Nock
A nock is the rear-end fitting that snaps onto the bowstring and locates the arrow on the rest before and during the shot. It accepts the string in a precision-cut throat and provides a consistent reference point for indexing fletching orientation. Nock types include pin nocks, press-fit nocks, and over-nocks.Details
Pin nocks are the most common system on modern target arrows. A small steel or aluminum pin is pressed into a bushing at the rear of the shaft; the nock body snaps onto the pin rather than directly into the carbon. This lets archers replace a cracked nock without touching the shaft — critical for expensive shafts where a replaceable component protects the investment. Easton categorizes pin nock sizes as G (for standard diameter), H (for X10 and similar), and S (for small-diameter ProTour shafts). Matching the pin size and throat letter is essential; the wrong size nock on the correct pin will spin, stick, or simply fall off.
Press-fit nocks sit directly inside the rear ID of the shaft without a separate pin — the nock body is sized to friction-fit into the carbon tube. They are common on hunting arrows and entry-level target shafts where component replaceability is less critical. Over-nocks slip over the outside of a sleeve or outsert at the rear of the shaft and are used primarily on micro-diameter hunting builds where the shaft ID is too small for any press-fit nock to seat properly.
Throat fit is the most performance-critical dimension of nock selection. The throat should produce an audible, positive click when pressed onto the string — a mechanical confirmation of engagement — and release cleanly with consistent light pressure. A throat that grips the string too tightly creates drag at release and can cause the nock to travel with the string momentarily instead of releasing cleanly, producing erratic groups. A throat that is too loose allows the nock to fall off the string during draw, a safety hazard.
Indexing the nock correctly aligns the cock vane perpendicular to the string plane for a right-hand or left-hand setup. On a recurve or compound with a vertical string, the cock vane points away from the riser at approximately 90 degrees to the string. After setting the orientation, many archers use a small dab of nock cement — different from fletching glue — to lock the nock against rotation without bonding it permanently to the pin, preserving replaceability.
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Common questions
- What is the difference between pin nocks and press-fit nocks?
- Pin nocks snap onto a small metal pin pressed into a bushing at the rear of the shaft. They are replaceable without touching the shaft — if a nock cracks, you swap only the nock body. Press-fit nocks insert directly into the shaft's rear ID; replacing them requires pulling the nock out, which risks damaging the carbon. For high-value target shafts that take repeated string impacts, pin nocks are the standard choice. For hunting arrows, press-fit or pin nocks are both common depending on shaft diameter.
- How tight should a nock fit on the string?
- The nock should click onto the string audibly and hold the arrow under its own weight when the bow is inverted — but release cleanly when the string is pulled away with a consistent light force. If the nock hangs on the string noticeably during release or causes the arrow to fishtail immediately after the shot, the throat is too tight. If the arrow slides off the string with the bow slightly tilted, the fit is too loose. Most bow shops carry throat gauges, or you can test fit with a known-good string diameter reference.
- Why does nock indexing matter?
- Indexing determines which vane faces up (toward the shelf) as the arrow sits on the rest. On a drop-away rest, the cock vane typically points away from the riser — perpendicular to the string plane — so the two hen vanes don't contact the launcher arms. On a shoot-through blade rest, the orientation matters even more because the nock position determines whether the cock or a hen vane passes through the blade gap. Mis-indexed nocks produce inconsistent rest clearance, which shows up as scattered groups even when everything else is properly tuned.