Shipping to a bow shop

[Kwandog]

I'm curious y'alls opinion on shipping a bow to a pro shop to have it tuned up. The bow shop in my local area isn't all that great and I'm relatively new to bow hunting so don't really have the knowledge or skill. I have a feeling I may be better off sending my bow to a good shop rather then being able to be in person at my local shop. I'm wanting to increase my draw weight, shift to heavier arrows and just make sure my bow is as tuned up as it could be.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

If the bow isn't already maxed out and you're just wanting to add a few pounds to your draw weight, all you need is a hex wrench to tighten the limb bolts. If the bow is already maxed out and you're wanting to go heavier, that would be a more involved procedure (swapping mods or limbs and possibly cams).

Any semi-competent bow tech should be able to set your bow to the manufacturer's recommended specs on draw weight, axle-to-axle length, brace height, cam timing, d-loop location, and rest postion/timing. This gives you a good starting point, but a truly tuned bow needs to be tuned to the individual shooter. It's possible that someone else could get your bow close enough to where it needs to be that you could then do the fine tuning on your own solely via rest adjustments, but it would be better if you could be there in person with the bow tech during tuning. If you post your location, someone here might know of a good bow shop nearby.

 

[MattB]

The only potential issue other than cost and not learning anything is that tuning incorporates the shooter in terms of grip, form, etc. I know some guys who would ship off bows for tuning, get them back, and be totally dialed. On the other hand I have a friend (who is a much more accomplished tuner/shooter than I am) who is ~7” low at 20 yards when he shoots bows I have tuned. It seems like it is mainly grip-related. My sense is he would need to re-tune my bows if he was going to shoot fixed heads with it.

 

[Beendare]

Yep, Matt nailed it. Your bow needs to be tuned to your grip or shooting style.

Now if its shop tuned, you can learn to shoot it maintaining the tune…but you have to know that going in.

 

[Ho5tile1]

As they said the bowtech can set your bow to spec and get it all squared and level but the bow needs to be in your hands to be tuned to your shooting


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[Kularrow]

Good bow techs are a dying breed. I’m scared to see pro shops in 10 years.

 

[Long Cut]

You need to find a good shop and go in person, for all of the reasons above.

When I first began bow hunting, I took my bow to the “best” pro shop in the area that everybody recommended… The “bow tech” which turned out to be a buddy of the shop guys, did the tuning on my bow. He was fixated on me shooting “bullet holes” to the point where my arrow was coming off the rest at an angle. The bow was shooting roughly 12” left at 10 yards…

I say all this to say, even the “best” pro shops can make mistakes! If I had shipped my bow off and paid shipping, only to have to fix the bow myself… I’d be livid.

 

[nphunter]

I would send mine off to someone like Johns Custom Archery, Tom Parkinson, Shane Chuning or someone with similar reputation to have it done. I plan to start offering a similar service once my kids are out of the house in a couple years and life slows down. I do all of my friends and families bows and have a couple at the house right now waiting for strings and was asked about 3 more this week.

Most bow shops don't offer actual tuning, won't fix servings, don't shoot the bows down range and like mentioned above, bullet holes can lead to very messed up center shot if the wrong person is shooting the bow.

 

[Marshfly]

IMHO, if a bow needs to be tuned to you and you alone, you are torquing the bow. There's no other way to explain that away. And torquing isn't repeatable with consistency.

 

[SloppyJ]

Bite the bullet and buy an ez-green press if you think this is something that you'll be into for any length of time. You will literally chase your tail if you take it to a bow shop. I trust no one with my bow.

 

[Fowl Play]

I would either travel to have it tuned in person or buy a press and learn to do it yourself. Besides the other things people have mentioned, adjusting the poundage will adjust the draw length and they will need to compensate for it. With shipping it out, you are going to risk getting a bow back that may be dialed, but maybe it's a quarter to half inch too long or too short on draw length and it will affect you're shooting.

 

[MattB]

IMHO, if a bow needs to be tuned to you and you alone, you are torquing the bow. There's no other way to explain that away. And torquing isn't repeatable with consistency.

Having a higher or lower wrist grip can affect how a bow reacts as well. That is the difference between my friend and me. When he shoots my bows he hits low, not left or right which would be indicative of torque.

 

[jbelz]

IMHO, if a bow needs to be tuned to you and you alone, you are torquing the bow. There's no other way to explain that away. And torquing isn't repeatable with consistency.

Every archer on the planet torques their bow to some degree. Therefore, every archer needs to have their bow uniquely tuned to them.

 

[Ron.C]

OP.

If I were you (and I was) spend a bit of time researching bow tuning methods. It is not rocket science and the tools to do so are not expensive. I've used a Bowmaster portable press for a long time whenever I need to add/take off a turn to my string, add a peep etc.

You will be far better served learning to do it yourself and then you can micro tweak your rig to your preference when you see fit.

 

[Ho5tile1]

IMHO, if a bow needs to be tuned to you and you alone, you are torquing the bow. There's no other way to explain that away. And torquing isn't repeatable with consistency.

Yea everyone shoots different and will torque the bow differently. I’m no Levi Morgan but I’m pretty good and my bow is for sure torqued a certain way when I shoot and I can put perfect bullet holes through paper at 15 yards over and over but my buddy can’t grab my bow and do that we have the same draw length we even shoot the same bow same site same peep everything is the same nock to peep nose button etc. he can hit what he aims at no problem and I can do the same with his bow but I can’t get a bullet hole in paper with his bow nor him with my bow. so it for sure needs to be in the shooters hands.


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[Kwandog]

Ok, it sounds like I need to get a bow press and tools as I want to get my bow as dialed in as possible and I can be very particular when it comes to my gear. I also this week switched to a kisser button so now I probably shoot much different then anyone who would be tuning my bow. I am maxed out on draw weight so that might need to be changed in the future. Other than a press, what must have tools should I have on my list to get?

 

[Tony D]

I found a great deal on a Bow at an online site called Archery Supply. Price seems too good to be true and they don't take VISA.. Run away?

 

[MattB]

I found a great deal on a Bow at an online site called Archery Supply. Price seems too good to be true and they don't take VISA.. Run away?

Every reputable business I am aware of takes Visa.

 

[Tilzbow]

Ok, it sounds like I need to get a bow press and tools as I want to get my bow as dialed in as possible and I can be very particular when it comes to my gear. I also this week switched to a kisser button so now I probably shoot much different then anyone who would be tuning my bow. I am maxed out on draw weight so that might need to be changed in the future. Other than a press, what must have tools should I have on my list to get?

A draw board is a must so you can adjust timing. Look at a LCA press and add their draw board accessory. A good bow vice is nice but not mandatory. Bow square, a set of levels and a set of loop pliers are cheap add ons.

 

[Marshfly]

Yea everyone shoots different and will torque the bow differently. I’m no Levi Morgan but I’m pretty good and my bow is for sure torqued a certain way when I shoot and I can put perfect bullet holes through paper at 15 yards over and over but my buddy can’t grab my bow and do that we have the same draw length we even shoot the same bow same site same peep everything is the same nock to peep nose button etc. he can hit what he aims at no problem and I can do the same with his bow but I can’t get a bullet hole in paper with his bow nor him with my bow. so it for sure needs to be in the shooters hands.


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You just proved my point. LOL.

Realistically though, if a person can do the same exact thing every time they will be successful. Most people can't torque consistently so zero torque should be the default.