Exomax-first crossbow impressions-Chronograph test

[GNerol]

Well I finally got a day nice enough to dig out the Chronograph and check the speed of the arrows out of the Excalibur Exomax. The arrows I used were the Goldtip Laser 2 Graphites with the target tips installed, and weighed from 363 grains to 368 grains. 6 shots were clocked at

1. 328.2 fps
2. 327.9 fps
3. 328.0 fps
4. 327.4 fps
5. 328.0 fps
6. 328.5 fps

Average speed 328.0 fps
Hi speed 328.5 fps
Lo speed 327.4 fps
Extreme spread 1.1 fps

My altitude is about 5700 feet, the temp was 45 degrees F, the chrono was about 1 foot from the bow.

This is extremely consistent (I wish I could get my firearms this consistent). I am sure it is one of the reasons for the great accuracy the bow is capable of. The figures are below what the company advertises the bow shooting arrows of this weight ( 360 grains @ 352 fps), but I am also using the Dacron string and not a fast flight. I will have to get some different strings and do this again. My string has stretched until the brace height is just inside the mark closest to the trigger.
I also noticed that the bow is not as loud as I thought it was. When your face is pressed against the stock, it seems A LOT louder than when you hold it away from you. I will have to wait until I can get someone to else to shoot it for me to really tell how loud it is. I think some string silencers may help also. And if the string continues to stretch to where I can put a few twists in it, that could help too. It could be “parachuting” with no twists in it, and that would increase the sound and decrease the arrow speed.
Overall, I am extremely pleased with this crossbow. It is everything I was told it would be. Fast, accurate, well finished, good trigger, yet simple. I cannot wait to get a deer or Elk in front of me with this crossbow in my hands.
I am going to have to go to a scope to take advantage of the accuracy this crossbow is capable of. My eyes just don’t see well enough to do it justice.
I hope this, and the other posts I made about my first experiences with a crossbow, have been informative to others. I know this has been a lot of fun and educational for me.

[groundpounder]

Thats a great informative post. Who would have thought the speed consistency would be that close.

[bbbwb]

GNerol
Great test and the results speak highly for the Excalibur.
I have been following comments regarding Goldtip 2. OwnerITO aired some info in "Goldtip Problems---Mar. 9" and Polynojoe also made comments about" Laser II and Prolaser II on Mar 11". Have these comments all been about the same items that you were using?
Please excuse me if I am showing a blatant evidence of ignorance regarding the terms and items.
bbbwb

[Pydpiper]

It certainly goes to show Excaliburs specs are right on target!
The 2 or so FPS keeping you under 330FPS are because of that string, your power stroke has been reduced slightly, as well as the lack of twisting. The Dacron string is a great string, but it needs to be twisted to do it's job.

As far as the arrows, I couldn't sleep at night knowing my arrows have a 5 gr variance.. But that's just me..
Are these arrows out of the box or have they be modified at all?

5gr is not significant, but it would account for your slight speed variances.
Great post by the way.

[GNerol]

GNerol
Great test and the results speak highly for the Excalibur.
I have been following comments regarding Goldtip 2. OwnerITO aired some info in "Goldtip Problems---Mar. 9" and Polynojoe also made comments about" Laser II and Prolaser II on Mar 11". Have these comments all been about the same items that you were using?
Please excuse me if I am showing a blatant evidence of ignorance regarding the terms and items.
bbbwb

bbbwb I am not sure if the arrows I am using are the same as those mentioned by OwnerITO and Polynojoe. I am new to crossbows, this is my first one and I have had it less than a week. The arrows I used in the Chronograph test have printed on them "GT Gold tip LASER-2 Graphite Bolt", they came with the "Right Stuff" package I ordered with the crossbow. I have been involved in archery since the early 70's so I am familiar with traditional bows and arrows but I am not sure how much of this knowledge transfers over. The arrows in the Right Stuff package were OK, but far from exceptional. They varied in weight 5.3 grains and then there were glue problems (runs and different amounts used) with the nocks, point inserts, and fletches. Some of the nocks and point inserts are not perfectly square with shaft of the arrows also. I cleaned up the glue runs as best as I could and if I have to, I can use a file and square up the nocks and inserts if it seems that is making the arrows flight different than the rest, but that could make the weight differences worse. I also ordered 6 extra bolts with my order, and they have the same print on the side of them. They were a lot closer in weight, just 1.8 grain difference between the 6, but one of those was GROSSLY bent. The fletches were different colors than the ones in the right stuff package so they are from a different patch. The gluing is also better on this set, but I still had to do a little clean up. The squareness of the nocks and inserts was better, but still not perfect. I would place the quality of the first 6 as a little below average for production arrows and the second 6 as about average if you overlook the bent one. This is comparing to tradtional bow arrows. I have no experience with crossbow arrows so for all I know, these could be fantastic, or horrible. I still have much to learn about this facet of archery. I hope this information helps you and answers your questions.

[bbbwb]

GNero
lMany thanks for taking the time to reply.
The findings that you stated are in keeping with other comments ie weight variation, glue. I thought these shafts were not subject to bend. They either were straight or if bent, they would break. This feature made them superior to aluminum, but that appears to not be necessarily true.
Thanks again.
bbbwb

[GNerol]

It certainly goes to show Excaliburs specs are right on target!
The 2 or so FPS keeping you under 330FPS are because of that string, your power stroke has been reduced slightly, as well as the lack of twisting. The Dacron string is a great string, but it needs to be twisted to do it's job.

As far as the arrows, I couldn't sleep at night knowing my arrows have a 5 gr variance.. But that's just me..
Are these arrows out of the box or have they be modified at all?

5gr is not significant, but it would account for your slight speed variances.
Great post by the way.

Thanks pydpiper for the kind words about my post. I try to keep them informative and interesting. I am with you, the 5+ grain variance bothers me too. But you cannot expect perfection with production arrows. They are right out of the box with just a little cleanup to take care of the glue runs. I figured I should try the standard before I start to mess with them. It is the gluing differences that bother me more than the weight. That can cause balance problems both with length and concentricty. I am not sure how much of a problem the nocks not being real square with shafts is, as they are so short. I don't think the squareness of the point inserts is to big a problem with target points, but it could be with broadheads. More things to test.

[GNerol]

GNero
lMany thanks for taking the time to reply.
The findings that you stated are in keeping with other comments ie weight variation, glue. I thought these shafts were not subject to bend. They either were straight or if bent, they would break. This feature made them superior to aluminum, but that appears to not be necessarily true.
Thanks again.
bbbwb

bbbwb bent may have been the wrong word to use. That is the correct term with aluminum shafts, they can be straight, then bent through misuse or abuse, then straightened. Carbon, or Graphite don't become bent in the same way. The one that I got was manufactured that way and should have been caught by QC. They cannot be straightened either. You get what you get. I am not sure what the correct term would be. Manufactured not-straight? Straightness challenged? LOL Sorry for the missunderstanding.

[Doe Master]

When you are talking about bent you got to keep in mind the straightness tolerance . IE most carbons run at about + or - .003 thats .006 total runout, while aluminums run at about +- .0015 to .002 .

[bbbwb]

GNerol

I got it.
Thanks
bbbwb

[Pydpiper]

The Excals are pretty consistent, any variances in POI or speed can be chalked up to discrepancies in the arrows, as you are quickly learning.
The slight differences won't make much of a difference, but if you choose to be picky then you will have to build your own arrows or buy some from someone who knows what they are doing. They can be built cheaper than purchased, and it is more fun.

[crazyfarmer]

the FFF string on mine picked up 15-20fps on average.. with the stock bolts on the exocet mine was shooting 318-320fps on average

put the FFF string on your max and you should see 345-350 easy also;)

[GNerol]

When you are talking about bent you got to keep in mind the straightness tolerance . IE most carbons run at about + or - .003 thats .006 total runout, while aluminums run at about +- .0015 to .002 .

Doe Master, my idea of bent is, I supported the shaft in V-blocks right behind and in front of the fletching. When turned, the point end went in a circle more than an inch in diameter. That is GROSSLY bent in my book.

[sumner4991]

I think Doe Master was just wanting to point out that the carbon shafts are more tolerant to begin with at the factory level. I wish the carbon manufacturers were less tolerant when it comes to straightness.

However, the shaft you described didn't even deserve to be tested for straightness. Send that bad boy back.

[Normous]

My Max with the fff string and GT II w/100gr tips consistantly prints 346 fps out of my Competive Edge Technologies Chrono.

Norm