# Constitution center shot?



## cal34 (Mar 5, 2006)

Ive got an 06 Constitution,took it to the shop where i bought it,they didnt know the center shot or how to adjust letoff.i shoot fingers so wanted 65%.any help would be appreciated.


----------



## Jhorne (Jul 15, 2003)

My Constitution's center shot is 15/16" from the inside of the riser. You can get your 65% let off by moving your draw stop toward the S just a fraction at a time until it feels good to you.


----------



## A Mess (May 21, 2005)

WOW.

I am absolutely flabbergasted. I can see that one or two employees that don't normally work on bows may not know how to adjust centershot, but can not fathom that a shop was able to procure the Bowtech line without knowing how to do it!

I'm sorry, I know that doesn't help you much, but just could not resist posting. Please do yourself a favor and find a new "pro"shop.

jhorne's advice will get you started, but I am afraid that if you don't already know how to do it yourself, and if your amateurshop (can't call them a proshop) doesn't know how, you are in for a long ordeal. Seek help from someone nearby who knows how to do it. Maybe there is an archery club with a few guys willing to help. This is a difficult thing to help properly with over the internet. A good helping hand will get you off to a much better start.

Good luck to you.


----------



## cal34 (Mar 5, 2006)

well ive been shooting 20 yrs and shot asa/ibo tournaments and many local tournaments but it doesnt look right on the bowtech and the archery shop says there still learning.


----------



## A Mess (May 21, 2005)

I do not want to offend anyone, but if you've been shooting for 20 years, you shouldn't need to ask a pro shop how to adjust centeshot. Here is the method I use, and it works on any bow. (I've grown tired of typing it, and finally have it saved. I copied and pasted it. Use what you need.)

Good luck to you, and again, I did not mean to offend. Just trying to help. Here it is....

On a TM type rest, adjust the prongs so that they are as far apart as they can be without the arrow falling through. This will give you the best opportunity for fletching clearance, and will hold the arrow a little more aggressively than if they are too close together, making it easier to keep the arrow on the rest as you draw.

Most recommend that you adjust rest height so the arrow is even with the berger button hole. This is a fine place to start, but it is not the end of the world if you are slightly above or below this. The main thing is to get fletching clearance. I strive to keep the arrow as low as I can while still maintaining clearance between the cock fletch and the shelf on the bow’s riser.

If you are using a TM type rest, you will be just fine adjusting the rest as low as you can get it while still maintaining fletching clearance with the shelf. If you are using a drop away rest with a single solid support for the rest prongs (like on a trophy taker, QAD, Ripcord, etc.) you are usually better off shooting the arrow cock fletch up. On drop away rests with a fixed amount of vertical travel, make sure you adjust the rest to give as much travel as you can get. You want to give the rest every opportunity to travel far enough to get out of the way. If the rest has adjustable vertical travel, adjust the lower limit as low as you can get it, being even or slightly below the shelf if possible. Adjust the upper limit as low as you can while still giving sufficient fletching and shelf clearance. Better too much clearance than not enough.

Nock an arrow and place it on the rest. With the bow in a vice, place a level on the bow’s string and get it vertically level. Now adjust the nockset or loop so the nocked arrow is level or slightly nock high. 1/8” high is about as much as I like. The bow will tell you later how much you need as you tune. We will start from here and be just fine. I have yet to see a properly tuned bow with a “nock low” arrow.

With the arrow nocked and on the string, take another arrow (or better yet a bare shaft) and hold it against the inside of the riser, next to the arrow on the rest. These two arrows should be parallel with each other. Since the entire bow is assembled to the machined riser, everything should be square in relationship to the riser. The bare shaft held against the inside of the riser serves as a straight edge, and serves as a reference point for finding correct center shot. The arrow’s final resting place will be dead square, or slightly away from the riser. I have yet to see a properly tuned bow that had the arrow lined up inside of square.

This is basic centershot rest adjustment. Fine-tuning will likely be needed, but this is the best and fastest method I am aware of to set initial rest position.


----------



## Jhorne (Jul 15, 2003)

cal34 said:


> well ive been shooting 20 yrs and shot asa/ibo tournaments and many local tournaments but it doesnt look right on the bowtech and the archery shop says there still learning.


I know it does not look right, but that is the way the Bowtechs tune. Any where from 7/8" to 1" or so. Try it you will see. Also they shoot a level nock. Good luck and I bet you'll love that Constitution.


----------



## nccrutch (Feb 26, 2003)

"A Mess", have you ever set one up? I went thru this same thing last week when i was setting up an Old Glory and an Allegiance for friends. You can't set the centershot by visual means. The arrow will not run center thru the grip, nor would it run parallel to the arrow against the riser as you outlined in your post. On these bows, the arrow points WAY to the left, and i don't care who you are, it looks weird! Both bows were set at 1" from inside of riser and tuned well. Unless you worked on Bowtechs on a regular basis, i guess you would consult someone.


----------



## A Mess (May 21, 2005)

nccrtutch,

Of course I have. I own and compete with a Constitution. I'll re-post the part about centershot. It works with ALL bows that have machined risers as the starting point. The reason I post it, is so anyone can set their own centershot, regardless the brand or model. We can always go here and ask someone else who owns the exact same model what their centershot measurement is, or we can learn how to it ourselves. Just for grins, I went upstairs and measured mine. It is almost exactly 1", and is almost exactly parrallel with a bare shaft held against the riser. It was set using the method I described, and fine tuned from there.

It's kind of like the old saying, "You can give someone a fish, and it will feed them for a day, or you can teach them to catch fish, and feed them for life".

Here again is the method that works will all bows with machined risers.

With the arrow nocked and on the string, take another arrow (or better yet a bare shaft) and hold it against the inside of the riser, next to the arrow on the rest. These two arrows should be parallel with each other. Since the entire bow is assembled to the machined riser, everything should be square in relationship to the riser. The bare shaft held against the inside of the riser serves as a straight edge, and serves as a reference point for finding correct center shot. The arrow’s final resting place will be dead square, or slightly away from the riser. I have yet to see a properly tuned bow that had the arrow lined up inside of square.

This is basic centershot rest adjustment. Fine-tuning will likely be needed, but this is the best and fastest method I am aware of to set initial rest position.


----------



## beenfarr (Feb 13, 2006)

I use a lazer eye, because I have astigmatism, and can't eyeball anything remotely close. It works well for me.

Ben


----------



## cal34 (Mar 5, 2006)

thanks for the replies,im shooting fingers instead of a release so im using a nap plungerest which is easy to tune.the bow shoots well using 2 fingers but still getting used to the drawstop.i shot it this morning with a release and it shoots really well.drawstop doesnt bother me with release but i prefer fingers.


----------



## ont.deerhunter (Mar 26, 2004)

Going off the riser will not work on all bows , I personally eyeball it off the bottom cam string groove and follow the string up its entirety, With an arrow on the rest it is very easy to tell which way you have to move the centre shot.

9 times out of 10 there is no fine tuning required if you can master this process. 

Takes some practice though and to be sure shoot few arrows at 10, 20, and 40 and check your left and right impacts.

Mark


----------



## HV Bowman (Sep 30, 2002)

*Here's How I have been doing it*

Setting Centershot

Here’s the method I have used for several years and have had very good success with. I should also state that this method is for use in setting the center shot on compounds where shooters are using a release aid, it is not meant for finger shooters.

You will need 3 rubber bands, 2 Allen keys (the correct size for your limb bolts), and an old cut down arrow, see picture below.

I use 2 rubber bands about 2-1/2inches in diameter and ¼ inch wide and one thin rubber band about 3 to 4 inches in diameter cut open and each end tied to one of the larger rubber bands. 

I mount the bow in a bow vise so that it is in a vertical position (any way you can achieve it is acceptable). I then insert the short end of one Allen key into the top limb bolt with the long end facing up and then the short end of the 2nd Allen key into the bottom limb bolt with the long end facing down. Next I hook one of the larger rubber bands over and onto the top Allen key and the other one over and onto the bottom Allen key. By doing this I have now stretched the thinner piece of rubber band that is connected between them and it should now be perfectly centered on the limb bolts. Now I nock the shortened arrow and lay it on the rest. Then I adjust the rubber bands so that the stretched single rubber strand is 1/16th of an inch in front of the end of the cut down arrow. Check to make sure that the rubber strand is not touching the limb pockets. 

You can now see exactly where the arrow dissects the arrow. Now adjust your arrow rest left or right until the rubber strand vertically intersects the center of the arrow. You should now have an almost perfect center shot, you can fine tune from there.

I’ve been using this method for several years and have found that in most cases once I have set my bow this way I haven’t had to make any further adjustments.


----------



## BlackKnight81 (Jul 25, 2004)

What HVBowman said is dead nuts. Great method! Easy, simple. and effective.


----------



## metalarcher (Apr 8, 2006)

ok. as a new guy. 

Isn't there a simple tool made for adjusting the side to side of the rest? It looks like a bent rod that goes through a disk with a machined flat edge that goes on the riser and with a slip pointer on the bent rod part. You adjust the pointer on the string, rotate it, and split the arrow with the pointer... by adjusting the rest. 

Sounds like this is what everyone is talking about. Is this also a way of adjusting the center shot?


----------



## bigbuck280 (Jan 23, 2006)

cal34 said:


> Ive got an 06 Constitution,took it to the shop where i bought it,they didnt know the center shot or how to adjust letoff.i shoot fingers so wanted 65%.any help would be appreciated.


Due to design of cams of Bowtech Binary Cams, it is only 1/8 of an inch left from the centerline, just move the rest a bit far from the centerline. Its normal for archery shop guys get confused or not properly trained about Bowtech bows. 

Letoff adjustments ?? Move draw stop button toward S just barely a fraction of 1/8 0f an inch, to check the draw , keep checking modules to make sure they wont roll farther , CAUTION, dont move draw stop button too far, or you will end up locking the cams and cause serious damage and injury yourself.  Hope this helps. David


----------



## HV Bowman (Sep 30, 2002)

*metalarcher*

The tool your talking about is Golden Key Futura's Tru-center Gauge. It can be used as you described. There are several ways of setting center shot and several different tools available, from home made to designed and built for that particular purpose. There is even a laser center shot setting tool. Everyone has they're own favorite method of setting center shot. 

*bigbuck280*

Since the 06 binary systems modules have built in draw stops, it would be very hard (but not impossible) to lock up the cams. As long as care is taken when moving the draw stop in small increments, it shouldn't be a problem.


----------



## A Mess (May 21, 2005)

The method used by HV Bowmnan finds the center of the LIMBS. This is NOT the centershot for any bow but those that have the bowstring in the center groove of the cam, like Oneidas and Martins using the shoot through system. If you look closely, you will see that your cam(s) do NOT have the bowstring in the center groove. It is always in the groove farthest to the left (for right handed archers). If you center the arrow with the limbs, the rest will be too far to the right. 

The method used by ont.deerhunter definitely works, but is not as precise, as the sight reference is much shorter than when using a 30 inch arrow held against the riser. It is easy to see the difference between the gap at the rest and at the end of a 30" shaft. This method is exactly the same as using the centershot gage also referred to earlier. If you use an arrow, you don't have to buy the gage. It is also the same as using the lazer. All of these methods, center gage, lazer, and shaft held against the riser, use the riser as the starting point. They all work. With few exceptions, the rubber band method does not, for the reason I used above.

As a side note, everyone who posts an opinion, myself included, is offering their opinion. You should always weigh carefully what is offered as advice. Check each method to see what makes sense.


----------



## BlackKnight81 (Jul 25, 2004)

A Mess said:


> The method used by HV Bowmnan finds the center of the LIMBS. This is NOT the centershot for any bow but those that have the bowstring in the center groove of the cam, like Oneidas and Martins using the shoot through system. If you look closely, you will see that your cam(s) do NOT have the bowstring in the center groove. It is always in the groove farthest to the left (for right handed archers). If you center the arrow with the limbs, the rest will be too far to the right.
> 
> The method used by ont.deerhunter definitely works, but is not as precise, as the sight reference is much shorter than when using a 30 inch arrow held against the riser. It is easy to see the difference between the gap at the rest and at the end of a 30" shaft. This method is exactly the same as using the centershot gage also referred to earlier. If you use an arrow, you don't have to buy the gage. It is also the same as using the lazer. All of these methods, center gage, lazer, and shaft held against the riser, use the riser as the starting point. They all work. With few exceptions, the rubber band method does not, for the reason I used above.
> 
> As a side note, everyone who posts an opinion, myself included, is offering their opinion. You should always weigh carefully what is offered as advice. Check each method to see what makes sense.


I would beg to differ. I have been using the same method described by HV Bowman on all of the new BowTechs and have not had one of them be of center. I checked the center shot the first couple of times when I went to my local shop with their Tru-Center Guage. Dead On. It works good for me. The Tru-Guage is the best way, but if you don't want to go buy one the rubber band method works great.


----------



## A Mess (May 21, 2005)

I for one am certainly not opposed to learning something here, so help me out. You are saying that the center of the limbs, is the proper place for centershot on a bow? I hope you're not. Maybe I mis-understood you. But I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that the center of the limbs is NOT the correct place for your rest. Maybe what you are describing is something else altogether. Let me know if I am not understanding you.


----------



## metalarcher (Apr 8, 2006)

Ok… ok,… stupid question… from the new guy… 

What we are attempting to do is to get the true centerline of the arrow lined up with the true direction of string travel, correct? This is so when the string pushes the arrow it is pushing it straight and not at an angle… or am I missing something? All the rest is really is a place holder to keep the arrow lined up with the imaginary plane created by the string as it is drawn and released.. Correct?


----------

