Everyone Read...you Will All Be Master Archers After Doing So!!!

[GVDocHoliday]

Follow the diagram to get rough tuned.
(yes I made this diagram using MS Paint)


Now that you are rough tuned it is time to commence...fine/broadhead tuning.

Get six arrows, three for broadheads, three for fieldpoints. Make sure they spin straight as this is critical to broadhead flight. Actually, the most IMPORTANT THING IS PROPER ARROW SPINE. MAKE SURE YOUR ARROWS ARE OF THE PROPER SPINE OR THIS WILL GIVE YOU A HEADACHE!!!

Ok then, the farther you are from the target the better. I suggest 40 yards seeing how 99.9% of all ethical shots on whitetails in Michigan are well under this distance.

Shoot your field points for a group at 40 yards. Now shoot your broadheaded arrows for group using the same aiming point of reference. Now go to the target and analyze the groupings.

Where are broadheads impacting? did they shave fletch off of the fieldpoints? If so you're the man, you are done, go have a beer. If not, still go grab a beer, crack it open, and leave it there for motivation to get this done...because you don't want that beer getting warm now do we.

Most common are usually high or low impacts of the fieldpoints. If they impact high, move the rest down in small increments until same POI...if they are low then move the rest up until same POI.

Left and rights are also this easy. If they are hitting left, move the rest right, if they are hitting right, move the rest left. If you can't seem to get the left and right hitting the same point of impact as your fieldpoints then you have spine issues...could be strong could be weak...if you are having these issues send me a line with your setup and I'll give you my opinion on what you can do to remedy the problem. Sometimes it's just as simple as changing point weight from lighter to heavier or vice versa.

Now that we have the same POI, resight your bow in as the adjustments of the rest will move the point of impact off of the bullseye, which is were we want that POI to be. Now pat yourself on the back and enjoy the frothy lager.

[LReed]

That is one of the simplest and easy to understand set of directions for tuning I've seen. Thanks for putting it together Doc.

[Trushot_Archer]

Easily understood and comes with instructions for positive re-enforcement as well! What could be better?! Very nice Bry.

[deepwoods]

Doc,

I'm curious, if after you do this, you paper tune your bow to check arrow flight or do you just assume that because they are impacting the same spot spot that flight is good? This seems pretty fool proof. It must be if I understand it.

[NorthJeff]

Basically if you can get your arrows to do what Doc is saying, than you don't need to paper-tune.

One thing though, if your arrows are not spined properly, you will not be able to experience the results that Doc is illustrating no matter how much you move your rest. In fact, it will be downright frustrating. What Doc is illustrating is more of fine tuning method when everyting else has been set-up properly from the beginning, with at least an educated guess of proper spine assumed.

At the same time, group testing is very noticable at 40 yards.......IF you are good enough to keep a 1-2" group consistantly. Again too, at 20 yards, to really notice a differance you have to be good enough to see the differance of a 1/2" group to a 1" group. For the average guy, a 1" group is pretty darn good.


If you have a relaxed bow-hand release(your not tourquing your bow), and you paper tune at 5-6', you can tell if your arrows are spined properly by how clean of a tear they leave. If they will not leave a clean tear, no matter what you do, or you have to move your rests to extremes either right, left, up, or down, your arrows are not spined properly. By moving further in paper-tuning, such as out to 15' or more, it is possible that a poorly spined arrow could have stabalized itself enough to fool you into thinking your properly set-up, especially if you use large fletchings or feathers. But, at 6' you can't fool the paper unless you take a poorly spined arrow, lower the nocking point so that the arrow is slamming into the rest and bouncing back just in time to give you a "perfect" bullet hole.....but you will notice that.

I always start with my 6' tear, which will tell me how my arrows match my bow, as well as rest position, and then go to group testing at 40+ yards to fine tune. Will usually take less than 20 minutes.

[farmlegend]

Sounds like a great way to go.

Especially for you guys that don't have to drive 30 minutes to find a place where you can shoot a 40-yarder!

[Oct.1]

O.K. help me under stand something.
Won’t the field tip arrows follow the relationship of the adjustment you just made for the broad head?

[east bay ed]

oct. 1
remeber that your braodheads will exaggerate any movement. so the movement of your field points is much less.

the other thing is if your bow is out of time or you have limb issues this will only drive you to the funny farm figuring it out.

a point on northjeff's comments if you want to check your spine take a lighter and heavier field point and shoot them both. i.e. if you shoot 100gr. try a 125 and a 85 the 125 will soften the spine and the 85 will stiffen the spine. if one of these two shoots better you know you either need to stiffen the arrow or you need to soften the arrow.
there are a couple ways to do this.

BUT as a shop owner i don't see why we need to give all the tuning tricks away that i have either paid to learn or have learned over time from other dealers. come on guys i have to make a living some how.

[FREEPOP]

It should probably be said that if your rest is fixed (can't be moved), like mine is, then you move your nock. This is for the up and down adjustments.

[NorthJeff]

Freepop....get rid of that rest!!

What I like to do is tie my nok in, including the loop, and it stays there until either the loop gets frazzled, I sell the bow, or I change the string. Much easier to just move the rest, if it moves.

[Trushot_Archer]

What rest do you have that you can't move Freepop? You go traditional when I wasn't looking?

[FREEPOP]

I use a flipper plunger rest always have and probably always will. I still shoot fingers and wil probably will never change that either. Something about old dog and new tricks

[NorthJeff]

Yep when you use fingers that flipper rest can be a great rest for you....certainly understand. I'm actually trying a drop-away rest this year...not because of an increase in accuracy, tuning, etc., but for the prospect of it being the quietest rest I can buy...we'll see.

There is a good rest for finger shooters out there...I'm sure there are a few, but I believe it was called a "shooting star rest"?, basically a launcher style with a side piece for finger shooters, but it was micro-adjustable.

[GVDocHoliday]

sorry bout that eastbay ed,

I kinda gave a scrambled up method on this a couple of weeks ago and recieved a lot of PM's to clarify it...so I just redid it and posted in the newly formed archery section.

[Oct.1]

Doc, East Bay,
Thanks for the tips.
Its hard finding someone that will do a good tuning job. That’s why I try to do it myself.
When I retire and get in your neck of the woods if you guys are still in the business you will have mine.
Looking to buy property around Lake City now.
Thanks Again