[jawmarq]

I just received my first border, a use black Douglas with the hex5h limbs. Thanks RandalH! It pulls 51# at my 30" draw.
Currently I'm confused with tuning it. I have 2 other bows that both pull right between 50-52#, and shoot full length gt trad .300s with 150grain heads bareshaft perfect. Most people say this is way too stiff, but it works perfect for me.

I figured I'd need to remove some point weight to stiffen my arrows for the border, but have found the opposite to be true. I am shooting uncut 32" .400s with 200 grains up front and am still showing stiff. Every chart known to man shows this as ungodly weak. Brace height is at 7.5", arrow eyeballs at dead centershot. I can't figure it out. It's shooting fletched well, but not perfect. I can add some more weight and get them perfect, but I'm wondering if there is something I'm missing.

 

[blacktail86]

I’m shooting the ilf version hex 5s at 53# at 29.5 and tune a .400 spine at 30 “ with 175 upfront if that helps. Running 7.5” brace too

 

[Bill 2311]

You may try lowering brace. Border recommends a lower brace range than others. You are at the top end now.

Borders act like a bow 5-10 # heavier in draw.

 

[Jim Casto Jr]

^^^^ What he said, and.... you could build your side plate out a tad to make the arrow act a bit stiffer.

 

[BarneySlayer]

I think the above suggestions are good to take into account when you're experimenting to see what works, but ultimately, the combination of you/bow/arrow does whatever it does, and when it's doing what you want it to do, unless there's a really good reason why not, in my opinion, it's okay to just be happy about it, shrug, and keep shooting.

 

[jawmarq]

So I got the border shooting great with an extra 20 grains in the insert, as well as a small footing. So uncut .400s with a total of 257grain weight up front. Ok...

This week I got a ilf set up, a 21" jc Optimus with 45# Blackmax 2 longs, limb bolts all the way in showing 53# at my draw. Shooting off the supplied shelf rest. I have uncut gt .300s and 125 grains showing a tad weak. I don't get it. These bows are within 2# of each other at draw, yet the arrows required to tune are 2 spine sizes and hundreds of grain tip weight apart?

 

[Bowmania]

Arrows do not tune to the poundage of the bow, they tune to the energy delivered to the arrow by the bow. Just because a bare shaft is flying straight doesn't mean it's tuned.

Your friends know about a stiff arrows. Your bow (S) do not have enough energy to bend that .300 into paradox. I have a 50 at 29 inches bow with one setup shooting a .620 arrow. And I guarantee it's tuned, it shoots a perfect Snuffer hole though paper a 12 feet and 12 yards.

The brain is a funny thing. It has a subconscious which knows you want to hit the center of the target. A couple of left misses and your brain can compensate without you know it. You should put a vertical line on the target and shoot with the tip of the arrow on that line.

You should also get to know this document, www.fenderarchery.com/blogs/archery-info/basic-tuning

Bowmania

 

[jawmarq]

Bowmania- I know the 300s sound crazy, I will test with a string line tomorrow, but here's my group at 30 with the 53#ilf. I can do this over and over. These are .300 spine gold tip hunters. Notice the bareshaft.

I want to shoot heavier heads, but they fly way right.

 

[Bender]

Bowmania's reference is a good start. (BTW thank Bow mania! )

Just in the future remember that it is practically unheard of for 2 different bows to tune identically and take the exact same arrow. ESPECIALLY when comparing two different makes/models.

Now it can happen, but it is rather more a matter of luck.

 

[jawmarq]

For sure, I figured within one spine range and a few hundred grains though. That's what seems off to me. I'm going to get a 500 shaft and throw lots of weight up front to see if I'm getting a false weak reading on the other 2 bows somehow.

 

[jawmarq]

I figured it out!

Well, on the ilf at least. After shooting group after group of the 300s bare shaft hitting with fletched, I planned on just keeping it like that. I then added some rubber cat whiskers to quiet it down a bit. Shot afterwards and my fletched arrows were kicking hard left. Shot a bare shaft way left. Added some weight up front still way left. Dropped all the way down to a 400 bareshaft with 220 up front, same as my arrows for the border, and was showing just a bit stiff. Trimmed about 1/4" off the ends of the cat whiskers, and voila. Shooting dead on bare and fletched.
I never would've thought a little weight on the string would play such a GIANT role.