Bare Shaft Tuning Chart — Compound & Recurve Fix Guide

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Bare Shaft Tuning Chart

Shoot a bare shaft alongside your fletched arrows, then select where it landed below. Get an instant diagnosis and step-by-step fix instructions for compound and recurve bows.

Bare Shaft Position Diagnosis

Where does your bare shaft land relative to the fletched group?

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In the group
Bare shaft groups with fletched — perfect tune
Bare shaft HIGH
Above the fletched group
Bare shaft LOW
Below the fletched group
Bare shaft LEFT
Left of the fletched group
Bare shaft RIGHT
Right of the fletched group
Diagonal offset
Both vertical and horizontal

Shoot 3–5 fletched arrows, then 2–3 bare shafts. Use the same aiming point for all shots. The dashed circle = fletched group, solid dot = bare shaft position.

Diagnosing a spine issue? Shop arrow shafts at Optics Planet for spine adjustment.

Arrow shafts↗

How to set up for bare shaft tuning

1Prepare your bare shafts. Remove the vanes/feathers from 2–3 arrows, leaving only the shaft, insert, and point. Use the same point weight as your fletched arrows. Mark them clearly so you can identify them at the target.
2Complete paper tuning first. Bare shaft tuning is most effective after you have achieved a bullet hole at 6–8 feet on paper. It refines what paper tuning started — it doesn't replace it. If you haven't paper tuned, start with the Paper Tuning Chart.
3Start at 10 yards. Stand 10 yards from the target. At this distance, the bare shaft hasn't had time to plane badly, but separation from the fletched group is already visible if your tune is off. Shoot 3–5 fletched arrows first, then 2–3 bare shafts at the same aiming point.
4Shoot with identical form on every arrow. Bare shaft tuning is extremely sensitive to form changes. Grip torque, peeking, and punching the trigger all affect where the bare shaft lands. If your fletched group is tight but the bare shafts are inconsistent, suspect form first.
5Make one adjustment at a time. Note where the bare shaft lands relative to the fletched group, select the position in the tool above, and follow the fix steps exactly. Make one change, then retest before adjusting anything else.
6Confirm at 20 yards once grouped at 10. When bare shaft and fletched arrows group together at 10 yards, move back to 20 yards. Small residual errors that were invisible at 10 yards will become apparent at 20. Repeat the process until both distances are clean.

🛒 Shop bow tuning tools at Amazon — arrow squares, D-loop pliers, spine testers, and nocking point pliers.

Bow tuning tools↗

Release-method note: Easton’s classic bare-shaft planing test is primarily a finger-release tuning method. For a compound shot with a mechanical release, Easton identifies paper tuning as the more common initial method; use horizontal bare-shaft separation as a follow-up clue rather than an automatic stiff/weak verdict.

Bare shaft tuning position chart — quick reference

Bare shaft positionRecurve / finger-release starting interpretationMechanical-release compound
✅ Near fletched groupBasic tune is close; verify with several shots.Basic tune is close; also confirm paper tune and broadheads if hunting.
↑ HighRaise nocking point in a small step, then retest.Check vertical paper tune, nock/D-loop and rest relationship; change one variable at a time.
↓ LowLower nocking point in a small step, then retest.Check vertical paper tune, nock/D-loop and rest relationship; change one variable at a time.
← Left (RH)Stiff indication in Easton's classic finger-release test.Do not label stiff/weak automatically; verify paper tune, center shot, timing, rest, grip and release.
→ Right (RH)Weak indication in Easton's classic finger-release test.Do not label stiff/weak automatically; verify paper tune, center shot, timing, rest, grip and release.
↗ DiagonalFix vertical first, then re-read horizontal separation.Fix vertical/basic paper tune first, then reassess horizontal separation.

Left-handed finger-release archers mirror the left/right spine interpretation. The mechanical-release compound column is intentionally release-specific rather than copying finger-release rules.

Vertical bare shaft position — causes and fixes

Bare shaft lands high

Recurve/finger release: Easton's classic procedure treats a high bare shaft as a nocking-point-height issue and moves the nocking point up in small increments until bare and fletched shafts share the same vertical level.

Mechanical-release compound: establish a basic vertical paper tune first. Check the D-loop/nocking point, rest-height relationship, timing, and repeatable grip/release. If you adjust the vertical setup, make one small change and retest.

Bare shaft lands low

Recurve/finger release: move the nocking point down in a small increment and retest. Confirm brace height and the rest/plunger setup remain within manufacturer guidance.

Mechanical-release compound: use paper tune and manufacturer setup checks to diagnose the vertical nock/rest relationship rather than assuming a bare-shaft-only correction.

Horizontal bare shaft position — interpret it by release method

Finger release: right-handed archer

Easton's bare-shaft planing guidance for a right-handed finger-release setup treats a bare shaft landing left of the fletched group as a stiff indication and a bare shaft landing right as a weak indication. For a left-handed finger-release archer, mirror the direction.

On recurve, follow the manufacturer tuning sequence: establish nocking-point height first, then make one plunger/point-weight/bow-weight or shaft change at a time and retest.

Mechanical-release compound

Do not automatically translate left/right separation into “stiff” or “weak.” Easton describes paper tuning as the most common initial tuning method for compound archers using mechanical releases. First verify paper tune, center shot, cam timing, rest position, grip torque, and repeatable release.

Why form matters for horizontal readings

Bare shafts have no fletching to correct launch errors, so grip torque, inconsistent release, changing anchor, and wind can create misleading separation. Shoot multiple bare and fletched shafts and change one variable at a time.

Bare shaft tuning vs. paper tuning

Recurve/finger release: Bare-shaft planing is a well-established way to refine nocking point and dynamic spine after the basic setup is correct.

Mechanical-release compound: Easton identifies paper tuning as the more common initial method. Use bare-shaft grouping as an additional verification tool after basic paper tune, timing, center shot, and form are stable.

Neither test replaces broadhead verification for a hunting bow. After tuning, confirm that broadheads and field points group acceptably at your actual hunting distance.

How shooting distance affects the reading

Start close enough to keep every shot safe and repeatable, then increase distance only as your groups support it. Easton's classic bare-shaft guide uses roughly 15–20 yards for the planing comparison, while Easton's target-tuning guidance notes that experienced shooters may evaluate farther distances when conditions and skill allow.

DistanceUseHow to interpret it
10 yardsSafety and initial vertical checkUseful for confirming obvious nocking-point or launch issues; do not attach a precise inches-per-adjustment rule.
15–20 yardsPrimary diagnostic rangeCompare multiple bare shafts with multiple fletched shafts. Easton's guide uses this range for classic planing diagnosis.
Beyond 20 yardsAdvanced verificationUse only if your normal groups are tight enough and conditions are calm. Shooter inconsistency can overwhelm the equipment signal.

Easton's guide notes that a large horizontal separation — more than about 6" at 20 yards — can indicate a significant equipment mismatch for the classic finger-release test. Do not turn smaller differences into a universal “perfect = within 1 inch” rule.

Using bare shaft tuning to evaluate dynamic spine

For a consistent finger-release archer, bare-shaft separation can help confirm whether the selected shaft behaves dynamically stiff or weak. Start with the current manufacturer spine chart or our Arrow Spine Calculator, then use tuning as a verification step.

Re-check shaft selection after meaningful changes to draw weight, point/insert weight, arrow cut length, or other components that affect dynamic spine. Do not assume a rest change can compensate for an incorrectly matched shaft.

For a mechanical-release compound, persistent horizontal separation should trigger checks of paper tune, center shot, timing, rest position, grip torque, release consistency, and the manufacturer's spine recommendation before concluding that the shaft itself must change. If a two-cam system remains difficult to tune, the Cam Lean & Yoke Tuning Guide provides the next diagnostic layer.

Make the bare-shaft test repeatable

Because a bare shaft has no fletching to hide launch errors, the test is unusually sensitive to both equipment and the shooter. Easton's target-tuning guidance emphasizes controlling the test before interpreting the result.

Use more than one bare shaft

Do not let a single arrow decide the tune. Easton recommends comparing multiple bare and fletched shafts and repeating the comparison enough times to average out shooter error.

Match rear weight

Removing vanes also removes mass from the back of the arrow, which can change dynamic spine. Easton recommends replacing the missing rear weight with a non-aerodynamic substitute such as tape when precision matters.

Avoid wind and forced shots

Wind and inconsistent execution can move a bare shaft enough to imitate a tuning problem. Shoot only at a distance where you can keep normal groups and treat bare shafts like any other shot.

One variable at a time

Establish vertical nocking-point behavior first, then work on horizontal tuning. Changing rest, plunger, point weight, and shaft length together makes the result impossible to diagnose.

Why release method changes the diagnosis

With finger release, the arrow's horizontal flex around the bow makes classic left/right bare-shaft interpretation useful. Easton's published right-handed finger-release example reads left as stiff and right as weak. Mechanical-release compound systems behave differently enough that paper tune, center shot, cam timing, grip torque, and rest position deserve priority before the same left/right result is labeled a spine problem.

When “close” is good enough

The goal is a repeatable relationship between bare and fletched groups, not an invented universal one-inch tolerance. Easton notes that accomplished finger-release shooters may even prefer a slight stiff indication. Record what a well-tuned setup does for you and use that repeatable baseline when checking the bow later.

Technical sources & methodology

Tools for bare shaft tuning

Bow tuning tools↗ Arrow rests↗ Spine testers↗ Arrow shafts↗

Related tuning and setup tools

Use these alongside your bare shaft tuning session:

Why bare shaft tuning is useful for fine-tuning

A bare shaft removes the aerodynamic correction provided by fletching, which makes launch and tune differences easier to see. That sensitivity is useful only when the archer can repeat the shot consistently.

Use at least several comparison shots, avoid windy conditions, match bare-shaft rear weight as closely as practical to the fletched arrow, and change one variable at a time. Easton specifically emphasizes those controls in its target bare-shaft guidance.

For mechanical-release compounds, combine bare-shaft observations with paper tuning and manufacturer-specific setup checks rather than applying finger-release spine rules automatically.

Bare shaft tuning FAQs

What is bare shaft tuning?

Bare shaft tuning compares unfletched shafts with otherwise matched fletched arrows. Removing fletching makes launch and tune differences easier to see, so consistent shooting and matched components are important.

What does it mean when the bare shaft hits high?

A high bare shaft commonly points to a vertical setup issue. In Easton’s classic finger-release procedure, the nocking point is moved upward in small steps until bare and fletched shafts share the same vertical level. Change one variable at a time and retest.

What does bare shaft landing to the right mean for a right-handed archer?

For Easton’s classic right-handed finger-release planing test, right indicates a weak dynamic-spine condition and left indicates stiff. Do not automatically apply that rule to a mechanical-release compound; first verify paper tune, center shot, timing, rest position, grip torque, and release consistency.

How far should I shoot for bare shaft tuning?

Start close enough to be safe and repeatable, then work toward about 15–20 yards for classic planing diagnosis. More advanced archers may verify farther if their groups and conditions support it. Avoid using a fixed “within 1 inch” rule for every archer.

Do I need to paper tune before bare shaft tuning?

For a mechanical-release compound, paper tuning is the more common initial method in Easton’s guide, so it is sensible to establish a basic paper tune first. Recurve and other finger-release setups commonly use bare-shaft planing directly after basic setup checks.

Why is bare shaft tuning more sensitive than paper tuning?

The unfletched arrow lacks vanes or feathers that normally correct launch errors. That exposes small setup and release differences, but it also makes the test more sensitive to shooter inconsistency and wind.

What if my bare shaft groups perfectly with fletched arrows but I'm still getting poor accuracy?

Treat that as evidence that basic tune is close, not proof that every problem is solved. Check shot execution, peep sight alignment, sight marks, nock fit, rest condition, component consistency, and — for hunting — broadhead grouping. A tuning test cannot compensate for inconsistent form.