Any tricks for cocking the Xbow?

williamN · Post by **williamN** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 7:38 pm

I have an 175lb Exocet and rope cocking aid. My son loves to shot the xbow but my lower back can't handle the cocking. He hasn't shot it since January. I am 5' 11" and I can get it nearly cocked with my arms but when my arms are bent in all the way I am still a few inches short and have to finish cocking with my back. I wanted to get a crankaroo cocking device but I just don't have the funds right now. Is there any little trick in cocking that would make me want to smack myself in the head and say "why didn't I think of that"? TIA!

ComfyBear · Post by **ComfyBear** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 7:45 pm

Shorten up the rope on the cocking aid. I'm only 5'7", and use my arms to cock my Exomag.

Woody Williams · Post by **Woody Williams** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 7:54 pm

What comfy bear said.

You'll have to hook one side and then pull up on the string by hand to hook the other side.

Don't whack the string off until you get it where you want by trial and error.

williamN · Post by **williamN** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 5:25 am

Thanks.

Zeke · Post by **Zeke** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 8:22 am

I think I've seen someone cock one while sitting down. You'd probably have to shorten the rope a bit (ain't knots handy?) to get the length right - then just sit in a chair, grab the handles, put your foot in the stirrup and basically "push" the bow away from you with your foot.

Make sure your foot is secure though - if the bow slips off you're gonna get one heck of a sucker punch!!!

williamN · Post by **williamN** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 10:23 am

I'll try that too. Thanks again

Woody Williams · Post by **Woody Williams** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 1:01 pm

Here is what I did yesterday..

I'll be hunting turkeys in a couple of weeks and I'm figuring out my broadheads to use.

I would like to use the Wasp Jackhammer mechanicals. BUT - I had heard that they could open up on launch.

If that happened the blades could hit my crossbow cocking stirrup. Not good...

So in order to shoot them and practice I took my foot stirrup off. I would then cock it by placing my feet on the limbs. That reduced the pull needed to cock the crossbow. I shot it about 20 times and the cocking worked fine. That 'might' be an alternative.

The Jackhammers seemed to work fine too. My son stood behind me and he said they all flew like darts.

I'll shoot them and my Wasp Hammer fixed blade some more before making a decision which to use.

williamN · Post by **williamN** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 6:44 pm

I was thinking more about this and came up with an idea. There is a tree next to my shooting bench and I was thinking if I put one of the large screw in hooks up in the tree( 7-8'), attch the rope coking aid then hook the stirrup on the hook and just pull downward using my weight. Any drawbacks that I might have over looked?

Digger · Post by **Digger** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 7:02 pm

Don't let go till you hear the trigger mechanism click into place and put the safety on else.

Digger

A.W · Post by **A.W** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 8:45 am

williamN wrote:I was thinking more about this and came up with an idea. There is a tree next to my shooting bench and I was thinking if I put one of the large screw in hooks up in the tree( 7-8'), attch the rope coking aid then hook the stirrup on the hook and just pull downward using my weight. Any drawbacks that I might have over looked?

If the stirrop slips or something goes wrong you could be wearing a crossbow. I'd shorten the cocking aid to fit or get a krankaroo.

Remember "Murphy'e law"....If anything can go wrong. It will.

Personal safety first.

Kjay · Post by **Kjay** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 8:54 am

Like they have all said. Shorten your String, I am 5'10" and can cock my bow quite easily. When i first got my cocking aid i had it too long but did not cut the tag end off until i found the right place for it, in terms of ease of cocking. I have it now so that i can cock my bow sitting in my treestand. Mess around with it until you find something that is comfortable for you.

Kjay

huntman · Post by **huntman** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 11:10 am

Kjay wrote:Like they have all said. Shorten your String, I am 5'10" and can cock my bow quite easily. When i first got my cocking aid i had it too long but did not cut the tag end off until i found the right place for it, in terms of ease of cocking. I have it now so that i can cock my bow sitting in my treestand. Mess around with it until you find something that is comfortable for you.

Kjay

I doubt very much your shooting an exomax

TYE · Post by **TYE** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:05 pm

Zeke wrote:Make sure your foot is secure though - if the bow slips off you're gonna get one heck of a sucker punch!!!

HEHEHE............... done that.

Kjay · Post by **Kjay** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 11:54 pm

I neglected to say that i use an Exocet, and did not ever say i shot a mag. so take er easy about jumping down someones throat.