packing away crossbow
 

hey i have a barnett quad 400 cross bow that i bought 2-3 years ago at cabelas. I got a free giftcard for 75$ since i spent 400$ in store so i bought a plano crossbow case with it. i was just wondering what you guys do before you store your crossbow until next season? I clean mine, got the mud off the foot thing where you put your foot to cock it (got mud on it from cocking it in the feild). Wiped down the whole crossbow with a wet rag and then waxed the string. Do you guys also wax/lube up the arrow rest?.. also i broke two arrows this season, one by shooting a doe (the doe jumped and i barley cut her, there was like 1 speck of blood on the arrow.) and then the other by discharging the bow by shooting at my foam target thing. (it went through, hit the tree and broke). im using 22 inch carbon express arrows. So my other question is, how do you guys discharge your crossbows after an unsuccessful day hunting? do you shoot the arrow or take the arrow out of the bow, hold onto the string, shoot it with your other hand and slowly lower it? My hunting buddy usually holds onto the string while i shoot and he lowers it, but sometimes hes not with me. Ive tried it once last year by myself but i didnt know how hard to pull up on the string by myself and shot. The arrow smacked against my fingers (bruised them pretty good) and hit my crossbow limbs (luckily didnt crack the limb).. I have another question about my bow but ill post a pic of my question in a new thread later.

RE: packing away crossbow
 

After breaking three bolts by shooting sand pilesthat had rocksrocks, i now carry a crossbow target in the truck.

RE: packing away crossbow
 

isnt it bad to shoot your bow alot? i go out pretty much every day of the season, and heard you haveto replace the string after 100 or so shots, so thats like 1 string every 2 years... anyone else do anything different

RE: packing away crossbow
 

I keep mine very well waxed at all times over 300 shots looks great
am shooting three or four times a week!

RE: packing away crossbow
 

so its not bad to shoot an arrow to discharge it?

RE: packing away crossbow
 

Its the most recommended way to safely discharge your cross bow!:)

RE: packing away crossbow
 

i need a new target thing though, some foam came out of mine and now if i hit that part it goes in the tree lol

RE: packing away crossbow
 

I use the Morell crossbow target,stops them good easy to pull the arrows!

RE: packing away crossbow
 

I have a question, maybe I'm not reading thie right. Are you trying to de-cock your bow with an arrow on it?The Excaliber sight has a video showing how to decock a crossbow safely.

RE: packing away crossbow
 

I usually use the rope cocker to decock my bows. I can if I have to decock with my hands, no big deal really.
All of my bows are Excals so I just remove the pads on my Disapator Bars and remove my strings.

RE: packing away crossbow
 

No im not trying to decock my crossbow with an arrow in it still, unless i shoot it at my target. what i do sometimes is take the arrow out, then put my foot in the foot rest and hold onto th string and slowly lower it. actually i cant really do this since i dont want the same thing that happend last time (didnt pull hard enough and pretty much shot my hand with the string) my hunting buddy usually holds the string while i pull the trigger and he slowly lowers it. (with no arrow in it lol, the arrow would go thorugh our feet)

RE: packing away crossbow
 

That must be quite a sight, I bet you don't do that in public! LOL!

RE: packing away crossbow
 

lol why? hes like 25 years older then me, all he does it holds the string, i pull the trigger and he slowly lowers it. i can probably do it one handed, but 2 years ago when i first tried i didnt pull hard enough. I can probably do it now but i dont want to try again and possibly crack the limbs

RE: packing away crossbow
 

Just the thought of two guys bunched around a small thing like a crossbow would look funny.
If I use my hands to decock I grab with both hands and pull with the same energy to cock it. At that time you can use your thumb or index finger to trip the trigger. The only issue I would have with someone handling the string (other than how it looks) is that if the other person isn't carefull the metal finger that holds down the arrow when the xbow is cocked may get damaged. Can you use a rope cocker on your bow? If you can it will enhance your accuracy.

RE: packing away crossbow
 

i wouldnt be able to use both hands and also press the trigger with my corssobw since its pretty impossible to reach..

RE: packing away crossbow
 

I stick the butt on my stomach, grasp the string with both hands, then pull th trigger with my right thumb and lower the string. At the end of the season I remove the string and hang up my bow.

RE: packing away crossbow
 

Mike: If you have a "T" handle type rope cocker, uncocking is a breeze as long as you use caution. Grappledad gave you some good advice, find the video on Excals site, you only use one hand on cocker handle, and it's alot easier than you would think, not near the force going down as up.

RE: packing away crossbow
 

i cant find the video and can you link me to that uncoknig aid thing on a different site? i dont exactly know what it is

RE: packing away crossbow
 

Mike, they are called rope cockers and are everywhere, have two handles that look like what you pull to start a lawnmower. Maybe one of the Bnett guys uses one and will know if it will work on your Quad. Horton had one w/ loops for your wrists vs handles, that type won't work to uncock the bow. How are you cocking yours now??

RE: packing away crossbow
 

I use a rope cocker on my Quad 400 until she got me the cranker,they
work real good1:)

RE: packing away crossbow
 

Yote, where is the groove for the rope on the Quad? Seems like I recall it was on the back of the cheek piece but just can't remember if there or all the way to back of butt stock.

RE: packing away crossbow
 

sorry she called for dinner,its clear at tha end of the stock on the top
sits about an inch down from the top,wraps around,about a quarter of
an inch deep,mine is a 2006 model.Hope this helps.