Center Shot: Alignment, Setup & Tuning Guide

Center shot is the horizontal alignment of the arrow rest so that the arrow sits in line with the bowstring and the bow's median plane. When the centershot is correct, the arrow travels straight out of the bow rather than launching on an angle — reducing fishtailing and making the bow more forgiving of small grip and draw inconsistencies. Note that center shot is exclusively a lateral adjustment; it has no vertical component.

A Brief History

Early bow designs did not feature a centershot riser. Traditional bows from many cultures used a grip offset to one side, which meant the arrow sat off-center at full draw. Modern riser design moved away from this offset approach, and a true center shot configuration is now standard across most bow styles. Today, most recurve and compound risers are cut past center, allowing the arrow to pass closer to or through the median plane with less lateral flex needed.

Center Shot by Bow Type

• Traditional longbows may use a cut-out shelf or an arrow rest attachment to bring the arrow closer to the bow's center line.
• Recurve bows use a plunger button and arrow rest to fine-tune horizontal centre shot. Because finger shooters experience the Archer's Paradox — where the arrow bends around the riser on release — the plunger depth is adjusted so the arrow returns to the ideal centershot position through the shot cycle. As a starting point, the arrow point should sit just outside the string on the left side for right-handed archers.
• Compound bows use an arrow rest mounted near the Berger hole as the vertical reference point. A widely used starting measurement for center shot compound bow setup is 13/16 of an inch from the riser to the center of the arrow shaft — a baseline, not a final position.

Sequencing Your Setup

Before setting centre shot, confirm limb alignment first — the string must pass cleanly down the center of both limbs. Only once limb alignment is confirmed should you set the arrow's lateral position. Nocking point height should also be established before moving to verification.

Verifying Center Shot

Two reliable field methods exist. The walk-back test — shooting from progressively greater distances while aiming at the same point — reveals left or right drift caused by a misaligned centershot. If the arrow pattern bulges to the left, move the plunger to the right; bulge to the right, move it left. For compound bows, paper tuning at 12–15 yards exposes left or right nock tears that indicate the rest needs to move away from or toward the riser.

For a deeper look at how the rest itself affects flight, see our guide to choosing and setting up an arrow rest, or explore bow setup fundamentals for new archers that cover these steps from the ground up.