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To center shot or not to center shot???

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center shot
2K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  DJTJR 
#1 ·
Guys I recently bought a 3 rivers DX5 with longbow limbs and had the guys at 3 Rivers set it up for 3 under. When I got it everything was setup but the fixed plunger was set so that a fairly standard diameter carbon arrow was basically dead center shot. I haven't started bare shafting yet but was wondering what thoughts on initial setup were as it relates to centers hot and why? Regular fletched arrows seemed to fly great and I was hitting a vertical line pretty center. That all said its a hunting bow so will a setup like this be more or less forgiving than moving the plunger out more? Adding broad heads to the mix what so you think happens? Is there a reason it came setup this way for this bow? I've always setup left of center for a rightie but would love to hear thoughts as this is something I don't know much about. Again for a hunting bow in looking for the most forgiving setup I can get within reason and perhaps when I bareshaft I'll realize why it's a good or bad idea to setup this way, but I wanted to get some advice before I go to far one way or another.
Thanks and all the best,
Don
 
#2 ·
I'm doing the fine tuning and set up on the same rig as you describe. I'm left of center as is commonly recommended and bare shaft group slightly weak and low.

Let us know what your bare shafts tell you.
 
#7 ·
I'm doing the fine tuning and set up on the same rig as you describe. I'm left of center as is commonly recommended and bare shaft group slightly weak and low.
I've wondered why this is. Is it because the string rolls off our fingers to the left? That makes sense until you realize it also goes back to the right darn near the same distance because now the limbs/string is acting like a spring.
 
#3 ·
There are tuning protocols for setting up with a rest and plunger such as seen here:

http://www.texasarchery.org/BoardMembers/RickStonebrakerPages/TuningForTens/TuningForTens.html

Assuming a RH shooter these protocols start you out with arrow NOT on true center but left of center. But that's not really the root of the question is it? Rather you're looking for what might be forgiving.

This is just the way I look at things. The best possible state of proper tune that you can achieve is what will be most forgiving. And that state of tune, ...well... it is what it is, wherever the final center shot setting may prove to be.

So I don't think that we can say as an absolute that any one particular setting will always be the absolute best. So much is dependent upon arrow spine, point weight, brace height, etc etc.

I think that about the only thing we can say with any degree of certainty is that for a RH shooter you probably don't to wind up with the arrow laying right of center.

So you just run the tuning protocol, and as your tuning process gets closer and closer to fine tuning you'll get to see if the optimum arrow position is getting closer or further from laying on true center. And when you're done, what you'll have is the most forgiving that you can get, ...for YOU, for THAT bow, with THOSE particular arrows. And really I think that's all we should worry about.

So, as for advice? Follow the protocol, and see where it leads you.
 
#4 ·
Thanks let me clarify that it's off the shelf but there is a sort of screw type fixed peg that serves as the side plate. Similar to the bolt head that was the off the shelf side plate on the original master hunter for off the shelf shooting.
 
#5 ·
Also when we say a little weak is recommended what is a little weak? For me after playing a bit with my selected shaft a 125 grain shaft groups right with the fletcher but a 145 is 4 to 6 inches left at 25 yards. Is that a little weak or a lot? I always get them shooting into the same group so what grain field point would you guys go with?
 
#8 ·
I think the notion of slitlyweak bareshaftsco es from there not being weight on the bareshaft. By adding feathers and therefore mass to the back it stiffens the spine. I just think feathers are so light that the margin of shafts showing weak would have to be really small and even if I can hold a softball sized group at 30 yards there is still enough error int there that I rather they just be on or on top of each other.
For me 25 grains upfront can make an inco or two of difference and for big changes I have to cut so I don't think for me that a few grains of feather weight make much difference in back especially since I only cut off the feather part and leave the quill on the shaft for bare shafting so that the addedstiffness in back of there being a quill there is net neutral between are and fletched shafts. It also shows any quill contact better and is more pronounced at the target.
 
#10 ·
Good timing and a great tuning thread. I'm a huge believer in bare shaft tuning and I don't mean to hijack but in that spirit.....once you're close on spine why not just shoot bare shafts? I change rigs and combinations all the time and each time I go through the tuning process. If by regular tuning methods I can get a bare shaft hitting straight and right where I want it, feathers are just gravy on the taters, aren't they?
 
#11 ·
In my opinion generally yes. If the fletched shafts are hitting centered left to right I really spend a lot more time with the bareshafts. Shooting a lot more fletched shafts just makes me tired (and seems redundant as if one fletched ahaft goes right they all usually will) which starts to skew my results after a while. In the case of this bow I guessed close made a tip weight change and I was done. Had perfect bareshaft flight at 40 yards. Next was finding point on and gaps at the halfway point for max gap and wht the changes are in between. I had a bow in 20 mins that I would be as comfortable hunting as any in my arsenal.
 
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