Two Easy Ways to Install A Recurve Arrow Rest

An arrow rest is one of the most vital archery accessories you can install for your bow. It provides a reliable base on which your arrow rests, guaranteeing steady arrow flights and aiding in stacking tight groups into the target. Nonetheless, recurve arrow rests can also be really challenging to install right.

If you own a recurve bow, understanding how to install a rest will undoubtedly come in handy when you need to mount it on your bow. In this article, we’ll go through why you need an arrow rest and two easy ways to install it on your recurve bow. 

Arrow Rest: The What & The Why

An arrow rest is an archery accessory that connects to your bow and holds the arrow in place through the entire shooting process until the arrow is fired. Essentially, the arrow “rests” on the arrow rest just as its name suggests.

Arrow rests help you shoot accurately by providing the stabilization your arrow needs. They are specifically designed to assist in the smooth release of the arrow by minimizing vibration. By holding the arrow in place, the rest stabilizes the arrow at full draw, ensuring proper flight and consistent shots.

And as we all know, consistency is one of the critical components of shot accuracy. Arrow rests offer your arrows the consistency required for accurate shooting by holding the arrow firmly against the handle of your bow. 

Whether you’re into bowhunting or target archery, a rest definitely comes in handy if you want to improve your shooting game.

Installing Your Recurve Arrow Rest

An arrow rest comes in different forms, depending on the type of bow you’re using. If you have a recurve bow, there are primarily two methods for installing a rest: 

The Stick-On Method 

Stick-on arrow rests are popular because of their relative simplicity. They are easy to install and reliable enough for any skill set. You can install them on your recurve bow by following these steps: 

• Get organized: 

Start with a clean workstation. Get rid of any dirt or unneeded items on the work surface. Then, clean and gently polish the body of the bow riser to remove any filth or old glue. 

• Resize your rest if necessary: 

If your arrow rest is oversized, you’d need to reduce it. Place the rest on the bow riser like you were going to attach it and outline the arrow rest. Then, adjust the size where necessary using a sharp cutter.

• Take out the self-adhesive paper:

Stick-on rests come with self-adhesive coverings. Peel it off, and if required, carefully add some glue to the base of the arrow plate and the bow riser.

• Align the arrow plate: 

Vertically align the arrow plate with the bow grip. You should leave ⅝ inch between the arrow and the lower portion of the sight lens.

• Closure:

Once the arrow rest has been rightly positioned, fasten it to the bow by applying firm pressure for a few seconds. You’re good to go!

The Screw-In Method 

Screw-in rests differ from their stick-on counterparts because they are screwed to the recurve bow riser. This rest type is popular among archers because they are firmer and don’t risk falling off due to bow vibration.

As long as you have the right tools, installing these rests isn’t so difficult. All you have to do is: 

• Set up:

Clean your workspace and get it prepared by removing any unneeded items. 

• Find the holes: 

You’ll notice two holes from the front view of the recurve bow riser. The arrow rest goes into the first hole, while a plunger will go into the second.

• Mount the rest:

The next step will be to align the arrow rest and bolt your screws gently into the riser holes. Ensure that the screws point in the same direction as the riser holes on the recurve bow. Be careful while screwing, but also focus on getting a firm fit. 

• Inspect the installation:

Check the rest for any required adjustments. Tighten or loosen the riser bolt according to your preference. Like the stick-on rests, the distance between the base of the bow sight lens and the arrow should be ⅝ of an inch. 

Fine Tuning The Recurve Arrow Rest

To further fine-tune your arrow rest, shoot some arrows, and depending on the outcome, take the steps below:

If the arrow fire is high:

When the arrow fire is high, it means your nocking point is too low on the bow string. To fix this, move the nocking point upwards as required.

If the arrow fire is low:

If you notice the arrow fire is low, it implies that your nocking point on the string is too high. Adjust the nocking point downward as required to fix it.

Note that you should never try to adjust your arrow rest while fine-tuning, as this will cause a new problem. All adjustments should instead be made on the nocking point, and this is only necessary for the instances stated above.

Additional Tips for Arrow Rest Installation 

• When purchasing an arrow rest, you must get one that best fits your dominant eye and hand.
• You can confirm your bowstring is correctly aligned with the aid of a bow square. 
• Check that your arrow is resting properly to verify that you have executed the installation process correctly. If anything seems amiss, find out possible issues and fix them.
• If you still don’t feel confident enough to install your recurve arrow rest, you can always get help from a local archery store. They will charge a minimal fee, but your bow will be in safe hands. 

Final Thoughts

By now, you must have discovered that, unlike some other archery accessories, arrow rests are pretty easy to install - especially on a recurve bow. As long as you can pay attention to details and know your way around the bow, there should be no issues.

However, bear in mind that when you’re done with the installation, you must check the arrow rest to ensure that it is perfectly mounted and fine-tune it for better precision where necessary.