Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Newbie Tuning Question

Guys,

Thought I would try here first. I am pretty novice with archery tuning, and I've really only been practicing archery for two years. I decided to upgrade my Diamond Blackout bow with a QAD drop rest instead of the hostage rest that was on it because I wasnt happy with my 3-4" groups at 25 yards. Sure enough, this has tightened the groups. My issue now is that I have never really tuned a bow before. I knew this would force me to do it, and I'm fine with doing it the right way but I thought I would get some pointers from you guys now. At ten yards I am bullseye. At 20 yards, I am about 6-7" low and 3 " right. How do I move my rest to make these centered? I know that once I am centered, I will need to move my sight so that centered=bullseye. Thoughts? Thanks.

Welcome to the Campfire. I think most of us will suggest you take to a bow shop and let the staff there make the ajustments. However, we also know that sometimes this isn't always practical or possible.

You need to get your rest centered in the window of the arrow shelf. You can google the specs for your bow, there may be a set measurement to start with first. The field expedient method is to stretch a rubber band (or several looped together) between an allen wrench in your top and bottom limb bolts. This will give you a rough centerline of the bow and where to adjust your rest left or right.

The vertical adjustment for the QAD rest is usually based off of the height that your rest needs to be installed on the riser for the arrow fork to lay down on the arrow shelf at rest. Then you need to get you arrow level on the cocked rest and at a 90 degree angle with the bow string. The bow should set perfectly vertical, and the arrow shaft set perfectly level over the rest and the nock point. With the new rest, you may have to move your nockpoint up or down to get the 90 degree angle.

Not sure if you have these basics achieved, but you need a decent center shot to figure out if the arrow is flying true enough to begin moving the sight. If the center shot is set correct, then you can worry about the sight adjustments.

IME, and very limited, if the arrow impact is changing from left to right or the other direction over the distance you are sighting in, then the center shot is probably off. Example: I was shooting left at 60 yards, but adjusting the sight to meet the deviation was throwing me off (left/right) at 20 yards by a few inches. When I had the bow checked by people that knew their buisiness, the centershot was off a bunch and needed adjustment.

Without a bow vise and the right levels, you are attempting a difficult task without a lot of experience. Plus, without knowing your arrow weight, spine, bow weight, draw length, bow sight, etc. It's a bit challenging to know if the change in impact is right, wrong, or a bad match of equipment. Not throwing rocks, just trying to get the facts to get you a decent answer, and not just a "best guess". I used QADs for a couple years, then switched, so my recall is rusty on what they suggested for set-up instructions.Hopefully, this post will you a few other opinions and experiences.

Making sure your bow is in specs is the first step - ATA dimension, and no cam or wheel lean.

Then make sure there's no contact issues with the vanes.

Now you're ready to tune..

Download Easton's guide and read it a few times, it will help you very much.

http://www.eastonarchery.com/img/downloads/software/tuning_guide.pdf

If you have access to a couple large targets or bales, stack them hoping for at least 4 ft, the taller the farther back you will be able to shoot.

hang a string from the top with some kind of weight on the bottom so it will plumb level. Adjust the top pin for twenty yards, put some kind of mark at the top of the target where the string bisects.

Walk back shooting groups at the spot with the twenty pin, that mark and that pin is your only aim. As you walk back your arrows will hit lower and lower until they are close to the bottom. If your arrows stay on the line then you are centered. If they wander away from the line then adjust the rest to bring them over. Once you are on the line at your farthest distance shooting the mark with the twenty pin... go forward and shoot from close again. If you are off the line from close adjust back, go to the farthest spot, shoot again... if they won't come together your arrows are over spined and running sideways. No rest adjust will tune that.

If all is good after walking back then close again, shoot at 40 or 50 yds. If there is vertical stringing then adjust the nock up or down until it tightens as close a possible. Go close again and if the vertical gets worse, your arrows are under spined.

If your arrows are over spined... increase head weight and/or poundage.

If your arrows are under spined... decrease head weight or poundage.

Once tuned close and at distance with the twenty pin/string... mark precise distances, set a new mark somewhere in the center of the target and shoot to set all pins.

This process goes fast if you are spined to the bows set energy. Having a few different feildtip weights makes experimenting tune fast and easy.

Kent

That's some useful info man. Never though of the string method before.

I just did this a few days ago.
I had a reputable archery shop install the QAD pro LD rest and I was set to go in about 15 minutes. They set it up and got me centershot adjusted and then had me shoot a few arrows to watch and see if the rest was dropping correctly. Then they fixed the cord at the right spot and finished.

I added at least another +10 yards of confidence with this rest, meaning, my 30yd groups are now like my 20 yard groups were. 40 yd groups like the 30 yd were.