I am having arrow problems!!! I need help.

[rahl]

This is my first year of bowhunting.  I bought a used Matthews Switchback.  I started off using 300 grain vital impact arrows from Sportsman Wharehouse.  I shot quite a bit this summer with 100 grain field tips and was sighted in dead on at 60 yrds with no worries.  About a month and a half before the season started I went to buy 6 new arrows and my first broadheads.  I bought the same arrows but the fletching had changed from the previous arrows that I had bought.  The fletching was shorter but they were supposed to be more accurate at longer distances.  The broad heads I bought were Shuttle T Lock with replacable blades.  They tuned the arrows in the store to the broadheads.  When I got them home they flew like wounded ducks.  All over the place.  I brought them back and they re-tuned them with the same results.  I ended up taking my old arrows, of which I only had 4 left, and attaching the broadheads to them.  They flew great!  I now have only 3 of those arrows left and they don't make that arrow with the long fletching anymore.  Anybody got any ideas?  Should I buy a heavier grained arrow or is it the broadheads?   It is an expensive proposition to start buying new arrows and broadheads.  Any suggestions would be helpful.  Thanks.    

[upandcoming]

I use that same setup as you tryed with the shuttle t locks and short fletchings and haave no probs. but what you could do is try getting your arrows refletched at a bow shop. and see if it was the longer fletchings that caused your prob. Well thats my two cents good luck with your shootin.
Brandon

[all4elk]

if your short fletching are blazers they are a little taller so they might be hitting your rest or something coming out of the bow.I shoot the blazers  with no problems with 100 grains broadheads

[royaltine]

Take your  bow and arrows into Sportsmans in Missoula and give it to Paul - not anyone else.  He will get your problem straitened out.

[Steve]

When I shot a compound, I'd shoot it through paper, and watch what the tear looked like.  You want a small hole.  Your rest may need to go in or out.  Your knocking pt. may be too high or low.  You probably already know this. 

The right fletching is important.  Longer fletching offers more stability.  I know some who use feathers rather than plastic vanes.

The faster your bow, the more critical the tuning process.

I always shot fingers, but you can get a cleaner more consistent release with a mechanical release.  With the new fast bows, a mechanical release might be necassary.

It can be very frustrating trying to get the right combination, but rewarding when everything is tuned just right. 

There's a huge difference between broadheads and target pts.

Having someone help you with this tuning process is good advice.

[KILLERBEE]

bout all i can say is you have a Mathews Switchback...   it's a great bow and probably a "simple" fix! after reading through the posts, i kinda agree with ALL4ELK, it seems you might be hitting your flethching. but take it to a GOOD archery guy and he'll take care of you!

[rahl]

Thanks all for the advice.  Being a rookie at this, I can use all that I can get.  I'll be headed back in to the pro shop. As far as adjusting the rest, do you just go back or forth until you get it to shoot well or is there a better approach?

[Steve]

I shoot a recurve now, and it's been a long time since I've tuned a compound, but If I remember right, this is what I used to do.  This will help your arrow flight considerably.

To test if a rest is the right distance out from the riser, I'll shoot through paper.  Pound a couple sticks in the ground directly in front of you target butt.  Staple some paper onto these sticks, stretching the paper out tight.  Newspaper works okay.  Kneel down and shoot an arrow through this paper from a distance of about three feet.

If I remember right it will work best with an arrow without fletching. 

If things are tuned right, there should be a neat hole.  If the tear is to the left from the entrance hole, your rest should go out.  If the tear is in the other direction your rest should go in.

If the tear is tail high, your knocking pt. should go down.  If the tear is tail low, raise your knocking pt.

The correct spine of your arrows is important.  If your arrows are spined wrong, this introduces another set of problems.

You may need to experiment with different broadheads, spines, and fletchings to get a combination you like.

I know what you're going through.  There's nothing more frustrating than watching your arrows corkscrew around with broadheads.

A fletching tool is a handy thing to have.  I bought an Arizona Easy Fletch a while back.  It works well.  There may be better ones out there.  This is the only one I've used.

[Big Gun]

I shoot a matthews drenalin and had lots of problems with arrow flight. Matthews makes a great bow its just tough with any bow to get it shooting where your happy with it. Check your fletchings to see if they are leaving black marks on them. This will tell you where they are hitting if they are. If they arent hitting anything you might just need to fine tune your bow in case the arrow is coming of the riser wrong. I found the best way was to take an arrow and remove all the fletchings and shoot it at a target at ten yards. Look which way the knock is facing from where the arrow hit the target. If its high then move you riser up if its low lower it and same for left and right. If your bow is properly tuned you should be able to shoot an arrow with no fletchings and consistently shoot straight into the target and group. The other thing is if your arrows are to light they may not stabilize properly or hit something when you release. I have only been shooting for three years and am no expert but this definitely helped me.