Crossbows

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I think I will get my Tac 10 out of "hock" today!

I have hay bales and targets in my backyard here in the city, so next time you're in OKC area, hollar if you want to shoot it!

It only comes with three arrows though, and I believe that six arrows cost another $95, and you have to use the special Tac arrows for these bows. So I'll be getting six, and thus have 9.

 

[dennishoddy]

Hay bales may not work. Depends who baled them I guess.
mine at 350fps blows right through hay bales, and strips the fletchings from the shaft.
had to go one of the block targets, designed for higher arrow speeds.

 

[shady]

I found this in the general regulations of the 2009-Spring 2010 hunting regulations. I copied it directly.
Crossbow Usage

Residents of Oklahoma who are 60 years of age or older and hunters who have a permanent disability to the extent that they cannot use a bow, as certified by a physician licensed to practice in Oklahoma or bordering state, may hunt with a crossbow.

This may have been covered but it states hunters who have a permanent disability. Your Doctor must make sure that it is listed as a permanent injury or you may be illegal. Maybe a game warden would like to chime in on this.

Shady

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Hay bales may not work. Depends who baled them I guess.
mine at 350fps blows right through hay bales, and strips the fletchings from the shaft.
had to go one of the block targets, designed for higher arrow speeds.

Thank you - glad you told me that. And my mistake; they are straw not hay. But you're right; Unless someone baled them up really thick and tight, it may blow right through. I'll be looking at getting one of the blocks then I'd imagine - I guess you mean the kind that are a consistent, soft foamy material rather than a pressed pile of layers of styrofoam? (I have the latter already).

Last night I got the bow and six more arrows (6 arrows cost $99 ). I did something unusual - don't know if this will work - but I put a small strip of electrical tape wrapped around the shaft on each arrow, such that about 3/4ths of the strip is just in front of the fletching, and about 1/4th "rides up" the first couple millimeters of the fletching, to provide a sort of a "ramp" to help the fletching longevity (in light of the cost of these bad boys and the unusual X-wing 4-fletch setup), in case they do rip through a straw bale, but also just to reduce wear as they fly through the whisker biscuit. Think this will work? Think it will change flight characteristics to any noticeable degree?

As to the permanent, you're right about that. But my torn up shoulders ARE permanent, unless the wildlife department would like to pay tens of thousands on my behalf for the surgeries I need, because I won't be able to afford it in this lifetime, in all likelihood, at least until I get on Medicare. And, since Medicare will doubtless be bankrupt and the USA will be "Greece 2" at that point, that won't happen either!

 

[$$$$$]

I'm not sure if my shoulder injury is considered permanent or not either. I would think it is, being that my clavicle sticks up an inch above my ac joint. I've seen a couple of different doctors and they recommended no surgery and to just continue to try to be easy on it (no throwing hard or heavy weightlifting) and that it would always bother me even if I had surgery.

I wonder where you draw the line at permanent. There probably isn't a line, just doc's opinion.

 

[dennishoddy]

I wonder where you draw the line at permanent. There probably isn't a line, just doc's opinion.

That is the deciding factor.

 

[dennishoddy]

- I guess you mean the kind that are a consistent, soft foamy material rather than a pressed pile of layers of styrofoam? YES (I have the latter already).

Last night I got the bow and six more arrows (6 arrows cost $99 ). I did something unusual - don't know if this will work - but I put a small strip of electrical tape wrapped around the shaft on each arrow, such that about 3/4ths of the strip is just in front of the fletching, and about 1/4th "rides up" the first couple millimeters of the fletching, to provide a sort of a "ramp" to help the fletching longevity (in light of the cost of these bad boys and the unusual X-wing 4-fletch setup), in case they do rip through a straw bale, but also just to reduce wear as they fly through the whisker biscuit. Think this will work? Think it will change flight characteristics to any noticeable degree?
!

Here is what I understand from a little crossbow research before buying mine. I am subject and will appreciate any corrections from those that can contribute.
Most crossbow bolts with carbon bolts require a tip heavy bolt. At least this is what the Excaliber Equinox that I have requires. I have to shoot a 150 grain broadhead. My buddy with another brand shoots a 125 grain, but he is not very accurate. Don't know if its him or his equipment.
These are not readily available from anybody but Excaliber. ( I did find their supplier, and can get the replacment blades much cheaper than from Excaliber.)
I also found (I'm new at fletching) that the orientation of the broadhead vs the fletching makes a huge difference.
If I don't do it right, the blade of the broadhead just kisses the foot bracket thats used to cock the bow.
It may not do that on any other crossbow, but it does on mine.
It caused a miss on a major buck at Big Mac last year.
I had to buy the accessory crank handle for mine as pulling it back with the manual cocker isn't possible anymore.
I hope this helps.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Ooops, made a mistake.

Bought one of those square thick foam targets. First shot from the crossbow buried itself almost up to the fletching. Even with a rubber arrow-puller wrapped around the rear and a pair of pliers around some cloth grabbing just in front of the fletching, I couldn't begin to budge it out of there. Had to put penetrating oil down the hole multiple times, leaving it set and messing with it for two days and then repeating initial procedure and twisting, twisting, to finally get out my FIRST arrow.

So..... what kind of target do I need for a powerful crossbow, where I can pull them out by hand?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Ooops, made a mistake.

Bought one of those square thick foam targets. First shot from the crossbow buried itself almost up to the fletching. Even with a rubber arrow-puller wrapped around the rear and a pair of pliers around some cloth grabbing just in front of the fletching, I couldn't begin to budge it out of there. Had to put penetrating oil down the hole multiple times, leaving it set and messing with it for two days and then repeating initial procedure and twisting, twisting, to finally get out my FIRST arrow.

So..... what kind of target do I need for a powerful crossbow, where I can pull them out by hand?

Thanks a lot!

Can you provide anymore information on the target you purchased? Here is a link for one that says designed for 400 fps bolts. the block cb-16

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Oh, ok, well I'm an idiot. The one I bought say it's for broadhead use ONLY (I just noticed), although I have to say, a broadhead would have been buried even deeper, not less deep. This one is the Morrell "Bone Collector / Michael Waddell" target. I thought it was for *either* broadheads or field tips. But I would NEVER be able to get out an arrow with a broadhead shot into this thing, unless it went all the way through. Probably it would bury itself with just the broadhead sticking out the back, and just the nock sticking out the front - good luck getting that out, lol.

OKbassin, do you know where I can get one of those cb-16s locally?

What about just a standard "stuffed canvas" white targets like you find everywhere -got one of those but don't know if it will blow right through or not. I suspect it *might* work since regular arrows are stopped very quickly (only about 4 inches deep or so). Thanks.

Or, the corollary concern is that it would stop it so fast that it damages the arrow.....

What target is a just-right-goldilocks target for a 350 fps 23" field-tip arrow - easy removal but soft enough to not damage the arrow with rapid deceleration?