts and fletched arrows hitting together may NOT be what you want, but it's a start.

Viper out.

I tune till they do but sometimes I might have a low bareshaft in the group of fletched.

Maybe an inch or so low, not much.

They will be together horizontally.

they should group together

or slightly weak

If you are grouping bare shafts at 20 to 30 yards you are so far ahead of most it isn't funny. Now fletch 1/2 of them and shoot them together. Lets see what you got but it won't take much from here. They are flying pretty darn good. I have seen lots of so called tuned rigs that the arrow would hit sideways at 10 yards if you cut the feathers off. Good going. Keep it up. >>>----> ken

If you want to learn about tuning read www.acsbows.com/bowtuning.html click on 'download printable version'.

Do you know what fletching does? Basically corrects your mistakes. Sooo if you're grouping bare shafts at 20 and 30 you're pretty good!!!

Bowmania

Buy a pack of 3/8" electrical connecttion shrink tube. The ones I get are 4" long and weigh 24 grains. I cut them to match the weight of the fletching then slide them in place where fletching goes and heat then to shrink and adhere to the shaft.

If you add weight to the rear the arrow acts as if you are subtracting weight from the front

"For me", it has "always" worked out that my bare shafts need to be tuned a little bit weak compared to my fletched shafts.

What I usually wind up doing is tuning the bare shafts for good flight & grouping, then I start shooting groups with both bare shafts & fletched, until they group fairly well, but with the bare shafts showing a little weak, or right (for me) of the fletched.

Once I've done that I'm good to go with both field/target points, and broadheads.

This process isn't as critical with feathers as it is with vanes, because vanes are so much heavier, but it still works great with either.

Rick

Foxallan, do you know how good a shot Rick is? Here's some advise, unless you a damned good shot, and you may be with the bares grouping at 20-30, don't worry about making a bare weak. Grouping in the same spot is good enough and if it's not it will come out when you put a broadhead on and make it impact with your field points.

Viper says you can only tune as good as you can shoot. So in context with my first post on bares correcting mistakes. Are you good enough to shoot at a spot 20 yards away and have every fletched shaft in the spot and every bare shaft within 2 inches of the right side of the flectched shaft if your right handed? That's slightly weak and would probably be about 275 on a blue spot target.

Bowmania

Bowmania

Thanks everyone for the replies! I’ll go ahead and stick some feathers on a few and compare.

The way I do it, getting good bare shaft flight is just the first step. The next step, which is the first step for some people, is to have fletched and bare shafts with field points hitting the same spot. The last step is to make sure fletched field points, blunts, and broadheads are all hitting the same place. Not near the same place, but exactly the same place. There's often a little fine tuning involved to get there. The last step is crucial. Do whatever you need to do to get there.

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