dryfired my crossbow last saturday (its a phoenix)...was wondering your opinions on what i should do. I inspected the limbs and there seems to be no cracks, fired it another 5 times immediatly after the dryfire and it was balls on. I am using DNK's FFF strings, wondering how this might hold up also.
I've done it with my Exocet, that was a year or two ago and no problems. I've seen a friend do it with his Barnett and he broke a training wheel off right then at the shot.
I think you should definately give it a close inspection, but if it was dead on immediately after the incident its probably fine, us Canadians know how to build a bow. One tip someone gave me here when I posted a similar thread was to run a cotton ball over your limbs, any cracking or flaking should pull pieces off and make the flaws easier to find.
Good luck
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"guns aren't for killing people, guns are for killing dangerous and delicious animals"
- Homer Simpson
Hard to say. I've heard guys say they were lucky and that their limbs were fine after a dryfire, others had them shatter. Inspect them and use your best judgement. The season is still4 monthsaway, so there's time to order new ones if needed.
Mike, the forward or front face of the limbs is what takes the most abuse on a dryfire. As tschaef said run a cotton ball fairly firmly along the lengh of both limbs on all surfaces. Keep doing this before and after the next few shooting sessions.
Pydpiper and I are competing. Dave wants to be the dryfire king but I won't let him. Dry Fire Dave/Dry Fire Don. Which one sounds better. Hmmm Dry Fire Mike....nawww doesn't sound as good. The Pheonix is a bit more forgiving than the others on dry fires.
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OHA Life member, NRA member, DVC# ON 452
The first time I dryfired I had some flaking on one of the limbs, when I brought it to Excal they said it was just the coating that had cracked, the limbs were fine. They replaced them anyways. I cursed at myself all the way home from the Excal factory feeling foolish the whole time for actually shooting a bow with no arrow..
When I got home I knew my scope would need to be re-calibrated, I set up on the bench, laid the crosshairs on the target then heard the same horrible noise.. Yup, new limbs, no arrow..[:@]I just laid the bow down and went in the house..
Since then I have done is many, many more times with no ill effects, at least not to the bow.. My pride had taken a sever beating, but the bow is still eager to go every day..
Do the cottonball thing, and do it again with the bow cocked.There is a good chance there is absolutly nothing wrong with your bow, a very good chance. A dryfire will loosen bolts so check those too while you are at it.
Dryfire Dave.
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A bowhunter with a passion for firearms
Exocet 200
I'm too embarassed to tell about all of my dry fires, lol. I put a piece of tape on inside of limbs that says "Arrow Dummy?" I once launched a string off of Emax took two days to find in my shop. I've managed several outta my Phoenix w/ no ill effects until the last time when I splintered a limb. Excal warrantied two new limbs via Miller, and he replaced my bars and sent it all back assembled, torqued and ready to go. You wouldn't need a cotton ball to see my splinter, it was the size of a tooth pick. Any fff string will be the least forgiving on a dry fire, go and sin no more, lol.
Dryfire Dan
Two dry fires for me....
When I first got my bow set up and was hitting the target all the time , darn , I was soooo proud / happy......I set down , lit up a cig , smile'n like all get out. Thought to myself gotta do this again...... pulled trigger...hummmm , sounded funny, not the regular sound .....where did the bolt go I asked myself....hummmm, I thought I missed the target completly.....I sure did when the bolt was still on the shooting bench. Dummy me.....I thought these xbows were auto loading.
Ok....another time.
Was quiting time , getting dark , time to get out of the woods. Took bolt out....grabbed the string as I always do....pulled the trigger.....YIKKKES, my glove came off of my fingers so fast attached to the string..... that string took my glove off my hand in no time...unreal.This was the same as a dry fire.....ouch
I will never unload with gloves on again.
Mt Exocet 200 still doin fine.......
BOB
I to have had to deal with dryfire... my first bow was a horton the limbs did not shatter but the limb pockets did! When I returned it and got another it was fine until one day the safety broke ( no dryfire this time). When I went back for a third bow all they had left had the limb pockets broke already. After dealing with the manager I ended up leaving with the Parker. I have tried to dryfire the Parker but it has an anti dryfire thingy! It won't let you!! Very nice option.
dryfire sucks
