pulling my hair out... mid to down range accuracy

[Panhandler80]

Wanted to use lumenoks and mechanicals. Best way to do this was with GT IIs. I tried to order some custom GTs with lighter HP vanes in back, a luminok, an aluminum insert with 50 grain weight up front and a 125 tip. This came to like 367 Grains with lumenok and a 16% Foc. Field tips had me at 351 and just a touch more FOC.

Well, salesman talked into off the shelf GTs with brass insert and 100 grain tips and standard 4 inch vanes
this set up comes to like 419 Gras and s ehpping 18%+ FOC depening on lumenok or not.

shotthe new bolts tonight and down right bad at 35 yards. Elevation good, but L / R off by as much as 2 inches.

EDIT: Taking the utmost care to ensure that I'm cocking it evenly. L / R issue not any better with standard aluminum nock.

Sigh.

two more weeks
would like to get totally confident with new toy between then and now. Most shots are still dead deer but its frustrating to be shooting 6" Groups at 30 yards.

Firebolts were not much better with 100s or 125s and no lumink.

[georgiaboy]

What mech. are you using?
I'm using standard firebolts i refletched with 4in. duravanes/4 degree right helical.
Shooting 125gr spitfires out of my vortex (393gr total) and 100gr out of my ibex (368gr total). Both are dead nutz out to 50yds.

[Panhandler80]

Oh... I'm sorry... These wild L / R fluctuations at 30+ are with FIELD POINTS. A real a head scratcher.

I have been mocking each bolt with the cock vane in the track. Have not yet tried to see if one of the 4 bolts are consistently L or R.

[Wildlife Control]

Try putting a stip of black electrical tape in a verticle line on your target. Shooting from a comfortable & stable rest line the tape up with your verticle reticle in the scope and see how they group. A slight cant of the bow will make a big difference at 30 yards. Also, number your bolts and always load them with the numbered fletch down to see if each individual bolt shoots consistently shot to shot. Did you spin test each bolt? Follow through with your shot as if you had to guide the bolt to the target even after it's left the bow and be careful not to flinch. Keep at it and you'll get where you want to be. Oh yeah, practice, practice, practice and amazingly your "bow" will become more and more accurate. Best of luck.

P.S. Lose the broadheads and practice with field points until you have the bolt shooting in the same hole every time. This will make tuning your broadheads so much easier.

[vixenmaster]

L & R this is unusual, usually its all going to one side or the other or up or down. Try putting diff vane in slot & try them. Make sure the vanes are not hitting on anything. Cocking evenly ? Yer using a rope cocker i hope. Are fletching straight ? offset ? Or helical ?

[Excalibur Marketing Dude]

Make sure you are putting the cocking aid hooks firmly against the rail before cocking your crossbow. I have had a lot of calls with this exact problem caused by just putting on the hooks but not placing them beside the rail.

Peter

[PA_DeerHunter]

I would try shooting just one arrow over and over again. Yes, you have to walk to the target and back for each shot, but an individual arrow should hit the same spot pretty much every time. If your bow is spraying the same arrow all over the target, then your arrows are not your problem.

I experienced what you are experiencing, and found it was the scope that was the problem. My mount screws were all tight, so no loose mount or shifting problems. It was the Lumizone scope itself. I couldn't get groups under 3 inches at 20 yards with it. But I knew my bow shot better than this, with the Varizone scope I had removed to replace with the new scope. Something was shifting in the scope itself. So I went back to the Varizone, and tight groups returned. Sent the scope to Danny Miller and replaced it. Now spot on!

[Panhandler80]

Thanks for the pointers. Pretty sure I have one arrow that's consistently L and one R.
LAID UP IN BED al kinds iof sick, so won't be soon that I examine further.

[gendoc]

yep, get well soon, i'm curious to see ifin its your scope.
from what your state'n.... its possible

[bucknbill]

when you get it figured out, let us know what it is..i,m thinkin scope problems

[Panhandler80]

I have not been online in a while. I was out with a serious stomach bug for almost a week. Not fun. Anyway, then came some work issues, then a busy weekend, then hunting season opened last weekend. Of course I had to be out of town Sat and Sunday with work, but I was still able to make it back in time for a Sunday PM sit. Got busted by a deer right at dark. Was not able to see what it was, but it was just nice to get out there.

I gave the bow pretty much dialed in.

I marked my arrows and believe it or not, I had one arrow that liked to fly right. I was shooting Luminoks, so I always nock the bolts the same way (with the wire contacts in the Luminoks at 9:00 and 3:00 so they never run the risk of rubing the rail and wearing out) and one of the arrows was consistently off the right 4 to 5 times the average variance of the other arrows. I tried switching field points and I got the same results. I did not try re-seating the luminok.

Once I figured out that arrow was to the right I just pulled the luminok, slapped it in a different arrow, marked the R Flying arrow and threw it back in the stack, shot the new arrow and everything was acceptable. I'm guessing if I nocked that arrow with a different vane down, it would want to wander either SW or NW.

I don't care now. At this point I have three arrows that are on. I shot last week and got some good groups wih Laser 11s, brass inserts and 100grain field points.

Once I had those three arrows shooting well, I swapped out a field point for an old 100 grain spitfire from one of last years kills. It still had good tension in the retainer clips. I let it fly and drilled the dime-sized black spot at 20 yards... which is my zero. Good to go!

INTERESTING: Remember... I wanted lighter vanes, aluminium insert with some additonal weight up front, exgtra 10 grains in back for luminok, and 125 grain tip. This came to like 365 griain and 15% or something with Luminok, and 355 grain and 16% with aluminum nock (or somethig like that). Guy talked me into off the shelf GT Lasers IIs (standard 4" vane and brass insert). I dont' remember the numbers, but this set up is a whopping FOC of like 18 or 19% and 420 grains or something (more weight than i really wanted in an axiom with stock string). Well gues what....? When I shoot within 20 yards, Luminok vs no Luminok has the same trajectory. Out past 20, the arrow is actually flatter WITH the luminok. A difference of probably an inch at 30 yards.

I'm just a guy playing around in his back yard, but I would have to imagine that FOC is too high if your trajectory flattens when you ADD weight to the back.

FOC Laser IIs with brass inserts might be fine out of the blistering fast bows, but in my estimation, it is TOO HIGH for an axiom / ibex / pheonix with the standard excalibu string.

I'll be sitting agian this Sunday (again, work obligations this afternoon, and family stuff tomorrow). Come on Sunday!!!!!