Is walk back tuning still viable ?
- Thread starter StevoNilo
- Start date
Walk back tuning these days is still used. I think perhaps it has changed a little and the use some make of the results may have changed, a little ,too.
Tuning, can be seen as a way of testing different settings/point weights/etc, to find out if some changes give better groups. That requires the archer to be shooting so well, that they know that the improved groups came from the adjustment they made, and not a change in form, or a lucky run of good shots.
Walk back tuning can be used to find out if the arrows land in the gold( or in the centre left to right) at different distances, so the sight windage does not need to be changed whenever you change shooting distance.Some archers cut out some of the distances and just use one long one and one short one and expect the ones between to be central,too.In a way, you could say "walk back setting up", as you are really getting the bow set up to give a predetermined set of results.( A vertical line down the target as distance increases) Tuning would require the archer to try to find out if the groups could be reduced, by minor changes, without upsetting the straight line.
Tuning, can be seen as a way of testing different settings/point weights/etc, to find out if some changes give better groups. That requires the archer to be shooting so well, that they know that the improved groups came from the adjustment they made, and not a change in form, or a lucky run of good shots.
Walk back tuning can be used to find out if the arrows land in the gold( or in the centre left to right) at different distances, so the sight windage does not need to be changed whenever you change shooting distance.Some archers cut out some of the distances and just use one long one and one short one and expect the ones between to be central,too.In a way, you could say "walk back setting up", as you are really getting the bow set up to give a predetermined set of results.( A vertical line down the target as distance increases) Tuning would require the archer to try to find out if the groups could be reduced, by minor changes, without upsetting the straight line.
joetapley
New member
There are three (and only three to date) basic tuning methods. Best known examples of each are paper tuning, walk back tuning and bare shaft tuning. (group tuning is at another level up from basic tuning). All work technically and difference between them is how well they work and the skill level of the archer needed to them. Paper tuning is currently the least accurate and requires some paraphernalia so is currently out of favour (May return when technology becomes more affordable/available). Walk back tuning is a good method for beginners as it requires no special kit and caters for a wide range of archer skills. As Geoff said the obvious benefit is minimising sight windage changes with distance. The bare shaft method gives the best results (when done over 30-45 meter range) but requires stripping/replacing fletchings and a good bowman level of archer.
barney41262
New member
Yeh just 'French tune' for centre shot, stick your sight on 50 m walk up to about 10 m and shoot a good shot in the middle of the gold, leave sight at 50m and walk back to 50m and do the same thing,if both arrows line up then centre shot is cool. If not , adjust accordingly.
joetapley
New member
Seconded - can only sensibly start adjusting center shot after completion of a satisfactory bare shaft tune.
barney41262
New member
Personaly I don't worry too much about tuning, I set up a recurve with the stiff button method ...... Good enough! I believe a good basic set up with properly matched arrows is good enough for 90% of us.you really wouldn't notice the difference. With the emphasis being put on a good solid basic form and a repeatable shot routine. I have a friend GMB recurve who does almost no tuning just a basic set up , if he shoots bare shafts at 20m they would probably be a foot to the left of the group and doesnt worry about it he just concentrates on consistency.
Nightimer
New member
If memory serves the walk back test (if done correctly) could give 2 distinct readings (or a mixture of both and the skill needed to read the results).
Result one was a diagonal vertical line which needed a centre shot adjustment to correct.
Result two was a curved vertical line which needed a button pressure adjustment.
Or have things changed.
Result one was a diagonal vertical line which needed a centre shot adjustment to correct.
Result two was a curved vertical line which needed a button pressure adjustment.
Or have things changed.
Yes that was the old myth... in fact there's no distinction. It's usually recommended to set the centreshot, then adjust only the tension on a simple walkback. Assuming the rest of the allignment setup is okay. There should be a range of centreshot and tension pairs which will work, not just one"correct setting". Some may work better than others, but you can't tell that from a walkback (or any other mechanical test) only statistically.
Walkback is my preferred way to get my bows set up for centreshot (on compound and recurve) and for button tension on recurves. Set up that way they're perfectly accurate and nicely forgiving - I only really bother tuning for a straight fall of shot because I don't want to move the sight horizontally between distances
Yes. Though if the arrows all lie within a normal range for your group sizes then that is just a line... and if it's a line down the middle -no adjustment needed. If it's truly an S... that is to say;groups moving in that pattern consistently over a number of repetitions, then I suspect it means "something else is wrong". My guess would be clearance. But that's just a guess.
If I saw that pattern, I'd probably go back to basics: check the bow alignment, that the sight was inline with the string, that the centre-shot was reasonable, that the arrows are in the right range for a match to the equipment... But sometimes a diagnosis of an S pattern is really just a normal curve, mis-aligned.
joetapley
New member
What's changed is that coaching has generally become more professional so daft ideas like the straight/curved arrow pattern re walk back methodology have long been binned.
When archery stories make no sense like this walk back method you can often get different variants (as all are equally nonsensical). I recall how in one of the early Archery UK mag letter pages you had a county coach querying why the version (of straight/curved -> button/center shot) in the GNAS coaching manual was the complete opposite of most versions found elsewhere. The relevant manual author replied to the query along the lines of blah,blah,blah. Clearly understood nothing about tuning in general or the walk back method in particular.
So forget about "S" patterns or any other arrow patterns - these result from the combined effects of gravity, wind and fishtailing/porpoising on the arrow flight. PS see Technical Archery Forum • View topic - The Fools Tune
I'm really lazy when it comes to tuning. All I do is set up for centre shot, shoot at 70m. If they are to the left increase pressure of the button, to the right decrease pressure (left handed by the way), in the middle done! As long as the button is of a "decent" pressure its done with. Any other major adjustments if this does not fit are arrow related (point weight, spine etc) but thats generally done with selection charts.
Gives nice clean arrow flight and no windage adjustments for distance changes.
Gives nice clean arrow flight and no windage adjustments for distance changes.
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joetapley
New member
Absolutely! Assuming you start with the sight pin in line with or marginally outside the bow plane then this is all the "tuning" 70% of archers ever need to do.
For comparison when I've used the above approach and checked the result against a 30 meter bare shaft, with the fletched arrows centered in the X the bare shafts are generally within 8 ring (80cm target at 30 meters).
I used to bare shaft, walk back, the lot (never paper tuned, no point for recurve Imho), got to the point I was too involved with the equipment, not the shot.
Remember tuning the way I mentioned, then bare shaft and had no difference. Was about the same time I ripped of my free flight rest (as it started to move about) and stuck on a super pro, no change in scores (before the movement started and it was set spot on). Scores then went up with a simple set up
Remember tuning the way I mentioned, then bare shaft and had no difference. Was about the same time I ripped of my free flight rest (as it started to move about) and stuck on a super pro, no change in scores (before the movement started and it was set spot on). Scores then went up with a simple set up
Politly have to disagree
it may just be my type though.I'm a perfectionist andnignore paper and bareshaft and group tune, on top I have help with tiller movement aiming out to forty yards slowly and I.mean slowly draw straight to anchor and have a friend watch if top.or.bottom limb move for tiller changes and checks, long winded answer to basically say any method which can give you a reaction of your arrows and bow is a good thing.do.it monthly and enjoy, Steve Ellison has a good print.out to.follow on experiments of sorts and writing down.results from all he's asking, it's not just about the experiments example nock arrow above your top nock shoot three Fletched.write down result nock.under bottom again shoot three write results.it's what's learnt in this and all your tuning that's just ad important ad the tuning itself
I would seriously advise anyone to try a paper tune prior to a bareshaft test, although paper tuning is a perfect arriw testator traditional archers looking mg for the perfect arrow, but recurve target also can.make great use of paper tuning especially when shooting directly at it from no.more than stabiliser length away, even having three layers of paper each a meter away and check the arrow flight at each stage, so much can be found off a paper tune and we'll worth the effort,
it may just be my type though.I'm a perfectionist andnignore paper and bareshaft and group tune, on top I have help with tiller movement aiming out to forty yards slowly and I.mean slowly draw straight to anchor and have a friend watch if top.or.bottom limb move for tiller changes and checks, long winded answer to basically say any method which can give you a reaction of your arrows and bow is a good thing.do.it monthly and enjoy, Steve Ellison has a good print.out to.follow on experiments of sorts and writing down.results from all he's asking, it's not just about the experiments example nock arrow above your top nock shoot three Fletched.write down result nock.under bottom again shoot three write results.it's what's learnt in this and all your tuning that's just ad important ad the tuning itself
I think shooting through paper might be called "setting up" by some archers, rather than "tuning".
Shooting through paper can show up wild arrow flight and give you clues about what to try next to make things better regarding the first few yards of flight. It can show up how a change of bow hand position can improve the way the arrows fly at the start.
I think it is limited to helping with the first few yards of flight; as there is no telling what will be happening at 40y etc. and whether or not the flight path stays central or drifts off to one side.
If it helps with bow hand positioning, it should be worthwhile, as that will also play a part when doing bareshaft tests at 20+yds.
Shooting through paper can show up wild arrow flight and give you clues about what to try next to make things better regarding the first few yards of flight. It can show up how a change of bow hand position can improve the way the arrows fly at the start.
I think it is limited to helping with the first few yards of flight; as there is no telling what will be happening at 40y etc. and whether or not the flight path stays central or drifts off to one side.
If it helps with bow hand positioning, it should be worthwhile, as that will also play a part when doing bareshaft tests at 20+yds.