New ACS Owner - Looking for tips!

[Gene Charbonneau]

I just bought a "new to me" used ACS CX from a fella Trad Ganger in the classifieds.

Its a 14" riser, and 66"

I have owned a ton of recurves, but very few LB's.  Thought it was time to try an ACS, because of all the good I have heard about them.
Plus the recurve style grip was a big factor.

I am looking for any tuning "tips" or any other insider info you ACS owners care to share.

Things like:
Preferred arrows (carbon, alum,)
Brace Heights
Any quieting issues, if so, how to cure.

Anything like that.

Also I heard from an old friend who had one.  That he had troubles with his stringer.  (I believe he was using a Selway).  It had a tendency to slip off?    
What stringer do you use or recommend?

Thanks for any help.

[JRY309]

I brace mine right at 7",spec's are 6&3/4" to7&1/4".I shoot carbons out of mine.They do take a stiffer arrow then my other bows of a similar weight.The riser is cut about 3/16" past center similar to most recurves.I find them to be a quiet bow with whoolie wisps.I use a stringer that fits on the tips with no problem.I don't like a Selway stringer because the limbs have the slight curve in them the ACS design.I find mine to be a quiet bow,hard shooting,fast,smooth and a pleasure to shoot.

[Gene Charbonneau]

Thanks.

That is the kind of info I am looking for.
I have several types of stringers.  Just have to try them all, and see which will work best.

I remember when OL Adcock first designed these bows years back, and I "knew" I had to try one.  Well it took SEVERAL years, but I finally have one on the way.  Very much looking forward to it.

I appreciate your answers.  

[zwickeyman]

Gene, I shoot a 64" 54# and shoot 2117 aluminum out of her. Shoot her just like you do your recurves. With the standaed grip, it takes a little getting used to but once you do, it shoots really consistant. One thing to be careful of is heal pressure, they are a little sensitive to it IMHO. I brace mine higher than most, 7 3/8". good luck.

[8leg-lover]

Remember with any bow stringer that the position of your feet on the stringer is important(I know I got popped in the mouth once) For my recurves I keep my feet spread wide on the stringer because recurve tips are generally pointing up before it's strung. This allows the stringer pocket to stay seated on the limb tip and out of the way for sliding the top loop up and into the groove. For the longbow I keep my feet closer together so that the stringer stays at a sharp angle to the limp tip all the way through the stringing proccess. You might already know this but I don't want what happened to me to happen to someone else. It hurt like #$%%.

Carl

[Gene Charbonneau]

zwick and 8-leg

Thanks for the tips.

[Orion]

I have a couple of 64-inchers and shoot wood.  As others have noted, you'll likely have to go with a little heavier spine than normal and/or build out the side plate a little.  Believe I brace mine around 7 inches, maybe 7 1/8.  I use wooly whispers attached 1/4 the length of the string from each tip.  I've never liked the stringers with the rubber wedge.  Two pockets work much better IMO.  Check out ACS's web site.  They sell a very nice two pocket nylon strap stringer.  ACSs are very solid in the hand, fast and quiet.   Enjoy.

[Running Buck]

Gene,
Something else you might want to look at, Being the risers on these bows are cut past center as stated, the bow will act like it prefers a stiffer arrow. I shoot a 53# 62" that shot 75/95 goldtips straight into the target but with no consistency. Only after I placed a small piece of raw hide lace behind the strike plate did the bow start to shoot 55/75's with very good consistency. Bows cut past center seem to have less of an issue with paradox.

[KPaul]

What Running buck said.Building out the strike plate help me .My brace ht is around 7 1/4.  I shoot mfx's with 250grs up front.

[thunder1]

Gene,
I shoot G/T 55/75 cut to 28" with a 170 gr tip. The my bow preforms better and quites down when braced at 6 3\\4. The same bow will shoot Alaskan Sitka cut to same length to the same point as the G/T. I use the stringer that A&H sent with the bow. The small end stretched open to much to hold the limb tip. I put a couple of stitches in  and was back in business.

[Gene Charbonneau]

Orion

I checked all 4 of my stingers, they are all different makes, but all have the rubber "slider".  Thanks for the lead to the two pocket stringer.
I got a email from another member who said to take care in stringing.  I guess that it is just something to watch for.

Running Buck

Another good tip

I guess I have always gravitated to using alum arrows just because of the skinny carbon diameters.  I never could get a great tune with the skinny carbons,  It occurred to me to build out the shelf, but something that frankly I put in the back of my mind and forgot about.  Time to try that with this bow I see.

I guess the optimum is to have the centerline of the arrow dead with the centerline of the bow?

Does anyone know how much past center the ACS is cut?

  I guess when I choose a carbon arrow, and know its diameter, if I know the "past center" of the ACS riser, I know just how much to "pack out" the striker plate?
Does this make sense?  Seems to to me, but I may be over-thinking it.

Thanks all!  

[wtpops]

The ACS is cut 3/16 past center. When string just becarful the bow has so much deflex that it will try to flip over, as long as you are ready for it you wont have a problem.

[Gene Charbonneau]

Thanks Rick!

I have been chatting with a number of folks about the stringing of the ACS.  I guess its the same thing for all heavily deflexed LB's.

Something for an old recurve shooter to learn and be aware of.    

Sounds like with a 3/16 past center cut that a 5/16" dia carbon arrow would not need too thick a side plate to put it right on center. Sounds like it should be pretty close, stock.
If it seems like it wanting too stiff an arrow, I'll just try packing it out a bit.
Its all fun.  

Thanks everyone.
That just about covers it.

[Steve Clandinin]

Gene ,I'm in the same boat as you,I'm waiting for my new to me ACS traded with a fellow Ganger 62",55#@28" 16" Cocobola riser.can't wait to get my stubby little fingers on her .Like you I've read so much about them and always thought "some day" All this info is relished ,Thank you my friend.Steve

[8888blk]

With all the different sizes of arrows out there you just need to buy one of the test kits that 3-Rivers sells and tune them bare shaft. My ACS will shoot MFX or Axis in 340 or 400 same point (200) just different length to adjust spine. No need to build out rest, it's cut past center for a reason, to shoot heavier spined arrows. It will perform best with carbon. I also shoot right at 10gp# i'm not a speed freak but the ACS will allow you to bump up arrow wieght and retain the same speed at lower draw weight.  

[Orion]

If you build out the side plate, I recommend building it out so the arrow point ends up left of the string, not centered on the string.  I've always had better arrow flight this way, i.e. viewed from the belly of the bow with the string bisecting the limbs, the right side of the arrow at the point should just touch the left side of the string.  This is for all bows I've built out the side plates on, not just ACSs.

Don't know exactly why this is so, but I'll take a guess at it.  All arrows flex vertically and horizontally when they are shot.  If the shaft is bisected by the string, it may initially flex one way (for example, left) one time and the other way (for example, right) the next time when released.  This is influenced by the quality/smoothness of the release, of course.  However, if the shaft is always pointed a little out, i.e., to the left, before the shot, it will always flex initially in the same horizontal direction when released, improving consistency and overall accuracy. Make any sense?  Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.    

[Bjorn]

Shoot the bow and see what works for you. I wouldn't jump to too many conclusions just yet-this is not the first bow you have tuned and probably won't be the last either.
It likes stiffer arrows yes-not much different from any other top bow.

[zwickeyman]

Gene, like Orion said. Spine will effect this but you don't want to line the arrow up centered on the string. Compound shooters will do that if they are using a release, if using fingers you always line the tip off center.How much depends on the spine of your arrow. I love my ACS and I hope you will too.

[8leg-lover]

Gene,

By the way, one of my bows is a highly deflexed longbow, one is a short recurve, and the other is a hill style longbow. I use the same stringer on all three. It's a leather two pocket Black Widow stringer.

Carl

[Yellow Dog]

Gene,

I'll send you an A&H stringer with the bow, a nylon webbing strap design that foolproof. I shoot my ACS's at 7 1/4" brace. When you string it make sure you keep a good grip on it because of the reflex/deflex design it'll want to "roll" on you. I draw 30" and shot 31" 5575 Gold Tip Traditionals with 125gr up front out of out of it. They bare shafted perfectly. Total arrow weight was 450gr, 50@30 and was just breaking the 200fps barrier, 202-203.

Mike