Maybe a silly question but I'm curious...

[learn2flyfish]

I have very little experience with crossbows but I took in a Vixen II on trade recently. I've been thinking about what all could be done to tune for accuracy.

I've been told that marking bolts so that they can be oriented the same way will help with consistency and that makes sense.

Do you guys experiment with bolt and broadhead/field tip weights? Bolt weight?

Also, I hear a good bit of talk about faster strings, etc. But has anyone tried slowing a bow down a bit via the string? (I suspect that this would only be good for a limited FPS, similar to what a faster string would do in the other direction).

I guess what I"m getting at is how much "tuning" can be done? And does it really matter?

The reason I'm asking is twofold. First, I may try my hand at some 3D archery with a Xbow this year. Second, I am definitely going to do some squirrel hunting with it and would like to be "minute of squirrel head" at maybe 30 yards? Further?

Anyway, thanks for the input.

Paul

[nchunterkw]

Arrows matched for spine (all have the same deflection) and having the spines oriented the same way in the bow will go really far towards good accuracy. Different brace heights may have an effect as well, but not too much. Perfect tiller will help as will very accurate and level mounting of the optic (also shooting with the bow level and not canted at all). I light trigger will also help. I'm not sure how much of this is "tuning" but just things to do to help accuracy. Maybe some of the 3D guys who routinely shoot at 100 yds will chime in.

[wabi]

To slow it down try a dacron string with "catwhiskers" (what I use on my Phoenix). The dacron string will also be quieter than a "fastflight" type string.

For accuracy you might want to try some aluminum arrows (2213 or 2216 is good for a Vixen). Just be advised aluminum will bend, so be very careful when pulling them from a target! For foam targets I'd recommend a "Danny Miller" arrow puller. (clamp it on the arrow - give it a quarter twist to break the bond of the foam to the arrow - and pull STRAIGHT out) With care in removal from targets I get a lot of use out of aluminum arrows. Some dealers might have old inventory of aluminum at good prices.

[papabear1]

If you are looking for a good deal on aluminum arrows 2216,s or 2219,s go to Sportsman Planet . com they have 5% off on all products.

Dave

[SEW]

Helical Blazers and keeping at least 200-220+ total point weight(insert + point).

[longbow joe]

i have a vixen 2 with all the goodies leupold crossbones trigger tec trigger ......the bow is no toy just as fast as a modern 60 pound compound and as accurate and as bulletproof as any other excalibur bow mine has killed every skunk opossom in the yard as well as deer and turkey .keep the bow n enjoy the thing . happy holidays lbj ..... plain 2216 bolts with a 150 grain head shoot great but a zombie with a 80 grain insert and a 100 or 125 tip will shoot greater if you want to spend i little more the bow shoots anything good,stock excalibur firebolts with a 150 head (boltcutter) are very accurate and affordable .lve never had an index problem with new alluminum arrow or a zombie only cheap carbons seem to give problems. If a bolt dosent shoot good on all three sides i wont use it. You get what you pay for .l think the zombies are the best bolt out there