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Dry firing a bow: Bad idea even if it's unintentional !

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24 June 2011, 10:28
ALF
Dry firing a bow: Bad idea even if it's unintentional !
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24 June 2011, 21:34
kayaker
Damn those Carbon Elements/ Matrix are sweet - too bad about the accident at least the limbs are OK!


http://orionmind.blogspot.com/
24 June 2011, 22:02
surestrike
Very nice bow Alf. I just bought a new Matthews Z-9. I wanted the Matrix but it was a bit over my budget.



25 June 2011, 02:34
ALF
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26 June 2011, 06:33
cooperjd
that sucks about your mishap. things happen. glad you're ok, thats the main thing. parts on the bow are pretty easy to replace.

a buddy of mine dry fired his hoyt earlier this year, snapped his string, but everything else was ok.

my bowtech destroyer derailed on me last week when i was drawing and letting down a few times at home. sucks, but with a couple new parts she'll be good as new soon.
28 June 2011, 23:21
p dog shooter
I was givening a browning two wheel bow to my nephew ebecause he said he wanted to learn how to bow hunt. I showed him the bow set it down to go get some arrows.

I come back out the bow is in pieces I asked him what happens he doesn't know a thing my sister starts blaming me for giving him a bad bow.

It worked find for my wife and two kids for years

I said you dried fired it I get a dumb look from the kid my sister starts ragging on me for giving him a bad bow.

I just pick it up arrows an all and leave. thinking Sorry but you all just ruined any chance of me helping get the kid started.

If he would have just said I made a mistake if my sister would have said hey he just didn't know.

I would have went and got another old bow I didn't have use for and helped him out.

It sure wasn't worth fixing.
30 June 2011, 19:13
TheBigGuy
quote:
Originally posted by ALF:
Got my brand new toy, first shoot, first shot !

As I release the arrow drops from the string, it's like a slow- motion mistake..... I actually become aware of the arrow dropping off the string as I release and then a sickening "twack" !

Everyone on the line turns and looks at me as the arrow drops to the ground.

Fearing the worst I look the bow over.

The damage:

The shooting string jumped the cam taking a a short cut hooking over the draw stop button bending it and almost ripping it from the cam. Not surprising as the force on the string at 70 pounds peak is way more than the draw stop button can take. The cam also cut the serving as the string took a short cut over the edge of the cam.

The rest of the bow was ok.




Had a similar thing happen to me many years ago. The nock actually split when I released and the arrow went only two feet! I was not so lucky as the essential "dry fire" did split a limb. This taught me a lesson in paying attention to nock condition that I have never forgotten. (These guys that make their own homemade lighted nocks are taking a chance!)

The shock suppressor on your bow probably saved the limbs and only allowed the string to jump off the cams. Another good reason to have one on your bow.
02 July 2011, 14:34
calgarychef1
I was talking to a buddy while he was shooting his compound and he was so engrossed that he forgot to put an orrow on the bow then cliped on his release and proceeded to fire as usual....big mistake! The bow wasn't damaged but he was sure p$$$ed at himself. Funny in a way though isn't it, no disrespect intended but a compounder is so disconnected with his arrow that he doesn't even know if it's on the bow or not. Doesn't happen with my longbow archer