Paper Tuning Chart
Shoot through paper, read the tear, fix your bow.
Select your tear pattern below for an instant diagnosis and step-by-step fix instructions —
for compound and recurve bows.
What does your tear look like?
Shoot from 6–8 feet. Use fresh paper for each shot. Shoot with your normal form — don't change anything between shot and reading.
How to set up for paper tuning
🛒 Shop bow tuning tools — paper frames, D-loop pliers, nocking point pliers, and arrow squares.
Paper tuning tear pattern chart — quick reference
All tear patterns at a glance
| Tear pattern | What the arrow is doing | Primary fix (compound) | Primary fix (recurve) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✅ Bullet hole | Arrow flying perfectly | No adjustment needed | No adjustment needed |
| ↑ Nock high | Tail too high, point too low | Move rest up, or nocking point down | Move nocking point up |
| ↓ Nock low | Tail too low, point too high | Move rest down, or nocking point up | Move nocking point down |
| ← Nock left (RH archer) | Tail left, point right | Move rest left (toward riser) | Decrease plunger pressure or adjust button |
| → Nock right (RH archer) | Tail right, point left | Move rest right (away from riser) | Increase plunger pressure or adjust button |
| ↗ Diagonal tear | Both vertical and horizontal errors | Fix vertical first, then horizontal | Fix nocking point first, then plunger |
Left-handed archers: reverse all left/right directions. Nock left for a LH archer = move rest right.
Vertical tears — causes and fixes
Nock-high tear
A nock-high tear is the most common tear archers encounter when they first set up a new bow. The nock end of the arrow is too high relative to the point, which means the arrow is climbing as it leaves the bow.
Compound bow causes: The nocking point or D-loop is set too low on the string, causing the arrow to launch with a nose-down attitude. The arrow rest may also be too high. Start by moving the rest down 1/16" increments before touching the nocking point.
Recurve causes: The nocking point is positioned below where it should be — typically 1/8" to 3/8" above square. Move the nocking point up in 1/16" increments and retest.
A small nock-high tear (under 1/2") on a recurve at close range is often acceptable — the bow's brace height and arrow oscillation naturally correct it by 10 yards. On a compound, any tear is worth fixing.
Nock-low tear
Less common than nock-high, a nock-low tear means the arrow is diving as it leaves the bow. The nock end is too low.
Compound: The rest is set too low, or the nocking point/D-loop is too high. Move the rest up or the nocking point down. Also check that your draw length isn't too long — an overly long draw can cause a nose-up anchor that translates into a nock-low tear.
Recurve: The nocking point is above the correct height. Move it down slightly and retest. Also verify brace height is within the manufacturer's specification range — a low brace height can contribute to nock-low tears.
Horizontal tears — causes and fixes
Horizontal tears are caused by the arrow leaving the bow at an angle side-to-side. For right-handed archers, the directions below apply. Left-handed archers: reverse all left and right directions.
Nock-left tear (right-handed archer)
The tail of the arrow is going left, meaning the point is angled right. On a right-handed compound, this most often means the rest is too far to the right of the bow's centre-shot. Moving the rest toward the riser (left) corrects this. Move in 1/32" increments — horizontal adjustments are sensitive.
Other causes include: arrow spine too stiff for your draw weight, a rest that is not at true centre-shot, or grip torque (squeezing the grip). Grip torque is the silent killer of paper tunes — fix your grip before blaming the rest.
Recurve: Decrease side-pressure on the plunger button, or move the button inward. Can also indicate the arrow spine is too stiff for your setup — check with the Arrow Spine Calculator.
Nock-right tear (right-handed archer)
The tail is going right, point angled left. On a compound, the rest is too far left — move it right (away from the riser) in small increments.
For recurves, this typically means the arrow is too weak in spine and is collapsing around the riser. Increase plunger pressure or move the button outward. A weak-spined arrow consistently produces nock-right tears for right-handed recurve archers.
Why form must come first
Horizontal tears are particularly sensitive to form errors. Grip torque, punching the trigger, peeking, and inconsistent anchor all produce horizontal or diagonal tears that no amount of rest adjustment will fix. Before moving the rest more than 1/8" total, confirm your form is consistent by having someone watch or film your shot.
Diagonal tears
A diagonal tear has both a vertical and a horizontal component — for example, nock high and nock left simultaneously. Treat these as two separate problems and fix them in order: always fix vertical first, then horizontal.
The reason to fix vertical first is that nocking point position affects both planes on a recurve bow. Fixing the nocking point can sometimes reduce or eliminate a horizontal tear without touching the plunger at all. On a compound, fixing the rest height first keeps the horizontal adjustment cleaner.
A persistent diagonal tear after correcting both axes individually usually points to one of three things: form inconsistency, incorrect arrow spine, or a rest that is not mounted square to the riser. Check all three systematically before continuing.
Paper tuning vs. bare shaft tuning
Paper tuning and bare shaft tuning both diagnose how your arrow leaves the bow, but they work differently and tell you different things.
| Method | Distance | What it reveals | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper tuning | 6–12 feet | Arrow attitude at launch — immediate direction errors | Getting into the ballpark quickly; compound bows |
| Bare shaft tuning | 10–20 yards | Arrow spine stiffness, rest position, and nocking point — at hunting distances | Fine-tuning after paper; recurves; confirming spine selection |
Use paper tuning to get your bow close, then use bare shaft tuning to refine. The two methods together give you a thoroughly tuned bow that shoots well at all distances.
Correct bow tuning sequence
Paper tuning works best when it comes in the right order. Jumping straight to paper without completing earlier steps means you're trying to tune a bow that isn't ready to be tuned.
- Set correct draw length — wrong draw length invalidates every other measurement
- Set draw weight to your target poundage
- Install nocking point or D-loop — start at 1/8" above square for recurve, level or 1/16" high for compound
- Set arrow rest to approximate centre-shot (5/8" from string for most compounds)
- Check arrow spine is correct for your draw weight and arrow length
- Paper tune — adjust until you get a bullet hole at 6–8 feet
- Walk back to 10–12 feet and verify the clean tear holds
- Refine with bare shaft tuning at 10–20 yards
- Confirm with field point groups at 20 and 30 yards
🔧 Tuning tools you'll need:
- Paper frame (PVC and bungee, or commercial frame)
- Arrow square / T-square for nocking point height
- Allen key set (for rest and sight adjustments)
- Nocking point pliers or D-loop crimping pliers (compound)
- Bow square for measuring brace height (recurve)
When paper tuning fails — check arrow spine
If you've made reasonable adjustments in both directions and still cannot get a bullet hole, the most likely culprit is incorrect arrow spine. An arrow that is too weak or too stiff for your draw weight will produce a persistent tear that rest adjustments cannot fix.
Signs of a weak-spined arrow (right-handed compound): persistent nock-right tear even after moving the rest all the way right.
Signs of a stiff-spined arrow (right-handed compound): persistent nock-left tear even after moving the rest all the way left.
Verify your spine selection with the Arrow Spine Calculator using your actual draw weight (not the sticker weight — use the Draw Weight Calculator) and your true arrow length.
Point weight also affects spine. Heavier points make the arrow behave as if it has a weaker spine. If you've switched from 100gr to 125gr field points, your arrows will shoot as though they're one spine group weaker. Use the FOC Calculator to see how point weight changes your arrow's balance and effective spine.
Once you've confirmed the correct spine, shop arrows in the correct spine at Optics Planet or carbon arrows on Amazon.
Ready to tune? Shop what you need
- Bow tuning tools — Amazon (arrow squares, D-loop pliers, bow presses)
- Arrow rests — Optics Planet
- Arrow rests — Amazon
- Arrow spine testers — Amazon
Paper tuning FAQs
What is paper tuning a bow?
Paper tuning means shooting an arrow through a taut sheet of paper from 6–8 feet away. The shape of the hole the arrow leaves tells you exactly how the arrow was travelling — straight (bullet hole) or at an angle (a tear). It's the fastest diagnostic tool for bow setup and works for both compound and recurve bows.
What does a nock-high tear mean?
The tail of the arrow is too high when it passes through the paper, meaning the arrow is angled nose-down at the bow. For compound bows, the most common fix is to move the arrow rest up slightly. For recurve bows, raise the nocking point. Make adjustments in 1/16" increments and retest after each change.
What does a nock-left tear mean?
For a right-handed archer, the tail is going left and the point is angled right. On a compound, the rest is typically too far right — move it toward the riser. On a recurve, decrease plunger button pressure or check that the arrow spine is not too stiff. Left-handed archers: reverse left and right for all diagnoses.
How far from the paper should I shoot?
Start at 6–8 feet. This is close enough that fletching correction hasn't masked any arrow attitude errors. Once you have a clean bullet hole at 6–8 feet, move back to 10–12 feet to confirm the tune holds as the arrow oscillates through its full flex cycle.
Do I paper tune with broadheads or field points?
Always paper tune with field points first. Once you have a consistent bullet hole with field points, switch to broadheads and test again. If broadheads tear differently than field points, your bow's tune and broadhead flight aren't aligned — usually a sign that your rest, FOC, or arrow spine needs further work. Use the FOC Calculator to check your front-of-center balance.
What if I can't get a bullet hole no matter what I adjust?
First, confirm your arrow spine is correct for your actual draw weight. A persistent tear that won't respond to rest adjustment is almost always a spine problem. Also check that your form is consistent — have someone watch you shoot or film it. Grip torque and inconsistent anchor points produce tears that no equipment adjustment will fix.
Is paper tuning better than bare shaft tuning?
They're complementary. Paper tuning is faster and works with fletched arrows, making it ideal as a first step. Bare shaft tuning at 10–20 yards is more sensitive, especially for recurve bows, and will catch spine and rest issues that paper tuning can miss at close range. Use paper tuning to get close, then refine with the bare shaft tuning chart.