Dryfire mechanism

Crossbow Hunting

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foofoo
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Re: Dryfire mechanism

Post by foofoo »

Tom wrote:
The trouble is, it sounds like you are going to rely on this device. Yes it worked as tested, but it is a mechanical device and a mechanical device will fail, you just never know when.

People the only safe way to handle a crossbow or gun is to always pay attention to what you are doing. Always follow the same steps in cocking, loading your crossbow and you will be safe. Many people feel that there is a need for these devices, but there is not a need. IF you need one then you are unsafe and should not handle a crossbow. Plain and simple, a crossbow is not a toy, they are a dangerous hunting tool that can hurt someone if you are not paying attention all the time. I have known and hunted with many hunters with crossbows (5 close to 30 years experience each) and non have had a dry-fire.

Sorry if my above statement hurt someone's feelings but it is the plain truth.
sounds like you and your hunting partners are safe and lucky enough to never had a dry fire. there are just too many cenarios that can happen using a crossbow. i dont see how one can compare a crossbow to a gun. there are similarities in operation and thats about it. for instance if you forget to load a gun and squeeze the trigger theres usually no issues with a dry fire. with a gun you dont need to fire it off at the end of every hunt either.i know you can de-cock some crossbows but ive found it very tricky and choose not to.while hunting in a tree i usually just hold my x-bow. your dealing with holding your xbow in downward angles and things getting bumped around the shooting rails or foiliage.if because of some reason the arrow gets pushed off the string a little i could see this dry fire device helping.if your at the range and your shooting proceedure gets thrown off say from talking to friends and get distracted i could see this thing helping.at the end of the days hunt you remove your hunting arrow and you get back to your vehicle in the pitch dark. you set your x-bow down and grab your discharge target and set it up several yards out. now youve just sat in a tree for hours with a cocked crossbow and all your brain sees is a xbow loaded with the string back and now you pick up your xbow and forget to load your field point discharge arrow being frozen and in a rush to get home to dinner. im sure the list of possibilties could go on forever. no ones perfect and i dont see relying on this dry fire device.worse case it fails. you would have the same mess anyway without the device. sorry just dont agree the dry fire issue is all that cut and dry. there is a need for it . just gotta decide if its right for you. me im gonna fork up the 70$.
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secret
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Re: Dryfire mechanism

Post by secret »

Maybee it should be stamped...for ages 50 and up!!!!!!!!
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Re: Dryfire mechanism

Post by cevans »

How are you using COTTON BALLS to check for limb damage? Just curious. :?:
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Re: Dryfire mechanism

Post by Mister B »

Yes Cevans, I use the cotton ball rubbed across limbs after a dryfire to check for damage. You know, it doesn't matter what someone likes, there will always be someone to find fault in it-warranted or not -but it is the one who dosen't listen to both sides that looses. You make up your own mind and do what works best for you. My mother always saw the negative in everything, especially about sex, she said if you mess with girls you will go blind. Hmmm. You know I'm 67 years old and my eyesight " is" failing. You don't recon she was right do you? .......Naaaaah
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Old Jim
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Re: Dryfire mechanism

Post by Old Jim »

Mr. Secert; If you wish to keep it so simple, why have a safety? You guys are smart enough to keep your finger off the trigger until you shoot.
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Dash
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Re: Dryfire mechanism

Post by Dash »

There seems to be the idea amongst the negative comments lateley that if you use a device like this, you will also switch your brain off and not be able to engage it ever again !!!
I just had to rewrite this because jim used my same explanation and beat me to it !
You don't stop taking care with a rifle and point it at people when the safety's on do you. The drill is the same, always treat it like it loaded and ready to fire. Same goes for this dryfire lock,
It wouldn't change the way I use my bow, same drill. Its just extra insurance against a dryfire ruining your day if the unthinkable happens.
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Re: Dryfire mechanism

Post by wheelie »

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TPM
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Re: Dryfire mechanism

Post by TPM »

I have known and hunted with many hunters with crossbows (5 close to 30 years experience each) and non have had a dry-fire.
If all I did was hunt then worrying about a dry-fire would not be a concern for me. But my crossbow gets used a lot more for 3D and target shooting than it does for hunting. Between June and September I will probably cock, load and shoot my crossbow 600+ times. I know there are people on this forum who will do more than double that in a season. If you're hunting it's probably just you alone, no distractions. If your shooting in a 3D competition or a timed target shoot there can be PLENTY of distractions. When shooting 3D the time used to cock your bow is also often the same time used to choose your shooting stance, estimate target range, decide where score rings are all while people around you are talking and the next squad of shooters is impatiently waiting for you to finish so they can shoot. And you do that 40 to 80 times in one day. Not hard to forget to load an arrow. It it happens to the best and most experienced shooters out there and it can knock you out of a competition for the day if your bow becomes damaged.
I think this device looks great and I certainly wouldn't rule out putting one on my bow.
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one shot scott
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Re: Dryfire mechanism

Post by one shot scott »

That reminds me of the time I was at a 3d shoot, and a member of my group dryfired. Good thing he had a NGSS installed :wink: :lol:

I think this add-on is a nice option. Keep in mind that any add-on or modifcation thats not auth by excal can void warranty, or at least I would think so. Even though I think they would never deny a customer a claim. Lets face it, they are the best when it comes to warranty. Which brings me to my next point: when your turn around time on warrantied parts is only days why cluster up your bow? No one likes down time, but a missed shot at a monster buck because of a faulty anti dry-fire would hurt more. Anyone who dryfires their bow and then complains that it was because their bow never had a anti dry-fire device is looking to point fingers at the wrong person.
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NewGuy
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Re: Dryfire mechanism

Post by NewGuy »

one shot scott wrote:That reminds me of the time I was at a 3d shoot, and a member of my group dryfired. Good thing he had a NGSS installed :wink: :lol:

How the heck am i getting dragged into this :) That one was munch's fault though. :D
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Dash
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Re: Dryfire mechanism

Post by Dash »

TPM, I agree with you about target shooting. The large amount of shots fired target shooting with distractions around you, lifts the likelyhood of a dryfire a lot more than firing a shot or two undistracted while hunting.
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Re: Dryfire mechanism

Post by Tom »

foofoo wrote:
Tom wrote:
The trouble is, it sounds like you are going to rely on this device. Yes it worked as tested, but it is a mechanical device and a mechanical device will fail, you just never know when.

People the only safe way to handle a crossbow or gun is to always pay attention to what you are doing. Always follow the same steps in cocking, loading your crossbow and you will be safe. Many people feel that there is a need for these devices, but there is not a need. IF you need one then you are unsafe and should not handle a crossbow. Plain and simple, a crossbow is not a toy, they are a dangerous hunting tool that can hurt someone if you are not paying attention all the time. I have known and hunted with many hunters with crossbows (5 close to 30 years experience each) and non have had a dry-fire.

Sorry if my above statement hurt someone's feelings but it is the plain truth.
sounds like you and your hunting partners are safe and lucky enough to never had a dry fire. there are just too many cenarios that can happen using a crossbow. i dont see how one can compare a crossbow to a gun. there are similarities in operation and thats about it. for instance if you forget to load a gun and squeeze the trigger theres usually no issues with a dry fire. with a gun you dont need to fire it off at the end of every hunt either.i know you can de-cock some crossbows but ive found it very tricky and choose not to.while hunting in a tree i usually just hold my x-bow. your dealing with holding your xbow in downward angles and things getting bumped around the shooting rails or foiliage.if because of some reason the arrow gets pushed off the string a little i could see this dry fire device helping.if your at the range and your shooting proceedure gets thrown off say from talking to friends and get distracted i could see this thing helping.at the end of the days hunt you remove your hunting arrow and you get back to your vehicle in the pitch dark. you set your x-bow down and grab your discharge target and set it up several yards out. now youve just sat in a tree for hours with a cocked crossbow and all your brain sees is a xbow loaded with the string back and now you pick up your xbow and forget to load your field point discharge arrow being frozen and in a rush to get home to dinner. im sure the list of possibilties could go on forever. no ones perfect and i dont see relying on this dry fire device.worse case it fails. you would have the same mess anyway without the device. sorry just dont agree the dry fire issue is all that cut and dry. there is a need for it . just gotta decide if its right for you. me im gonna fork up the 70$.
The only comparison I had between Guns and Crossbows in my statement was as a hunting tool and the safety needed to operate both safely. If you do not feel that both need to be handled in the same safe manor, then please do not take up crossbows. They are both dangerous hunting tools and can and will hurt people if not handled safely.
Dash wrote:There seems to be the idea amongst the negative comments lateley that if you use a device like this, you will also switch your brain off and not be able to engage it ever again !!!
I just had to rewrite this because jim used my same explanation and beat me to it !
You don't stop taking care with a rifle and point it at people when the safety's on do you. The drill is the same, always treat it like it loaded and ready to fire. Same goes for this dryfire lock,
It wouldn't change the way I use my bow, same drill. Its just extra insurance against a dryfire ruining your day if the unthinkable happens.
I am not saying that you will switch off your brain if you attach one of these to your bow. But it will tend to give you a letdown in your normal routine (the average person). The handler or person that has handled crossbows for many years and already had the safety steps grounded into their head, will probably not have a problem. But this is a new sport and many new shooters that have not learned the safe steps to take every time they go to shoot. I was taught many years ago that there is only one short step in safety, and that is a trip to either the hospital or morgue.

When I learned to shoot crossbows as well as most everyone that I hurt with, all learned back before Excalibur. Even now my Excalibur crossbow has a single limb and will not tolerate any kink of dryfire. You see a dry fire would destroy the limb and your out of luck. When hunting I have learned to check all the time that the arrow is seated properly against the string. After I go though a heavy brush or the end of the bow/arrow brushes against something, I check the arrow to make sure it is seated properly. When sitting in the treestand I check al the time to make sure that the arrow did not accidentally slide away from the string.

There is no need for these devices at all if you learn all the safe steps in handling a crossbow. Like I have said before, if you have had a dryfire, then you have had a safety violation of some kind. BE SAFE ALL THE TIME, NOT JUST SOME OF THE TIME.
Tom
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TPM
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Re: Dryfire mechanism

Post by TPM »

Like I have said before, if you have had a dryfire, then you have had a safety violation of some kind.
Could be. I've only had one dry-fire. Help me analyze the situation and I'll better understand where my safety violation came into play. I was about half way through a 3D course and when it came time for me to shoot I approached the shooting peg, made sure the other shooters where behind me, took a few seconds to get a range estimation and checked my cards for the scoring rings. I remember thinking it was a small target and it had a wooden backer which often means a damaged arrow if you miss the target. Still focused on my shot I cocked the bow, engaged the safety, raised my bow, forgot to load an arrow, disengaged the safety and fired. I remember hearing a loud smack and seeing my string lying on the ground in front of me. Luckily there was no damage to the bow and I was able to put the string back on and continue shooting. I can certainly admit it was stupid for me not to load the arrow and I stood a good chance of damaging my equipment but I fail to see where anyone's safety was comprimised.
This is not unique to the crossbow world. Spend eneough time on any fire-arms ranged and eventually you'll here some one's rifle or shotgun go "click". :?
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Re: Dryfire mechanism

Post by M&M »

Some of you folks amaze me the way you will beat a person down and try to make him feel like a complete idiot for having a different view of things its a shame. If you feel a need for this device buy it use it and enjoy shooting and hunting with your crossbow, if you don't feel a need for it don't buy it and still enjoy shooting and hunting with your bow but I think some of you are way too brutal in your manner of discussion because you don't agree big deal they aren't hurting you or anyone else
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TPM
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Re: Dryfire mechanism

Post by TPM »

Some of you folks amaze me the way you will beat a person down and try to make him feel like a complete idiot for having a different view of things its a shame. If you feel a need for this device buy it use it and enjoy shooting and hunting with your crossbow, if you don't feel a need for it don't buy it and still enjoy shooting and hunting with your bow but I think some of you are way too brutal in your manner of discussion because you don't agree big deal they aren't hurting you or anyone else
I think we're bored, being between hunting seasons and all...
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