Paper Tuning

[THE GOB-FATHER]

One great way to tune your bow for consistent arrowflight is by "Paper Tuning". This is a method I use to tell me how my arrow travels upon leaving the rest and in flight.

What you'll need to do is set up a regular plain piece of paper as your target about 6 or 7 feet away. Shoot a few arrows through the paper for thouroughness and take note of the puncture holes in the paper. What you want to do is examine the hole and determine how uniform it is. Look for the center hole that was created by the shaft and then look for the lines coming out of the center hole which will have been created from the vanes. Do they seem as if they are to the left, right, down or up? If so, you need to adjust accordingly.

If the tear is at an angle, you'll want to adjust the nock height. If the point of the arrow seems to have gone through lower than the back end of the arrow then raise the arrow rest or lower the nock. Follow this proceedure according to what the hole tells you and you should be on your way to finding consistent arrow flight. Now there's a lot more in depth tuning you can do obviously, but this is a great first step.

[2chucks]

I just paper tuned my bow last week when I switched to carbon. It is not that hard to do but it is really important.

[2chucks]

Just got a drop away rest. Tuning is a thing of the past. No fleching problems. I like this thing.

[Crysar]

If you really want to see how good your arrow is flying, shoot one with no fletches on it. Start close to the target. If your bow is reasonably tuned the arrow will hit the target straight, mabe pointing with the nock up higher than the entry hole. If your bow is out of tune, it will hit the target sideways. If it does that make the adjustments before you paper tune. If your bow is in good tune you should be able to hit the target with no fletch from further distances. If your bow is way out of tune your arrow will hit sideways even at short distances. Be careful of your background doing this. Out of tune bows may not even hit the target or hit it completly sideways.

[Rut N Strut Game Calls]

Where do you set up the Paper Frame? Do you put it close to where you are shooting or close to the target?

[Bow 1]

To start with when paper tuning, you start in front of the paper, be sure that you paper is far enough away from the target that you get a compete pass through.

After you get it tearing perfect (release shooters prefer a perfect bullet hole, 3 vane marks and the arrow hole, no tears) finger shooters prefer a slight high left tear.

After that move back about 2 or 3 yards and do it again. Adjust, then move back again, I usually finish around 10 yards or so. Then check again at the beginning point. Most archers call this the walk back tuning method. I have found that pretty much your set once you do the first two distances.

Your form is critical here, I have had guys come in to the shop I worked at that could not get the tear they wanted and I take there bow and shoot it and get a perfect bullet hole. This is 99 percent due to torquing the bow grip.

Shoot straight.

Keith

[timhicks]

Keith,, I am glad you mentioned torquing.. I was taught the bow should real open handed and be level...meaning not falling forward,not falling backward. This also means the bow resting in your thumb to pointer finger around your handle,grip. the same anchor point is so so important,,also guys remember do not let your bow creep this will also change your shot every time. This is alot of the reason i like the Bow Tech Alliegance,,you draw it back and all the way its stopped,,cant go back more and helps with this. Creeping is a very bad thing,,it changes your draw point and also will effect your total paper tuning outcome. If you cant hold your bow back...loosen the poundage

[2chucks]

Tim is right on all points. I too shoot a BowTech. Hard stops are great ;D

[Bow 1]

Those look good, you might want to change the nock alignment on the top arrow as it appears a smidge high tear. Other than that this is what you want.
Tim your are very correct on that, those draw stops are a blessing and you wont find another as solid. Creeping is one of your enemys on any bow shot, no matter what your doing. When you creep you can not repeat, in other words you may creep a smidge on this shot but there is no way you can repeat that, so the next shot you dint creep at all, then the next you creep two smidges more, so you get mad and want to throw your bow. Keep the KISS principle and just repeat it, a solid wall stop really aids in preventing this. In archery the shot does not half to be the correct way its taught or have the best form or what ever. The key is to develop a shot sequence step by step and repeat it. If you have things that are easy to repeat then you can have success in archery. Repetition, the same exact thing every time is what archery is about. Its not so much a sport as it is a discipline. Controlled very much by your mind. Anyhow this thread was about paper tuning, so I will save the other mumbo stuff for later post.

Keith