Oh no dry fire - help :S

topgun25 · 01-07-2007, 11:42 AM

So the other day i was out shooting my bow. ALl was going well i was shooting quite good, but i guess i got caught up in the moment too much. I fired without first nocking an arrow (call me stupid if you like - it was indeed very stupid). Anyways, I'm now scared to fire my bow again. I dont know what to do, i spent over $700 on it before Christmas. What should i do?! I'm so scared i really ruined something [

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TerryM · 01-07-2007, 11:56 AM

Take it to a proshop for inspection and if needed repair.

topgun25 · 01-07-2007, 11:58 AM

Is there any thing I can do myself? Like what part of the bow is most likely damaged, that i could notice. I'm guessing the limbs may have a carck, but there was nothing noticeable. I dont want to shoot it again, so i really don't know if its any louder than it was, that would leave me to believe something has changed.

topgun25 · 01-07-2007, 04:54 PM

OK, well I tested the bow out. Everything thing was working exactly as it was before, it still shot tight groups and there were no changes/different noises. I put about 30-40 shots through it and there was no problems noticeable. It is going to get checked out by a proshop tomorrow though just in case. I knew you're never supposed to dry fire a bow, and i realise that it can seriously damage the bow, but I'm wondering if thats always the case? Could my bow still last me a long time? I read that every time dry firing occurs the life expectancy of the bow is signifiicantly lowered, and that really worries me.

muzzyman88 · 01-07-2007, 05:02 PM

I wouldn't shoot it anymore until you got it to a good shop to look it over REAL well. That pretty good news though that the thing didn't blow up on you. I'm always terrified of dry firing, especially these newer bows. So much energy is being stored. But, its sounds like you may have gotten off lucky. Keep us informed.

topgun25 · 01-07-2007, 05:31 PM

I know what you're saying muzzyman. Everything was shooting OK but theres still a chance somethings been damaged. Does anybody know how much it would cost for this to be fixed iftypical dryfire damage occured? Could the cams be damaged? The limbs are what im most concerned about, and I'm certain they wouldnt be a relatively cheap fix.

Finch · 01-07-2007, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Could my bow still last me a long time?

YES.

It seems like you got off lucky. I know what you mean getting caught up in the moment. It happens to more people than you think.

PA.JAY · 01-07-2007, 06:25 PM

all good advice ! but I think your ok as far as any damage get a kleenex run it along your limbs see if it catches any slivers . if not good pull string back slow WITH ARROW ! check to see if the cams are wobbleing at all . I dry fired mine 3x no damage . IMO the STS saved my bow . it happens .

topgun25 · 01-07-2007, 07:11 PM

great guys, thanks for the advice. I guess ill just have to wait and see how the proshop guys find it. Let me tell you I'm going to be alot more careful in the upcoming shooting sessions. Hopefully the bow will be fine, to me it seemed ok, but i don't have too much experience. Anyways thanks alot.

Bigpapascout · 01-08-2007, 02:57 AM

I dont understand why everytime some one posts I dryfired my bow what should I do posts
everyone always jumps on the take it to a pro shop band wagon *rolling eyes*

If the bow limbs did not break or the string did not snap in half or derail at the time of the dry fire I can 99.9% guarantee you nothing is wrong with the bow without even looking at it.

there is absolutley no reason to take this bow to a pro shop to have them check something that you are perfectly capable of doing your self. Simply visually checkthe limbs around the pocketandcam area for any splinters or hair line cracks and check the string for any fraying or broken strandsif you dont see anything that looks like damage then it is fine

I have heard tell that dry firing a bow can warp the cams
but I havepretty much came to the conclusion that this is myth more thanit is even a possibility.
out of all of the dryfired bows that I have inspected for customers I have never once seen a warped cam due to dryfiring the bow

I have replaced limbs andbroken stringsre rail the string on to the cam but the only time I have ever had to replacea cam iswhen the bow was dropped from the tree stand.

with that said if you see nothing visually wrong with the bow
go have fun with it and shoot the thing until you are tired of shooting