trying to bare shaft tune a #45 galaxy ember/black hunter.

im a LEFTY.

bow i believe is cut past center, using fuzzy velcro for sideplate and shelf, the arrow point sits just outside the string with the left side of the insert just touching the string when centering the string on the limbs.

ive ran....

full length .500 spine with 150gns up front,

full length .600 spine with 150gns,

full length .700 spine with 100gns,

all give me the same nock right orientation in the target from about 9yds.

im kind of at a loss of where to begin, do i build out the strike plate,or make it thinner to see if it makes a difference?

how the arrow is sitting....

Don't worry about nock orientation. Could very well be a poor release, too low a brace height, etc.. See where they group at 20 yards. Those that group were you aim are the ones to use. Feathers will straighten out the nocks.

What Orion said. Nock position in a target is the least reliable indicator of tune that there is.

Shoot them at a vertical line and see which one consistently hits the line. That's the right arrow.

poor release is a absolute possibility lol

brace height is at 8" on the nose, seems to be where it gets quiet and feels smoothest to me.

the 600s do seem to group center better than the rest.

Shoot them at a vertical line and verify the group. If that's the arrow then put the rest of them away and shoot those.

JMO, back up to15 and try again. A few steps at a time is never a bad idea.... Run masking tape down the middle of the target, align your entire arrow with the tape (gun-barrel sight picture) and see what you get.

I’m a bit shocked that the 500s aren’t showing way too stiff, but distance will tell the truth.

I don’t care if you like to SHOOT “instinctively” or not; an aiming system is pretty much essential for tuning. And don’t be surprised if you shoot a lot better with the aiming system. Funny thing, but hitting the damn target gets addictive.

i have been learning to gap shoot lately,

and also shoot that way for the bareshaft tuning

i have a string hanging from the top of the target to down below, with a weight on it to give a vertical line, (target is set at about shoulder height)

i put a slit in a small 1" cube of foam, and i can put it on the string below my target for an aim point, and can slide it up and down to get my gap correct.

its almost as if i am getting a false weak reading.

i have some high speed video footage i took of myself, that clearly shows the rear third of the arrow flexing into the riser as the arrow exits the bow, and this kicks the tail of the arrow to the right.

kinda pulling my hair out LOL

i will see which shafts hit on the line and just shoot them at least till my form improves.

Fender Archery has some good info on tuning. The impact of bare shaft arrows compared to fletched arrows will point you in the right direction quickly.

https://www.fenderarchery.com/blogs/archery-info/basic-tuning

Try using a lighter point on the 600s.

I’m with GF regarding the 500’s not being way to stiff which tells me your Arrows are pointing inboard...you need to thicken your strike plate.

I would try the 100gr tips on the 500's, if they shoot to your liking, good, if you still want to use 150gr tips, put them back on and start shortening the shafts to bring them in. Also hang a string on the target and "walk back" tune.

You're torquing the bow through the grip. Grip is huge when trying to bare shaft tune. As for nock position, I'm not done bare shaft tuning till my shafts fly and impact the target straight on, no nock righ or left. And I'll shoot my bare shafts for over a week before I decide if I like them or not.

what's your draw length?

Exactly,what is your draw? If it is shorter(mine is 25" actual) 28" 700's with 125 grains shoot like darts for me out of a 45# (@28) kmag.

truthfully, i do not know my draw length on a recurve.

been shooting compound for 30yrs and my draw length is 28" im assuming im much shorter on a recurve.

best way to measure my correct draw length?

Nobody ever remembers to ask how long you have been shooting with a good coach.

Your last post answers my question.

I never even tried bareshaft tuning until I had shot fingers for a couple of years.

DDave

i have been shooting recurves on and off for some years.

still,im sure my release isnt great.

its funny though, i can get a straight on bareshaft with an old "deluxe composite" recurve ive had for years,but not with this new bow.

Honestly..... if you don’t even know your DL and you’re getting false weak readings like the ones you’re getting......

I wouldn’t waste any more time with bare shafts. God knows I wasted a ton of time and effort ripping big holes in paper and trying to make them smaller, but if I had just stuck with 2016s, I’d have been far better off.

So a humble recommendation: Try some 30” 2016s with 125 up front and at least 4” feathers. 5 would be better.

Adjust your nocking point until someone watching over your shoulder says your porpoising is pretty well under control. If you are looking straight down the arrow and they hit off that line, adjust the thickness of your sideplate. If you get down to zero and they’re still stiff, either lighten the points or shorten the shafts until they hit down the middle.

Once you can shoot a respectable group at 15-20 yards, mix in a bare shaft and see it if groups with fletched or is predictably to one side. . If it groups, you’re ready to back up. If it stays in the group, you’re either tuned already or not ready to start messing with it.

And lest you think I’m being condescending, let me tell you that I just finally got good enough to make sense of this in the past year or two and FINALLY dialed in my Howatt Hunter, which I bought brand new in 1990.

So I’m not poking fun at you - I’m LOL at my own folly.... Pretty sure you can find a way to learn more quickly than I did, and I’d be happy to help. But you have to be in a position to help the guys here with some good data.

i have pretty thick skin lol no worries :-)

and just measured ,i draw 26"-26.5" from the throat of the nock to the back of the bow,

using a clothespin on the arrow as my measuring device.

truth is. i have never been a very good shot with a recurve,now a wheel bow i can throw 3" groups at 60yds all day.

so lately i have been working on my form and learning an aiming method (gap) it has helped my shooting ten fold.

but i do have a question about my grip, i tend to hold the recurve like a compound, which is...loose in my hand with fingers wrapped very lightly around the grip,

should i be using a firmer grip or am i on the right track?

i really want to learn to shoot recurve well,and appreciate any and all advice or criticism.

First thing I’d would suggest is buying Viper’s book. Look it up under Tony Camara.

Loose grip works for me and a lot of Olympians, but check the thread title GET A GRIP. YMMV.

An aiming method is (IMO) hugely beneficial. Limiting your practice shots to realistic hunting range is (IMO) absolutely NOT. Besides, shooting long is FUN!!

"I really want to learn to shoot a recurve well, and appreciate any and all advice or criticism."

Educate yourself. That is advice, not criticism. Get a book, get a coach, get an archer friend. Try the library. At a minimum, watch utube. Start at the beginning and ask questions as you progress.

"Shooting the Stickbow" by Camera is the best. These are good also.

I think the 600 are a tad stiff. Will get worse with fletching go to 160's or 175

If you decide to go to the YouTube route, look up Jimmy Blackmon. There’s really absolutely nothing not to like about the guy, and he can flat out SHOOT!!

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