HELP! Shots randomly WAY off

[RocketHound]

Guys I really need some help!

Arrows are randomly dropping, in a consistent manner, 16-18 inches below the bull.

And I just know good and well I'm going to have a big buck in my sites and it's going to do this to me right then.

Backstory:
I've been shooting pretty consistently for the past three years.
I started off with a recurve and was determined to master the darned thing and got pretty good but decided last year it would be more ethical of me to take what I learned in terms of form and what not and apply that to a compound bow.

I bare shaft tuned and got the thing super accurate out to 30 yards.

Biggest thing I've learned is to hold the bow super light and let it do it's thing so I don't torque the shot.

I can shoot nock busting tight groups.

HOWEVER!!!

From time to time, and completely at random, a shot will drop 14-18 inches below the target.
And it's consistent in terms of where the arrow hits down there.
It's so consistent in fact that I've stuck an arrow in the end of another in that spot way below my target.
I've got a picture to prove it.

When it happens:

• Completely at random
• with fletching or bare shaft
• Any range
• I can hit 2 tight bulls then it drops one. (I generally only practice with 3 arrows)
• I can shoot 20 or so times perfectly with perfect form and nothing happens. Then, with the same form it will happen twice in 5 shots then not again the rest of the session.

I've been in IT for 25 years so troubleshooting is sorta my thing.
But this one has got me stumped and supper frustrated.

OK, here's my gear.
(nothing fancy)

Bow:

• Bear Cruiser RTH 64#
• 26.5 draw length
• Trigger release
• Kisser button
• peep site

Adult Arrows:

• 400 spine cut to 28'
• 200gr brass insert
• 150gr field points
• 4 fletch with slight offset
• Total arrow weight 620gr

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

[Chew]

Have you marked your arrows to see if it's certain ones that are hitting low? Does it seem to be at random times during your shooting session...or mainly later on in the session as opposed to early? Spin test all arrows to check for wobble?

[Drycreek3189]

Are you collapsing at the shot ? Film yourself or have someone watch you. Blind bale shooting also might help. Good luck !

[GarGuy]

You are dropping your bow arm. An6icipating the shot and shooting with your riser hand. I have done it a million times.

[bbqfan5909]

Form issue, keep practicing amigo. Make sure you follow through.

[PondPopper]

There is a 99.99% chance its you. The ocassion target panic..
Don't ask me how I know.

[Aggies96]

You might check your rest if it's a drop away. A few years back I had one that would randomly not drop and the arrow itself would knock it down. Would drop the arrow 9-10". Ended up having to have it rebuilt (for $25) by QAD. Also check the timing cord to make sure it set right - you might need to tighten it up a bit to make sure the rest comes to the correct cocking position.

[kd350]

If your hitting 2 then dropping one, more than likely trying to shoot the 3rd in the same spot and coming out of the peep to look. Could also be that arrow

[HighwayHunter]

HELP! Shots randomly WAY off

It could be you and in most cases I’d say it is the shooter. However in this case, your arrow is significantly under spine for the amount of weight you have on the front of the arrow. 400 spine arrows at 28” with 100 gr points is recommended. You have over tripled that. Part of the problem could be that you make two perfect shots and then one slight bit of torque or pressure escaping the shot could give you horrible arrow flight. This wouldn’t be as much of an issue if you had an arrow that was too stiff, as it wouldn’t be a safety issue. You said you’ve bare shaft tuned the bow out to 30, do you happen to have photos of the results? I’m not doubting it’s possible to bare shaft tune an under spine arrow however considering the amount of weight you have in front of the 400 spine I’m thinking that’s the issue.

Edit*: a .350 spine is recommended for a 28” arrow at 60-65# draw weight. Starting under spine, adding 250 grains past recommended.


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[GWHunter]

It could be you and in most cases I’d say it is the shooter. However in this case, your arrow is significantly under spine for the amount of weight you have on the front of the arrow. 400 spine arrows at 28” with 100 gr points is recommended. You have over tripled that. Part of the problem could be that you make two perfect shots and then one slight bit of torque or pressure escaping the shot could give you horrible arrow flight. This wouldn’t be as much of an issue if you had an arrow that was too stiff, as it wouldn’t be a safety issue. You said you’ve bare shaft tuned the bow out to 30, do you happen to have photos of the results? I’m not doubting it’s possible to bare shaft tune an under spine arrow however considering the amount of weight you have in front of the 400 spine I’m thinking that’s the issue.

Edit*: a .350 spine is recommended for a 28” arrow at 60-65# draw weight. Starting under spine, adding 250 grains past recommended

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☝🏼This exactly…. Judging by your “adult arrow” comment I’m assuming your a RF guy. If your gonna build one of those BS arrows you at least have to do it right!

[Sideler]

My guess is it has something to do with your rest.

[HighwayHunter]

[emoji1375]This exactly…. Judging by your “adult arrow” comment I’m assuming your a RF guy. If your gonna build one of those BS arrows you at least have to do it right!

Agreed. A lot of people watch his videos and don’t buy all the way in. I wouldn’t tell anyone they need to shoot over 550 grains TAW. When people go to their local shops 8/10 times when a customer wants to build an arrow against the techs advice they just let you make the mistake. The other 2/10 times the tech doesn’t know any better. OP, order a half dozen .260 spine easton axis, cut it down to 27.5”, throw a ten pound hammer on the front of it and shoot it. I’m willing to bet the misses disappear and you’ll be able to sling a bareshaft through a 1” pipe at 30 yards.


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[ShaBow]

Agree with others on too much weight up front for 400s. Could be causing an issue. What rest?

[RocketHound]

Thanks for all the suggestion gents!

Are you collapsing at the shot ?

I thought it was this too so I tried to duplicate the issue by collapsing a little on the shot. My shot placement was only about 4-6 inches below the bull. So i don't think that's it.

I'm shooting a whisker biscuit. I thought it might have been that too, but when it happened when I bare shaft tuned just as often so that rules out any fletching contact.

I could see that it might be a spine issue, but if that were the case, wouldn't it be happening more consistently?
This also happened when I was shooting 550ft arrows.

I had started marking my arrows to see if it might have been specific ones and it happens to any of them.
One thing I forgot to mention in my initial post:
When I bare shaft tune i use a really bright arrow wrap so i can see the flight characteristics better.
Once I was able to see the arrow fly out of the biscuit SUPER nock high.
I can see that this is the core issue as to what's going on. Coming out at such a steep angle of attack would cause it to fly that low once aerodynamics overtake the forward propelling force of the bowstring.

Torque could be a culprit too, but again, I've learned the value of how light to hold the bow, and it happens when I'm making an extra effort to hold it perfectly.
It often surprises me considering how well my other shots are landing at the time when it happens.

How far off the arrows are hitting can't be overstated. I have one of those Rinehart 18-1 ball targets sitting on a bail of hay that's sitting on its edge. I can nail 2 in the bull, then one of my "flyers" will slide under the bail the target is on. And that's literally where they go every time.

As I mentioned in my initial post, I shot a round of 5 arrows. 3 in the bull, two way below the target with one sticking in the other.

So it's super consistent when it happens. It's just completely random when it does.

[gumbl3]

Drop away rest.. had it happen to me too til I finally took it to a shop