Products On This Page and Other Items of Interest--click to go
Wildman Springaway Arrow Rest
Springaway Arrow Rest

Prong-Style (Shoot-Through) Arrow Rest

Prong-style arrow rests, often referred to as shoot-through rests, are a old technology (see Quick Tip below) but they still work as well as ever and are a good way for new shooters to get started in archery without spending a lot of money. NZAP also stock a few of the old favourite prong rest that aren't inexpensive but still have a loyal following.

The Wildman Springaway Arrow Rest from Martin Archery is an economical alternative to rests that cost two or three times as much. The Springaway is easy to install. Tuning involves setting the centre shot and adjusting the spring tension of the prongs to adequately support the arrow while giving way to the vertical oscillation of the arrow shaft on release.

The NAP Quicktune 800 from New Archery Products is a basic prong style arrow rest at a basic price. It is a very effective and easy to install and tune. This is an excellent choice for a basic but very reliable bowhunting rest for use with a release aid. And there is never any problem with fletching clearance, just fletch your arrows with a bit of offset (helical fletching isn't recommended) and shoot with cock fletch down so that it passes through the prongs.

The Quicktune 1000 Arrow Rest from New Archery Products makes fine-tuning windage and elevation adjustments quick, convenient, and very easy. One allen wrench is all that is needed for all adjustments. The Quick Tune 1000 makes adjustments to windage, elevation and center shot totally independent of each other, which greatly facilitates set up and tuning. The Quicktune 1000 features factory-installed Quiet Tuff silencers, (with an extra set included in each package) a triple-bearing design that is free from end play, and a smooth lift-spring action that make this rest dependable and whisper quiet.

Quicktune Fork Tamers are the replacement covers for your prong-style arrow rest. Fork Tamers are made by NAP specifically for their Quicktune rests but they will work just fine on just about any prong rest. They are made of Teflon so they are quiet and long lasting. Plus they are much more effective than the plastic or rubber ones.

Wildman Springaway Arrow Rest
Free Shipping

Wildman Springaway Arrow Rest

An inexpensive rest that works better than some of the more costly ones. Fits right or left-hand bows

Price $29.95 (AU$23.95)

NAP QT 800  Arrow Rests for Compound Bows
Free Shipping

NAP Quick Tune 800 Arrow Rest

The QT800 is an old favourite from NAP that works as well today as it did 20 years ago.

Price $49.95 (AU$39.95)

Hand:
NAP Quick Tune 1000 Bowhunting Arrow Rests
Free Shipping

NAP Quick Tune 1000 Arrow Rest

Here is another long-time favourite prong rest from NAP. easy to tune with all some-size allen screws for all adjustments.

Price $89.95 (AU$71.95)

Hand:
Quicktune Fork Tamers
Free Shipping

Quicktune Fork Tamers

These Teflon fingers slip over the prongs of your rest to make it quieter. Easy to install on most prong rests.

Price $14.95 (AU$11.95)

Archery Tips and Tricks QUICK TIP

Prong-Type Arrow Rests

Prong-type arrow rests were introduced about the same time target archers and bowhunters using compound bows discovered the advantages of trigger-style release aids. Shooting with a release aid had a dramatic impact on arrow flight and the old finger-style arrow rests that worked so well for finger shooters were worthless for release aids simply because they could not accommodate vertical flexing of the arrow shaft. New bow designs of 20 years ago were also coming out with true centre-shot risers with more generous sight windows that would not accommodate the old stick-on rests popular with the older designs of compound bows.

Today, prong-type arrow rests are old technology and have been superseded but much more effective designs such as the full containment rests and the new generation of drop away rests. But most of the new rests are expensive and there is still a place for the prong rest for new archers trying to get started in bowhunting without spending a lot of money. Prong rests still work ok and since they are half the price of the newer rests, they still have a place in the NZAP lineup.

Tuning Your Prong-Type Arrow Rest

Start by adjusting the width of the space between the prongs to support the arrow (cock-fletch down) so that there is no contact with the fletch as it passes through the prongs. You will find that arrows fletched with a slight offset to the vanes are easier to tune that arrows with full-helical fletch. Now install the rest on your bow so that the prongs hold the arrow shaft at the level of the arrow-rest bushing ( a little high is ok but it shouldn't be below this hole)

The most commonly overlooked item in tuning a compound bow with a prong or launcher-style arrow rest is the prong or launcher lift-spring tension. This setting should be as light as possible while retaining enough tension to assure that the arrow is held at the proper height at release.

Target bows can have the tension so light that the arrow will compress the spring before the arrow is drawn. Hunting bows will need more tension on the lift spring to give positive support to heavy hunting arrows, but it should still be as light as possible.

After setting lift pressure, adjust centre shot to be dead centre, and set the nock point so the arrow rides about 3 to 5 mm tail high. This should put you in the ball park and allow you to start fine tuning with a paper test, step-back tuning or by bare shaft tuning.