Tamed some of the noise out of the Phoenix

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theoldarcher
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Tamed some of the noise out of the Phoenix

Post by theoldarcher »

Georgia season is quickly winding down to a close on January 1st 2012. I have had a good season but still have a couple more tags to fill before I’m done. I wanted to change my setup earlier in the season but have waited till now so if I don’t finish filling my tags it won’t be a big deal. I took my scope off and went back to fiber optic sights now that most the leaves are off the trees and I have made a couple of additions to my crossbow. Ever since I have owned a crossbow the two major things that get on my nerves is the noise that the retention spring and the stirrup make when fired. I think that both are major causes of vibration noise and if could be eliminated should quite down the bow a considerable bit.

The first addition was the Bowjax bolt retention spring dampener.
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The second was the Limbsaver insulator wrap. These are normally used to wrap the handle of a bow to keep hand shock down to a minimum.
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After putting everything together I took it out and ran a few arrows through to see if there was any difference in the vibration and noise level. Boy was I shocked. The familiar noise of the retention spring slapping down on the rail was gone and so was the twang of the stirrup vibrating after the shot. I think they both made a considerable difference and am now happy with changing my setup. No matter what you do I know you are going to have noise from a crossbow because it is the nature of the beast, but every little bit helps.
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Re: Tamed some of the noise out of the Phoenix

Post by Crossbow225lb »

Sounds Great!!!

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Dereck
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Re: Tamed some of the noise out of the Phoenix

Post by Dereck »

Great job
Thanks for the pics too I like to see it as well as read about
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ELLIS
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Re: Tamed some of the noise out of the Phoenix

Post by ELLIS »

Nice Job! I am wondering if the vanes of your arrows hit the Bowjax bolt retention spring dampener when you shoot. What vanes are you using?
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Re: Tamed some of the noise out of the Phoenix

Post by j.krug »

Looks pretty good! Ireally like the stirrup wrapped up like that. :)
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Re: Tamed some of the noise out of the Phoenix

Post by Mark Rainbolt »

May I ask where you got the bowjax's from?
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Re: Tamed some of the noise out of the Phoenix

Post by Cossack »

Would be interesting to compare before and after chron readings. When I put Limbsavers out on the limbs my Equinox slowed by over 10 fps, and the noise was decreased only marginally, certainly not so a deer could tell the difference. IMO, can't wuiet a crossbow enough so a deer won't hear it; besides, given the noise and motion of re cocking, it's highly unlikely you're getting a second shot.
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theoldarcher
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Re: Tamed some of the noise out of the Phoenix

Post by theoldarcher »

ELLIS wrote:Nice Job! I am wondering if the vanes of your arrows hit the Bowjax bolt retention spring dampener when you shoot. What vanes are you using?
I have them far enough up the spring that it doesn't hit it when I shoot. I am shooting blazer vanes and they clear fine.
theoldarcher
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Re: Tamed some of the noise out of the Phoenix

Post by theoldarcher »

Mark Rainbolt wrote:May I ask where you got the bowjax's from?
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Off ebay but you can order them stright from bowjax for under 10 bucks.
theoldarcher
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Re: Tamed some of the noise out of the Phoenix

Post by theoldarcher »

Cossack wrote:Would be interesting to compare before and after chron readings. When I put Limbsavers out on the limbs my Equinox slowed by over 10 fps, and the noise was decreased only marginally, certainly not so a deer could tell the difference. IMO, can't wuiet a crossbow enough so a deer won't hear it; besides, given the noise and motion of re cocking, it's highly unlikely you're getting a second shot.
These are not on the limbs or string so it shouldn't affect velocity at all. I haven't shot it through a chron so I can't say that for a fact but I can't see where it would affect speed at all. I know my Phoenix will never be quiet, but its more of a mind game for me. The less I hear the less I have in my mind the deer can, and getting more than one shot at a deer...I had a hunt early in the season where I missed a buck twice and almost got a third shot at him before he wised up and went the other way. Luckly for me a few days later I got the buck (7 pointer) by setting up further up the trail on him. So gitting a second shot can happen and the lower the noise the better chance of that happening.
Last edited by theoldarcher on Sat Dec 03, 2011 10:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
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wabi
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Re: Tamed some of the noise out of the Phoenix

Post by wabi »

Please don't take this wrong - I'm just asking. :roll:

How does the stirrup vibrate and cause noise on a shot?

I've watched a slo-mo video of an Excal being shot and I can't see the stirrup vibrating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmntwlIhco4

There are several videos in the series and I can see the scope jumping around, the string dancing, the arrow retention clip going wild, but the stirrup looks solid.
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theoldarcher
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Re: Tamed some of the noise out of the Phoenix

Post by theoldarcher »

wabi wrote:Please don't take this wrong - I'm just asking. :roll:

How does the stirrup vibrate and cause noise on a shot?

I've watched a slo-mo video of an Excal being shot and I can't see the stirrup vibrating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmntwlIhco4

There are several videos in the series and I can see the scope jumping around, the string dancing, the arrow retention clip going wild, but the stirrup looks solid.

I would never take offense at a question from you wabi, and understand why you ask that question. Though you may not be able to see the vibrations on the video, you have to consider the size of the part. The smaller the part and more ridged it is, the harder it would be to see pronounced vibrations on that part, however, you would be able to feel the vibrations whether you could actually see them or not. It stands to reason that with as much energy that a crossbow releases at the time of shot, that energy has to go somewhere after being released. That energy will be transferred into and throughout the crossbow.

To prove this, simply cock the crossbow and then (after putting the safety on) remove the stirrup from the crossbow and shoot it. You should have no problem seeing and hearing the difference during the shot.

A much simpler way of testing for vibration noise in the stirrup is to simply take an ink pen or similar device and strike the stirrup with it. If you do not already have tape or some other medium on the stirrup it will be similar to striking a tuning fork. Not only can you hear the vibrations but you will also be able to feel the vibrations as well. Placing a dampening material such as this limbsaver wrap on the stirrup will take a lot of the vibration out of it dissipating it throughout the material instead of the metal of the stirrup.
Last edited by theoldarcher on Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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wabi
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Re: Tamed some of the noise out of the Phoenix

Post by wabi »

Not doubting you, just never considered the stirrup as a source of noise before. :?
I guess in reality it does somewhat resemble a tuning fork. :shock: :lol:

I'm not bothered by the noise when I shoot, but I may try removing it for a shot to experiment and see if I can hear the difference.
I guess the hearing loss with increasing age can be a blessing in some cases. My bow seems quieter as the years go by. :roll:
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Re: Tamed some of the noise out of the Phoenix

Post by strum »

wabi wrote: My bow seems quieter as the years go by. :roll:
everything is getting quieter here too Wabi cept maybe my wife ..she makes sure i hear her :lol: :lol:
i wraped my stirrup some time back with some camo tape that summit sends to sound dampen tree stands..i cant tell any difference when i shoot but it helps keeping me from clanging it around in the stand..never thought about trying a shot without it..hmmm.
it does stand to reason that the stuff The old archer used may absorb sound/vibration a bit
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theoldarcher
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Re: Tamed some of the noise out of the Phoenix

Post by theoldarcher »

Well, whether it actually helps with the noise or not, it definitely hasn’t affected the accuracy of the bow at all. This is the Fiber Optic sights at 25 yards.

Image

Had to walk it down a couple of times to get on zero but I think I can live with the results. :lol:
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