New Exomax! ... but right stuff kit doesn't match up

Hippie · Post by **Hippie** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 9:16 pm

Hey there everybody, I'm new to crossbow hunting, and after a little research I got sold on Excalibur pretty quick. I usually go crazy over new projects and this has been no different, I think I've had my bow for a week and I'm probably 150 shots in. I shoot from ALL angles through the rocks and trees as I live on the side of a mountain (surprised by LESS arrow drop on uphill shots) and I'm good to go for 4" groups from just about anywhere (out to 60) now. Or thats what I thought untill setting up my wasp broadheads that are supposed to match the trajectory of the target points. I went from seriously confident to not even wanting to hunt with this in just a couple hours! Forget 4 inches... I'm out by 12 and not always in the same direction!
Has any one else experienced and fixed this situation?
I'm loving the Exomax but it's the broadheads that count!
Thanks for any input... Jay

Fox · Post by **Fox** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:03 am

You need to setup your bow with what you will be hunting woth first off. I know people say that the broadheads shoot the same as the field points but I have never seen any that do. I have an Exomax and I would not be shooting out to 50+ yards on game but on the range it is awesome. I am not sure what is going on with your bow as I have to remove the first arrow or aim for a different spot on the target so I don't split the arrows. One thing you need to remember with the crossbow is the follow through or lack there of, if you tend to move the bow with your shot it will change the arrow flight, just like a gun but you notice it more because of the slow speed of the arrow. Take your bow out and sight in with the broadhead then practise and I am sure you will see the same results.

Good luck

grappledad · Post by **grappledad** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 5:43 am

Sounds like a cocking problem to me. Are you useing the rope cocking aid? Do you have the string marked. Even if the broad heads POI is different from the FP you should still be shooting good groups as long as the BH is on the correct end of the arrow. Make sure everything is tight on your bow also.

A.W · Post by **A.W** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 7:38 am

Make sure your scope is tight.

awshucks · Post by **awshucks** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 8:05 am

I went thru this awhile back w/ Slick Tricks. Shot a couple at 30 and was really impressed. Then shot one of rest at 30 and it glanced off the side of target and went to Arrow Neverland. I had run-out or wobble in them. I took an arrow straightener and remounted the dial indicator down on the end of frame to see how much and found I had from .012-.015" difference on some from one side to the opposite. I unscrewed the heads and spun the washers as per instructions and got them down to just a couple of thousandths difference, and then they shot like field points. I read on here awhile back you can make an arrow spinner by epoxying 4 marbles to a chunk of 2x4, might want to try that.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 9:08 am

You might want to try a good quality mechanical. Seems like the higher the arrow velocity the more any problems are magnified.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 9:13 am

Hippie the first thing that comes to my mind is what awshucks said. It is probually a problem with your hunting head with the point of the head not being on the axis (center line) of the arrow. When they do not line up you will get wondering of the arrow in flight.

Many things can cause this to happen. Loose heads, not tight to the arrow. Just tighten them. Soft head shafts, difficult to fix perminately, but straighten the head with an arrow straightener. Bent arrows well also cause the wondering of an arrow.

Do a spin test ............ with the head on the arrow, place the tip onto a hard surface with the arrow in a vertical position and spin the arrow fast. Look to see if you can see a noticeable wobble in either of the arrow shaft or where the head attaches to the shaft. The spin test is not perfect, but should help determine if your arrows/heads have major problems. After years of practice, I can tell pretty good with my spin test.

Fox ...... yes there are some heads that will hit exactly where field points hit. The trouble is that some bows shoot a little different then others so some work and others don;t depending on the bow (but not many have that problem). But you should always practice with the hunting head until your comfortable and confidant that the practice heads shoot the same as your hunting head. Then just shoot a head once in a while to keep that confidance up.

Good luck Hippie and hope you get this figured out.

TYE · Post by **TYE** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 9:58 am

Make sure you're scope is aligned level, and sight your bow in with the broadheads, not the field points.

Hippie · Post by **Hippie** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:01 pm

Thanks for all the input guys! My scope and cocking are dialed, I never miss the mark with the target points (thanks Excalibur!). These are the carbon arrows and they fly perfect with target points and I use the same arrows with the wasp. I guess the only variable is the straightness of the broadhead on the arrow shaft, as I didn't actually understand there are adjustments to be made.
Awshucks, are you saying to turn the washer that locks in the blades on the head? I have never "trued" an arrow before.
Thanks again guys, Jay

Makomachine · Post by **Makomachine** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:08 pm

Hippie - For what it's worth, I had the exact same problem with the BH's when I got my Phoenix. The arrows that come in the Right Stuff package are very low FOC and I think that is why I had the problem. I don't understand why they don't ship them with the brass insert in the front like they do with the 10pt arrows. Built my own with heavier inserts and the groups tightened up considerably. Might have some other things going on too, but I definitely didn't care for the Excal arrows that came with the package.

FYI - the Wasp's worked great with the arrows I made myself and on the 10pt shafts my dad bought for his xbow. I think they are good BH.

shurite44 · Post by **shurite44** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:26 pm

For me the important thing is how well you can group the bolts. Don't worry so much about whether they fly like field points. Just sight in with your hunting broad head. Make sure your blades line up with your fletching. These are just basics, so you may have already tried this.

You can do a paper flight test to see if there is wobble. I have had some similar problems. Heavier bolt seems to help with accuracy. I was using 4 bladed muzzy's, but I am going to switch to 3 bladed nitrons and a lighter bolt just to see what happens.

Good luck with your problem, don't give up, just takes some trial and error.

Do you use a cocking aid to cock your bow, that will help also.

I have never tried the wasps so I can not comment there. But if excal put it in the box, they will work.

awshucks · Post by **awshucks** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 1:41 pm

Hippie wrote:Thanks for all the input guys! My scope and cocking are dialed, I never miss the mark with the target points (thanks Excalibur!). These are the carbon arrows and they fly perfect with target points and I use the same arrows with the wasp. I guess the only variable is the straightness of the broadhead on the arrow shaft, as I didn't actually understand there are adjustments to be made.
Awshucks, are you saying to turn the washer that locks in the blades on the head? I have never "trued" an arrow before.
Thanks again guys, Jay

I have a bit of experience as a machinist, and spinning the washers didn't make much sense to me. However, if you go to www.slicktrick.net and read some, the maker explains that doing this removes wobble. That's why I rigged the straightener to tell[a] how much I had how much I could remove w/ described method. I can email a pic if you pm me an addy, don't do well w/ photo shop and seldom have anything worth showing here, lol. I'm an accuracy freak and was really impressed by the 100 gr 1 1/8" Slicks. Shot one hog w/ one at 20 yds and it went about 15 feet.