Use the bare shafts. Nock tuning is used to find the point where the shaft makes a bullet hole. Just shoot and rotate. Also you may find an untrue nock or a shaft that is not square.
When the desired hole is achieved mark the shaft where the cock vane will go.
This process is easy and will be of benefit to accuracy.
The next step is bare haft at distance compared to fletched.

 

I also nock tune with bare shafts. Just shoot through paper and rotate the nock a little at a time until you get bullet holes. Recently bought a used Reign 7 mounted all my accessories, eyeballed center shot and bare shaft nock tuned. Got bullet holes didn't have to move my rest or add/remove twists in the cable. As mentioned don't forget to mark where the cock vane will go!

 

Nock tuning can be as simple as turning the nock to the next vane. This was way back when buying fletched arrows or had a shop fletch my arrows. I used 20 yards, shot and found which arrows grouped to wanted point of impact. Checked again and then turned nock of the arrows that didn't impact close. 3 fletchings, 3 places for the nock to turn to. Found the best. Some times indexing the nock so it was 180 out and shot over. Some times installed a new nock.

With quality arrows, .001" and.0025" for straightness, I very rarely nock tune. I don't square arrow ends, but have my arrow saw set for best cut and know how to turn the arrow for that best cut.

 

I do it a little different. Now I buy Victory Vaps that are spine tested and marked. But I still do my nock tuning method to make sure that all the arrows group. I use the same color for all three fletches. I place nocks exactly the same for all arrows. Then I shoot all the arrows at a spot on the 80 yard target. I take all arrows that hit out of the group, and I turn the nock to the next vane and shoot again.

If any arrow refuses to move into the group, I will change out the nock. I will do this until all arrows will stay in the group. 15 years ago, I would do this until all the arrows stayed in the spot and I would test the arrows at 100 yards. A lot less steps than mentioned above, but I am lazy and I am happy when all arrows hit where I aim them. My method will spine tests the arrows and checks the nocks at the same time. It also takes about 1/2 hour and I want to say that this is my method and I am not saying that everyone should do it. Do what ever works for you and some people enjoy spending hours tuning a bow. Remember if you want to try this, it is is done last after all other tuning is done.

 

I should have waited a couple of minutes as SonnyThomas beat me to it.

 

At what distance are you paper tuning?

 

My Black Eagle shafts come with nocks indexed all to the same orientation with the labeling so I start with the same orientation for the cock vane (all same color) though I replace the nocks with pin nocks and turn the pin nock bushings and glue in point on the Ram spine tester to get the least run out. Once built. I'll take 3 or so of the straightest arrows and shoot them through paper at 6 yards. If they all tear the same, I'll tune the bow to those arrows, then I'll shoot all arrows through paper and any non bullet holes, I'll turn the nocks till they do, or if I cant get 1 arrow to shoot a bullet, I'll try shooting it with cock vane down through the 3 positions. Any arrows that won't shoot bullets after all that go into the penalty box.

 

# 1 - number your arrows
# 2 - set up a paper plate at the longest distance at which you can keep your shots on the plate.
# 3 - Work on your form, but keep track of any arrow that consistently won't group with the others.

Any arrows that consistently land outside of the group, try twisting the nock, 2 or 3 times if necessary. If you still can't get it to group, remove the fletching and nock. Then rebuild it with new fletching and nock and do it again.

If it still won't group, then set it aside for a tomato stake.

This is not a quick, one day type thing. I'll spend a couple of weeks on this before I'm satisfied. A mechanical shooter might make this quicker, but then I wouldn't be shooting my bow.

Allen

 

lots of good info already, but ill add some things and repeat others that are extra important. then hopefully eric chimes in, nock tuning is one of his areas of expertise.

1. number your arrows
2. keeping them bareshaft is easiest
3. i built with skateboard bearings an arrow flexer thing-a-majig. it bends the arrows and the stiffest part spins up. i mark that with a silver sharpie and start with that in the up position.
4. shoot them as previously directed
5. its kind of an average of averages game, its easier the smaller number of arrows you have, but i do a dozen or so at a time. shoot them all and average the tears, if they all tear the same, adjust yokes/rest. if a few tear the wrong way, twist those nocks, i usually start 180 degrees from my mark if the mark doesnt work
6. .001s it doesnt matter much, .003s(your XTs) it depends on how cooperative that batch is, and .006 it can make a big difference

 

I don’t like fletching first and then only having 3 vanes. I’ve tried that and most times my best spot is between vanes and I just want my cock vane on top.

 

I don’t know how to post a link but Tim Gillingham has a video where he shows nock tuning shooting arrows through paper. It’s been shown here on AT before. Good vid and he explains it well. Maybe someone can post it.

 

I recently mounted my EZ green press vertically to my work bench.

Removed nock and replaced with insert and FP now I have FP on both ends.
Make center punch mark in the crease in fingers.
Install arrow in between fingers so it is barely being held in place.
Quickly compress arrow in press see which way it bends.
Release arrow and spin a little and see if it bends in same location do this a couple of times.
Put a mark on shaft with silver sharpie, I put it in the inside of bend.
Check flight by shooting or fletch them up.
Some may not agree on this process but it seems to work for me.

 

Dan McCarthy does same thing. I can see where it makes perfect sense. If I had a press, which fixing to get one, I’d be doing the same thing. Some say floating them in water doesn’t work, but last time I refletched my xcutters I floated them and cock vanes were different on all 12 from where they had previously been fletched and I got the best groups ever with those arrows after that. Regardless of what system you use as long as every arrow is done the same way makes a big difference.

 

Does it still make sense to nock tune if your arrows are spine indexed?

 

In my experience, spine indexing is a great place to start, but you can get it a little better by shooting it in.

Allen

 

I shoot them as bareshafts. Step back to 30 or what ever your comfortable with, and shoot them at a small dot. Ones that don't hit bullseye I turn nock and shoot again. Till I get them all hitting bull's-eyes at 30 yards and then I'll go fletch them up.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

 

I just got a dz Victory Vaps that are spine tested and marked. I had to turn two of the nocks of the dz to keep all arrows in the group at 80 yds. Shot the arrows several times and had the two arrows fly out of the group every time. I also number the arrow on the shaft with a silver sharpie. After nock tuning, I will mark the number on the cock vane and remove the number off the shaft. I don't want the number to end up on the hen vane after turning the nock, as this could cause me to load the arrow wrong on the rest.

I am a lazy tuner and my method works fine as it keeps all my arrows in the spot unless I make a bad shot. I have never tried the longer, more involved methods, so I don't know if there is any advantage. But I am sure that at the worse, you will end up the same as me and at the best, you will keep all your arrows in the X. So spend a few days on nock tuning after spending a few days with normal tuning and see if your groups are any better. Just remember that the goal is to keep all your arrows in the spot out to 100 yds. Not to have the cleanest hole in paper at 40 yards with a bare shaft.