How to Time a Compound Bow

Preferred among most bow hunters and many competitive archers, the compound bow holds advantages over the traditional, or re-curve, bow. Its ability to produce more power behind the arrow, with less force from the shooter, is the compound bow's primary selling point. This efficiency stems from the weapon's design, where one or two cams, or wheels, connect with limbs, cables and drawstring. Once the string is extended to full draw, the amount of strength needed to extend can be diminished without the shooter changing position, a phenomenon known as "letoff." Timing the bow is essential if the letoff capacity is to be maximally exploited. With a two-cam bow, timing involves synchronization; with a one-cam, optimization.

Instructions

1. • 1

     Leave the bow in a stationary position. Locate the timing holes, or dots, at the outer edge of the cam. If they run parallel to the bowstring, your bow is timed correctly.

   • 2

     Loosen the screws on the limbs by two or three turns, if your timing dots are not oriented accurately. Place the bow in a bow press, gently squeezing the limbs to relax the cable. Twist either the bowstring or cable in the direction that rotates the cam into its proper position.

   • 3

     Release the bow press and re-insert the screws into the limb attachments.

   • 4

     Twist the second cable when adjusting the timing on a dual-cam bow. Both cams must show timing holes parallel to the drawstring for the bow to fire effectively. Follow all other directions required of a solo-cam bow.