MilDotMaster

I learned something new yesterday. No need to get into the details, but do you believe higher FOC percentage arrows can mask tuning problems that have not been addressed?

I’m thinking of using FOC of 6% so the arrow accuracy, or lack there of, reveals my tuning problems. Then once I get the tuning problems resolved and I’m getting the 6% FOC arrows flying true, taking it one step further and adding a higher percentage of FOC to build in extra forgiveness to my set-up. Basically using the lower FOC to force the archer to find the best tuning of his equipment. I’m thinking that you can get great accuracy from doing this, plus adding a little more FOC to build in forgiveness, vs. just going straight to a high FOC and masking tuning issues. What are your thoughts?

Arthur P

Not sure it'd work that way, MilDot... Changing the FOC would change the dynamic spine of the arrow (stiff with lowFOC and weaker at your intended FOC)and could very well force you to redo the tune.

MilDotMaster

Good point, but let me ask it this way.

To clarify the percentages, I’m talking about going from 6% FOC to 8.5% FOC…not a very big jump in FOC.

Lets say I had arrows that were slightly over spined with a 6% FOC shooting great. I then purposely did something to put my equipment out of tune/time and the accuracy went away. Then with leaving my bow “out of tune” I installed a heavier tip on those very same arrows and got the accuracy back. To me that sounds like the higher FOC was a patch for the real problem. Right or wrong?

newman1

MDM,for someone who said a bow is silly,you sure seem to be worried to death about it.take a break get a cup of coffee and relax.If you smell smoke don't worry it's just your brain shorting out from archery overload.

MilDotMaster

These are usually the kind of comments that get me all fired up, but I see your point, so today I will smile about it.

I just think I maybe on to something with these binary cam bows. I have been trying all kinds of crazy stuff in very small movements to see what it does to accuracy. In doing that, I have found a"sweet spot" for long range accuracy with tuning these babiesand I don't want to let it go. Right now I'm testing the range of that sweet spot and how much forgiveness that sweet spot has. So far it has been a knife edge. I'm trying to avoid a huge debate with getting to detailedwith the main issue. Believe me there is a reason to all this non-sense.

Do you have anything to add to the original question or did you just cometo this threadto have some fun and be a pain in the butt such as myself?

newman1

Actually i do.You said somewhere that you are shooting 3" groups at 60 yards or something like that.You obviously can shoot and have good form to achieve this,BUTi would think that in order to fully recognize any gain or loss in accuracy at long range while making these "very small movements" you would have to be using a Hooter Shooter.I can't imagine that you could duplicate the consistancy that a machine can.In terms i know you understand,just like when shooting for accuracy with a rifle there is no way you could hold the rifle steady enough to determine very much,which is why you use a bench.Same concept

Big John

I'm playing with FOC right now too. My target arrows are 3% FOC and my average with them is 585 on a 600 round. They shoot great, even out to 50 yards. They're 2213's with a 50 gr target point, nibb type with no insert. They paper tune perfect. I can't go with a higher FOC cause they spine poorly and fish tail, so I've got to step up arrow size right now and all I got are 2117's to play with. Want to play with 2412's, just may have to order some to pass the winter away.

Rick James

Honestly, just shoot the thing. It doesn't matter if the arrows go end over end 3x before hitting your target, as long as you do the same thing every time. Work on your form, your release, your back tension, and you will have much more margin for improvement from these things. I used to get soooo technical on things like this but after getting my butt handed to me repeatedly by guys that have 10 year old equipment, the wrong arrows, a $20 sight, etc I realized how very little equipment matters. Get it within reason and shoot it. Right now my spots bow is not even paper tuned, or group tuned, or anything like this, but it pounds spots when I do my part.

Arthur P

Possible. Not likely to happen, but possible. While the higher FOC does increase the arrow's stability, I think it'd have more to do with whatever you did to put the bow out of tune making it need a softer arrow spine.

I think it was one of the Ragsdales who won Vegas one yearwith a bow he later found out was terribly out of tune. So an out of tune bow can shoot accurately. No telling how bad the arrows would fly getting there and what angle they'd stick in the target once they got there though.

Paul L Mohr

I think it was Terry. It was when paper tuning was becoming all the rage. I guess he tried it and put this big old rip in the paper. There was another case I read about where a female archer won a national event I think and turned out her dual cam bow was so out of whack it had to roll over points, one at her draw length and another a few inches later. She had such good form she never noticed it.

I firmly believe that archery is 99 percent the archer and 1% the equipment. People just like to blame thier equipment for thier inconsistancies from shot to shot. Tuning is more important with with a hunting set up though.

Higher FOC and lots of fletching makes for very forgiving arrows up close like 20-40 yards. The two combined help stabilize the arrow fairly fast. With longer range stuff you can get away with low FOC and small fletchings because he arrow has more time to stabilize in flight. It also helps with the trajectory because of drag.

At least that is how I always understood it, and it seems to work for me.

Paul