So I have been having one heck of a time getting my arrows to group after getting my new bow. I was previously shooting a High Country Supreme passed down from my father and was driving tacks with it. After deciding I would like a newer and quieter bow that was set up for me, I chose the Hoyt Rampage XT. I love the bow but I have been dealing with one thing after the next. First, the shop where I ordered it ordered the wrong draw length, which I was unaware for a week or so. Bow felt off and I was uncomfortable shooting it with poor results. Got that figured out and was tearing up fletchings through a whisker biscuit after relatively few shots, which I thought was a clearance problem. Used lipstick on the front an side of the riser shelf but couldn't find any on the arrow/vanes. Went back to the bow shop, the owner telling me the marks on the arrows were "normal" and he wasn't worried about them. Also said I should buy better quality arrows (I was shooting Cabela's Carbon Hunter 340s) So I purchased Easton N-fused Bloodline 330s with 2 inch vanes. Still not grouping consistently and leaving marks on the factory cresting 5 inches in front of the vanes and leaving a black mark on the vane in the 8 oclock position (looking at the nock). Back to the shop...owner still said he wasn't worried but he would check for clearance but come back next week as he was out of the powder. At this point I was fed up and haven't been back. A new store opened closer to me (Academy Outdoors) that has a bow range and staff. So I took the bow there for them to look over. They made a few minor adjustments and tried to paper tune it with my arrows before they decided to try a different shaft. They said my arrows were too weak, and that a cheaper and stiffer Carbon Express shaft (can't remember name, not on website, saw the shaft myself) made a better tear. When I took the bow home my groups were miles better, so good I cannot shoot groups now after busting two nocks. I also definitely notice the arrow tailing right as it flies to the target, though. I thought my spine choice was fine based on easton's charts, but could I possibly be underspined at 330? I am currently drawing 65lbs @ 30". Arrows are cut to 28.75" with 100 gr field points and no added weights. I tried plugging all this into OnTarget2 but I don't have any experience with this program and wasn't able to obtain any useful results. Any help would be appreciated..thanks in advance!
65 lbs, 28.75 inch arrow, 100 grain point, .330 spine... you should be good to go. Have you thought about going to a drop away rest? they are much more consistent. Also, have YOU tried to paper tune it? You are the shooter. You may also have a torquing issue. Make sure you check this as well. Changing arrow brand doesn't make any sense to me, the bloodline is a good arrow, sounds like they were just wanting to make a sale.
The bloodline is a great arrow. The Cabela's arrows are good straight arrows but the fletchings are more of a rubber type and tear through a biscuit easily. The blazer vanes are made more of a plastic base and are a more durable. I know this might be a dumb question to ask you but are you knocking the cock vane up or down. If you are using a biscuit you need to have the off colored vane pointed up or you will make contact with the harder black part of the biscuit which will tear up your vanes and cause a funny arrow flight. I only mention this because a lot of people do not know that the off colored vane must point up with a biscuit you may already know this. GOOD LUCK
Thanks for the input guys I would love to paper tune it myself, but I don't have to the materials necessary at the moment. The guys at Academy said I could come back and shoot it through paper anytime, just haven't been able to make it back there yet. I almost bought a Ripcord Code Red drop away when I purchased the bow, but opted for the Whisker Biscuit for the full-containment and for less chance for something to go wrong, kind of wishing I had went the other way now. To me, based on the marks on the arrows and the way the whiskers in the rest are bending, it looks to me like the arrow was being pushed down and to the left before I took it to Academy. They adjusted the nocking point and rest, so that issue may have been solved...shooting clean arrows today and tomorrow to check that, but they are still tailing right. Also, I have never had an issue with torquing the bow. And YES the cock vane is in the 12 o'clock position.
What type of vane are you shooting? I've seen quickspins do some weird things when they come out of a biscuit.. Do you have an arrow with no fletchings on it? I would be curious to see if the arrow tails the same way on a bare shaft...
Shooting 2 inch blazers, no quick spins on these arrows. Will have a bare shaft this weekend to shoot so I'll see how that goes.
