Bow tuning - Bare shaft vs walkback vs numerous other methods

[camelcluch]

I do a few of the methods. I start with paper for both fletch and bare shaft. I check with bare shaft to 20 yards. Then finish with broad heads.

 

[Billy Goat]

I have pics of my Blob target that I used for years for just BH tuning.......it looked almost brand new. Then my bow blew up and after rebuilding it, it was a real struggle trying to tune that thing. I shot that target out in just a couple months of frustration. Little did I know that the new limbs were put on in the wrong order, and one of the limb bolts had partially stripped out the riser. It was impossible to tune with all that was going on with it. But in normal years it shouldn't take much BH shooting to tune.

It shouldn't, except that I like to play with a lot of different broadheads, and shoot them frequently to confirm that I still have everything correct. In several different bows. Sometimes you get a bow/setup that's really finicky, takes 2-3 times as many shots to get it dialed in. Then I usually help a few people every year.

I agree tho, if you have one bow or even two, it generally shouldn't take a lot to get you to that point.

 

[Zac]

Doesn't get explained any easier as per the link below. Just pull slider bar to where he starts shooting the target, but the video is great. If you bowhunt, don't care about target shooting, BH tuning is direct, and to the point.

That video is bullshit, this is another hack that tells people to move their rest away from their broadhead.
Here is a video from a reputable archer demonstrating the proper method.

 

[Coveyleader]

That video is bullshit, this is another hack that tells people to move their rest away from their broadhead.
Here is a video from a reputable archer demonstrating the proper method.

Ok, works for me.

 

[Beendare]

Delete

 

[MT257]

That video is bullshit, this is another hack that tells people to move their rest away from their broadhead.
Here is a video from a reputable archer demonstrating the proper method.

Other than moving rest the wrong way everything else had covers can be used correct?

 

[5MilesBack]

Yes of course….but you will wreck heads doing that…..whereas if you bare shaft tune you don’t.

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You can resharpen heads, or just pick one head to do all your BH tuning with and leave it dull. I had a bow that shot BS's consistently at 20 perfectly parallel and straight with and touching my fletched FP's yet BH's were almost 12" right of FP's at 60 yards. I have a buddy that did the BS thing and got it perfect so "assumed" his BH's were good to go as well. On his hunt the arrow hit 7" forward of where he was aiming from less than 40 yards.......bad news. Then verified that on a target as well while shooting both BH's and FP's. You gotta verify.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Other than moving rest the wrong way everything else had covers can be used correct?

The setup info was okay, although I would just measure my initial centershot instead of eyeballing it and tie in my peep sight before doing any shooting.

But for a video titled "Easiest Way to Tune Your Mathews Bow for Broadheads", the tuning info was woefully inadequate (and flat wrong on left/right rest adjustment). I get that he was trying to keep it simple, but it's worth at least mentioning means of tuning other than rest elevation/windage (shim cams, adjust cam timing, etc). Tuning with the rest alone can lead you to push centershot out of spec and arrow way above/below level to compensate for other underlying issues.

 

[Zac]

I messaged him once and asked why he had totally opposite adjustments for bare shafts and broadheads. He replied that the adjustments made for broadheads are smaller. Some great logic there. MFJJ on the Elkshape channel has it backwards, as well as Jon Dudley. Pretty incredible.

 

[Arctic Hunter]

I used to think bare shafting was the end all be all and if I could get a bare shaft to hit at 40 yards, everything else would be money. Most of the time, that has been the case. But not always….. So these days, I have found it’s just simpler to get a basic bare shaft tune at 20, and then broadheads through paper. Nock tune them all to a good hole, then go to distance. Usually, things are good from there.

if not, it’s a form or spine issue. Ymmv.

 

[Billy Goat]

I really thought all this was a means to an end. Ultimately it's your broadheads with your field points, just shortcuts to take before you actually screw your broadheads on.


Nothing wrong with starting there, just can wreck targets and arrows. Send a fieldpoint behind a broadhead blade and you can wreck an arrow and a ferrule.

 

[5MilesBack]

Send a fieldpoint behind a broadhead blade and you can wreck an arrow and a ferrule.

Ya, but send a BH behind a FP and you will definitely wreck an arrow if they are hitting together. I'd rather take my chances shooting at a BH with a FP. But yes, I have ruined BH's that way. Cost is generally about the same as ruining an arrow, but it's a lot less work just screwing on another BH than having to start from scratch with a new arrow shaft.

 

[Collins10jm]

Following, great info here.

 

[Billy Goat]

Ya, but send a BH behind a FP and you will definitely wreck an arrow if they are hitting together. I'd rather take my chances shooting at a BH with a FP. But yes, I have ruined BH's that way. Cost is generally about the same as ruining an arrow, but it's a lot less work just screwing on another BH than having to start from scratch with a new arrow shaft.

Point being, I decided doing the least as possible with broadheads to be the cheapest. Bareshafts get you really close if not dead on. Saves broadheads and targets.

But ultimately always confirm your broadheads, don't think that just because a different tuning method says everything is good, that they are. Always check your broadheads.

 

[brimow]

Ya, but send a BH behind a FP and you will definitely wreck an arrow if they are hitting together. I'd rather take my chances shooting at a BH with a FP. But yes, I have ruined BH's that way. Cost is generally about the same as ruining an arrow, but it's a lot less work just screwing on another BH than having to start from scratch with a new arrow shaft.

I set up dots on my BH target and use them to determine if FP and BH are hitting "together". That way I don't hit one with the other. 4 dots on an 18n1 shoot 2 BH and 2 FP and can quickly see if they are hitting the same spot.

 

[5MilesBack]

But ultimately always confirm your broadheads, don't think that just because a different tuning method says everything is good, that they are. Always check your broadheads.

Absolutely. I never make assumptions when it comes to tuning and shooting. Kind of like this last year where my BS's were left of fletched at 20 with nock right. I kept adjusting and adjusting and they never corrected. So I went straight to BH's and BH's were 6-7" right of FP's at 60. Well, those are opposing tuning adjustments according to tuning doctrine. Then I shot BS's at 40 and they were right of fletched and nock left........confirming exactly what the BH's were showing as well. But the BS's at 20 were still left, and adjustments for that were making BH's even further off, as well as the 40 yard BS's. Ultimately I tuned so the BH's were together with FP's at 60 consistently, as well as the 40 yard BS's being good. But the BS's at 20 are still to the left. I even tried different grips with no success on those.

 

[Rob5589]

I set up dots on my BH target and use them to determine if FP and BH are hitting "together". That way I don't hit one with the other. 4 dots on an 18n1 shoot 2 BH and 2 FP and can quickly see if they are hitting the same spot.

Same. I don't shoot groups, I shoot individual dots on a target.

 

[sndmn11]

Same. I don't shoot groups, I shoot individual dots on a target.

Bingo, I actually try and shoot at different distances because the broadhead targets at our range are tiny.

 

[corey006]

I set my center shot so arrow is perfectly aligned with limb bolts.

Set my nock point level.

Bareshaft tune.

I prefer bows with yokes. To correct left or right impact.

Once bareshaft is hitting with fletched shaft out to 20 yards and straight into the target.... close enough.

Then fine tune with broadheads.

 

[bojangles808]

I think Flatlander spelled it out perfectly. The quickest/easiest way is to shoot through paper a couple times just to make sure you are close and then bare shaft tune at 20 yards (making sure fletched and bare shafts hit the same spot).

exactly what i do as well