# what is the best tuninng method?



## KOZMAN4907 (Sep 23, 2004)

Paper or walk back? I have only paper tuned my bows what is "walk back"? 
Thanks KOZ


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## XP35 (Oct 11, 2005)

Further down the list is a thread called, I believe, "walk back tuning done right". All the answers to all the questions you may have. Later...........


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## andy7yo (Nov 22, 2005)

I have always paper tuned but I think that walk back tuning would be a better way of finding true centershot.


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

*Walkback tuning to set your arrow rest for centershot and windage for your sight ring*

KOZMAN4907:

Walkback tuning will help you set your arrow rest (left to right) so that your arrows can hit a straight line up and down at any distance. When finished with walkback tuning, your bow will be a naildriver and will minimize left right misses on level ground. Walkback tuning will also help you set the windage on your sight.

The procedure is listed below. It's not hard, but you need patience.

Before you try walkback tuning, make sure that your second axis on your sight is set correctly.

Put a 5/16-24 bolt in the front stabilizer hole. Clamp the bolt in a vise. Rotate the riser to vertical and check with a carpenter's level.

Now, look at the sight bubble. If the bubble is not perfectly level, adjust the 2nd axis screws on your sight to level the bubble when the riser is perfectly vertical.

Now, let's go on to Walkback Tuning.

WALKBACK TUNING

Hang a weighted string from a nail on a target. Stick a round sticker on the target face so that the string splits the sticker. Use your existing 20-yd pin, step back 20-yards from the target and fire at the sticker. Don't worry about where the arrow hits. 

Walk straight back to 30 yds, and using the 20-yd pin, fire an arrow at the sticker. Repeat at 35 yds and at 40 yds, using the 20-yd pin and firing at the sticker.

If your arrows look like this pattern " / ", then move your arrow rest 1/16-th inch to the right. If your arrows look like this pattern " \ ", then move your arrow rest 1/16-th inch to the left.

Repeat all of the above steps starting from 20 yds, etc.

Eventually, your arrows will hit in the target is a straight up and down line like this " | ". 

But, your vertical pattern of arrows may not be hitting the string. If not, and the arrows are say 6-inches to the left of the weighted string, adjust your windage on your sight ring until you can nail the string at all distances.

Lock down the windage and lock down the arrow rest. Windage and center shot are now perfect.

nuts&bolts. 

PS:

after all is said and done, now all you have to do is check 2nd and 3rd axis...


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## yelk hunter (Feb 18, 2004)

I have always 'paper tuned' until I tried Nuts&Bolts method listed below. Having shot on and off since 1973, I will NEVER use anything except the walkback because of the change in performance.

Thanks to all the great guys who share info on this site.


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## TAYLOR CO. (Jun 9, 2005)

Good Deal!


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## Arrroman (May 11, 2003)

Paper tuning can be an affirmation/condemnation of shooting form. It won't neccessarily tell you if your arrows are correctly spined for your bow.

The walkback tune will determine the optimum position for the windage of the rest based on your combination of arrowspine and the draw weight of the bow.

It should also be noted that the correct spine arrows for the bow will hit the same vertical line at all distances while the incorrect spine arrow will not. 

Good luck hunting! >>>------------>


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## KOZMAN4907 (Sep 23, 2004)

Thanks Nuts&bolts I will try this and report back later. I never even heard of this way of tuning ones bow. I just paper tuned and went hunting I can't wait to see what happons:embara:  

Koz


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## hoggin03 (Oct 24, 2005)

This may be a stupid question or I may be missing something - but how tall of a target do you use to be able to shoot your 20 yard pin at a 50 yards? Or do you lower the target to compensate for arrow drop?


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## nccrutch (Feb 26, 2003)

hoggin03, you have to have a sizeable target. i shoot at a 4' x 4' one with the 20-yd dot near the top.


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

*Just work your way back ten yds at a time*



hoggin03 said:


> This may be a stupid question or I may be missing something - but how tall of a target do you use to be able to shoot your 20 yard pin at a 50 yards? Or do you lower the target to compensate for arrow drop?


Just try it at 20 yds, then again at 30 yds, etc. Most compound bows will have no problem fitting everything on a 40 cm target. Even a recurve bow will squeeze everything on a 40 cm target if you start at 10 yds and work back to 20 yds and finally 30 yds.

Three distances will give you enough of a pattern to make adjustments. Four distances will be better.


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## JPG (Feb 3, 2006)

I am trying to get a good understanding of all this myself.
1) Are you using fletched arrows, or bare shafts while conducting this method ?
2) Could you explain the different "axis" of a sight ?
3) Do you paper tune after completing the wallback method, or are you good to go ?


I have been shooting for years off and on, but I am trying to get to where I understand my bow/archery better. Plus, I want to be able to do all my setup and tuning myself. Thanks for any help you guys can give me.


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## XP35 (Oct 11, 2005)

When I do this I use fletched arrows. Before hunting season I make a point of doing this with my broadhead-tipped arrows, too. It really helps my Montecs and target points group together. I have never paper tuned, though. I am far more interested in tuning to where the arrows actually hit than holes in paper.


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

*Answers and clarifications for walkback and axis's and bare or fletched*



JPG said:


> I am trying to get a good understanding of all this myself.
> 1) Are you using fletched arrows, or bare shafts while conducting this method ?
> 2) Could you explain the different "axis" of a sight ?
> 3) Do you paper tune after completing the wallback method, or are you good to go ?
> ...


JPG:

Doing the tuning yourself is the best way to go.

BARESHAFT TO SET NOCK POINT POSITION

Use a bareshaft to check for nock point position. A bareshaft has no steering correction, and will most sensitive to nock point position. Find a straw bale at the range or a box full of cardboard and folded Sunday newspapers and set this target at shoulder height.

Fire the bareshaft from a level starting position. Have a friend help you to make sure you have the arrow absolutely level when at full draw. Check the bareshaft in the target with a carpenter's level. Adjust nock position so that the bareshaft sticks in the target perfectly level when you launch the bareshaft from a level starting position.

2ND AXIS AND 3RD AXIS OF A SIGHT

Check the *2nd axis of a sight before *you try walkback tuning.

1)

Insert a 6-inch long 5/16-24 bolt into the front stabilizer hole of your bow. Clamp the bolt into a vise and rotate the bow until the bow is vertical. Use a carpenter's level to confirm the bow is perfectly vertical.

2)

Check the sight bubble. Adjust the bubble on the sight until the bubble reads level when the bow is confirmed to be perfectly vertical.

You just adjusted the 2nd axis of the sight.

3)

3rd axis of the sight is what I call adjusting the "door swing". Imagine that your sight ring is connected to the sight extension bar with a set of very rusty hinges. Lets say, you bumped the sight ring and the sight ring "door" swung 45 degrees towards you. The bubble still reads level.

If you shooting at an uphill or downhill target, the bubble will lie to you and you will have to tilt the bow to get a "level reading" on the uphill or downhill shot. Then, you will wonder why you missed left or right.

Easy fix.

Hang a weighted string from the ceiling.
Load an arrow and kneel on your knees.
Come to full draw and anchor.
Line up your left edge of the bow limbs with the weighted string.
Look at your bubble level.

If you line up the left edge of the bow limbs, and the bubble is not reading level, then you must follow your sight instruction manual and adjust the 3rd axis screws.

Get on your knees, load an arrow, come to full draw, line up the left edge of the bow limbs, and check the bubble level again. Repeat this process until the bubble level reads level.

Now, you have adjusted 3rd axis.


FLETCHED ARROWS FOR WALKBACK TUNING

Use fletched arrows to try walkback tuning. Centershot can be fine tuned to the thickness of an aluminum soda can shim. Use at least three distances to establish an arrow pattern to determine which direction you need to adjust your arrow rest to achieve perfect centershot.

Contrary to popular belief, perfect centershot may not be along the midline of the bow limb pockets.

I have been known to use home fabricated parts on my bows, including washers and shims I make from soda cans to offset my arrow rest the exact correct distance. I fine tune my arrow rest position with soda can shims, getting the final position by adding or taking out the last single shim. you guys now know all my secrets now, ....ok, almost.

Send me a pm, and I can give you my more detailed description for walkback tuning.

Walkback tuning, when completed, will set your centershot and your windage for your sight, so that when you hang a weighted string, you will have all arrows touching that string at all yardages. Zero left and right error, i.e., of course, if you fine tune your centershot down to the thickness of a aluminum soda can shim.

PAPER TUNING AFTER WALKBACK TUNING

If you are so inclined, you can try paper tuning after walkback tuning.

At this point, your nock point is set. Centershot and windage is set.

If you are getting strange tears, you need to consider arrow spine issues, torque due to sub-optimum bow grip technique and/or arrow fletching contact.

nuts&bolts.


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## GoldtipXT (Jan 29, 2003)

*???????*

I've always done the paper tunning method but am going to try this first. Once you get the bow tuned for windage w/ the WB method, should you shoot it through paper to to check if your nock point is not too high or low?


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

*Sure*



GoldtipXT said:


> I've always done the paper tunning method but am going to try this first. Once you get the bow tuned for windage w/ the WB method, should you shoot it through paper to to check if your nock point is not too high or low?


You can shoot through paper to see if the arrow is flying tail high or low.

Another way is to fire a bareshaft into a straw bale. Just make sure that you are shooting from a T-form starting position. Have a friend make sure that when you are shooting at a shoulder high target, that your bow hand is high enough that you are launching the arrow level, not downhill or uphill.

When you look at the bareshaft in the target, make sure it's level.


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## Featherfletched (Jan 31, 2004)

At what distance do you set the bail of straw for the bare shaft test One could assume that it would have to be close because of the arc in an arrows flight at distances greater that say ten yards


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

*10 feet or 10 yds, whatever is convenient*



Featherfletched said:


> At what distance do you set the bail of straw for the bare shaft test One could assume that it would have to be close because of the arc in an arrows flight at distances greater that say ten yards


Featherfletched:

If I'm at home, I pull out my Cabelas foam target and shoot ten feet. I make sure that I am launching the arrow with good T-form (make sure my bow hand is high enough so the arrow starts level, and the target is at shoulder height).

I fire into the foam target, then check the bareshaft angle with my carpenter's level.

Small adjustments to the arrow rest elevation make a noticeable difference.


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