Cut and Trim Arrow Tuning Method
This method requires full-length bare shaft, and an arrow saw. Take one shaft and glue in the insert in the nock end of shaft. Install the tip weight you want to shoot. Start with bow being set. This is draw length, draw weight, cam timing, cam sync, nock, and center shot.
Set up target. Hang a string in front of target or make a vertical line with tape. Take a bare shaft with the tip weight you want to shoot. Stand three ft from target. Shoot string or edge of tape. Adjust sight only till arrow hits string or edge of tape.
Once you have sight adjusted back up to 5 yards. Shoot at the string or tape. Arrow will be to the right of string if right hand shooter. Do not worry about lean. Remove nock and cut arrow. If arrow is a good distance away from aiming point, say over an inch you can take a few inches on the cut. Repeat shot. Continual trimming till
bare shaft hits aiming point. Remember as you get closer to the line take smaller cuts.
Once on string or edge of tape at 5 yards back up to 10 yards and repeat. When shaft is now at aiming point back up to 15 yards and repeat. Then to 20 yards and repeat. At this point you have found where the arrow has the best dynamic reaction to the set up of that bow. I have not seen any big benefits to back up any further then 20
yards, but I see no reason not to if you prefer to continue backing up.
Few things to look at with this method. Once you are at 20 yards and the shaft has not moved all the way to the string and you no longer can cut the arrow. What you’re seeing is a dynamic reaction of to much bend. (Weak). At this point you will need to drop tip weight or drop draw weight and reshoot. Repeat till on edge of tape. If you
decide that dropping tip weight or draw weight is not what you want to do you will need to go to the next stiff static spine repeat process.
If you find that the shaft is longer then you want what you’re seeing is a dynamic reaction of very little bend (stiff). At this point you can add more tip weight or turn bow up. If you decide neither of the two fixes is what you want then you will need to drop a spine and repeat process
With this process you may only want to buy one or two shafts only. This is what I would recommend. You also need to look at a good spine program to get you in the ball park on what static spine you need to get
During this process take your time. When getting back at the 15 yard mark, if the shot doesn’t look or feel right. Shoot it again to verify before cutting.
Tip Replacement Arrow Tuning Method
The tip replacement method allows you to leave the draw weight and the arrow length where you want. However, this one does not let you have control of the total weight or the FOC of the finished arrow. This is not the best method if you’re looking at the high amount of FOC for the most penetration as possible. But it dose let you find the correct dynamic reaction using existing arrows.
With this method you will need a variety of tip weights. I keep on hand 100,125,150, 200, 225, 250, and 300 grain field points.
Start with your bow being set to shoot the tightest possible fletched arrow groups. This means to set draw length, draw weight, cam timing, cam sync, nock, and center shot for best results. You will need one fletched
arrow and one bare shaft at the arrow shaft length you want.
Set up target, and use tape and make a straight vertical line. Take a fletched arrow and stand three feet from target. Shoot at the edge of the tape and adjust your sight windage until the arrow hits the edge of the tape. Repeat this step with the bare shaft. This fine tunes sight windage at point blank shooting distance, so you know your sight windage is at a good starting point.
Mark your target with a large dot centered on the vertical strip of tape. Back up to 20 yards and shoot a group of fletched arrows and a bare shaft at the large dot using the heaviest tip weight, making sure to note group
size between the fletched and bare-shaft. Replace tip weight to the next tip weight down. Shoot group and take note. Repeat this process till you find the tightest group. You now have found the best dynamic reaction of that
arrow for where the bow is set.
Looking at the out come of this arrow being shot from an APA M5 with draw weight of 70 lbs the arrow with the 125 grain tip would be the set up to go with.
EWN
10 June 2017