Late bow tuning

[Deertick]

OK, so as in the \"Off Topic\" thread \"Missing\" and the \"Other Game\" thread \"Antelope reports\", I reported that I had a target/arrow misalignment problem last week, so ...

I did some more shooting and found that my broadheads were hitting a little to the left of my field points. Now, of course I thought they were \"on\" before I went hunting last week ... puzzled, I went to tinkering.

And, before you know it, I had made enough changes that I decided to start all over from square one with bow tuning. I hate going back through all this this late in the summer, but confidence in the equipment is where it has to start, whether it\'s a bow, muzzleloader, or rifle. I have to know that -- if I do my part -- the arrow or bullet is going exactly \"right there.\"

Changes too close to the season are dangerous ... It\'s best to have all of that done long ago, so that you can practice, practice, practice with everything just as it will be during the season. But that\'s not the way it\'s going to be this year for me!

I do a \"Modified French tune\" and \"Quick Tune\" to get close, then broadhead tuning is my \"fine tune\".

Anyone else doing some late summer bow tuning out there?

 

[bowhunter]

It is late to be tuning, but if you have a problem such as you did last weekend. You have to fix things. I am sure after you get them broadheads flying true you will be much more confident next time. I plan on doing a final check tonight to see if I need any late tuning. If my arrows fly true I will be set to go... I leave in a week.

 

[mtnmutt]

Resighted slightly after dropping DW by 1#. Doesn\'t sound like much of a DW drop, but for my low DW/DL it can be noticeable. My draw was good in 70 temps, however, 20/30s temps make it slightly harder for me to achieve that smooth draw from a seated position on a cold ground.

The other thing was spin testing arrows. One of my BH is wobbling. No matter which arrow it is on it wobbles, so it isn\'t the arrow\'s insert causing the wobble. I have 5 other BHs, so the wobbling BH will not be in my quiver.

This weekend will be a final sharpening of BHs if needed. I shot them last weekend on my scouting camp trip.

Last year in August, I unexpectedly needed to get a new bow string. I had already had it looked over earlier in the year, however, the huge increase in Summer shooting caused it to wear by August. Things happen.

Rechecking setup is important, especially after reaching camp. Bows can get banged up during transport.

Hope all the non-westerns realize they should tighten all the screws after arrival. The huge temp fluctuations (30-60 degree) in CO can cause screws to loosen on bows, glasses and other gear, especially if they have a lot of sun exposure. I had eyeglass lenses pop out when Spring skiing.

Take some tools, spare nocks and bow wax with you. Last year, one of my BH arrow nocks cracked. Also, the bow string kept rubbing against my clothing while hiking, so rewaxing was needed.

John, I have faith that your arrow will hit an elk\'s vitals very soon and then you get a your pronghorn.

 

[razorback]

Man I feel for you I just went through all of that. I am going to shoot BHs again this weekend just to confirm that last weekend was good. It really messed with me having to make changes. I cut a couple of inches off my arrow and added 50 grain inserts. I kind of had to re-learn my distances. I usually practice shooting in between my pins (33, 45, 27...) it changed things up some. I think the helicals were probably the best thing I did but since my bow shop is so far away I wanted to do everything I could while I was there. Best of luck to you.

 

[cohunter14]

Good luck John, glad you were able to get to the bottom of it before heading to elk camp. As you said, confidence is number one so hopefully that will do the trick!

 

[Swede]

Mtnmutt discussed things to check with the arrow. I still am amazed at how many hunters, have hunting arrows with a straight fletch. Be sure you have a helical or off set fletch so the broadhead does not steer the arrow. After you have made sure you have quality arrows, adjust the rest to move the broadhead in the direction of where your field points hit.

 

[bnsafe]

my fletching is straight, from the factory, i would take it off but they have wraps on them an i like the colors, lol. im a little ocd, lol

 

[WW]

Tuning is good and OK any time it is needed. The trick is, to make only one (SLIGHT) adjustment at a time. If it didn\'t help matters, be sure to put it back where it was before you try to do something else. Don\'t make multiple adjustments. Voice of experience!!!!!!!! :mg:

 

[F M]

Tuning is good and OK any time it is needed. The trick is, to make only one (SLIGHT) adjustment at a time. If it didn\'t help matters, be sure to put it back where it was before you try to do something else. Don\'t make multiple adjustments. Voice of experience!!!!!!!! :mg:

Well said WW I even right down what direction I am making
adjustments. I tend to have a short memory.

 

[Wake26]

OK, so as in the \"Off Topic\" thread \"Missing\" and the \"Other Game\" thread \"Antelope reports\", I reported that I had a target/arrow misalignment problem last week, so ...

I did some more shooting and found that my broadheads were hitting a little to the left of my field points. Now, of course I thought they were \"on\" before I went hunting last week ... puzzled, I went to tinkering.

And, before you know it, I had made enough changes that I decided to start all over from square one with bow tuning. I hate going back through all this this late in the summer, but confidence in the equipment is where it has to start, whether it\'s a bow, muzzleloader, or rifle. I have to know that -- if I do my part -- the arrow or bullet is going exactly \"right there.\"

Changes too close to the season are dangerous ... It\'s best to have all of that done long ago, so that you can practice, practice, practice with everything just as it will be during the season. But that\'s not the way it\'s going to be this year for me!

I do a \"Modified French tune\" and \"Quick Tune\" to get close, then broadhead tuning is my \"fine tune\".

Anyone else doing some late summer bow tuning out there?

I feel your pain I was out shooting last night trying to tune broadheads and nothing was working for me. Started getting frustrated even to the point that I had to put the bow away for the night. I will start again to night and see where it goes.

 

[Deertick]

Mtnmutt discussed things to check with the arrow. I still am amazed at how many hunters, have hunting arrows with a straight fletch. Be sure you have a helical or off set fletch so the broadhead does not steer the arrow. After you have made sure you have quality arrows, adjust the rest to move the broadhead in the direction of where your field points hit.

I\'ve got straight-fletched arrows ... which I why I ripped them off and put on FOBs.

 

[WW]

Nothing wrong with FOB\'s except they look a little strange. OK, maybe a lot strange! But they fly very well.

 

[Deertick]

Nothing wrong with FOB\'s except they look a little strange. OK, maybe a lot strange! But they fly very well.

I look a little strange, too! And I work just fine.

How about you, WW? Never seen a photo.

 

[Deertick]

A little nudge here, a bump there, and I\'m very close to \"on\" now ... but too rushed to confirm it ... will do that next week.

After I think I\'m completely tuned, I like to do a lot of shooting at different distances. If all is good, then I adjust sights as needed (sighting in is different than tuning) and should be good to go for the next weekend. No pronghorn chasing this weekend.

I liken \"tuning\" to working up a load for a rifle or muzzleloader. It takes time, small changes, and can make you pull your hair out.

\"Sighting in\" is the same for bows or guns, and is generally much simpler. That\'s why, once I have a load worked-up, or a bow tuned, I really hate to change anything just because the latest-and-greatest gizmo just entered the market.

 

[mtnmutt]

I retuned my bow back in July when I added 34 grains of trimmer line. It most definitely needed the tune. Also, the drop away timing was checked.

Fortunately, the resighting was only very small adjustments.

The helical on vanes sure does help BH flight. I have a 125 grain BH. My vanes come close to my cables, so I have to check for clearance with each arrow.

 

[Wake26]

Well after more frustration trying to Broad head tune Friday, I changed all arrows back to field points and still could not get the arrows to group. Feeling that something that I could not see was wrong I loaded up the fam and headed to the local bow shop. They notice that the bottom cam had a bad lean at full draw, to the point that my draw stop was hitting one of the other strings. After about an hour of trying to figure out what was causing the cam to lean and not finding anything, one of the workers brought his bow out just to sit them side by side and look to see if anything was different. We noticed that the factory installed the shims backwards on that cam. we switch the shims around and walla it shoots great with no cam lean. Shot it last night broad heads and fields points are shooting perfect.

 

[cnelk]

Good to hear Jarod!
Just in time....

 

[Lark Bunting]

I finally got to shoot my new 340\'s last night and WOW!!! Those 400\'s were not shooting well for me and neither were the Raiders.

The bullet holes through paper were a nice teaser then I shot them out to 25 yards and got nervous I would damage them by shooting groups. I put on the broad heads and shot the five spots and feel really good. Just to verify my new found confidence, I put a few 400\'s through the bow and sure enough, they flew like crap.

Nothing like last minute preparations to make you pucker up a bit. Relieved I got the new arrows. Happy Birthday present from my family.

 

[atfrith]

Nice Lark! I upgraded my arrows this year to 340 FMJ\'s and had the same experience, until this year I never paid any attention to arrow spine etc. Amazing what shooting the right equipment will do, haha. I finally have my new bow tuned and sighted in the best I can with the limited space in my backyard. We have an alley behind the house I was able to stretch out to 40 yards too but I only had the cajones to shoot back there for 15 min or so before I retreated back to the yard in fear of someone calling the PoPo on me, haha.