Duncan Busby helps choose and tune your indoor compound arrows
It’s that time of year again, and like it or loath it, the indoor season has begun. Whether you plan to attend as many tournaments as possible or just shoot a few rounds at the club, most archers will want to give themselves the edge by using ‘fat’ arrows to maximise their line cutting potential. Arrow manufacturers produce a wide range of shafts and many of their indoor offerings comply with World Archery’s 9.3mm maximum arrow diameter, but due to their size and stiffness they can be notoriously difficult to tune. However, with a little know-how, perfecting your indoor set up can be quick and easy. So, what factors do you need to consider when choosing and tuning your indoor arrows?
Diameter
Everyone has their favourite arrow company, so once you have decided which shafts you want to use, you’re going to need to choose the right spine. For this I would always recommend consulting the manufacturers’ spine selection charts; they’re not always perfect but they will get you somewhere close. The obvious choice is to go for the ‘fattest’ arrows you can legally shoot, but large diameter shafts are often massively over-spined for most bows, especially if you aren’t pulling close to 60lbs. A small sacrifice in arrow diameter can sometimes make your arrows infinitely easier to tune, and there are several weaker spine models that are very close to the 9.3mm maximum diameter. Alternatively, an all-carbon arrow could be worth considering; their unique construction makes them a great choice for archers who shoot a lower draw weight as they come in a range of spines but still offer maximum line cutting ability across the range.
Length
Of course it’s not just the spine rating of an arrow that dictates it’s suitability for a bow; the arrows length will play a huge part, so you’ll need to consider what length to cut your arrows. If you do decide to shoot a fat arrow with a heavier spine you may need to keep them a little longer than your outdoor arrows in order to tune them to your bow; a longer arrow will be weaker than a shorter one of the same spine so keeping your fat arrows long is a great way of tuning them to your bow.
Vanes
The type and size of vane you use will have an enormous effect on your arrows’ performance; there is no right or wrong vane for indoor use, but as you’ll be shooting short distances with an often heavy arrow, they need to be big enough to stabilise the arrow as quickly and effectively as possible. It’s important however to watch out for any clearance problems that can be caused by larger vanes; it may be necessary to consider a low profile option if you have arrow contact with any part of your bow. You could also try feathers rather than plastic vanes as they’re less affected by clearance problems and are considered by some to be more forgiving than the plastic alternatives.
Whatever vane you choose you’ll need to consider how to fletch them, with an offset or helical? It’s important to fletch your arrows in a way that allows them to spin cleanly – much like a rifle bullet this maximises their stability in flight. Fletching with an extreme offset or with a helical is the best way to stabilise the arrow as it creates much more drag than an arrow fletched with little or no offset and as speed isn’t an issue indoors there’s no need to make your arrows so streamlined.
Nocks
Nocks can often be overlooked when building a set of arrows. Most companies make high quality nocks for large diameter arrows, so choose the ones you prefer or those recommended by the manufacturer. However, you should make sure that they fit your centre serving correctly; there is nothing worse than your arrow falling off your string or flying badly due to poor nock fit, so you may need to re-serve your string if your new nocks don’t clip on securely. You may also find it necessary to tie a slightly wider nock point than you’d typically use for outdoor arrows; many nocks designed for large diameter shafts are bigger than those made for thinner arrows, so you may need a slightly wider nock point to avoid pinching.
“Perfect bullet holes on a paper test aren’t a necessity, but your bow should be basically tuned without any major issues with arrow flight, as this will affect your tuning results.”
Points
Adjusting your point weight is a very effective way to tune your arrows, and although some archers think it unnecessary, if you have already tuned your bow and made adjustments to your set-up without much improvement, it can make a real difference to your results. Indoor points come in different shapes as well as weights; the most common are a traditional parabolic design or a pin point style. Pin points have become very popular in recent years – not only do they look striking but many archers believe they allow them to score a little higher than a parabolic designed point. The narrow and sharp tip guides the arrow into the target face at a straighter angle, making it less likely to kick away from the line, and if you’ve already carved out a good hole in the centre of the target a pin point will find it and guide the arrow in more easily. Parabolic points do still have their followers though as they tend to be harder wearing.
Many archers put little thought into what point weight they should use and what effect it will have on the performance of their arrows. So, what difference can an arrow’s point weight and shape make to your scores, and why should you put so much effort into finding your perfect point?
Tuning with Point Weights
While point weight can have a huge effect on your arrows and how they perform, getting this right can be a complicated process. I would recommend having a good selection of point weights available when it comes to fine tuning your arrows. Finding the best point weight is a methodical process. You’re best starting off with the manufacturers recommended point weight, which is usually around 100 – 120 grains, before working your way through the different weighted points to see which ones produce the best results. Some manufacturers make points with a screw-in adjustable weight system; this makes it easier to try different point weights as there is often no need to remove the point to adjust it. Just make sure you have a good selection of weights on hand so you can test a wide range of point weights.
When choosing the weight of your point you should be aware that it will affect the dynamic spine of your arrow, the actual stiffness of the arrow in flight. Although this is determined by many different factors including your bow speed, poundage and arrow length, your point weight has a significant effect on how your arrows behave. When the arrow is released, the point provides resistance against the driving force of the bow string, and this puts the shaft of the arrow under increased pressure and causes it to flex more. As a result, the more point weight you add to your arrow the weaker it will react.
Point weight also affects the arrows front of centre or FOC; this is the balance point of a finished arrow. FOC is calculated as a percentage, relating to how far forward the balance point is from the centre of the arrow. A good FOC measurement for target archery is considered to be around 10 to 15 percent as this gives the arrow optimum downrange stability without causing too much unwanted oscillation. A longer arrow, like those favoured for indoor shooting, will typically need a heavier point in order to give it an FOC within this range, and it’s not unusual to find an indoor arrow working well with a much higher than usual FOC.
What point weight should you be using with your indoor arrows?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple answer to this as it will depend on your individual set up, so a little trial and error may be required in order to fine tune your point weight.
Just remember, before you start testing out different point weights it’s a good idea to make sure your bow is correctly set up and is reasonably well tuned. Perfect bullet holes on a paper test aren’t a necessity, but your bow should be basically tuned without any major issues with arrow flight, as this will affect your tuning results.
Once you have completed some basic tuning you can start testing out some different point weights at 18 metres. It is best to do this on a fresh target face for each set of points so you can assess your arrow groups and compare any changes you make.
Try to shoot at least thirty arrows before you make any further adjustments to your point weight, so you can rule out any wayward shots. You should be paying more attention to the horizontal group patterns rather than the vertical ones, and taking particular notice of how tolerant or forgiving your arrows are when you execute a poor shot.
You should test a wide range of point weights to see which give you the smallest, tightest groups on the target; even a small change in weight can have a huge effect on your results. Start off with the standard manufacturer’s point, then work your way up through all the different weight options and don’t be afraid to go a bit heavier than you think is necessary – it’s not uncommon to see point weights over 200 grains working well with indoor arrows. Take note of any poorly made shots – we all make mistakes from time to time and it’s no use if your good arrows are all inside the X-ring but your bad ones are touching the red. The idea of tuning is to not only find the best arrow spine, but to create a set-up that is sympathetic to both your shooting form and ability.
Once you’ve tested your different point weights you can compare your target faces to see which one has the most consistent groups. This should allow you to effectively choose the most accurate point weight for your arrows.
You may find that heavier points improve your groups and consistency but also cause your arrows to react weakly – this can be especially apparent when doing a paper test. If this is the case, consider cutting your arrows a little shorter or lowering your poundage in order to correct this. Remember that when using heavy arrows you may need to increase the tension of your launcher or choose a stiffer blade, particularly if you are getting consistently low shots.
Whilst perfect tears through paper aren’t a guarantee of good results on the target, it’s always worth checking your paper test results after making changes to your set up just to make sure there has been no major change to your arrow flight.
And lastly…
Indoor shooting is the ultimate test of an archer’s skill, accuracy and nerve, as it has none of the variables outdoor archery brings – it really is just you and the target. Having equipment that is correctly tuned and in perfect sync to your individual shooting form is essential if you want to maximise your results, and your arrows play a major part in this. So, although indoor shooting can feel confining at times, why not use it as an opportunity to master your tuning techniques and unlock the full potential of your kit?