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Arrow tune

bigcat93

bigcat93

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2015
Messages
995
Location
NJ
Been trying to settle on an arrow for my GM 2 with 45#@28”

I had full length(32”) GT blem 600s. Planned on using these with 100gr insert and 125gr point. Then have planned for 4 Aae trad vanes on the back end.

Bareshaft At full length it was very weak, chopped it down 28” and still very nock left. At this point I don’t have a lot of arrow left.

do I just go up in spine?
 
My bow is 40lbs @28", goldtip classic 500's...they come with a 77 grain insert already installed. Paired that with a 125 grain tip and flies like a dart with field points and broadheads. Three rivers archery has a spine calculator that will get you pretty close...also I don't bareshaft tune
 
bigcat93 said:
Been trying to settle on an arrow for my GM 2 with 45#@28”

I had full length(32”) GT blem 600s. Planned on using these with 100gr insert and 125gr point. Then have planned for 4 Aae trad vanes on the back end.

Bareshaft At full length it was very weak, chopped it down 28” and still very nock left. At this point I don’t have a lot of arrow left.

do I just go up in spine?
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If you build out your strike plate it will make spine shoot more stiff. I briefly messed around with that a couple years ago and it seemed like very small amount of added strike plate thickness made a noticeable difference. Just tape a thin shim to the window and work your way up to something thicker. Paper match or flat toothpick might be a good place to start. It's worth a try.
And the exact spot that you place the shim will also make a difference. Closer to the back of the bow (the side away from you) should make it shoot weak, but closer to you would make it stiffer.
 
bigcat93 said:
Been trying to settle on an arrow for my GM 2 with 45#@28”

I had full length(32”) GT blem 600s. Planned on using these with 100gr insert and 125gr point. Then have planned for 4 Aae trad vanes on the back end.

Bareshaft At full length it was very weak, chopped it down 28” and still very nock left. At this point I don’t have a lot of arrow left.

do I just go up in spine?
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I know Allegheny Tom is spot on with the striker plate I have played with that idea. I have also found for me anyway that maybe adding a heavier insert may help you get a more nock right.... if you are shooting as a right hander.
 
Fgirtyman said:
I know Allegheny Tom is spot on with the striker plate I have played with that idea. I have also found for me anyway that maybe adding a heavier insert may help you get a more nock right.... if you are shooting as a right hander.
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Wouldnt a heavier insert make shaft more weak/nock left (for RH shooter?
 
bigcat93 said:
Wouldnt a heavier insert make shaft more weak/nock left (for RH shooter?
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Bigcat you are probably right by the book. For whatever reason it worked for me so I'm going with it. It could be the fact that I'm using 600 spine arrows as well. I like to start with the weight broadhead and work it backwords.
 
Find some new arrows with a stiffer spine or lose weight. Maybe both. Based on my 45# bows I would expect about 400 spine with the weight up front that you’re talking about.

What made you get 600 spine arrows to begin with?
What bow are you shooting?
Is the shelf past center, center, or shy of center cut?
 
@gcr0003 i had a 30# black hunter I was shooting with, upped to 45# limbs on a Gamemaster 2 to possibly try to hunt with that’s why I had the 600s so I was trying to make those work since I had them

@Razorbak66 I’ll try a 50gr insert I have laying around but was trying to push FOC a bit more with the 100s
 
That’s where people start getting into the FOC craze. It’s good to a point but the best way to utilize it to full potential is look at the draw weight you have and look at chart and jump up 1 spine size so if your supposed to use 600 spine then jump to a 500 spine and use the heavy insert and install full length and bare shaft it and cut until it starts flying SLIGHTLY weak and go from there and also remember the longer the insert you use will change spine 3” versus 3/4” standard insert
So if it was me and I have the 600 spine shafts and I would use the standard 15 ish grain insert and bare shaft starting with 200 grains and work my way up or down with point weight until I see where it’s hitting correct and if you need to build out your shelf or deconstruct your shelf I would do that and if that doesn’t work then jump up a spine size like a 500 and use your heavier insert and do it the way I mention above and despite what people believe a arrow that is 8 to 10 GPI will kill a deer all day long provided you hit it in the right spot and you are using a sharp ass broadhead Remember these are trad bows and not high tech/speed compounds that can use higher spines and point weights and be tuned to shoot them more more than a trad bow because a lot of our shelf’s and cut outs are what your gonna get now don’t get me wrong you can tune a trad bow to use high FOC but how heavy of a arrow do you really want to stick in the ground and if you are below a 28” draw and lower weight bow how much performance do you want to lose in terms to trajectory and KE ?
Personally I can’t shoot arrows that are full length cause I don’t have a 30” draw but a measly 27” draw and I always cut my shafts 1” past my draw depending on riser that way my broadhead clears my riser and fingers and in the heat of the moment if I hit my riser it acts as a draw stop letting me know relax your pulling to far and your not inline with your form and I want to also make a point on long inserts and point weight
Let’s say I shoot a 28” carbon to carbon and add nock so that’s about 28.5 to 28.75” in length and I add a let’s say a ethics insert which is 100 grains and about 3.5” long into the shaft and got it to shoot 200 grain field point and bare shaft perfect and now I make another shaft the same way but with a standard insert let’s say 25 grains and use 275/300 grain field point and theoretically it’s supposed to be good and the same but if you bareshaft it I can guarantee they are not gonna be the same in flight and they will be close but shoot it thru paper and longer distances like 25 yards you will see it in flight. I’ve done it and confirmed it years ago so for me 90% of the time I use standard inserts and choose the point weight I want to use and kill deer all day long with my 8 to 12 GPI arrows all day long out of my 50 to 70#+ bows. Just some food for thought
 
Razorbak66 said:
I always cut my shafts 1” past my draw depending on riser that way my broadhead clears my riser and fingers and in the heat of the moment if I hit my riser it acts as a draw stop letting me know relax your pulling to far and your not inline with your form
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If I could have made that all caps I would have.
 
DEEEEEP subject lol! For personal preference B.RF. (before Ranch Fairy), on trad equipment, I wanted +20% FOC. I want my bareshafts, field points, and broadheads to all shoot the same! Balance that with a minimum of 10gpi per pound, and see where you are... For me, I would go up one spine, figure out point/insert weight, subtract selected broadhead weight, and install necessary weight insert. Arrow length, I will start with 1.5" protruding past the front of the riser, and if tuning a bit too weak, I will cut off 1/4" at a time (usually only up to 1/2" removed). I usually tune just slightly weak, so changing your insert length, and/or adding fletching is to your benefit. Release style, kick plate thickness, arrow length, etc. can all play a part...
 
On the other hand, one of the best trad "killers" I know, shoots a setup that is not "tuned" and the arrow is "too light". He shoots more than anyone I know, and just knows his equipment and where it's impacting... So you also have the "just shoot" camp vs. the "tuned to perfection" camp. Nothing will ever beat time behind the bow! For myself, I have to know it's fully and properly tuned for my confidence to be there, but that is also part of my OCD/perfectionism.
 
I highly recommend making sure your brace height is dialed in before trying to get good arrow flight. The best way I know is to start on the low end of the recommended brace height and shoot through a chronograph, adding twists until you find a peak and subsequent dropoff in speed. The brace height corresponding to the peak arrow speed is also the point where the arrow is coming off the string the cleanest based on the lateral oscillation your finger release creates. If way off it can create false readings and just make life miserable trying to achieve good arrow flight or even shoot accurately.
 
boxerboxer said:
I highly recommend making sure your brace height is dialed in before trying to get good arrow flight. The best way I know is to start on the low end of the recommended brace height and shoot through a chronograph, adding twists until you find a peak and subsequent dropoff in speed. The brace height corresponding to the peak arrow speed is also the point where the arrow is coming off the string the cleanest based on the lateral oscillation your finger release creates. If way off it can create false readings and just make life miserable trying to achieve good arrow flight or even shoot accurately.
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Gold.
 
boxerboxer said:
A friend just showed that to me this week and I wish I'd know several years ago when I started shooting traditional bows.
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I took the Cody Greenwood tuning course and I learned that the proper brace height is all about the timing of when the arrow leaves the string during the "S" path. You need the arrow to leave the string when it's in perfect alignment with the strike plate. Hope I'm explaining that correctly.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
I took the Cody Greenwood tuning course and I learned that the proper brace height is all about the timing of when the arrow leaves the string during the "S" path. You need the arrow to leave the string when it's in perfect alignment with the strike plate. Hope I'm explaining that correctly.
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Worth the cost?
 
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