Matchstick in Button

[buzz lite beer]

What is the prescribed distance to shoot at when using the locked out pressure button (matchstick instead of spring) with arrow set at centre shot in order to adjust limbs weight to get arrow spine match. From my results if its set at 25yrds you get completely different results if shot at shorter/longer distances (coincidental point of impact) so it would seem that the distance must be a critical one in order for this method of bow set up to have any real value.

[chrstphr]

i think a good rule is to start at 20 yards/18meters. you wont lose an arrow and can get your setup in the ballpark with a short walk to retrieve arrows. once you have things in the ball park, most would continue to move up in distance and then tune it to the distance you will commonly shoot. Fita for example, the 70 meter distance is the most important as its olympic and all the heads up matches etc. so i would get my setup in the ball park at 20, then move outside and go to 30, 50, and then 70. i dont really worry about plunger settings and bareshaft at 90 if my 70 is good. nocking point especially. mine is set for bareshafting 70 so its high at 18 meters. once you have your 70 meter tune, go back to 18 meters and see where your shaft/plunger puts you. then you can always tune for 70 at 18 meters.

i shoot my bareshafts and do all my tuning for groups with my plunger at 70 meters. but i started at 18 indoors.

[Mufti]

The differences you are seeing at varying distances are showing that you have yet to tune the limbs to the arrow.
Once you have a straight shot it "should" remain straight for all distances.

If it is out at one distance then retuning is required until it is correct for all.

This is almost the same when adjusting spring tension for varying distances; get it correct for the shortest distance and move to a longer distance where any inaccuracies will then show themselves up.

If you are getting left shots at one distance and right shots at another you may end up having to change arrow spine . . . I think.
I have yet to try this method of tuning (it's on my to-do list), but my thought process says you will not get left and right arrows, they will all be left or all be right . . . I think.

I have read that sometimes it is just impossible to tune the limbs to "too weak" or "too stiff" a spined arrow.

[buzz lite beer]

[quote=Mufti;78818]The differences you are seeing at varying distances are showing that you have yet to tune the limbs to the arrow.
Once you have a straight shot it "should" remain straight for all distances.
QUOTE] That is what I did at 25 yards, adjusted limbs till bare shafts impacted with fletched, with rigid pressure button set to exact centre shot sight over arrow etc. as recommended, at 15 yards impact to the left at 35 yards impact to the right,Never used this method before just tried it to see if the theory had any legs, and as yet need more convincing that it's any better than my regular method of tuning

[Jerry Tee]

I tried this too but found it gave a knife edge responce. I went back to button on the stiff side and then a walk down to adjust the button pressure and center shot.

[Quadratus]

All good stuff, but don't confuse ends and means.

The purpose of tuning is to get tight, consistent groups of fletched arrows in the right place at realistic distances, not to get bare shafts going in interesting places (or pretty holes in paper screens, or nice straight lines in a walk-back for that matter). All these tests have their place in the early stages of tuning, and I'm not knocking them, they can help. But in the end you must judge your tuning on the basis of your groups at your chosen - realistic - distances and nothing else.