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.
Where does your bare shaft land relative to the fletched group?
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.
How to set up for bare shaft tuning
🛒 Shop bow tuning tools at Amazon — arrow squares, D-loop pliers, spine testers, and nocking point pliers.
Bare shaft tuning position chart — quick reference
All bare shaft positions at a glance
| Bare shaft position | What it indicates | Primary fix (compound) | Primary fix (recurve) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✅ In the group | Perfect tune | No adjustment needed | No adjustment needed |
| ↑ Bare shaft high | Nocking point too low / rest too low | Raise rest or lower nocking point | Raise nocking point |
| ↓ Bare shaft low | Nocking point too high / rest too high | Lower rest or raise nocking point | Lower nocking point |
| ← Bare shaft left (RH) | Arrow spine too stiff | Move rest left, or use weaker spine | Decrease plunger pressure, or use weaker spine |
| → Bare shaft right (RH) | Arrow spine too weak | Move rest right, or use stiffer spine | Increase plunger pressure, or use stiffer spine |
| ↗ Diagonal offset | Both vertical and horizontal errors | Fix vertical first, then horizontal | Fix nocking point first, then plunger |
Left-handed archers: reverse all left/right directions.
Vertical bare shaft position — causes and fixes
Bare shaft lands high
The bare shaft landing above the fletched group means the arrow is leaving the bow with a nose-up attitude. The fletching on your regular arrows corrects this by pushing the tail down during flight — but the bare shaft has no such correction and arrives at the target nose-up, which registers as a high impact.
For compound bows: The arrow rest is set too low relative to the nocking point, or the nocking point/D-loop is positioned too low on the string. Raise the rest in 1/16" increments as a first step. If the rest is already at maximum height, lower the nocking point instead. The goal is for the arrow to leave the bow horizontally or at a very slight nose-down angle.
For recurve bows: The nocking point is below the correct height. Standard starting position is 3/16" to 1/4" above square. Raise it in 1/16" steps and retest after each change.
Bare shaft lands low
Less common than landing high, a low bare shaft means the arrow leaves nose-down. For compound archers, the rest is typically too high or the nocking point too high on the string. For recurve archers, the nocking point needs to come down. Also check whether your draw length is too short — a short draw can create a low anchor that sends arrows nose-down.
Horizontal bare shaft position — spine and rest diagnosis
Horizontal bare shaft position is the most diagnostic reading in bare shaft tuning. Where the paper test cannot easily differentiate between a rest problem and a spine problem, bare shaft testing at distance separates them clearly.
Bare shaft lands left (right-handed archer) — spine too stiff
For a right-handed archer, a bare shaft landing to the left of the fletched group indicates the arrow spine is too stiff. A stiff-spined arrow doesn't bend enough around the riser at launch — it leaves the bow angled left, with the tail going right. Fletching corrects this in flight, but the bare shaft shows you where the arrow actually left the bow.
Compound fixes: Move the rest to the left (toward the riser) in 1/32" increments. If the bare shaft is significantly left and rest adjustment doesn't close the gap, the spine is genuinely too stiff for your draw weight and arrow length — switch to a weaker spine (higher number). Also check whether your point weight is too light — adding front weight effectively weakens spine.
Recurve fixes: Decrease plunger button pressure. If fully reducing pressure doesn't close the gap, the shaft is too stiff — use a weaker spine shaft or reduce point weight. Check with the Arrow Spine Calculator.
Bare shaft lands right (right-handed archer) — spine too weak
A right-handed archer's bare shaft landing to the right indicates the spine is too weak. The arrow bends excessively around the riser and leaves the bow angled right — the classic "archer's paradox" overdone. Fletching corrects this, the bare shaft exposes it.
Compound fixes: Move the rest to the right (away from the riser). If the bare shaft is significantly right, the spine is too weak — switch to a stiffer shaft (lower number). Reduce point weight or shorten the arrow to effectively stiffen spine. Check your draw weight hasn't changed — if you've increased draw weight without changing arrows, you likely need a stiffer spine.
Recurve fixes: Increase plunger button pressure. If maximum pressure doesn't close the gap, the shaft is too weak — the arrow is collapsing excessively around the riser. Move to a stiffer spine. Verify with the Arrow Spine Calculator using your actual draw weight from the Draw Weight Calculator.
Why form matters for horizontal readings
Horizontal bare shaft separation is very sensitive to grip torque and inconsistent anchor. Before changing rest position or spine, shoot 5–6 fletched arrows to confirm your fletched group is tight. If your fletched group is scattered, fix your form first — bare shaft readings from inconsistent form are meaningless.
Bare shaft tuning vs. paper tuning — key differences
| Aspect | Paper tuning | Bare shaft tuning |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | 6–12 feet | 10–20 yards |
| What it reveals | Arrow attitude at launch — immediate direction errors | Spine stiffness, rest position, nocking point — at actual shooting distances |
| Sensitivity to spine | Low — fletching corrects spine errors quickly | High — spine errors remain visible at distance without fletching |
| Best for | Getting into the ballpark fast; compound bows | Fine-tuning after paper; recurves; confirming spine is correct |
| Recommended order | Do this first | Do this after paper tuning |
The two methods complement each other. Paper tuning at 6–8 feet gets your bow into the ballpark — bare shaft tuning at 10–20 yards refines it to the level where arrow spine and fine rest position differences become visible.
How shooting distance affects the reading
Bare shaft separation from the fletched group grows with distance — a 1-inch separation at 10 yards often becomes 3–4 inches at 20 yards. This is why you start at 10 yards: a small, manageable reading. At 30 yards, a poorly spined arrow may be completely off target, making it hard to know which direction it's landing. Always diagnose at 10 yards first.
Once you have a consistent reading at 10 yards and have made your adjustments, moving to 20 yards amplifies any remaining error. A bow that appears perfectly tuned at 10 yards but shows residual separation at 20 yards still has a small spine or rest issue worth correcting.
| Distance | Purpose | Expected separation if tune is off |
|---|---|---|
| 10 yards | Initial diagnosis and coarse adjustment | 1–4 inches — readable and manageable |
| 15 yards | Intermediate check after 10-yard fixes | 2–6 inches — confirms progress |
| 20 yards | Fine-tuning — confirms close to perfect | Should be under 1" for a well-tuned bow |
| 30 yards | Advanced refinement for competition tuning | Minimal — only for very precise work |
Using bare shaft tuning to diagnose arrow spine
Bare shaft tuning is the most reliable field method for confirming whether your arrow spine is correct. The spine calculator gives you the right starting point, but bare shaft testing at distance confirms it for your specific bow, draw length, and point weight combination.
If you've made maximum rest adjustments in both directions and the bare shaft still separates horizontally from the fletched group, the spine itself needs to change — not the rest. Common triggers for a spine re-check:
- Switched to a heavier or lighter broadhead or field point
- Changed arrow length (had arrows cut shorter or longer)
- Adjusted draw weight up or down by 5+ lbs
- Changed from a drop-away rest to a full-capture rest
- Switched arrow shafts to a different model or brand
Use the Arrow Spine Calculator to verify your spine selection with updated parameters, then confirm the result with bare shaft testing.
Tools for bare shaft tuning
- Bow tuning tools — Amazon (arrow squares, nocking pliers, D-loop tools)
- Arrow rests — Optics Planet
- Arrow spine testers — Amazon
- Arrow shafts for spine adjustment — Optics Planet
Bare shaft tuning FAQs
What is bare shaft tuning?
Bare shaft tuning means shooting an unfletched arrow (no vanes or feathers) alongside fletched arrows at 10–20 yards. Because the bare shaft has no flight correction, it lands exactly where the bow's launch attitude and spine flex send it. Where it lands relative to the fletched group reveals spine, rest position, and nocking point issues with much greater sensitivity than paper tuning.
What does it mean when the bare shaft hits high?
The arrow is leaving the bow nose-up. For compound bows, raise the rest or lower the nocking point. For recurve bows, raise the nocking point. Make adjustments in 1/16" increments, retesting after each.
What does bare shaft landing to the right mean for a right-handed archer?
The arrow spine is too weak — the shaft is bending excessively around the riser and landing tail-left, which means the point goes right. Try a stiffer spine shaft, shorter arrow, lighter point, or reduced draw weight. On recurve, increase plunger button pressure as a first step. Verify spine with the Arrow Spine Calculator.
How far should I shoot for bare shaft tuning?
Start at 10 yards. This gives a clear, manageable reading. Once grouped at 10 yards, move to 20 yards to confirm and refine. Never start at 30+ yards — problems are hard to interpret at that distance before the major errors have been resolved.
Do I need to paper tune before bare shaft tuning?
Yes — bare shaft tuning is most effective after paper tuning has gotten your bow close. Paper tuning at 6–8 feet resolves gross direction errors. Bare shaft tuning at 10–20 yards then refines spine and rest position. Trying to bare shaft tune a bow with a major paper tear will produce confusing results. Use the Paper Tuning Chart first.
Why is bare shaft tuning more sensitive than paper tuning?
At 6–8 feet, fletching has barely started correcting arrow flight — so paper tuning catches launch attitude errors well. But spine problems are mostly corrected by the time the arrow reaches the paper. At 10–20 yards, residual spine errors from insufficient or excessive flex remain visible even after the fletching has partially corrected the arrow's attitude. The bare shaft removes all fletching correction, making spine errors impossible to hide at these distances.
What if my bare shaft groups perfectly with fletched arrows but I'm still getting poor accuracy?
If bare shaft and fletched arrows group together but you're shooting inconsistently, the tuning is correct and the issue is form. Focus on consistent anchor point, grip pressure, and release. Also check your peep sight alignment, sight marks, and that your draw length is correct for your body.