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Post by Harley on May 24, 2010 22:11:30 GMT -5
I probably shouldn't tell this on myself, but here goes:
This past weekend I was climbing the stairs up from the basement; I had a cup of coffee in one hand and a table lamp in the other. I tripped on the top step, the lamp hit the opposite wall in the hallway and my head hit the lamp. They all broke - the lamp, the wall and my head. I spent three hours in the emergency room getting stitched (eight of them) and having a CT scan to be certain I didn't have a brain bleed.
Later in the afternoon I felt pretty good and decided to shoot my new Z7. The first four shots were uneventful, but when I released the trigger for the fifth shot the bow made a funny sound and I heard a piece of it hit the wooden deck.
I just sort of stared stupidly at it for a minute, then thought to count my arrows. Turns out I had not put an arrow on the string before firing, and what I heard was the sound of a dry fire; the piece that hit the deck was the keeper for the cam. Inspection showed the cable had jumped off the cam and wedged on the axle.
Two days earlier I had mailed my portable bow press to my son in Texas, so I couldn't press the bow, and was afraid that I had cracked the limbs. Into the car and 45 miles to a Mathews dealer. He pressed the bow and examined the limbs. Everything is okay.
The moral to the story is don't shoot when you are tired, distracted or hit on the head.
Harley
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Post by dougedwards on May 25, 2010 17:46:26 GMT -5
I have done that three times with my crossbow which makes me triple stupid. Had to have new limbs all three times but Excalibur stands behind their product even in spite of stupid people like me. I am glad you weren't hurt. Well, maybe your pride was hurt a bit but that will mend quickly with just one good shooting session with such a sweet bow. Keep shooting!
Doug
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Post by deadon on May 25, 2010 18:35:08 GMT -5
Maybe I was dumber that you both  I was on the road for 4 mos and could not wait to get home and shoot my crossbow. I loaded it ,leaned it across a 55 gal drum, cradled it between my thumb and index finger with my index finger straight up in the air with the fingernail above the rail and slooooly sqeezed one off. Guess what I MISSED THE WHOLE BAG. The finger nail on my left hand had moved from where it was supposed to be all the way around to the inside where I had to close my fist to keep it from falling on the ground. You talk about pain, I almost passed out. I went in the house, poured a bottle of perocide on it, pulled it back around to where god put it and duct taped it in place. Wore the D@#$ duct tape until it fell off cuz I didn't have the balls to do it myself. Thats been 8 years and the nerves have still not grown back yet. I might have spun the d@#$ fingernail around my finger so many times the nerves haven't figured to this day which way to grow. |
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Post by Harley on May 25, 2010 19:38:22 GMT -5
I guess misery loves company; you both got me laughing. I've been shooting bows for more than 58 years and this is the absolute first time I ever shot one without an arrow. I just hope it's not a sign of old age-- or worse.
Harley
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Post by ET on May 25, 2010 19:40:35 GMT -5
Harley
First off glad to hear the incident didn’t cause more physical damage than 8-stitches. That alone really smarts. Yeah it just takes one misstep on stairs to loose balance and bang. Been down that road too or should I say stairs.
Surprised the bow didn’t suffer any damage with the way they are designed today to have a load necessary to fire them. Not having any repercussion from the dry fire incident I would call that good fortune.
Do you feel having the bow set at a lower poundage may have been instrumental on not having any serious damage?
I agree if you have a distraught day or are tired or having trouble focusing on what you are doing it’s time to leave certain equipment alone. I learned that lesson a few times also.
Hope you heal fast.
Ed
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Post by Harley on May 25, 2010 19:44:35 GMT -5
Hi, Ed; thanks for the best wishes; I had, previous to the dry fire, increased the pull weight back to the designed 60#. It's just unbelievable the bow wasn't hurt. The limbs are very slim, the energy loading on them is so great and the discharge so violent you'd expect them to fly apart. I've shot it maybe 30 times since, and so far so good. Guess I got away with it.
Harley
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Post by ET on May 25, 2010 20:02:31 GMT -5
Harley
Sounds like you have a well built bow with good strings/cabling.
Also sounds like your shoulder healing is coming along nicely as well.
I think the deer are in for surprise this coming season if they give you an opportunity for a decent shot.
Have a good one.
Ed
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Post by huntingmike on May 26, 2010 15:36:22 GMT -5
I probably shouldn't tell this on myself, but here goes: This past weekend I was climbing the stairs up from the basement; I had a cup of coffee in one hand and a table lamp in the other. I tripped on the top step, the lamp hit the opposite wall in the hallway and my head hit the lamp. They all broke - the lamp, the wall and my head. I spent three hours in the emergency room getting stitched (eight of them) and having a CT scan to be certain I didn't have a brain bleed. Later in the afternoon I felt pretty good and decided to shoot my new Z7. The first four shots were uneventful, but when I released the trigger for the fifth shot the bow made a funny sound and I heard a piece of it hit the wooden deck. I just sort of stared stupidly at it for a minute, then thought to count my arrows. Turns out I had not put an arrow on the string before firing, and what I heard was the sound of a dry fire; the piece that hit the deck was the keeper for the cam. Inspection showed the cable had jumped off the cam and wedged on the axle. Two days earlier I had mailed my portable bow press to my son in Texas, so I couldn't press the bow, and was afraid that I had cracked the limbs. Into the car and 45 miles to a Mathews dealer. He pressed the bow and examined the limbs. Everything is okay. The moral to the story is don't shoot when you are tired, distracted or hit on the head. Harley Glad you were not hurt any worse from the accident. Mike |
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Post by huntingmike on May 26, 2010 15:48:23 GMT -5
Maybe I was dumber that you both I was on the road for 4 mos and could not wait to get home and shoot my crossbow. I loaded it ,leaned it across a 55 gal drum, cradled it between my thumb and index finger with my index finger straight up in the air with the fingernail above the rail and slooooly sqeezed one off. Guess what I MISSED THE WHOLE BAG. The finger nail on my left hand had moved from where it was supposed to be all the way around to the inside where I had to close my fist to keep it from falling on the ground. You talk about pain, I almost passed out. I went in the house, poured a bottle of perocide on it, pulled it back around to where god put it and duct taped it in place. Wore the D@#$ duct tape until it fell off cuz I didn't have the balls to do it myself. Thats been 8 years and the nerves have still not grown back yet. I might have spun the d@#$ fingernail around my finger so many times the nerves haven't figured to this day which way to grow. I will add this event to the others. This is on my friend who was hunting with his Excalibur. He had hunted all evening and made his way back to the truck. He is de cocking the string with the rope cocking aid slowly when the broadhead on the bolt cuts through his boot and toes. He had forgotten to remove the bolt from the bow. He was able to re cock the bow with help and remove the broadhead from his toes. He is lucky he stopped just before the toes were cut off. He only suffered a little loss of blood and a ruined boot. Stuff happens.  Mike |
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Post by Harley on May 27, 2010 9:12:33 GMT -5
Mike, I never heard of any one de-cocking a crossbow, although I can picture how it would be done; I always carried a heavy bolt with a field point and fired into loose dirt at the end of the day. Wouldn't that be easier and quicker?
Harley
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Post by huntingmike on May 27, 2010 13:38:24 GMT -5
Mike, I never heard of any one de-cocking a crossbow, although I can picture how it would be done; I always carried a heavy bolt with a field point and fired into loose dirt at the end of the day. Wouldn't that be easier and quicker? Harley It is easy to use the rope cocking aid that comes with the package to de-cock the excalibur. Removing the bolt though is a must do first ! ;D Mike |
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I was on the road for 4 mos and could not wait to get home and shoot my crossbow. I loaded it ,leaned it across a 55 gal drum, cradled it between my thumb and index finger with my index finger straight up in the air with the fingernail above the rail and slooooly sqeezed one off. Guess what I MISSED THE WHOLE BAG. The finger nail on my left hand had moved from where it was supposed to be all the way around to the inside where I had to close my fist to keep it from falling on the ground. You talk about pain, I almost passed out. I went in the house, poured a bottle of perocide on it, pulled it back around to where god put it and duct taped it in place. Wore the D@#$ duct tape until it fell off cuz I didn't have the balls to do it myself. Thats been 8 years and the nerves have still not grown back yet. I might have spun the d@#$ fingernail around my finger so many times the nerves haven't figured to this day which way to grow.
