Bareshaft minimum distance

[chrism]

Whats the minumum shooting distance required to make bareshaft (and nock)tuning worthwhile?

I want to tweak my bow and arrows ready for the outdoor season but I have very limited access to a field at the moment, I do however have access to a 12 yard indoor range. Would this be far enough for me to get worthwhile results from a bare arrow?

[Murray]

I've seen bareshaft shot at just slightly further than the longrod! This was to check the arrow angle at very close range as it left the bow. Not sure of it's use, but might be worth a try.

[joetapley]

Bareshaft method works by the fletched and non-fletched arrows following different trajectories in flight. You need to have enough flight time for the arrows to separate a measurable amount (bearing in mind your looking at two groups with their own scatter).

Rate of arrow separation depends on the arrow properties as well as the "tuning". The worse the tune the faster the arrows separate.

So the distance selected depends on how good a result you want to achieve from the tuning. It's somewhat down to opinion as no accurate data. IMO bareshaft tuning at less than around 15-20 metres is pointless as regards achieving a good result. Optimum result at 25-45 metres. (At longer distances the different arrow properties start to affect the result).

If you have only a short distance available then the only viable method is a paper tune/arrow angle in target approach. This will give some benefit in draw weight adjustment if needed to better match the arrow to the bow but very limited tuning capability. Still something is better than nothing if it's the only option.

[Jay.g]

at least 20 yards, then keep going back till probably 30m and that'll be good enough. I tend to afterwards shoot at 70m and 90m with bareshafts as well to see what happens at the long end.

[chrism]

I thought it might be a bit short. I did a paper test at this distance a few months ago, which helped a little, but it looks like i will have to forget about arrow tuning until i can get more shooty-time.

[Jerry Tee]

It will put you in the ballpark and could be better than doing nothing at all.

[Bird_2112]

Couldn't you say that with a shorter distance the arrow has less chance to straighten out... fletched or unfletched. As you want the arrow to leave the bow cleanly and as straight as possible the short distance will stop the arrow whilst still fishtailing or porpoising.

G.

[John (OSF)]

As it all depends on how well you can shoot as to how much info you'll get out of it anyway.
imho rather than worrying too much about more than a basic tune at the moment, instead I'd print some targets scaled for 12yards and blast away dozens of arrows at them (in 6 arrow ends) trying to keep half-decent form throughout.

Once you get outdoors for real it'll be a doddle to tune