I ask this because I have a bow/arrow combination that seams to be properly tuned in every respect but all shots hit to the left and I have not found an adjustment that will bring it in line. I would like to see a general conversation about how this is done and maybe I will see what I am missing.
In the end, I may have to accept that the something about this bows handle just doesn't work for me.
Thanks
Some bows just wont sit in your hand the way you want them to. You either shoot enough to reboot your brain or send tho bow on its way. If I shoot a bow for the first time with arrows that should be close and its shooting way off I pass on buying....... that way I dont waste alot of time to never be really happy with that bow......
If it hits 3-4" to the left, there are things you can do to bring it on target. If it hits more than that to the left, then it may be a type of bow you aren't used to. For example, whenever I shoot a Hill style longbow, it hits 6" or more to the left at 20 yards, because the shelf is not cut in as far as the other bows I normally shoot. I know that if I shot one long enough, my brain would make the adjustment and it would begin to hit on target, but I would prefer to continue to shoot the bows I already like that are cut past center.
There are some form things that can make that happen too. If you torque the string or the bow, it will throw arrows inconsistently to the left. If your dominant eye is not over the arrow, you can get a consistent left miss. If you're not coming all the way around to full draw so your elbow is behind the arrow, you can get a consistent left miss if you consistently short-draw to the same place.
To make minor corrections in the POI, try either a stiffer or weaker arrow, as either one may or may not move the POI to the right, so you may have to try both. Try a softer strike plate, like Velcro instead of leather, or a rug rest instead of Velcro. If your strike plate is thicker than it needs to be, try a thinner one.
Try everything McDave says!
I had the same problem and what worked for me was to cant the bow from my usual 10 degrees to about 40 degrees. This seemed to bring the arrow under my eye better and I started to hit where I was looking.
I've played with spine and side plates and can get it on line but arrow flite suffers. When the arrows are tuned it is very consistent, just left. Other bows shoot on line. It takes a stiffer shaft than I would expect, but it bareshafts well.
Any other ideas?
If it takes a stiffer shaft, bareshafts well but hits left I think the shaft is too stiff for that strike plate. Can you reduce the thickness of the strike plate? You may have to go to a longer shaft, heavier point, weighted insert to make it tune AND hit more right.
It may be the handle. It may be causing you to point left a little bit. Or you could be holding it too upright. Try laying it over a little.
Trying to make an arrow hit where you are aiming by varying the degree of cant is wrong thinking and an excersize in futility. Left misses for a right handed shooter are a tuning or form issue. Spine, point weight, arrow length, strike plate thickness all can be adjusted to bring the point of impact to where you are aiming. Is the arrow nock under your dominant eye? Are you getting a clean release, no plucking? When your arrows are tuned and your form is solid, the amount of cant makes not one bit of difference. All shots will go down the line.
last arrow, once you get the center shot correct you need to retune to get good flight, you dynamically weakened the arrow moving closer to riser.
Raise the brace height a bit and use a thinner side plate. That combination will usually bring an arrow over to the right a few inches.
I think the issue was I was overdrawing the bow - taking my bow arm past the point where my shoulders were parallel with the arrow at full draw. Does that sound reasonable?
The reason the bow takes stiffer arrows than I thought is because it scales 4 lbs heavier than marked (on a scale calibrated to 35 and 70 pounds).