Nock tuning arrows?

[The big greasy]

I’m planning on nock tuning my 12 arrows, my questions is if I keep cutting my arrows down after finding a bullet hole at 31 inches, will I have to rotate the nock as I cut the arrows down or not?

If someone wants to explain from start to finish for arrow building and tuning that would be great also. I have bare shafts right now.

 

[htlt_surfboards]

I think most people cut their arrows down first as short as you safely can and then knock tune after. I haven't ever heard of anyone nock tuning first and then cutting but I don't think that it would make a difference as nock tuning is really just finding the stiffest part of the arrow which won't change depending on length.

 

[Billy Goat]

I usually cut my shafts about the berger hole. You need to nock tune with the shafts fletched, if you tune bareshaft, then fletch, it will change. I use to nock tune as bareshafts, then always had to rotate nocks after they were fletched.

I haven't tuned them through paper, I tune them by impact. Either by shooting a vertical line, then a horizontal line, or cheating and using a shooting machine to get them same hole.


Number your arrows, shoot them, look for the most consistent impact in the bunch, then tune the others to that. Not uncommon to not get the whole dozen exactly right, but 10/12 I'm usually happy with.

 

[Shooter Mike]

After 30+ years in archery as both a competitor and coach, I can confidently tell you that all of the above information is incorrect.

You absolutely 100% should nock tune bare shafts. Once they’re fletched, the fletching will correct imperfections in the tune of the bow.

First things first, determine what arrow spine you need for your draw weight and draw length and desired broadhead weight. From there, cut your arrows to the specified length. Ideally, the end of the carbon shaft should just be beyond the front of the arrow shelf. If it’s shorter you risk a fixed blade broadhead coming in contact with with something it shouldn’t. This is illustrated in nearly every ATA guideline.

Mark your bare shafts with a silver marker and your nock with something else and shoot it through power to get a bullet hole, tuning your bow as you go. The reason you want to mark your nock is so that your know which side is up and which is down, so that when you’re done nock tuning you can orient all your shafts the saw way. Once a bullet hole is achieved, shoot your next bare shaft. Rotate the nock 1/4 turn each time until that shaft also shoots a bullet hole. Not all 12 shafts may achieve a bullet hole. Set those shafts aside.

One all the shafts are nock tuned, fletch your arrows in the same orientation.

Next, shoot a broadhead into a target at 20yds. The follow up with a field point. If they hit the same spot, you’re good. If not, you may need to fine tune by either wheeling the cam or adjusting the rest yo and down. This is the only time I move an arrow rest. Before this, I’m adjusting can lean by wheeling or yoke tuning, or moving my nock point. The arrow rest is in a mechanical center point and should ideally stay as close to there as possible.

There are several good videos on YouTube for nock tuning. Check out stuff by George Ryals, John Dudley, and Levi Morgan


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[Kernal1985]

Definitely nock tune bare shaft, not sure why you would go through the process of tuning then cutting them down though.

Cut to length, nock tune, fletch, kill stuff.

 

[Shooter Mike]

Definitely nock tune bare shaft, not sure why you would go through the process of tuning then cutting them down though.

Cut to length, nock tune, fletch, kill stuff.

That would definitely affect the tune since length affects the spine


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[Shooter Mike]

Oh, and one other thing- I highly advise against trying to nock tune with a bag target. The rags inside can give you misleading results. A dense foam is preferred, although layered foam works too if the foam layers are neither too tight or too loose.


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[Kernal1985]

Really good advice on the foam target. A new morrell is my favorite for nock tuning, a well used one won’t keep the arrow at the angle of impact well enough for my liking. Never used a rinehart but my sevr target is much more dense than my morrell and works well also but arrows are more difficult to remove and gets tiresome for high volume shooting like nock tuning.

 

[Shooter Mike]

One other thing. To help determine the length of your arrow, take your draw length and subtract an inch. I know that sounds odd, but it has to do with the way ATA measures draw length. They measure it by adding 1.75” to the pivot point of the grip. So if you’re a 29” draw, you’d want a 28” arrow, most likely.

Most arrow manufactures have some sort of online tool for helping you to “build” your arrow. I think Gold Tip has a few different tools on their website site that work quite well. I use Archers Advantage. It’s a yearly subscription for $15. If you go that route, which is probably unnecessary, you’ll need to spend some time tinkering with the software- it is a little quirky.


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[bergie]

After 30+ years in archery as both a competitor and coach, I can confidently tell you that all of the above information is incorrect.

You absolutely 100% should nock tune bare shafts. Once they’re fletched, the fletching will correct imperfections in the tune of the bow.

First things first, determine what arrow spine you need for your draw weight and draw length and desired broadhead weight. From there, cut your arrows to the specified length. Ideally, the end of the carbon shaft should just be beyond the front of the arrow shelf. If it’s shorter you risk a fixed blade broadhead coming in contact with with something it shouldn’t. This is illustrated in nearly every ATA guideline.

Mark your bare shafts with a silver marker and your nock with something else and shoot it through power to get a bullet hole, tuning your bow as you go. The reason you want to mark your nock is so that your know which side is up and which is down, so that when you’re done nock tuning you can orient all your shafts the saw way. Once a bullet hole is achieved, shoot your next bare shaft. Rotate the nock 1/4 turn each time until that shaft also shoots a bullet hole. Not all 12 shafts may achieve a bullet hole. Set those shafts aside.

One all the shafts are nock tuned, fletch your arrows in the same orientation.

Next, shoot a broadhead into a target at 20yds. The follow up with a field point. If they hit the same spot, you’re good. If not, you may need to fine tune by either wheeling the cam or adjusting the rest yo and down. This is the only time I move an arrow rest. Before this, I’m adjusting can lean by wheeling or yoke tuning, or moving my nock point. The arrow rest is in a mechanical center point and should ideally stay as close to there as possible.

There are several good videos on YouTube for nock tuning. Check out stuff by George Ryals, John Dudley, and Levi Morgan


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I don't have the same amount of experience, but this is what I do verbatim and once I screw on my Iron Wills I rarely have to make any adjustment to get them to hit with bareshafts out to 40 yards.

On the other had I have a buddy who shoots tournaments and shoots MUCH better than I do. He doesn't do any bareshaft tuning on his hunting rigs and kills stuff just the same so maybe its not imperative that you do either, i dunno.

I am anything but an exceptional shot and choose to shoot unforgiving broadheads so I need the absolute best possible tune I can get.

 

[Shooter Mike]

I don't have the same amount of experience, but this is what I do verbatim and once I screw on my Iron Wills I rarely have to make any adjustment to get them to hit with bareshafts out to 40 yards.

On the other had I have a buddy who shoots tournaments and shoots MUCH better than I do. He doesn't do any bareshaft tuning on his hunting rigs and kills stuff just the same so maybe its not imperative that you do either, i dunno.

I am anything but an exceptional shot and choose to shoot unforgiving broadheads so I need the absolute best possible tune I can get.

There are a couple of variables. For instance your friend who skips bareshafting likely just broadhead tunes. And that's fine. He's just allowing the vanes to do the correcting. In terms of forgiveness, it's not completely maximized if each and every shaft isn't flexing the same as it leaves the bow. The difference in his way and the way you and I do it has very little difference in outcome 99% of the time. I'm a little bit fanatical with things, and as I'm getting older, i'll take every bit of forgiveness i can find.

 

[dkime]

I’m planning on nock tuning my 12 arrows, my questions is if I keep cutting my arrows down after finding a bullet hole at 31 inches, will I have to rotate the nock as I cut the arrows down or not?

If someone wants to explain from start to finish for arrow building and tuning that would be great also. I have bare shafts right now.

I don’t post often, so take this for what it’s work because I’m not claiming to be anyone special or have any sort of resume that would lead a person to believe me based strictly on the logical fallacy of “appeal to authority”

I’ve nock tuned 2 dozen shafts in my life; I saw no differences. The reality is that in order to effectively gather enough data off of that amount of shafts it would’ve taken me shooting each of those 24 shafts a minimum of 30 times each.

After 720 shots straight would I have been a better shot than I was at the beginning of the test? Speaking for myself; yes.

I’m not telling you not to nock tune your arrows. I encourage most shooters to tune their setups to the Nth degree. But the reason above is the only reason I suggest people do it. Shooting our bow ~tends~ to make us better at shooting our bow. The more we tune, the more we shoot, the more we ~tend~ to progress. My lack of willingness to tune is maybe probably slightly what held me back in my competitive days. I just always felt a bow was better in my hand than in a press, and that arrows should be attached to the string.


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[The Fat Coyote]

I would have to agree with you. I have done it plenty of times. Now, i dont really bother with it. I think time spent behind the bow getting sight marks is bigger bang for your buck.

I do appreciate the things Shooter Mike has posted here. I have dont all the nock tuning and at the time it boosted my confidence in my gear and setup and i think confidence in what youre doing is priceless. It will equate to making better shots in the long run.

 

[Mbatsonz7]

Cut arrows to desired length then nock tune. The length of the arrow changes the dynamic spine.