Newbie Intro/Pig Safety

[Southern Comfort]

Just wanted to introduce myself and tell the trial and tribulation experience i had with my new Excalibur M380 blackout. I have been bow hunting for 18 years and wanted to jump into the crossbow world hearing many positive things about the Excalibur bows. I took the plunge and made the purchase.
Well i received my new blackout last Wednesday around noon and could not wait to put it together. After reading several threads on this forum prior to my purchase with reference to brace height i also purchased the string aid and boy was i glad i did. After receiving the bow the string was sitting on the R.E.D.S and after making 2 twits i watched the string before my eyes actually stretch over a 1 minuted time span and come to rest once again on the stops. I place 2 more twists in the string and was approximately 1/4 inch from the stops. Sighting in was a breeze and after shooting about a dozen or so bolts i was dialed in to 40 yards with my Tac Zone set at 355 shooting 20" Carbon Express with 125 grain Razor Trick heads (just completed my order of 18" Zombie's with 92 grain inserts).
So i was off to the woods for a evening hunt. At 10 minutes before sunset a lone doe came out and at 30 yards i let the blackout scream. Minutes later i was standing over my first crossbow kill on a 90 lb doe. The shot was through the shoulder and i recovered the bolt 20 - 25 yards past her (this bow is powerful).
The next day i had to attend a funeral of an old friend (he will be missed) but the following morning i was back in the stand. At 0710, 8 hogs came out and were rooting around and as a gray and white sow comes to 18 yards i slowly squeezed the trigger on what i assumed was a smoked 75 lb hog by days end. The bow goes off and to my surprise the hogs runs from the noise but without any ill effects from my new Excalibur. I look at the bow and there is no bolt, confused yet again i realize that the string is still in the cocked position. This is when i realized that when you pull the trigger on a Matrix, the bow will actually shoot but will be stopped by the anti dry fire mechanism propelling your bolt exactly 2 feet from the bottom of your stand. I laughed it off to a lesson well embedded in my memory to return soon to get that little gray and white pig. I hope others got a laugh from this as i did. Thank you to all that have posted many helpful threads that i had read prior to my M380 purchase as it gave and continues to give me many hours of enjoyable reading in the stand.
Regards,
Southern Comfort

[georgiaboy]

Welcome to the forum & congrats on your doe!!
You came close to being the new president of team dryfire!

[xcaliber]

Congrats, and welcome!

[wabi]

Welcome to the forum!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations on your doe!

[bubba]

you know southern comfort?? I have heard this happening before! Glad no harm came of it!! Welcome to the forum there isn't a problem that some one here can"t help you solve, Great bunch of people and knowledge. congrats on your first crossbow kill. I'm sure many more are to follow, ..........bubba..............

[paulaboutform]

Lol! Congrats on your deer and welcome. I've done the same thing target shooting. Hint, make sure that arrow is slammed all the way into the string hard. My first adf save was from seating the arrow against the adf. Keep slammin those hogs, those tasty little critters sure get my blood pumping!

[mr meat]

Welcome and congrats on the doe!!

[Sandman]

Welcome and congrats

[vixenmaster]

Congrats on yer deer & welcome to the Forum

[VixChix]

Thanks for posting your story!

Congrats on the doe and I hope you get another chance to stick that piggie!

[Bayou Boy]

Welcome and Congrats!!!

[gerald strine]

Congrats on the doe and new bow !!
I am not sure what you explaned about the dry fire was your bolt not seated all the way back ?
You must of had a bolt on the rail for it to travel 2 feet but why did it not fire the correct way ?