Separating rail for stock

[petey]

Hello all..I'm a first time poster to the forum and also a new 2012 Equinox owner. Today I put my crossbow together and shot it about 10 times and really enjoyed it but I'm thinking I might try to get the trigger worked on before the hunting season rolls around so I decided to remove the rail and trigger assembly from the stock but the paint looks like there is no split where the rail sits in the stock. After removing the 2 screws the stock was still super tight and didn't appear it was going to separate very easily so I just put the screws back and quit. Is the first time you separate the rail from stock the worst as far as being tight? I don't want to ruin my paint job.

[agingcrossbower]

The stock is usually stubborn. Take your two screw out again and hold the stock by the back end and lift the front up and drop or tap it on a bench or something wooden gently at first. Take two or three taps and stop. Grab the front end of the rail and turn over the bow. Now tap the back end of the stock on the bench the same way. This will wiggle waggle the stock off. The part to be carefull of is the trigger. If you go to far with either tapping motion you can bend the trigger. SO, you have to be a little patience and wiggle waggle the puppy off. Hope this helps you. They are all tight.

[petey]

Thanks for the info.

[ELLIS]

I posted this a while ago. Might be useful here....

Remove the scope mount from the crossbow.

Looking at the bottom of the crossbow you will see two allen screws, one in the forestock and one directly in front of the trigger (there is an access hole through the trigger guard). Remove both screws.

During this procedure remember location of all screws when taking them out. Lengths will vary and location of the longer and shorter screws is very important.

Now the rail/trigger/safety/latch/arrow retainer/limb assembly is ready to be disassembled from the stock. Do not peel away the stock from the rail assembly like one would peel a banana. The stock will catch the end of the trigger and probably will bend it. What you want to do is remove the stock from the rail assembly by moving the stock straight down from it. This can easily be done by holding the rail assembly in one hand and slapping the stock straight down with the other. I do this just above and in the middle of a table so the stock doesn’t have far to go.

Turn the rail assembly upside down on the table. The trigger/safety/latch/arrow retainer assembly is attached to the end of the rail by two allen screws. One is right at the end of the rail and the other is in front of the trigger. You might have to move the trigger back to see it. There is a third screw directly behind the trigger. This holds the trigger to the assembly. Leave this one alone. Undo both of the other screws. The trigger/safety/latch/arrow retainer assembly will come out by gently pulling it back and up from the rail.

If you are shipping the trigger out for a trigger job remove the arrow retainer first. Note that the two screws holding the retainer in place are of different lengths. Keep track of their location.

[awshucks]

Good, accurate post, Ellis!

[agingcrossbower]

Good, accurate post, Ellis!

Good accurate response Shucks.

[strum]

I thought "Wiggle Waggle" was and accurate term

[agingcrossbower]

I thought "Wiggle Waggle" was and accurate term

Its a common term, but we can go all technical to for the geeks on board. Geeze, personally I like wiggle waggle and itty bitty, just because. Gives a more down to earth flavor to it. Life's to short to be so up tight.

OH, another, Lefty loosy, righty tighty.
Whats good for the goose, is good for the gander.

[Raymond]

Hey Folks,
Is it really worthwhile to have a trigger job done on the Equinox? Will it remove that quarter inch or so of movement before the trigger is tight and ready to fire? I am not sure if they call that trigger creep? My Phoenix didn't have that kind of creep and was a lot nicer to shoot with.
Thanks,
Raymond

[Cossack]

It may do nothing for take-up but, done properly, it should take out any creep and reduce the pull weight. I've done several of my own and it is worth doing. Triggers are lighter and more predictable.
Do NOT attempt to do it yourself unless you have previous experience 'working' triggers. Recently fingered an Encore (gun) at a local gun show that someone had misdone. Trigger broke at 1/2 lb, way too light for a hunting rifle; no way to fix it without changing springs. Made me wonder hat had happened that caused the gun to be sold.

[petey]

Well guys I've just had the Equinox 2 weeks and I would love to have the trigger done but still debating the issue. I wish I knew what needed to be done because I work in a machine shop and have been involved in mechanical engineering for the last 30 years, however I do know that in projects like triggers experience is everything and once you go past a certain point it basically turns into scrap. Fine line between a great trigger and scrap.

[robertyb]

With the bow cocked and locked and on safety take the play out of the trigger by applying pressure to the trigger. Now there is no play left at the shot when the safety is released. No trigger work is required.

[petey]

I will try that tomorrow. Thanks