OT, way out OT. Excaliber crossbows.

[Nath]

They seem real neat. Do any of you guys use them? Or have any experience with them? Comments?

Nath.

[mescalero1]

Nath,
I a not familiar with Excalibur crossbows.
Crosssbows are in some states illegal to hunt with.

[2ndovc]

I don't have an Excaliber ( they look pretty cool by the way) but do have a blast with my cross bow.

There leagal for deer here in Ohio but have yet to connect with one.

Pinned a woodchuck to a log once though.

jb

[PaperPatch]

I've got the Vixen model. Simple, easy to use...and incredibly accurate. So simple...that 3 days out of the shipping box, I bagged a huge doe with it. No extravagant tuning or adjusting is necessary to achieve accuracy; I simply used the shafts and broadheads they recommended.

They have an excellent web-page too:

http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com

[Nath]

Well done Ppatch, what was the shot on the doe and did you get a pass through?

Do you know if you can use wooden shafts in them?

I have seen their web, it is a good'n yes.

Nath.

[Hobie]

FWIW, crossbows are now legal in VA.

[TedH]

I've always had some interest in crossbows, but never owned one. They are legal to hunt with here, but not during the archery seasons, only during rifle season.

[sparky141]

I bought their Vortex model last year . All I can say is WOW . Ditto what Patch said . All I have done to mine is site it in and shoot it . I bagged a nice doe with it last year . It was a pass thru at 20 yards . I didn't see the bolt until it exited .

Some of the nice feature of Excalibers are great trigger system , ease of changing limbs if needed or you want to increase or decrease draw weight , being able store the bow unstrung after season , and great accuracy .

One word of advice don't shoot at same bullseye/aimpoint with a bolt in you target while practicing . It will stack them ontop of each other possibly damaging you bolts . Those bolts aren't cheap .

[JerryB]

Crossbows are legal for archery season here in Arkansaw. Reddots and scopes are legal on them too. I use a custom recurve and an osage bow I made.

[Rusty]

Nath,

I don't think with that kind of poundage you could use a wooden shaft. I'd be pretty sure the compression would cause the arrow to blow up.

[Nath]

Thats what I'm thinking Rusty.

Nath.

[PaperPatch]

Nath,
The shot I made was 20 yards in the spine. Dropped her on the spot.

I can't answer the wooden shaft question. I'm using aluminum...and I read, the carbon shafts are popular now.


Sadly, the x-bow is a political hot potato here. Its greatest adversaries...believe it or not...are bowhunters. They vehemently oppose the inclusion of this equipment during archery season. Some even try to perpetuate the myth that it is the weapon of choice for poachers. So it is deemed a firearm, and restricted to rifle season.

It was this designation as a firearm...that has turned out to be a blessing for me. A nearby landowner allows archery hunting; but no (conventional) firearms. He recognizes the difference of course with the x-bow...and let me hunt there during rifle season.

Getting back to the bow itself...the standard recurve configuration that Excalibur employs is simple. Other brands having a compound wheel arrangement with let-off, makes no sense; and needlessly complicates things.

I think you'll be very pleased with the Excalibur products.

[Nath]

Cheers PP, Ican see me sneaking about for small game with one some day, not sure when though.
They are use in field target over here but I don't think folk get to hung up on them.
It is illegal to hunt with any bow over here, if they catch you that is!

Shame the bow hunters appose them, INMO they are a bow. It is still a bladed arrow that makes no smoke what so ever.

What kind of groups do you get with it out to 30yds?

Nath.

[bigbore442001]

Nathan:

Ask any question you have about the Excalibur crossbow. My father owned one and sold it last year.

Here in Massachusetts if you have a doctor's note indicating a disability you can obtain a crossbow permit which allows you to use a crossbow in the special archery seasons. My Dad has one for Connecticut and Massachusetts.

He bought a Phoenix model a couple of years ago at the recommendation of a fellow hunter and crossbow shooter. They have a great reputation for accuracy which is paramount. A crossbow that is inaccurate is all but useless.

The Excalibur crossbows are conventional in that they do not use a compound bow type arraingement. The prod is basically a short recurve. My Dad sold it for a number of reasons.

1. The crossbow is very noisy. The design of the Excalibur allows the string to slap the aluminum stock where the recurve prods are attached. It creates a noise almost as loud as a .22 rf. I can hear it through the woods when he uncocked his bow by shooting a target arrow into the ground.

2. The design doesn't have a finger guard in case you do the unthinkable , putting your fingers above the shooting deck. My Dad accidentally had his thumb above the shooting deck and almost lost his thumb nail. He bled profusely and almost lost the nail. He modified it with a set of metal wings to prevent that from happening .

My Dad now has a Parker Cyclone. It is a compound type crossbow that is very accurate and far less noisy.

Crossbows have some great limitations. They are cumbersome to carry in the woods. They do not offer a quick second shot as you need a cocking device to ensure accuracy. Forget that stuff about just yanking up on the string. It has to be cocked evenly to maintain consistent shooting. You also have a limited range of motion with the crossbow. You can't allow branches or brush to affect the cast of the limbs as you shoot.

It isn't the miracle weapon that many make it out to be.

[PaperPatch]

What kind of groups do you get with it out to 30yds?

Nath.

From a benchrest...I must shoot separate targets, so as to avoid arrow collision/damage.

At 50 yards...from a benchrest, an 8x11 piece of paper will catch them all.

[Nath]

Thanks PP, thats pretty good @ 50yds, 30yds must be something like 4" then.

Thanks Bigbore, thats a good report. I did not realise you need to draw them perfectly, makes sense though now you have mentioned it.
I was going to ask how do you go about unloading the prod, so you use a dummy bolt yes?

Thanks fellers.

Nath.

[bigbore442001]

To ensure accuracy, you need to use a cocking tool of some sorts for the crossbow. The one he uses is a simple pulley affair. The string has to be as even as possible as it is cocked. If you do it by hand one side will be slightly unbalanced and the shot will be way off.

Uncocking is best done with a target arrow. My Dad has an aluminum bolt with a target tip. He shoots it into soft ground. Then again yesterday he shot and hit one of the many rocks left by the last glacier and ruined his bolt. He wasn't too thrilled to have wasted the bolt.

[Ysabel Kid]

They are use in field target over here but I don't think folk get to hung up on them.
It is illegal to hunt with any bow over here, if they catch you that is!

Nath -

I was going to ask. I figured with what you and GK have said, bows of any kind, along with anything sharp, dull sticks and pointed words are pretty much illegal in merry ol' England. someone may get hurt!

[mescalero1]

Oh Nath,
What have we come to!

[TomD]

"They are legal to hunt with here, but not during the archery seasons, only during rifle season."

Man they get it! I didn't know any states did that.

You should get a pass through on a doe with a 30 pound hickory longbow. Of course the longer arrows are heavier, but any Xbow is pretty potent.

Congrats on the doe.

[Nath]

I had a sneak about in my favourite bow hunting place on saturday, only a pretend hunting place offcourse but I came to the conclusion I'll stick to my bow.
I got on a rabbit at 5yds, 7yds and 12yds (approx) plus other stuff. There was a fox in there but did not show for the 94 and as I was camoed up I watched a young sparrow hawk being taught by his Ma.

Thanks fellers,

Nath.