# Proper Center Shot?



## Pa. Patriot (Oct 8, 2007)

In my experience the lazers, careful measuring and other tricks, tips and techniques will get you CLOSE. Sometimes even dead on.
BUT
Sometimes _true_ centershot isn't the optimal position.
The only way to reliably and accurately confirm and then adjust further if needed is with paper tuning. Which will also indicate other issues like improper spine and nock position.


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## jimposten (May 17, 2006)

I am a walkbacker:wink:

My rest setup process...

Eyball,
Bareshaft,
Walkback.
mark it for future reference.

JIM


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## stehawk (Aug 28, 2004)

bonez said:


> what is the proper way to find out the true center shot on a bow?



Walk back tuning--nuff said!

All the tools, lazers, and paper will only get you close. Do a search on here and learn how to properly do the walk back tuning-- you can't go wrong.:darkbeer: Plus, your center shot will be perfect.:wink: Bye the way, here's a thread where Nuts&Bolts explains it in detail-- he is the man!!! http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=357216&highlight=walk+back+tuning


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## Pa. Patriot (Oct 8, 2007)

I've been doing walkback AFTER paper. Am I wasting my time w/paper?


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## bonez (Aug 17, 2005)

yes ive heard of the walk back theory, but im wondering what everyone does as far as eyeballing it? where they eyeball the rest w/the riser or the center of the cam where the string follows during the draw process.


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## KenL (Dec 1, 2005)

yup what everyone said for "dynamic" center shot.

for static center shot (just sitting on the bench), try to find out from the manufacturer.

Hoyt bows for instance are 3/4" off the inside of the riser. For me....anything more than a click or two off from that measurement and I'll change something with my arrow.....


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## Unk Bond (Aug 1, 2004)

I like to place a piece of black eletrical tape at 20 yds indoors.In a horzonal position. And ajust the rest to the side of the tape the arrows are hitting.And when they are hitting or close to the tape i stop.Same thing can be done out doors with a plumb bob and strings. Then check your paper .Iam more for a group than a pretty hole.


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## stehawk (Aug 28, 2004)

Pa. Patriot said:


> I've been doing walkback AFTER paper. Am I wasting my time w/paper?


I don't think you're wasting time because paper also helps you get the nock point close (up & down). Walk back is strickly for center shot. I have a dual cam so I also do creep tuning. That sets the nock travel to where its very forgiving and close to perfect as well.:wink: You can do a search on here for creep tuning. You can also group tune--its on here too.:wink: Its fun to try them all and see which you like the best and which works for you. Ohh, I forgot to say that you can't creep tune a single cam bow.:sad: For me------ I just----

1. Eye ball set-up ---bare shaft at 5 yds--adjust rest and nocking point to get close to straight flight.

2. Walk back--fletched arrows

3. Creep tune--fletched arrows (single cam--group tune)

4. Sight in---start shooting off nocks!!!!!

Nothing is perfect in this world but this gets me going. More than one way to skin a rabbit!!!:darkbeer:


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## stehawk (Aug 28, 2004)

bonez said:


> yes ive heard of the walk back theory, but im wondering what everyone does as far as eyeballing it? where they eyeball the rest w/the riser or the center of the cam where the string follows during the draw process.




By eyeballing it I start with the rest --- online with the burger hole-- nock point 90 degree from there. Yes, line up the rest, string, and center line of the bow or measure the distance from the inside of the riser to the arrow (if you know the distance). Most are different-- I think it was mentioned--Hoyt 3/4"---Mathews 13/16---Some but not all Martins 7/8.
Plus, I don't consider it a walkback tuning a theory--it works--and has been proven. In a perfect world you can shoot at 10yd--20--30--40---400yds and all your arrows will be online -- just lower in elevation. When you get this accomplished I think you'll see that the string, rest, sight, etc all line up. Thats the purpose of walk back tuning. If you can't accomplish that --then your rest (center shot) is off or you have some other problems that need to be taken care of. :wink:


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## PIC2 (Feb 13, 2006)

*Some Great Advice*



stehawk said:


> By eyeballing it I start with the rest --- online with the burger hole-- nock point 90 degree from there. Yes, line up the rest, string, and center line of the bow or measure the distance from the inside of the riser to the arrow (if you know the distance). Most are different-- I think it was mentioned--Hoyt 3/4"---Mathews 13/16---Some but not all Martins 7/8.
> Plus, I don't consider it a walkback tuning a theory--it works--and has been proven. In a perfect world you can shoot at 10yd--20--30--40---400yds and all your arrows will be online -- just lower in elevation. When you get this accomplished I think you'll see that the string, rest, sight, etc all line up. Thats the purpose of walk back tuning. If you can't accomplish that --then your rest (center shot) is off or you have some other problems that need to be taken care of. :wink:


 Totally in agreement with steps per *stehawk*. Only variation I would add would be for finger shooter to start initial set-up with tip of arrow just slightly left of bow centerline for right hand shooter or just slightly right of bow centerline for left handed shooter. (When lining up the string, bow centerline, and tip of arrow from the behind the string, back of the bow). You may also find if setting up a Mathews that 13/16" centershot that they recommend to be somewhat accurate for some models and a little strong for others. I also agree that paper tuning is key in determining correct nock height, following with bareshaft and walk back tuning to dial in your centershot and final fine tuning. I would also recommend not spending too much time with paper tuning other than to primarily get your nock height correct. Bareshaft and walkback tuning is what will really dial you in.:wink:


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## dtrkyman (Jul 27, 2004)

nok an arrow then place another arrow against the inside of the sight window and press it against it just above the nocked arrow. start with them parralell then walk back tune from there.


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## fletched (May 10, 2006)

dtrkyman said:


> nok an arrow then place another arrow against the inside of the sight window and press it against it just above the nocked arrow. start with them parralell then walk back tune from there.


Good advise, that is what I do. It will get you very close if not dead on.


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## parkerboy1989 (Dec 13, 2007)

*no eyeballing*

level your bow so that your string is perpendicular to the ground, then put an allen wrench in your top limb bolt and hang a string with a weight on the end. the string will hang down the perfect center of you bow and then paper tune from there. because the perfect center is almost never the best spot for your bow. eastman make a tool called the e-z tuner that does this without be leveled so you don't need a bow holder. but you have to have 3/16 limb bolts, so this tool will not work on bows like, bowtech, diamond, guide series. etc. let me know if that helps otherwise i have other tricks.


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## stehawk (Aug 28, 2004)

parkerboy1989 said:


> level your bow so that your string is perpendicular to the ground, then put an allen wrench in your top limb bolt and hang a string with a weight on the end. the string will hang down the perfect center of you bow and then paper tune from there. because the perfect center is almost never the best spot for your bow. eastman make a tool called the e-z tuner that does this without be leveled so you don't need a bow holder. but you have to have 3/16 limb bolts, so this tool will not work on bows like, bowtech, diamond, guide series. etc. let me know if that helps otherwise i have other tricks.


That's OK if you just want it close---you have to shoot your bow to tune it correctly.---nuff said.:darkbeer:


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## GroundhogCK (Nov 6, 2006)

stehawk said:


> By eyeballing it I start with the rest --- online with the burger hole-- nock point 90 degree from there. Yes, line up the rest, string, and center line of the bow or measure the distance from the inside of the riser to the arrow (if you know the distance). Most are different-- I think it was mentioned--Hoyt 3/4"---Mathews 13/16---Some but not all Martins 7/8.
> Plus, I don't consider it a walkback tuning a theory--it works--and has been proven. In a perfect world you can shoot at 10yd--20--30--40---400yds and all your arrows will be online -- just lower in elevation. *When you get this accomplished I think you'll see that the string, rest, sight, etc all line up. *Thats the purpose of walk back tuning. If you can't accomplish that --then your rest (center shot) is off or you have some other problems that need to be taken care of. :wink:


Actually, as a right handed shooter, on every bow I have ever set up for myself, after paper, bare shaft, and walk-back tuning is completed and my bow is shooting laser beams, if I line the string up going through the center of the arrow all the way to the tip, the sight pin is always exactly on the left edge of the string. Could just be what ends up working for me as a shooter, but I suspect this is probably the case for many people out there, so don't be concerned if your pins don't line up dead in line with your string... I've found it's normal -- for me anyways.

As far as initial setup, just line up the string to the tip of the arrow to eyeball center shot, set your rest height to whatever the manufacturer recommends in relation to the berger hole, and then eyeball your nocking point level to 1/8th inch high... better to err on the side of having your nocking point a little high as a starting point -- I've never had a bow tune w/ a nocking point lower than level, but 1/16th to 1/8th inch high is very common.

Also, if you don't like eyeballing, I picked up a useful little tool from a guy on this forum about a year or so back -- it's called "Rest Assured", and it's great for quickly setting initial center shot, and then serves as a measuring device to make sure your center shot is still on if you ever need to check it in the future... It comes with a little L shaped right angle device, and a rest/berger hole bolt that is hollow in the center so the tool can pass right through it. Neat design, and it only cost me a few bucks... Not sure if the guy still sells them or not.


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## oldglorynewbie (Oct 17, 2006)

I simply eyeball and use this. I have never understood how bareshafting for a compound is helpful. 
The attatchment is by Nuts&Bolts.


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## GroundhogCK (Nov 6, 2006)

oldglorynewbie said:


> I have never understood how bareshafting for a compound is helpful.


Because there is no better way to set your nock point height relative to your rest height for perfect nock travel than to punch a bare shaft through paper...


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## stehawk (Aug 28, 2004)

GroundhogCK said:


> Actually, as a right handed shooter, on every bow I have ever set up for myself, after paper, bare shaft, and walk-back tuning is completed and my bow is shooting laser beams, if I line the string up going through the center of the arrow all the way to the tip, the sight pin is always exactly on the left edge of the string. Could just be what ends up working for me as a shooter, but I suspect this is probably the case for many people out there, so don't be concerned if your pins don't line up dead in line with your string... I've found it's normal -- for me anyways.
> 
> As far as initial setup, just line up the string to the tip of the arrow to eyeball center shot, set your rest height to whatever the manufacturer recommends in relation to the berger hole, and then eyeball your nocking point level to 1/8th inch high... better to err on the side of having your nocking point a little high as a starting point -- I've never had a bow tune w/ a nocking point lower than level, but 1/16th to 1/8th inch high is very common.
> Also, if you don't like eyeballing, I picked up a useful little tool from a guy on this forum about a year or so back -- it's called "Rest Assured", and it's great for quickly setting initial center shot, and then serves as a measuring device to make sure your center shot is still on if you ever need to check it in the future... It comes with a little L shaped right angle device, and a rest/berger hole bolt that is hollow in the center so the tool can pass right through it. Neat design, and it only cost me a few bucks... Not sure if the guy still sells them or not.



Like I said, do whatever works for you.:wink: I've been tuning bows for over 25 yrs now and I know its luck but every once in a while I eyeball a setup and never have to adjust anything:mg: I've set up six bows in the last week and they're all shooting pretty good. Plus, I do have a "Rest Assured" and that too just gets it close--along with a laser center shot --it too just get a good initial setting which isn't perfect. To really micro-tune a bow it needs to be shot--nuff said.:darkbeer: Merry Christmas, Steve.


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## stehawk (Aug 28, 2004)

oldglorynewbie said:


> I simply eyeball and use this. I have never understood how bareshafting for a compound is helpful.
> The attatchment is by Nuts&Bolts.



I agree---this is another way to skin the rabbit!!!:wink: I do believe that walk back tuning at longer distances give you a micro adjustment that makes it closer to perfect!


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