Dryfire Warning Prototype

shafferm · Post by **shafferm** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 12:28 am

Here is a first build of a dry fire warning system that I came up with. It basically is an infrared LED on the left side and a phototransistor on the right side that acts as a switch similar to the safety switches used in garage doors. When the beam is shining across the red LED's blink and let you know that you have not yet loaded an arrow. When you load an arrow the beam is interrupted and the blinking LED's shut off. It runs off of a single 9V battery. This is just my first version and the resistors I used to control current going to the IR LED do get pretty warm. The position of the IR LED and the phototransistor will be on the riser in front of where the string travels. The next version I am going to build with a voltage regulator to power the IR LED so that it will draw less power from the battery.

Has anyone else tried something similar to this?

Where on the bow do you think would be the best place to put the blinking red LED's that you see?

Let me know what you think,

-M

flbuckmaster · Post by **flbuckmaster** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 12:35 am

SAX NEEDS 2 OF THEM.
PRETTY COOL.
JAY

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 5:54 am

Neat idea, and good work.

Sandman · Post by **Sandman** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 6:51 am

bob1961 · Post by **bob1961** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:03 am

are dry fires that common

i know i'm as new as a noob can be to xbows, but dang....i read bout this guy and that guy that has done it and it has me thinking every time i cock my bow getting ready to shoot to make sure there is an arrow loaded before the safety is switched off....to the point when i'm cocking my bow i take the two rope handles in one hand to keep tension till i click the safety to make sure it don't go "TWANG" ....i'm sure it's like the dryballers club in muzzleloading that i'm a member of, sorry to say....but i always see that when i ram it home and all of a sudden the ram rod is shorter then should be cause there's no podwer under the ball

....so lets all be careful out there, ok.............bob

Kelley · Post by **Kelley** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:04 am

Where on the bow do you think would be the best place to put the blinking red LED's that you see?

On the front of scope or on front sight if scope not used.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:16 am

The best system I've come up with to prevent dry-fires is to make loading the arrow part of the sequence.
Cock bow - flip safety to on - load arrow.
Sounds pretty basic and simple, but the few dry-fires I've had were a direct result of cocking the bow, engaging the safety and not IMMEDIATELY loading an arrow. All when I was talking to a bystander and not loading the arrow immediately because I was not quite ready to shoot yet. The lesson learned by me was not to cock the bow if I'm not ready to load an arrow!

mikej · Post by **mikej** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:23 am

great idea keep us posted

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:40 am

flbuckmaster wrote:SAX NEEDS 2 OF THEM.
PRETTY COOL.
JAY

HA!!!
Aint that the truth
I almost did it again yesterday.
Cocking the bow took so much out of me I sat there for 5 min and almost forgot to load the arrow.
My daughter reminded me.

Hi5 · Post by **Hi5** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 10:39 am

I'm with Wabi on this one. I own two Xbows and have used a xbow for about 7 years. My one bow got dryfired, but that was by a friend who borrowed my bow.

I'm not saying any of this to amount to a claim to be smarter than anyone else. I'm not.

I rarely fire my bow in any one else's presence. That has helped me to develop a set pattern. The ONLY time my bow is cocked, but without a bolt, is when it's cased and I'm pulling it up in my tree stand. That's just my fixed, iron clad, habit. Period.

With respect, I suggest that what's needed is fewer distractions for the shooter, until the shooter has learned and become ingrained with proper shooting procedure.

This really isn't a whole lot different than learning the mantra about muzzle control of your rifle. Don't point your rifle at anything unless you intend to shoot it. Don't cock your crossbow unless you habitually and invariably take the next step of loading a bolt. Make sure that the bolt you will use is right at hand before you begin cocking the bow.

If you are sitting in a tree stand or stalking, check frequently that the bolt hasn't moved away from being seated against the string. I've never had a bolt shift forward on me, but I'm constantly on the lookout for this. I don't want it to happen and screw up a hunt. That's just one other aspect of being "bolt conscious".

If you want to, you can take your habit one step further. Each time, before you pull the trigger, glance at the end of your bow, right between the limbs. No bolt = no shot. I won't adopt that as part of my shooting habit. It could be distracting in a hunting situation, and it's not necessary if you are already "bolt conscious" up to that point.

Shafferm, I congratulate you on your inventiveness. However, and with respect, I think that the cure you have invented is not as good as simply adopting and following a sound and sensible shooting procedure.

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 11:25 am

Distractions are the evil behind a dry-fire. Unfortunately, distractions happen and there's a need for such a system. Especially for the newbies. I found that anytime I'm testing something, it's easy to get involved with the test and forget to load an arrow. For example, adjusting a scope. You shoot, cock, adjust, fire . . .oooops, what about that arrow loading thing . . .it happens. Having a "iron clad" system helps, however, crap happens. I've just got into an habit of looking at my arrow before I shoulder the bow/look through the scope. I can't tell you the number of times I've raised the bow, looked and saw no arrow.

That's with me shooting alone, but, testing something. Shoot, cock, make an adjustment and forget to load. Too focused on the adjustment. Get in the habit of looking every time.

safferm . . .if you are planning on filing a patent, hopefully, you have done so already. I would delete the post if I were planning on filing and have not.

Boo · Post by **Boo** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 11:59 am

saxman wrote:
flbuckmaster wrote:SAX NEEDS 2 OF THEM.
PRETTY COOL.
JAY
HA!!!
Aint that the truth
I almost did it again yesterday.
Cocking the bow took so much out of me I sat there for 5 min and almost forgot to load the arrow.
My daughter reminded me.

LOL, the club president!
"Why did you slap my face?"

That was a funny email Scott, you had me in stitches!

8up · Post by **8up** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 12:26 pm

shafferm that is pretty cool and I think it would be cool if it was made to come off the bow once the new user got his system and habits ingrained.

I dry fired mine in the first week I had it. The STS saved my butt. I had not shot enough to develope my pattern. I now cock it and the safety is set before the cocking aid is off the string. I then load it. It has become automatic.

I watched my nephew dryfire his vortex yesterday and he blamed me Because I was there and he was talking lol.

mikej · Post by **mikej** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 3:53 pm

i haven't dry fired yet but i do use a piece of masking tape on the inside of the limb to remind me to load an arrow after speaking with a forum member about dry fires.

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 3:58 pm

mikej wrote:i haven't dry fired yet but i do use a piece of masking tape on the inside of the limb to remind me to load an arrow after speaking with a forum member about dry fires.

mikej . . .if you want to experience a dry-fire without damaging your own bow, then Boo has been known to allow others to dry fire his Y25.

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Dryfire Warning Prototype

Dryfire Warning Prototype

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