Again, on my used Excalibur x-bow shooting stock carbon express bolts (no fancy fletchings here) and 100 grain practice tips I've not been blown away with my accuracy. I'll be the first to admit, I'm NOT a great marksman, but I expected to get better accuracy with a crossbow than I do with my vertical bow. In addition, I'm shooting from the standing position, wrapping the sling around my arm/elbow in a "ching-sling" fashion. Groups from 20 and 30 yards will all kill a deer, but I was expecting that from 20 yards I'd have just about all of my bolts touching and be in danger of a shaft shot...what is the magic combination that I'm missing to greatly increase my accuracy?
How to improve accuracy
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Are you using a rope cocking device? Have you marked the string on both sides of the rail to make sure the bow is cocked the same each time? It's impossible to maintain accuracy if the bow is cocked differently each time.
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As with any crossbow, you have a differant feel balance etc. If you want to test accuracy , use a rest. Let the weapon perform to its potention, under the most steady conditions. Then if you cannot group it is on the bow , not the operator. Same as a rifle, shooting offhand , and with a rest is night and day.
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You didnt mention in your original post (unless I missed it) if you have previously shot the bow from a rest and what the results were. If yes, and it shot well then its you, keep practicing and dont jump on the trigger. If no, then its the first thing you should be doing.
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Are your bolts sized correctly for your bow? 22/64" diameter and the mass of bolt/point have to exceed the recommended minimum mass.
Yesterday from a bench rest I was still hitting about 6-8" (estimate) groups from 35 yards. Still killing deer, and hitting lungs or heart, but I'm wondering if I was off base worrying about splitting shafts with a bench rest from 30 yards...I'll try some 125 grain practice tips...really don't want to sink money into new broad heads when I've got so many basically new 100 grain...but if that's what it takes...
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Like fnf asked are you using a rope cocking device or cocking by hand? Cocking by hand will typically cause inaccuracies. Also are you shooting the recommended nocks & minimum grain arrow? Are you shooting mechanicals or fixed broadheads? If I were in your shoes I would head down to the local archery shop. IMO if it's your broadheads, I would rather pay the $$ for accuracy than loose the deer because I was trying to save a buck.
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Maybe not greatly, but when I got my X-bow 4 years ago and was shooting from the bench I was having some trouble with getting real tight groups.
I then positioned my odd colored vane straight up and down in the grove so that it would be launched without touching the sides of the groove. I had some improvement so that is one thing I always check with loading the bolt.
L & O
I AM using the rope cocking device
I've always put the odd fletching down...I've also been careful that the "grabbing finger" that holds the bolt is centered between the two other fletchings. I believe that this will achieve the same result as making sure that my fletching is centered in the rail.
I just switched to the recommended nocks and I'm not sure what the recommended arrow weight is for the Excalibur's.
I'm going to try to get my hands on some heavier practice tips and see how that treats my groups.
I've always put the odd fletching down...I've also been careful that the "grabbing finger" that holds the bolt is centered between the two other fletchings. I believe that this will achieve the same result as making sure that my fletching is centered in the rail.
I just switched to the recommended nocks and I'm not sure what the recommended arrow weight is for the Excalibur's.
I'm going to try to get my hands on some heavier practice tips and see how that treats my groups.
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When I set up a couple crossbows for people I had trouble getting consistency with fixed blades because of wind-plaining. See if you get consistency with practice tips. If so, them you probably can solve the problem by going to mechanicals. For the bows I set up - Spitfires really did the trick.
If you are already using target points and still not accurate, I would advise (as others have mentioned) a rest AND to gently squeeze the trigger and watch the bolt through your scope all the way to the target!
Follow-through is still critical - even with crossbows.
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If you are already using target points and still not accurate, I would advise (as others have mentioned) a rest AND to gently squeeze the trigger and watch the bolt through your scope all the way to the target!
Follow-through is still critical - even with crossbows.
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canting left or right will throw POI off too
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I would check and make sure that everything is tight; from the scope down to the limb and riser bolts. From my personal experience Excalibur crossbows are as close to a repeater shooting machine as I have ever seen.
Using a rest and with good arrows you should be afraid to shoot at the same spot out to 40 or so yards. Maybe your scope has internal problems.
It wouldn't be the first time that I have heard of this. If everything is tight I would look at changing your scope.
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Here is a link to the manual.
http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/uploads/manual.pdf
Are your bolts 20" long and your combination mass should be 350 grains?
Try purchasing one Excalibur firebolt with 150 grain field point prior to putting a new scope on it.
http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/uploads/manual.pdf
Are your bolts 20" long and your combination mass should be 350 grains?
Try purchasing one Excalibur firebolt with 150 grain field point prior to putting a new scope on it.
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Shooting 20" or 22" bolts will have no major impact on your bows accuracy. I also doubt that changing to 150 grain field points will have this major of an impact on your accuracy. Higher FOC will certainly help but shooting 6-8" groups at 35 yards says you are having other issues as well. Try some flat nocked 2219 Easton magnum shafts with 125 grain field points and if they aren't grouping at around 2-3 inches at 40 yard groups either you need some serious shooting lessons or something is wrong with your bow.
Generally Excalibur crossbows are some of the most accurate crossbows out there. 6-8" groups at 35 yards are hard to believe with almost any arrow and field point combination. I've got a friend who's Excalibur Pheonix I have shot plenty and off from a solid bench with Black Eagle Executioner arrows and 100gr field point will shoot 3" groups all day long out to 60 yards. I just can't wrap my mind around that large of group at that distance.
Shot two groups of six today (I have to get this siding project done before season!) and I'm thinking maybe I'm over-reacting?
First group was same 'ole song and dance. 35 yards, solid rest, 100 grain field points. I put the tape measure to it after 6 shots and that group was around 4.25".
The second group featured the same rest and bolts, with 125 grain field points. That group (according to the same tape measure) was no more than 3.75".
Am I expecting too much? Should I be happy with these groups and just concentrate (more) on trigger control? Every shot that I've taken with any combination will be lethal to a whitetail, and I'm making use of the "BDC-ish" feature of my scope, using the top of the first triangle under my crosshairs at 35 yards...
Maybe I'm expecting too much, and should chalk up any further tweaking to the shooter?
On a side note, I have one more corner piece and then just j-channel on the top and bottom of the second story to go and I can rock and roll with hanging siding, all the prep work will be done, with the exception of the fascia and a couple of pieces of soffit...should be able to wrap this project up this weekend and have a guilt-free hunting season.
First group was same 'ole song and dance. 35 yards, solid rest, 100 grain field points. I put the tape measure to it after 6 shots and that group was around 4.25".
The second group featured the same rest and bolts, with 125 grain field points. That group (according to the same tape measure) was no more than 3.75".
Am I expecting too much? Should I be happy with these groups and just concentrate (more) on trigger control? Every shot that I've taken with any combination will be lethal to a whitetail, and I'm making use of the "BDC-ish" feature of my scope, using the top of the first triangle under my crosshairs at 35 yards...
Maybe I'm expecting too much, and should chalk up any further tweaking to the shooter?
On a side note, I have one more corner piece and then just j-channel on the top and bottom of the second story to go and I can rock and roll with hanging siding, all the prep work will be done, with the exception of the fascia and a couple of pieces of soffit...should be able to wrap this project up this weekend and have a guilt-free hunting season.
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I wouldn't be content with that type of accuracy, but to each his own. I expect 2 inch groups max at 40 yards off from a bench. I would keep trying a few other things ( Like different arrows.) until I found out what the problem is, but that's just me.
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