Hi everyone - I'm considering buying an X-bow. I have quite a bit of experience shooting both compound and recurve longbows.
Anyway, I'm finding a lot of info, but one question remains:
When you have a bolt in and are finished hunting/shooting for the day, but don't want to actually shoot your bow, how do you "uncock" the bow?
I'm sure you remove the bolt, but how do you let off the tension without pulling the trigger? I can't imagine how this is done.
You will have to shoot an arrow to releave thetension. This is the only safe way to uncock the string.
This is the safest method, however I uncock my Excals w/ rope cocker w/ no problem. There's a video on how to do this on Excal main site [not forum]. I've uncocked Hortons, PSE's, and a Bnett or two the same way. It's amazingly easy compared to effort to cock even w/ a 225# Emax. Basically, you put your rope cocker on the cocked bow, pull all the rope to your stong arm side so one handle is tight to rail, double check hooks and rope are in right place, pull up hard w/ strong arm, trip trigger w/ other hand. It eases down the string.
I have an Excaibur which I can "uncock" with the cocking rope. Some crossbows have a dryfire inhibitor and this makes uncocking the xbow with the cocking aid difficult if not impossible.
One of the states I hunt you can only hunt until sunset and in that state a cocked crossbow is considered a loaded weapon. As long as it is cocked and you are in the woods you are considered hunting. I hunt till sunset, remove the arrow, uncock the xbow and walk out of the woods. It sure beats carrying a target or arrow to shoot it in the ground.
Bob
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Massachusetts: turning law abiding gun owners into criminals one stupid law at a time.
Excalibur Exocet, Varizone Scope
Gold Tip Laser II
125g Spitfire (424g total)
I like it because you guys know that there is going to be some guy outthere that will hurt himself uncocking it your way. That is why I go with the shot arrow as being the most safe way to uncock it.
Murphy is alive and well out there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Just Another Voice in the Crowd!!!
Actually, I've uncock my compound CB, with an anticocking devise, the same way as my Excals. It takes a short piece of dowel or (piece of) arrow long enough to push back the anti dryfire device and be held in place by the arrow clip. Then proceed as shown on the EXCAl site. Some Ten Points, which have the forearm safety in addition to the main safety cannot be uncocked this way, however, unless one has more than 2 hands available. I must emphasize, while it CAN be done this way, shooting an arrow is still the safest.
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Vortex, Phoenix, Cyclone, single shot rifles and handguns.
Only accurate guns- and bows - are interesting.
Geeze...for some of the work you guys mention...it's much easier (and may I note..."safer")to just bring along a cheap arrow and shoot it into something!
Geeze...for some of the work you guys mention...it's much easier (and may I note..."safer")to just bring along a cheap arrow and shoot it into something!
Mike
While this is true, in some states you can't possess a field tip in field in deer season. Mention was made cocked sans arrow =loaded. Where I live there is no dirt, just rocks. It's an alternative method for those interested. I've done it hundreds of times w/ no ill effects. A major mfgr has a video on how to do it. I use care whenever I pick up any weapon, have Win 97 shotgun, hammer 1/2 cock safety and a HS HDM .22 pistol, another hammer gun, so I'm used to the safety thing, as Excals have manual safety.
Very basic question!
