Question about arrow flight......Corkscrewing?

Joined
Oct 27, 2021
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got the 1959 Kodiak Repo rigged up....at my draw its pulling about 53-54# at my draw.

Ordered 12 Black Eagle instinct arrows, 400 spine with the 100 grain outsert up front, 150 grain point and left full length. by my calculations its about 550 grains overall.

This is the same arrow in 400 spine that I shoot in my 48# Grizzly with 500 spine. They fly like darts out of the grizzly.

My question:

Few things different about this bow...for one it has a feather rest vs. the off the shelf design of the grizzly. took a little bit to get used to but it works fine. I also had to fletch these arrows in a different color pattern than the other. I'll get back to this point later.


When shooting this it appears that the back end corkscrews in flight, counter clockwise. I'm shooting a right helical fletch. the arrows go where i intend them so accuracy isn't an issue. Not every single arrow appears to do this but I'd say 1 out of 3. Broadhead tested it and it flys right where i want it too.


I read online and didn't find much help.....I bring up fletching color because a few people had the same issue and a common answer was it was a optical illusion due to the contrast in fletching color ( mine are pink and a "peacock" color that is mainly white, with a teal wrap ) and its not actually corkscrewing.


Anyone have any insight on this?
 
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Sounds like you are having release issues. Slow mo video is the ticket to see what it is doing for sure. Between slo-mo videoing and bareshafting that should tell you everything you need to see.
 

nevadabugle

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Strip the feathers off one. Shoot the bareshaft with fletcher arrows in several groups. It will tell you what's going on. If they fly true like the fletched then it's something you are doing. If they fly like crap, then you know it's your tune.

Feathers can hide all kinds of poor tuning issues. The bareshaft is the truth serum.
 

Hawkeye29

Lil-Rokslider
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I will say I do notice a visual affect with different follow fletchings. I’m shooting a white and pink combo (girlfriend needed a different spine that came fletched) and a few all white and a few all pink. The only ones a notice flying “weird” are the ones with the one pink and two white fletchings. All that said if I don’t break a clean shot they can do some funky things in the air.
 

smoke

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As others have said, either have someone stand behind you and watch or (and this is preferred) have them record the arrow from behind you. If it is in fact happening, I suspect your spine is the issue. Let us know what you discover!
 

TX_Diver

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Are your arrows numbered? Same arrow doing it every time? Or multiple arrows occasionally doing the same thing?

If the arrows aren't numbered consider numbering each one and see if there is a single arrow that's giving you trouble.
 

Warmsy

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Sounds like you are having release issues. Slow mo video is the ticket to see what it is doing for sure. Between slo-mo videoing and bareshafting that should tell you everything you need to see.
Yeah my arrows seem to do that when I pluck the string... I almost wonder if the heavier draw weight is causing you to release differently. Like a reactionary force thing.
 
B

Brando'

Guest
What is your draw length?
Strip the feathers off one. Shoot the bareshaft with fletcher arrows in several groups. It will tell you what's going on. If they fly true like the fletched then it's something you are doing. If they fly like crap, then you know it's your tune.

Feathers can hide all kinds of poor tuning issues. The bareshaft is the truth serum.
I do the same but with field points and broad heads. I don't bother with bare shafts anymore. I have wasted days and days bare shaft tuning. I have poor shooting form so it's impossible. I rely on heavy arrows and once I get the broad heads and field points tuned up I never have issues.
 

nevadabugle

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What is your draw length?

I do the same but with field points and broad heads. I don't bother with bare shafts anymore. I have wasted days and days bare shaft tuning. I have poor shooting form so it's impossible. I rely on heavy arrows and once I get the broad heads and field points tuned up I never have issues.
I guess if that works for you keep doing it.

I don't want to sound like a know it all and please don't take this the wrong way. But if your form is so bad you can't get a bareshaft to reliably fly, you are just hiding form issues with feathers.

Please disregard if you are happy with the results. But in my mind you gotta sort out form first, then tuning.

Cheers
 
B

Brando'

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I guess if that works for you keep doing it.

I don't want to sound like a know it all and please don't take this the wrong way. But if your form is so bad you can't get a bareshaft to reliably fly, you are just hiding form issues with feathers.

Please disregard if you are happy with the results. But in my mind you gotta sort out form first, then tuning.

Cheers
Could I shoot with an Olympic archer? Nope. Could I be competitive with any recreational shooter or hunter? Yep. And that's good enough for me. Not sure who said it (maybe Asbell), but if you do the same thing every time you will get good. My form is good for my shooting style and repeatable in hunting situations. Even with soaking wet fletching it works well for me and saves me a lot of headache and time trying to bareshaft. Been doing it this way a long time and I know better than try and fix what isn't broken.
 

nevadabugle

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Could I shoot with an Olympic archer? Nope. Could I be competitive with any recreational shooter or hunter? Yep. And that's good enough for me. Not sure who said it (maybe Asbell), but if you do the same thing every time you will get good. My form is good for my shooting style and repeatable in hunting situations. Even with soaking wet fletching it works well for me and saves me a lot of headache and time trying to bareshaft. Been doing it this way a long time and I know better than try and fix what isn't broken.
I guess if it ain't broke...

Cheers man.
 

ScottinPA

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Key piece of info missing my opinion (or maybe in missed it in the replies) = drawlength. Without that my gut feel is arrow spine is weak. Too much weight up front and too long of an arrow shaft.

I'd start with Stu's spine calculator, that should get you close depending on form. From that I'd bareshaft. Shoot 3 fletched and 3 identical except for the feather cut off, leave the quill on the shaft. Start close, 7 yds, and read what that tells you.

If your form is bad, stay with the light bow until you have it better.
 
OP
Txtrophy85
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Oct 27, 2021
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Scottin'

My draw is 26".

I shot the bow bareshaft and it seems it was nock high and right.

Someone suggested i drop to 125" points and try that. That would get me a Total arrow weight of 528 grains....what are your thoughts?
 

ledflight

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If you have any recent model smart phone you can get good HD slow motion video of your shots. Take a bunch from different angles and watch what is really happening and share if you like!
 
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