# How do I tell if an arrow is centered?



## AllenRead (Jan 12, 2004)

Many would disagree about the laser being the best and most accurate way to center your arrow which is usually referred to as "centershot". IMO it is no better than just eyeballing it.

Go to the Easton website and download their tuning guide. It will give you the information that you need to set up your bow. And you don't have to spend a lot of money on equipment.

Also, most manufacturers provide a dimension from the riser that is very close to centershot. On Mathews, it's 13/16". I'm not sure of the others.

Good luck,
Allen


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## bassman409 (Jul 19, 2006)

Shoot some arrows through paper at 4 feet and look at the tears!


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## white00crow (May 8, 2005)

If you eyeball it the arrow should be in the center of you linb bolts and middle of your stablizer, Also paper tune would help. All you need is card board cut out and some news paper, to tune it this way.


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## Corsair (Nov 21, 2005)

This is what I do using a bow square and it works fine:









Good luck


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## Top Cat (Jun 22, 2002)

Corsair said:


> This is what I do using a bow square and it works fine:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I do exactly what Corsair does and it works fine for me also. Just my 2 cents but I think paper tuning is a big waste of time.


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## Lawrence Archer (Feb 5, 2007)

Paper tuning works well, just send a few arrows through a sheet, check the tears, and adjust accordingly.


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## red44 (Apr 11, 2005)

As you can see there's more than one way to skin a cat. I shoot fletched and bare shafts at a reasonable distance, say 15-25 yards, and compare. If they're not together, for left/right I move fletched to bare shafts (move the rest to the bare shafts). IMO you can't always use a gauge or a strict measurement except as a starting point. As stated Mathews recomends 13/16", I think Hoyt 3/4". I usually eyeball and start my shooting pretty close to the target.
Many have good luck using the walk back method. Try a search for that and I'm sure you'll get a few hits.


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## Top Cat (Jun 22, 2002)

Lawrence Archer said:


> Paper tuning works well, just send a few arrows through a sheet, check the tears, and adjust accordingly.


And that will tell you if your arrow is straight at that distance. That dosen't mean it didn't tail left then tail right and hit the paper at mid wobble!


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## red44 (Apr 11, 2005)

Paper should tell him if something is real bad though. A 2-3" tear is'nt likely to recover. The one thing about it though is paper tuning is sensitive to shooter flaws. Thats why I'd use it as a starter and move on to another method. If your form is very consistant and release is clean you may do fine with it.


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## Spotshooter2 (Oct 23, 2003)

As Red44 said , do the walkback test for your center shot


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## boojo35 (Jul 16, 2005)

Top Cat said:


> And that will tell you if your arrow is straight at that distance. That dosen't mean it didn't tail left then tail right and hit the paper at mid wobble!


Well said..... the bow square method works well..... the calibrated eyeball method works well too...... A bow has to be pretty messed up to not shoot well.... it is usually the shooter that isnt tuned.....


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## Ed Bock (Apr 1, 2006)

*And finally -*

go to the range and shoot at 20, 30, 40, and maybe 50 yards and see if you still center the target left to right! Years ago, sometimes you could see guys with their pins running out like the edge of a Christmas tree - center shot needed to be fine tuned!!


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## vietvet50 (Oct 18, 2006)

*centershot*

If You have a bass pro archery specialist catalog go to page 55 it is just below the laser type tuning tool I used My buddies and then ordered one for Myself. have any of You folks used this type tool it is inexpensive and tells the story. just My opinion thanks.... Ron


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## vietvet50 (Oct 18, 2006)

*wish I had seen that*

corsair I wish I had seen the thing with the square before. _ just ordered a tool made of wire I'm sure You seen them but the square use is a great Idea thanks to You and the other gentelmen I will pass that idea on if You don't mind....Thanks Ron_


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## frost_reaver (Aug 17, 2006)

I stick an allen wrench into each of the limb bolts and stretch a long rubber band so it loops over each allen wrench. Then I insert an arrow into the bow, making sure it goes between the sides of the rubber band. I then nock the arrow on the string and position my rest so that is in the firing or up position (I shoot a drop away, so I push it up until it hits the stop). Make sure the arrow is still nocked and set it in the rest. If you have good centershot, the arrow will fit between the sides of the rubber band and put the same amount of pressure on each side of it. If you use a weak rubber band, the difference is really obvious. Move the rest accordingly so that the arrow is between the bands or pushing against them evenly and you should be extremely close. After all that, I paper tune.


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## Corsair (Nov 21, 2005)

*vietvet 50*

You're most welcome.


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