Dipping My Toes In The Darkside

[GreeneHunter]

I was never a Bow Hunter !  There I said it !   After I bought my Crossbow I took three (3) shots at my backyard target !  Shots number 4 & 5 were into a Doe and a 6 Point Buck ..... that's my full story and now I'm a Crossbow Hunter besides Gun Hunter !

[9jNYstarkOH]

I have seen other people use a fender washer under a field tip on a old bolt shot into the ground. I just leave a target and a field tipped old bolt in the car or at the house to unload.

[DirtTime]

22 minutes ago, GreeneHunter said:

I was never a Bow Hunter !  There I said it !   After I bought my Crossbow I took three (3) shots at my backyard target !  Shots number 4 & 5 were into a Doe and a 6 Point Buck ..... that's my full story and now I'm a Crossbow Hunter besides Gun Hunter !

For shame!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

That's the other side of the coin. Having an area of private land down by me to hunt is great, but with the property rules I don't see me hunting the area much once the firearm season opens. I don't have the rifles and the ML as safe queens or dust collectors, I love hunting with my boom sticks too much to give it up for a crossbow. That's not a complaint, as I said I like having private property and am thankful to the owner for the opportunity I just like my guns.

[Chef]

No worries. No offense taken here. It could be worse than giving a crossbow a try, I could move to NYC and start wearing skinny jeans and a man bun.

Hey you leave @bizct out of this


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[G-Man]

On 10/12/2022 at 7:32 PM, Jeremy K said:

The cons of hunting with a bow that stays locked at full draw all day.

Heavy ,unwieldy and cant stay cocked all day as limbs stress and blow up.  Nearly impossible to shoot close to a tree. Or behind you against tree as lims limit you available arc of shooting..  

[DirtTime]

53 minutes ago, Chef said:

Hey you leave @bizct out of this


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was unaware he wore a man bun. Skinny jeans I could see, they go hand in hand with Mexican beer.

[Jeremy K]

47 minutes ago, G-Man said:

Heavy ,unwieldy and cant stay cocked all day as limbs stress and blow up.  Nearly impossible to shoot close to a tree. Or behind you against tree as lims limit you available arc of shooting..  

Well ,8 year olds all across the country have figured it out

[DirtTime]

If it counts any, I'm far more stoked to be hitting the woods this coming Wednesday-Friday with the ML. Then Saturday+Sunday with the 25-06. Then the following weekend with one of the deer rifles.

[DirtTime]

Neighbor came up to the cabin for the weekend and informed me the crossbow is now mine. Now I have to get it out of the living room, so I need to pick up a case to be able to hang it.

 

 

Is there a huge difference in fixed broad heads for the bolts? Can I use just any broadhead or what? I looked a bit on the information slow lane, and it seems that for tips it doesn't really matter. But I figured I ask here where we have a few who use these things. The bolts and tips he loaned me he wants back after the season, so I'll have to buy those items. Looking at 20" Carbon Express Pile Drivers for bolts, seem to be a solid choice without making my wallet cry.

[mowin]

6 minutes ago, DirtTime said:

Neighbor came up to the cabin for the weekend and informed me the crossbow is now mine. Now I have to get it out of the living room, so I need to pick up a case to be able to hang it.

 

 

Is there a huge difference in fixed broad heads for the bolts? Can I use just any broadhead or what? I looked a bit on the information slow lane, and it seems that for tips it doesn't really matter. But I figured I ask here where we have a few who use these things. The bolts and tips he loaned me he wants back after the season, so I'll have to buy those items. Looking at 20" Carbon Express Pile Drivers for bolts, seem to be a solid choice without making my wallet cry.

I use swacker broad heads with my xbow. But my nephew buys the cheapest fixed blade heads he can find and kills deer just fine. 

Of course, check accuracy with whatever head you choose. 

[Robhuntandfish]

i use muzzy fixed on mine and theyve worked great 

[stubborn1VT]

I've been very happy with Piledriver bolts.  I shoot WASP mechanicals, but I don't think it makes a huge difference what broadhead as long as it's accurate.  I'm a fan of Magnus stuff for fixed blades.

[mowin]

On 10/12/2022 at 9:15 PM, 9jNYstarkOH said:

I have seen other people use a fender washer under a field tip on a old bolt shot into the ground. I just leave a target and a field tipped old bolt in the car or at the house to unload.

I've tried that. It does work as long as you don't hit a rock.  Very rocky in my area. I've ruined a few bolts shooting into the ground. I have a small bag target that I leave in the truck. Works great.

[J.B.]

I use the schwacker broadheads as well. At the speeds your shooting i think which ever your comfortable with and is accurate will be fine. 

 

Also, for discharge i picked up one of these arrows a few years back and it makes it very easy. 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/22-Inch-Crossbow-Release-Bolt-Single-PackWITHSTAND-GROUND-IMPACT-Easy-recovery-ultra-dense-steel-front-end-tip-built-stay-intact-without-By-Carbon-Ex/809320617?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101190632&adid=22222222227809320617_101190632_141412546465_18497457021&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=625812790206&wl4=aud-1651068664546:pla-1807966999147&wl5=9005556&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=608354504&wl11=online&wl12=809320617_101190632&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQjwteOaBhDuARIsADBqReiIZI4IZaV6Ms8sCjw0q5J6QQQL-fMdGLnFtm8ks1UN7LdsGTCU6eQaAmfKEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Skillet]

36 minutes ago, DirtTime said:

Neighbor came up to the cabin for the weekend and informed me the crossbow is now mine. Now I have to get it out of the living room, so I need to pick up a case to be able to hang it.

 

 

Is there a huge difference in fixed broad heads for the bolts? Can I use just any broadhead or what? I looked a bit on the information slow lane, and it seems that for tips it doesn't really matter. But I figured I ask here where we have a few who use these things. The bolts and tips he loaned me he wants back after the season, so I'll have to buy those items. Looking at 20" Carbon Express Pile Drivers for bolts, seem to be a solid choice without making my wallet cry.

I guess you could use any broadhead, but heavier would be better I think.

Crossbows like weight forward bolts. I find them more accurate in my Excalibur, and the heavier bolts are easier on your crossbow's limbs. I shoot 20" Black Eagle Executioners, with Excalibur Boltcutters. They are 150gr 3 blade fixed heads.

I also put 3 brass washers under the broadhead that weigh 5gr each. 

So 165gr up front, plus my 326gr bolt, and I'm at 491gr. 

You can get a 6 pack of Boltcutters for around $60.

 

Edited October 26, 2022 by Skillet
.

[DirtTime]

34 minutes ago, mowin said:

I use swacker broad heads with my xbow. But my nephew buys the cheapest fixed blade heads he can find and kills deer just fine. 

Of course, check accuracy with whatever head you choose. 

I'm not looking to go the cheapest, but I'm not looking to buy anything in the $79 for three range. I was looking at some G5 knockoffs at $40 for 6, and they have a slightly larger cutting width than the G5's. I wanted to try them with my vert bow this year, but things didn't play out well.

Edited October 26, 2022 by DirtTime
Typo

[DirtTime]

2 minutes ago, Skillet said:

I guess you could use any broadhead, but heavier would be better I think.

Crossbows like weight forward bolts. I find them more accurate in my Excalibur, and the heavier bolts are easier on your crossbow's limbs. I shoot 20" Black Eagle Executioners, with Excalibur Boltcutters. They are 150gr 3 blade fixed heads.

I also put 3 brass washers under the broadhead that weigh 5gr each. 

So 165gr up front, plus my 326gr bolt, and I'm at 491gr. 

 

Good to know. I was thinking 100GR, so I could swap the heads between my vert bow and the crossbow. Have to see if the BH's I wanted to try come in a 125GR.

[mowin]

22 minutes ago, DirtTime said:

I'm not looking to go the cheapest, but I'm not looking to buy anything in the $79 for three range. I was looking at some G5 knockoffs at $40 for 6, and they have a slightly larger cutting width than the G5's. I wanted to try them with my vert bow this year, but things didn't play out well.

$79?  Ya, I'm not paying that either.  Last pack of swacker I purchased was $39 for 3.  

I bought some rage knockoffs few yrs ago and they definitely were not even close to the quality of genuine rage heads. Never used them. Not going to risk wounding a deer for a few bucks. 

[DirtTime]

3 hours ago, mowin said:

$79?  Ya, I'm not paying that either.  Last pack of swacker I purchased was $39 for 3.  

I bought some rage knockoffs few yrs ago and they definitely were not even close to the quality of genuine rage heads. Never used them. Not going to risk wounding a deer for a few bucks. 

What was the quality issue?

 

 

The heads I'm looking at aren't mechanical, as I said, they are fixed. I looked again, and the price is actually $30 for 6 with the Montecs being $35 for three.

[BizCT]

On 10/15/2022 at 4:32 PM, Chef said:

Hey you leave @bizct out of this


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I moved out of NYC in 2009 to spend more time outdoors. You're 13 years late.

[mowin]

24 minutes ago, DirtTime said:

What was the quality issue?

 

 

The heads I'm looking at aren't mechanical, as I said, they are fixed. I looked again, and the price is actually $30 for 6 with the Montecs being $35 for three.

For one, they were shipped loose in a baggie. Blades out rubbing together dulling them.

Blades very loose, lots of play. Tips were not machined properly and were not inline with the body of the broadhead. Arrow wobbled when spun. 

For a few bucks more a head, it's worth it to me to have a quality broadhead.

Edited October 26, 2022 by mowin

[DirtTime]

18 minutes ago, BizCT said:

I moved out of NYC in 2009 to spend more time outdoors. You're 13 years late.

You moved from NYC to Westchester (same thing), then to CT. Lotta skinny jeans and man buns in those areas.

[Kmartinson]

On 10/15/2022 at 5:27 PM, DirtTime said:

I was unaware he wore a man bun. Skinny jeans I could see, they go hand in hand with Mexican beer.

Don't talk so poorly about Mexican beer....

[DirtTime]

2 minutes ago, mowin said:

For one, they were shipped loose in a baggie. Blades out rubbing together dulling them.

Blades very loose, lots of play. Tips were not machined properly and were not inline with the body of the broadhead. Arrow wobbled when spun. 

Thank you for clarification. That's why I won't use mechanical's, too many moving parts when there's already enough moving parts on the hunting implement.

[DirtTime]

1 minute ago, Kmartinson said:

Don't talk so poorly about Mexican beer....

They tell you not to drink the water in Mexico, and beer is made from a water base. Need I say anymore?