# Frustrated with silverback release



## gibber (Apr 11, 2015)

No one from top 10 of competitive archery in WA series uses tension activated releases. Not without reason, possibly in terms of consistency. From time to time I also struggle to activate BT or thumb trigger to go off. But mainly during competition event, when I'm not sure distance estimation or if there is any disturbance in my mind concerning the shot. If you checked this release with a scale and it is inconsistent in weight to go off, probably that's the way they are designed. If Silverback works for Dud that does not mean it will work for most of the people.


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## Hoover388 (Oct 28, 2016)

You could always send it to carter....i think it's probably user error though, no offense.

Very simple design. It is extremely easy to get inconsistencies. It's best to pull with only the index finger. The second is just along for the ride. When you try to place equal pressure on both fingers it is very easy to be inconsistent. 

Also, firing of the release upon releasing the safety is almost certainly user error.

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## Trippy (Dec 26, 2014)

Drop of gun oil on the sear will clear that up. Do it every two months or so depending on how often you shoot. More often if you suspect the same issue coming up.


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## Keith t (Oct 31, 2008)

dan wilkinson said:


> I've been shooting the silverback for about 2 weeks now. I have been adjusting it up and down constantly to find the "spot". It seems like I'll get it set right for several shots and then the next shot I'll have to tear the bow apart to get it to go off or it fires as I take my thumb off the safety. For I while I was chalking it up to shooter error. Today I received my AWS digital scale. I can't believe how inconsistent it is. It will read a consistent reading a couple times and then will change by 2-3 pounds. Im being very careful to pull with equal pressure on both fingers every time. Even when I turn tension screw out the readings get higher when they should get lighter and visa versa. Anybody else experiencing this?


 Had the same issue with mine...it more than likely is NOT the release.

Heres what I did. 

I took the release apart and put anti seize on the sear. A drop of oil works also.

I put in the middle tension spring(the next heavier than stock). With the stock spring and a high holding weight you have to adjust (tighten) the tension screw quite a bit. If you put the middle weight spring in, and run the tension screw back out, the spring acts differently on the moment arm inside the release and it will trigger more consistently.

Also, when you are pulling back tension at full draw try putting some pressure on your MIDDLE finger, kinda like a back tension release. This changes the pressure location of the D loop on the hook and also makes it fire more consistent.


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## mitchell (Mar 5, 2005)

Mine ended up having to go back to Cater for work. Great now. Get a hand held bow scale and check to see how many pounds it takes for it to break. Try it multiple times to see if it is consistent. Mine was not. Now it is and I like it a lot.


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## FeartheBeard (Jun 27, 2014)

I have an evolution release. For the first bit it worked flawlessly. Then out of no where It would not fire no matter how hard I pulled. I hooked it up to my scale and had it up to 46lbs before it would break open. Changed springs and played with it a bit now it will break at 4-5 lbs pressure no matter what spring I use. The safety also sticks and wont release when pulled back. Very frustrating. I think I'll have to send it to carter. Glad to hear I'm not the only one thats having issues with this style of release. I feel your pain my friend! It sucks!


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## Padgett (Feb 5, 2010)

You gotta be checking the poundage for it to fire and making sure it is firing at the same amount or send it back, to be a solid good shooter you have got to be able to send the same amount of pressure to the release and have the release do its job or you are screwed. The effort to add extra pressure to the system because the release changes all the time will cause lots of problems.


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## lees (Feb 10, 2017)

gibber said:


> No one from top 10 of competitive archery in WA series uses tension activated releases. Not without reason, possibly in terms of consistency. From time to time I also struggle to activate BT or thumb trigger to go off. But mainly during competition event, when I'm not sure distance estimation or if there is any disturbance in my mind concerning the shot. If you checked this release with a scale and it is inconsistent in weight to go off, probably that's the way they are designed. If Silverback works for Dud that does not mean it will work for most of the people.


The Evolution is impeccably consistent (if it's in good working order of course). The inconsistencies are virtually always in the shooter; it's more demanding of a completely consistent setup to the shot and then a clean pull into the back wall during execution. Most of the bad rap pull-style releases get are from shooters who try them for a few days and don't go through the "cleanup" in their form required to shoot it right. It took me about 2 months of shooting mine until the release started to "heal itself" and quit going off early or pulling the wheels off the bow, etc. 

One difficulty with it in competition situations is the setup. You have to bring it to the back wall very lightly and hold very carefully before you release the safety and begin your execution; it takes a LOT of practice to be able to do this consistently in pressure situations. Usually you haul back too hard and it goes off right as you let go of the safety. Otherwise you have to stop in the valley before you let go and that can mess up your routine with a big sloppy haul into the back wall off the valley....

I got very good at that and had very few misfires after a couple years of shooting it, but it was definitely on my mind when shooting it under pressure. That may be why it's unpopular at the top, where the pressure is surely just unreal....

lee.


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## Boatman71 (Jul 16, 2013)

I can somewhat attest to this, however I have checked mine and it does not vary much in regards to consistency. Maybe a couple tenths of a lb. I have a high end pull tester at work that we use to pull things apart with to see how much force it will take.

Anyway, what I find and maybe someone can help me out here also, my first shot with the SB will most definitely go off as soon as I let the safety off. Second shot, I pay a little more attention to settling softer into the valley, then a slight pull - arrow gone.

Third shot, FEELS LIKE, I have to pull harder, 4th shot harder yet, then after that I am unsure if I can even get it to go off. Shake like a dog excreting razor blades. I bought the thing to try to rid myself of TP and the fact that I like the idea of a true surprise shot.

So my question is.... After I make a couple easy shots break, could I be relaxing too much, not staying rigid enough to be repetitive??

Dud only lives 40 miles from me, thought about going and knocking on his door sometime and having him show me how to use it, but didn't figure that would be the right thing to do!! LOL no I wouldn't do that, just kidding. 

Anyway its a long story with this thing, its a love hate relationship at this time, I am stubborn and keep telling myself I will master it. Just frustrating, and as a side note, I have only had mine 3 weeks.

Thoughts???


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## Padgett (Feb 5, 2010)

When I work with someone to become a hinge shooter I tell them that it is a good year of work to become proficient with good solid training and solid information to follow. To me any release is like this even the resistance ones. There are a bunch of lessons to learn and it takes time, it really helps if the pressure you are adding is not related to how the pin looks on the target, you need to be running your execution independent from what the sight pin is doing or you get to adding and then pausing and then you might creep forward and then try and start again and this creates lots of bad issues. 

Also, there is a difference between pulling into the wall with your hand and adding pressure to the wall with your back tension. It doesn't even feel the same, the guys that claim to pulling the wheels off their bow are usually doing it with their hand.


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## mxkop (Aug 4, 2004)

I've been shooting the Silverback exclusively for the last 5 weeks. Initially I was experiencing similar issues that would lead you to believe that the release was inconsistent. I've been extremely diligent in my practice and shot execution. I've tweaked my draw length, the release tension and D-loop a few times until I got it all perfect and for the last 2 weeks I've made no changes. The consistency is starting to develop and my shooting has been fantastic. There is no doubt in my mind that my struggles for the first 3 weeks and all of the inconsistencies were either shooter or setup induced.. After working out the setup details, which does by trial and error take some time, the Silverback has proven to be a tremendous asset in making me a better Archer. Trust it..and Stick with it!


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## Boarbon (May 16, 2012)

dan wilkinson said:


> I've been shooting the silverback for about 2 weeks now. I have been adjusting it up and down constantly to find the "spot". It seems like I'll get it set right for several shots and then the next shot I'll have to tear the bow apart to get it to go off or it fires as I take my thumb off the safety. For I while I was chalking it up to shooter error. Today I received my AWS digital scale. I can't believe how inconsistent it is. It will read a consistent reading a couple times and then will change by 2-3 pounds. Im being very careful to pull with equal pressure on both fingers every time. Even when I turn tension screw out the readings get higher when they should get lighter and visa versa. Anybody else experiencing this?


I got one of their first batch of Silverbacks and had the same issue. I sent it back to Carter and the sent me the 2nd generation. 
Works good now. 

My issue was also the finesse of holding weight against the back wall also. 


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## Boatman71 (Jul 16, 2013)

@ Padgett, yes sir you told me a year ago to work with the hinge and that it would take a year, I have done so. Thank you for the sound advice. I own two of them now. They work, and I am a much better shot than I was a year ago because of them. With the Silverback I am aiming for the COMPLETE surprise release that I am not quite getting with the hinge - yes I know its me and the manipulation I am doing incorrectly. Just trying to take this the "next level" in regards to my shooting.

@ mxkop , thanks for the encouragement. I don't give up easily, especially when it comes to this sport. Appreciate your feedback and it sounds like I just need to stick with it as planned and keep on keeping on. Appears I am following pretty much in your footsteps with the SBack.


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## ppkaprince98 (Mar 13, 2008)

dan wilkinson said:


> I've been shooting the silverback for about 2 weeks now. I have been adjusting it up and down constantly to find the "spot". It seems like I'll get it set right for several shots and then the next shot I'll have to tear the bow apart to get it to go off or it fires as I take my thumb off the safety. For I while I was chalking it up to shooter error. Today I received my AWS digital scale. I can't believe how inconsistent it is. It will read a consistent reading a couple times and then will change by 2-3 pounds. Im being very careful to pull with equal pressure on both fingers every time. Even when I turn tension screw out the readings get higher when they should get lighter and visa versa. Anybody else experiencing this?


I had the exact same issue ^^^^ with the Carter Evolution. For that reason I sold it. After reading a few threads, I heard people were using a heavier spring and backing the screw out and that helped. I did not switch my spring however, I used the stock (lightest one) and had lots of issues.


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## Padgett (Feb 5, 2010)

Well, don't let things get weird. When you are learning in the beginning stages experiencing the surprise release is a good thing and then using that surprise to learn the lessons of aiming and keeping them separate from your execution are important. But as you get better and better your window of surprise shrinks and shrinks and yes there is still a surprise but you basically know when it is going to happen. 

The beauty of the silverback or any resistance release is that there is no trigger and there is no rotation, the resistance release allows you to rely on back tension and focus on it and nothing else and learn the lessons that back tension offers. These lessons then transfer over into hinge shooting or thumb trigger shooting really good.

I actually think that resistance releases are going to become something we see winning tournaments at some point in time now that there is a bigger group of people learning how to shoot them instead of just a small sub group. 

The release that I want to see someone make is a hybrid tru ball hbx, I thought they made a huge mistake when they made it when they didn't make the thumb peg a safety just like a evo or element. If they had made the hbx with that safety so that a person could draw with equal tension on all fingers and then release the peg and add some tension I think it would have been a really solid resistance type release execution instead of having to baby the middle finger and ring finger like the actual hbx.


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## lees (Feb 10, 2017)

Padgett said:


> These lessons then transfer over into hinge shooting or thumb trigger shooting really good.


And index finger releases too, by the way. The same pull-through technique works the same way with an index finger, though a model with a heavy trigger like the Like Mike which is what I use makes it a lot easier. 
The trick there is similar to getting the preload on the wall just right every time - you have to preload the trigger just right before you start your execution, or you'll get a "true" surprise shot just like the Evo. 

But the overall dividends of learning to pull through the shot with utter consistency really pay off no matter what release you end up using.

lee.


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## Larry brown (Aug 17, 2013)

I have been debating on getting a release like this myself but I just experienced the first surprise release with my thumb trigger. I took the sight off and just pulled through the shot and BAM. It is amazing. Put the sight back on and it's not quite as good cause my mind takes over and acts stupid. 


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## MAD 6 (Nov 8, 2015)

I just ordered a SilverBack, my shot has been a little sloppy lately and I plan on switching between my Evolution Plus and the 2.5 finger SB. Hoping a regimen with these two releases will help me out.


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## zernzm08 (Feb 1, 2009)

My silverback was working fine when i first got it and now not so much. The safety either sticks or the release will not fire no matter how hard I pull. The release is only a few months old. Pretty disappointed in its durability.


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## MAD 6 (Nov 8, 2015)

Have you tried any type of oil? I like Lucas reel oil and Corosion X/Speed X, just a drop on the firing mechanism. Send it back to Carter if it's really sticking, they have pretty good customer service too.


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## bhutso (Jan 4, 2007)

Any variance in your shot shows up as a perceived change in the tension it takes to fire 
Hold hard into the wall one time and softer the next it will feel like it takes more to get it to fire.
Change the angle of your release at anchor a little and it will feel different.

It's not about oil or adjusting the release 

The release is showing you where you are inconsistent 
Work on pulling into the wall the same everytime before the shot starts and keeping the release at the same angle and it will become more consistent when you become more consistent 

Not trying to be critical but I've used the release. It's shooter error. I went through it as well


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## bunnybrew (Jul 13, 2009)

Boatman71 said:


> I can somewhat attest to this, however I have checked mine and it does not vary much in regards to consistency. Maybe a couple tenths of a lb. I have a high end pull tester at work that we use to pull things apart with to see how much force it will take.
> 
> Anyway, what I find and maybe someone can help me out here also, my first shot with the SB will most definitely go off as soon as I let the safety off. Second shot, I pay a little more attention to settling softer into the valley, then a slight pull - arrow gone.
> 
> ...


If you live 40 miles from the man the best money you could spend for your archery is to get lessons from him hands down (if he offers them). Hiring a coach was, is, and always will be the best money i spend on my archery period. No articles, youtube videos, forum can come even close to the hands on experience with a top notch guy like that.


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## Boatman71 (Jul 16, 2013)

bunnybrew said:


> If you live 40 miles from the man the best money you could spend for your archery is to get lessons from him hands down (if he offers them). Hiring a coach was, is, and always will be the best money i spend on my archery period. No articles, youtube videos, forum can come even close to the hands on experience with a top notch guy like that.



Id do that in a heart beat, but I don't think he gives just anyone lessons! Yes that would be a great thing.


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## Boatman71 (Jul 16, 2013)

OP I sent you a PM about what I found with my release.


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## BSmith12 (Oct 3, 2013)

Lucy O'Sullivan shot a Mini Evolution for 10 years in competition and practice and won many things with it. Also I had similar issues at first, wasnt the release, it was collapsing on the shot somewhere. Collapsing could be from from shoulder or stretching release hand for example. I can almost guarantee its not the release, its inconsistent form that needs some work. 


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## lees (Feb 10, 2017)

BSmith12 said:


> Lucy O'Sullivan shot a Mini Evolution for 10 years in competition and practice and won many things with it.
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


The Evo made an appearance, in fact several, on the Russian women's team during some of the recent indoor competitions too. The vids are on the World Archery channel on youtube, though I can't remember the exact tournaments. 

Slightly off topic, I believe Carter is releasing an updated version of the Evolution that won't fire if it's under more tension than it's set for when you release the safety. That may open the door for a lower-workload shot method than with the current model....

lee.


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## justaguy1954 (Mar 13, 2017)

I have been shooting a 4 finger hinge for about a year. Started with a 3 finger. The 4 just makes the shoot go off much easier. I would love to try an SB. but hate to spend the money just to test it. I just seem to shoot better when I have a spot to place all my fingers. 

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## WTFizzat? (Jul 21, 2016)

My Silverback is doing the same thing. I can change springs, make adjustments etc., same result. Smooth, consistent release (hooked to a scale) for 3 or 4 shots, then the amount of tension it takes to trip goes higher and higher. Say I initially dial it in at 15 lbs. By about the 6th or 7th pull, its up to about 22-25 lbs. and the break feels really "rough". All of this is with no "shooter" involved. I think mine needs to go back to Carter.


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## zernzm08 (Feb 1, 2009)

Own 2 silverbacks, both had to be sent back to carter to be fixed at some point. Great customer service though. Very nice on the phone and no charge to fix.


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## Jason977 (Mar 27, 2017)

I have a Silverback that I bought off the classifieds here, so I don't know its history. At first I thought it was working fine, but then it got to where I had to mess with it every time I used it. I would have to back it way out for it to fire, then the next day it would go off immediately when I let off the safety no mater how perfectly in the middle of the valley I was. Anyway, I eventually lubed it and it's been working perfectly. I didn't take it apart, I just sprayed it with what seemed like the most appropriate thing I had on hand which was RV slide out Silicone lube by 3in1. I'm happy to say it's been working perfectly since.

So yes it could be you, but you should know that they can malfunction. Luckily all mine needed was a little lubrication.


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## Targets3D (Jan 25, 2010)

The comments are very discouraging. I'm surprised Dudley would put out a product that has so many quailty issues - I really enjoy his podcast and he seems like a standup guy. I placed an order on a mini Silverback and now I have to worry I may need to return it to Carter just to get in working right?


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## tialloydragon (Mar 14, 2013)

A drop of oil in the casing really does make all the difference. 

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## Alex_Holliman (Nov 18, 2008)

I just traded for an Evolution. It will be here Monday. I’m glad I read this thread. The first thing I’ll do is lube it up. 


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

I'd love to see what Carter does when they get these releases back....

I'd bet 99% of the time not much of anything. 

I've shot an Evolution....great release. Went through the same inconsistencies as everyone in this thread. It wasn't the release. It was the shooter/me. My buddies that had one had the same issues. I figured them out and moved on to a hinge. They didn't and either don't shoot anymore or shoot just as bad or worse then they did. 

There is a reason we all purchased an Evolution or Silverback. Something in our shot wasn't right...the Evo and Silverback will fix it. BUT you have to figure out how to shoot it CORRECTLY. A drop of oil will smooth the insides out. But other then that if it's not firing the same it's because your not firing it the same. 

A hinge or thumb trigger will hang up the same way if your not doing it the same way every time. 


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## Ray Ray (Aug 1, 2005)

I believe what Brown Hornet says. Most times it's not the release , but the shooter. I have seen many change equipment to shoot better, rather than fix the shooter. A good coach could straighten out the problems in a lesson or 2, but they instead buy a thousand dollars of new equipment. They still have the same problems , but look better shooting the same old scores with the new equipment.


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## nexus (Aug 15, 2008)

Training with the Evolution was one of the best decisions and investments I have made in archery. The confidence that comes from executing a quality shot sequence is amazing. Notice I did not say executing a "perfect shot". The biggest thing I continue to learn from using this style of release is to trust the shot process/sequence...the results will come.


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## RobJon (Mar 18, 2006)

I've had my SB for a little over a month now, it was super consistent at first but now extremely random, people can talk about form as much as they want but a scale doesn't lie, it goes from releasing at 15.5 - 16 pounds for a handful of pulls and creeps up to 26 - 30 pounds, I've had let down a few times as it just would not fire. I wish there was a definitive answer to what is going on with it, I'll try the lube and maybe even changing the spring but it seems like a lot of messing around for a high end release.


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## Nevada-Smith (Jan 12, 2017)

New-to-Silverback users may want to consider removing their sight and blank bailing for 21 days.

That's what I ended up doing and it worked for me.


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## Jlbflyboy182 (Oct 13, 2016)

I have watched a bunch of videos of Dudley and other pro shooters and convinced myself that I needed to switch from a trigger release in order to shoot better. I bought a Carter Wise Choice and Evolution to train with back tension. Spent a fair amount of time with both but could never get comfortable. I have done this twice and have had some success with developing a feel for the “right move”. In addition, I have never suffered target panic until switching over. All of o sudden I had it bad 

Finally hooked up with one of the competitive shooters at my local club and had a lesson. We had a lot of discussion about my past experiences and my mindset. Turns out that I had overlooked that you can use back tension with a trigger release. I have a long history of proficient shooting of pistols and rifles and have a good command of trigger control. Triggers just feel more like home to me. 

I learned that you can use back tension with a trigger release. Inside of two hours my accuracy improved significantly and I have never thought about pulling a trigger since. I get nice clean surprise releases with great grouping and no stress and no target panic. 

At the end of the day you have to go with what works for you. Good luck!


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## Nevada-Smith (Jan 12, 2017)

Jlbflyboy182 said:


> ... Triggers just feel more like home to me. ... I learned that you can use back tension with a trigger release. ...


Check out Carter's Like Mike -- it's designed for guys like you. (And me, too, because I shoot it with back tension.)


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## Scottiem (Nov 12, 2010)

I had the same problem with mine originally. Tried blank bailing for a couple weeks and it just never felt consistent. Like others said, sometimes I couldn't make it fire. Bought a scale and found that it would fire as low as 15# and other times took over 40#'s. I sent it back to Carter. Not sure what they did to it but they did put a different hook on it for sure. Now it's the flat style that comes on the mini SB. I'll try to attach pics. Works flawlessly now. Spent a month just blank bailing and now I'm just shooting at 20 yards with it. Shooting better than ever. Definitely frustrating to have to send it back, but it was all worth the hassle. By far the best single piece of equipment I've bought yet.


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## RobJon (Mar 18, 2006)

Update to my post:
After reading some of the replies last night I decided to try a couple of drops of oil on the sear, I used some high speed bearing oil and went back to the scale, it would not hold 5 pounds before releasing, it was releasing so quickly that the sear was resetting on it's own(if you own one you know you have to reset it manually every shot). So with nothing to lose I disassembled the release with the intention of cleaning off the oil I had applied, well it's a fairly simple mechanism and cleaned up easily, I was surprised to see that the kleenex was coming back pretty soiled, not sure if it was dust from my release pouch or just super fine metal dust from the sear contact. Back to the scale, it was releasing consistently again as it did when I first got it. This morning I put 30 arrows through it and about another 20 pulls through the scale, it's breaking between 16.5 and 17.5 with one time touching 18 pounds, I'd love to continue testing it but I have to go to work. I'd like to thank everyone who defaulted to blaming inexperience and form for the inconsistency of the release but as I said yesterday the scale doesn't lie...

As a side note, I've been shooting a hinge style back tension release for over 10 years, as I may not be a leader board pro, I can pull through a shot.


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## Paul Cataldo (Jul 31, 2004)

If this many guys are experiencing issues due to a dirty sear/firing mechanism, I wonder if the Stan Perfex release also has this issue? Just guessing here, but it sounds as if its not external dirt/debris to blame, but more along the lines of sear wear creating fine metal dust/chips internally. I seriously doubt most of you are getting your releases so dirty that external debris could be the cause. This makes me think the sears in the Carters are a little on the soft side of the Rockwell scale, as far as hardness goes...


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## Im just husky (Jul 11, 2017)

*Silverback*



RobJon said:


> Update to my post:
> After reading some of the replies last night I decided to try a couple of drops of oil on the sear, I used some high speed bearing oil and went back to the scale, it would not hold 5 pounds before releasing, it was releasing so quickly that the sear was resetting on it's own(if you own one you know you have to reset it manually every shot). So with nothing to lose I disassembled the release with the intention of cleaning off the oil I had applied, well it's a fairly simple mechanism and cleaned up easily, I was surprised to see that the kleenex was coming back pretty soiled.




Good afternoon sir,
I was reading your post about your silverback issues on the topic thread from last winter. I recently spoke to Carter and they recommend doing this once a month if you shoot a lot. My question to you though, does it seem to still work good for you? Are you continuing to have issues where your Silverback gets stiffer the more and more you shoot?

I haven't tore into mine yet but will expect to do this soon, to try and clean it out.

Thanks for you input on this thread!


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## rober2wt (Feb 12, 2017)

one thing i noticed with the silverback and any tension activated release... how you weight your fingers is extremely important.

i pull through my pointer finger. if you pull through your middle/ring fingers... itll feel MUCH heavier.


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## Im just husky (Jul 11, 2017)

rober2wt said:


> one thing i noticed with the silverback and any tension activated release... how you weight your fingers is extremely important.
> 
> i pull through my pointer finger. if you pull through your middle/ring fingers... itll feel MUCH heavier.


Great tip! I have read that recently also...


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## BuckeyeHunter27 (Mar 12, 2018)

I have been watching a lot of Nock On and vids with Mr. Dudley period! Didn’t he have something to do with the design and performance of the SB as well as the Nock2It? Maybe u can try to send an email to him directly through the Nock On website? Just a suggestion........ Idk...... curious?


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## Boatman71 (Jul 16, 2013)

Im just husky said:


> Good afternoon sir,
> I was reading your post about your silverback issues on the topic thread from last winter. I recently spoke to Carter and they recommend doing this once a month if you shoot a lot. My question to you though, does it seem to still work good for you? Are you continuing to have issues where your Silverback gets stiffer the more and more you shoot?
> 
> I haven't tore into mine yet but will expect to do this soon, to try and clean it out.
> ...


I ended up sending mine to Carter after Forrest recommended oiling it to no avail. It came back working perfectly. I have roughly 10K shots with it now - I shoot ALOT - and it still works flawlessly. I am thinking about buying another at some point just in case I lose the one I have.


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## Boatman71 (Jul 16, 2013)

BuckeyeHunter27 said:


> I have been watching a lot of Nock On and vids with Mr. Dudley period! Didn’t he have something to do with the design and performance of the SB as well as the Nock2It? Maybe u can try to send an email to him directly through the Nock On website? Just a suggestion........ Idk...... curious?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


There is a mountain of knowledge about the SB in his podcasts.


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## BuckeyeHunter27 (Mar 12, 2018)

Boatman71 said:


> There is a mountain of knowledge about the SB in his podcasts.


That is why I suggested that, but I am still “newish “ in this game and didn’t wanna steer anyone wrong I guess!! 


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## Boatman71 (Jul 16, 2013)

Don't be afraid to bounce questions off me. I can help also.


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## 45er (Jan 18, 2009)

Larry brown said:


> I have been debating on getting a release like this myself but I just experienced the first surprise release with my thumb trigger. I took the sight off and just pulled through the shot and BAM. It is amazing. Put the sight back on and it's not quite as good cause my mind takes over and acts stupid.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Welcome to my world! Thank God for my Carter Honeys!


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## ron.lee (Feb 8, 2020)

I just got mine last week. Bought from a friend that didn't like it. The hook started to seem to not fully engage upon activation...it would stick half open. So I oiled it up and now it slaps back to closed upon activation. Maybe I put too Mich oil in there? (Just a drop off of a q-tip of CLP) 

Will it void warranty if I open er up?

Other than that I like the idea of a tension activated shot! I haven't been able to hold on bullseye with the new bow I got and my Wise Guy release (Defiant turbo).

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## vmals (Jul 24, 2018)

My evolution was inconsistent. Added some 3-1 oil in all the opening and now it’s very consistent. Stopped using it for a while because I couldn’t shoot it worth a damn. Now I shoot great with it. 


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## doulos (Apr 2, 2006)

I have 3 tension releases. A Stan Element, A Hamskea, and a older Loesch tension. The releases show a lot about your setup. Like how you anchor , how deep your hand is into the release, your release hand arm alignment and elbow position. How hard you setup into the wall. Release tipping angle. If these are all not the same every shot the shot will not feel the same. That said I actually prefer the Hamskea and the Loesch over the Element, which many people think is the best tension release whenever polled.


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## Tblodg (Aug 28, 2019)

vmals said:


> My evolution was inconsistent. Added some 3-1 oil in all the opening and now it’s very consistent. Stopped using it for a while because I couldn’t shoot it worth a damn. Now I shoot great with it.


Exact same with my Attraction (which is similar to the Evolution except you don't hold the trigger while drawing). I can't believe all the people who say it is the person and not the release, mine brand new out of the package was acting crazy and I thought it was me at first because everyone said that. Once I added a few drops of oil it has been fine ever since then, it is not always the person as these releases do need a drop of oil at the base of the clasp every once in a while.


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## samhel (Dec 31, 2010)

Brown Hornet said:


> I'd love to see what Carter does when they get these releases back....
> 
> I'd bet 99% of the time not much of anything.
> 
> ...


This!! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Squall24 (Sep 14, 2018)

Something that helped me with consistency is shooting up close with my eyes closed. Its amazing how much you can get a feel for the release when you're not distracted by your sight picture.


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## Verminaters1967 (Aug 20, 2019)

Have not had a hunting release fail yet


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## Keith t (Oct 31, 2008)

ron.lee said:


> I just got mine last week. Bought from a friend that didn't like it. The hook started to seem to not fully engage upon activation...it would stick half open. So I oiled it up and now it slaps back to closed upon activation. Maybe I put too Mich oil in there? (Just a drop off of a q-tip of CLP)
> 
> Will it void warranty if I open er up?
> 
> ...


I think it will. Best to send back to carter.

Also I thnk the warranty is only good to the original owner....again, check wih carter.

IF you really want to open it up, it is a very simple release and easy to do. 

Put it in a big ziplock bag and take it apart so you dont lose any springs.


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## ron.lee (Feb 8, 2020)

Thanks Keith. I took it apart anyway and changed to the higher tension spring. It seems to be working fine now. Not sure what the problem was. 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## wilhelm4737 (Nov 30, 2019)

ron.lee said:


> Thanks Keith. I took it apart anyway and changed to the higher tension spring. It seems to be working fine now. Not sure what the problem was.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


Interesting. My SB did the exact same thing as yours. (I got it used from a nice fella off here)
I also noticed the hook sticking half open after the shot, so I put 1 drop of rem oil on the base of the jaw. Like yours, it started slapping shut after the shot. I'll have to try switching the spring out like you did to see if it'll fix it.


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## inetzero (Jun 17, 2018)

dan wilkinson said:


> I've been shooting the silverback for about 2 weeks now. I have been adjusting it up and down constantly to find the "spot". It seems like I'll get it set right for several shots and then the next shot I'll have to tear the bow apart to get it to go off or it fires as I take my thumb off the safety. For I while I was chalking it up to shooter error. Today I received my AWS digital scale. I can't believe how inconsistent it is. It will read a consistent reading a couple times and then will change by 2-3 pounds. Im being very careful to pull with equal pressure on both fingers every time. Even when I turn tension screw out the readings get higher when they should get lighter and visa versa. Anybody else experiencing this?


Same experience here, very inconsistent break weight. I tested side by side with a stan perfex tension and the perfex break weight variance was consistently within about .5 - 1lb compared to 4-6 lbs on the silverback.


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## Keith t (Oct 31, 2008)

ron.lee said:


> Thanks Keith. I took it apart anyway and changed to the higher tension spring. It seems to be working fine now. Not sure what the problem was.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


The weaker spring when adjusted to higher tension doesn't act the same as the heavier spring at lower tension.

When I had a SB I preferred the heavier spring set to a lower setting. It seemed more consistent.


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## 1tiger (Jan 24, 2005)

mine got sold after having it go off on my scale any where from 12-15 pounds. my stan element was way more consistant with less than 1/2 pound varience.


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## Steelerdrew1979 (Jan 27, 2021)

Ok so here is my silverback story. I first started with the Backstrap to help with my target panic. During the first few weeks I was having the same problems everyone else is having first shot breaks soon as I let off the trigger. Second shot I need to pull pull and it breaks third shot pull pull pull pull puuuuulllll and it breaks. That's when I pull out good ol friend Allen wrench and start turning it this way and that. I got so frustrated I traded it off for a silverback. ( It's the same release). The first day I pulled it out I was right back in the same routine. So I started watching videos and talking to people and listening to them. About a year later using it everyday and leaving that size Allen out of my bag!!! Here is what I learned 1. It's not the release. 2. It's not the release. 3. The silverback is the hardest release there is to learn even harder to master. 4. It breaks early on your first shot cuz your fresh and pulling hard on your back wall. 5. Archery is 100% about consistently. You have to have the same pull on the back wall every time. Front shoulder down release elbow up and pull it back like you want to elbow some one that's trying to bite your ear. I put a bigger barrel on mine. Oil the sear every so often. One drop of penatrating oil. Not the dry lube. Lastly once you know what your back wall feels like every time you pull back and release the safety say to yourself PULL PULL PULL PULL . Trust the float. On YouTube dudly has a video that helped me alot search " learning to drive a back tension release" once you get it you won't want a different release. I love the thing now. Hope this helps and stay with it it's worth it.


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## jo3st3 (Apr 11, 2021)

If you try any back tension release with something like a shot trainer, it will seem really easy and break cleanly every time. That's because your body isn't under tension, and it's a solid wall to pull against. Then with a bow, under the tension of holding weight, you start doing things that cause issues... like your left shoulder starts to collapse in different directions (back, up, behind), or you are not solid against the back wall, or your bow has a spongy back wall to increase challenge, or your draw length is too long, etc.

Bottomline, 99.9% of the time it's not the release that is the issue... it's YOU. And that is the reason why people buy a tension release like this because it can help expose all of the inconsistencies and form issues you might have. Most of the time it's your front shoulder. Things like the shot not going off, or pulling the shot offline, etc., is just a byproduct of your form issues. When you can simply squeeze the thumb or index trigger, or disguise the "punch" by pulling at the same time, you get away with those issues.

If the release is giving you trouble, all that's telling you is you have a flaw in your system. When you first start I highly recommend shooting these types of releases at close target distances where you can focus on form and technique and master the shot without fear of missing the target or other issues. I also recommend getting or making a shot trainer to practice with so it's much easier with a bow to repeat.


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## 10Miller (11 mo ago)

Keith t said:


> Had the same issue with mine...it more than likely is NOT the release.
> 
> Heres what I did.
> 
> ...


So I was having issues with my silverback too, and took it apart, but immediately screwed up, and now I cant figure out where the two little silver balls are supposed to sit at when putting it back together. Any chance you would be able to help me out with that?


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## vmals (Jul 24, 2018)

10Miller said:


> So I was having issues with my silverback too, and took it apart, but immediately screwed up, and now I cant figure out where the two little silver balls are supposed to sit at when putting it back together. Any chance you would be able to help me out with that?


Release is made by carter and they are very helpful. Give them a call and Im sure they will get you sorted out.


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## luke308 (Nov 12, 2020)

that release has got too much going on for me, i know they are quality built but i have heard the same from so many people on here about it going off at different times. talk about panic ,it fires good one time and the next time you almost have to break the string to get it to go off,i shoot a thumb button and am pretty happy with it


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## luke308 (Nov 12, 2020)

Boatman71 said:


> Id do that in a heart beat, but I don't think he gives just anyone lessons! Yes that would be a great thing.


he might,seems pretty down to earth


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## Taffyjay (Nov 17, 2021)

dan wilkinson said:


> I've been shooting the silverback for about 2 weeks now. I have been adjusting it up and down constantly to find the "spot". It seems like I'll get it set right for several shots and then the next shot I'll have to tear the bow apart to get it to go off or it fires as I take my thumb off the safety. For I while I was chalking it up to shooter error. Today I received my AWS digital scale. I can't believe how inconsistent it is. It will read a consistent reading a couple times and then will change by 2-3 pounds. Im being very careful to pull with equal pressure on both fingers every time. Even when I turn tension screw out the readings get higher when they should get lighter and visa versa. Anybody else experiencing this?


Yep same scenario except now it fires at very low tension no matter which spring I use


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## sambone (Mar 12, 2014)

I have a Carter Evolution and it was very inconsistent on how much poundage of pull was required to make it go off. 
A little lube and it worked much better.
I also have a Stan Perfex resistance release. In my opinion its way better than the Carter. Its very consistent and very easy to adjust. I can shoot very well with it.


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