What's Your Longest Crossbow Shooting?

[TPM]

I don't doing any shooting off a bench. I'll use a shooting stick or camera tripod to dial in a scope but once the equipment is dialed in it's all off hand. Typically my shooting is 40 yards and under but I have shot novelty shoots out to 80+ yards.

[IronNoggin]

... I know Sew and Ironoggin have been know to play at distance as well. Let's hear what you're doing.

Ummm... Shootin'

Back when I had the Exomax, I used to shoot out to 80 yards (and everywhere in-between) on a fairly regular basis. That said, I "practiced" nowhere near as much then as I do now with the Matrix 380.

We don't go to a "range". Instead I created the Monster Bag Target, which we haul out into several areas in the mountains which affords us the ability to shoot at any range we desire.

Even before switching to the Matrix, I began to ponder just what I might do to "tweak" the bow to the highest level that I could. With that in mind, I had two Boo Strings in hand weeks before the Matrix even arrived! Then, within literally a couple days, I had a Trigger Tech two-stage trigger installed, along with a few other "tweaks".

Sure, I started shooting the bow a fair bit then, but wasn't overly impressed with the results at long distance. A quick call to Big John...

... Before selling to ironnoggin his arrows, I had to develop some, since he wanted long range missiles!

That I did, and that's EXACTLY what Big John created! While I awaited their arrival, I forced myself to shoot within 60 yards. The factory arrows simply would not group well much beyond that, and only having four, I did not want to miss and lose any!

The day those Big John Works of Art arrived, I recall shredding their packaging with trembling hands. Absolute Beauties, I was off to the hills with my Partner the very next day!

A quick check at 30, the 40, 50 and 60 yards showed Very Noticeable Improvements in grouping. So it was on to 70, 80, 90 and then 100 yards! The Custom "Long Range Missiles" stayed True through each and every range, something I very Happily and Glowingly reported to Big John himself, as well as here on the Forum. One Hell of a Fine Job from The Master Himself! Still GREATLY Appreciated John! (I'll be getting ahold of you for more once I return from Wyoming next month...).

One thing John touched upon in his post in this thread I realized rather quickly myself. The scope that came with the bow simply was not designed for longer ranges. In fact, I was basically "guessing" where to hold past 60 yards. Although I did manage to create some consistency doing so with practice, I pined for a scope or set-up that would accommodate what I was trying to accomplish...

I did toy with the idea of an HHA and rifle scope set-up. But... I am damn hard on equipment, and the places I often hunt are often even more so. So, between that and the desire not to fiddle with the scope (HHA) settings when a deer wandered into range, I began to hunt for a scope that would meet the task. I wanted something Clear, Light, and offering chevrons at least to 100...

Eventually I settled on Hawke XB 30 Compact Scope with the SR Reticles.
Didn't care much for the height of their provided mounts, so went back to the factory issue mounts instead. Now, with a "proper" scope giving me the aiming points I desired, shooting at distance become a LOT smoother. Groups that were ~ 5-6" at 100 yards shrank to 2" or less (best thus far has been 0.75 inches at 100 - breezeless day when all the stars aligned I guess).

We usually shoot initially off a little collapsible table I found out in the bush to ensure the bows are on. Then move to utilizing whatever trees, logs, rocks whatever as a makeshift rest, and then on to freehand. Shoot on average 50 to 100 shots per session. Quite often we move around the target such that the range has to be "guessed", which helps with distance judgement IMHO.

I should note that the Exomax I sold to my Partner continues to Shine! It obviously has Faster Limbs than most, as even when the scope's speed ring is "maxed out" it shoots consistently high at range. Accurate as can be as well, my Buddy couldn't be any Happier!

Did have a few issues with broadheads at range. As John noted, I too simply could not get fixed blades to fly well much past 60 or so yards. Went to mechanical Spitfires (125 grains) and that solved the issue right through to 100. Hit a little lower than the field tips of same weight after 70 yards, but Bang On right to there. Good Enough for the hunting I do!

The only other "tweak" was to swap the Two-Stage Hunting Model trigger out for a Single Stage Target Trigger Tech Trigger. Initially I simply wanted to see the difference, and had full intent to switching that back for hunting purposes. I was actually fairly surprised that this produced even tighter groups at range, and once I was conditioned to it, could cut the longer shot groups down by quite a noticeable amount. I was indeed Impressed to the point that the Target Trigger remained in the bow for last fall's hunting season - with Great Success I might add! Don't even know of I'll be switching back ever to the two-stage now...

Gotta admit, now pushing over 3,000 shots on this bow, I couldn't be much more Pleased! Love the set-up, Love the Long Range practice, and have found that following the latter, hunting ranges have become much more of a "chip-shot" scenario than I would have ever imagined!

Final note: Ain't been around much of late. Between being Busy, and comprehensive dental surgery (face still looks like a bloody pumpkin & painful) I simply haven't had a lot of time to think of the bow nor the Forum. Something I well intend to rectify! And SOON!!

Cheers,
Nog

[paulaboutform]

Nog, I was waiting for that! Dang buddy, you should write a weekly column...for real. I'm not sure if I'll take it yet, but I might do a show that may be around Campbell River after I finish this show I'm on. If I do you can bet I'll be bringing my bow, with the hope of an invite to come out shooting with you and your buds....seems I kinda just invited myself. Interesting your fixed blade groups opened up past 60yards. I'll have to give my toxics and new recipe a try and report back. Thanks pal for posting.
C'mon Sew.....let's have it

Paul

[IronNoggin]

... you can bet I'll be bringing my bow, with the hope of an invite to come out shooting with you and your buds....

Anytime Buddy!
Of course the caveat is all in the timing! We'll be wandering down to Wyoming around the first couple weeks of July, then I'm back offshore 3rd week of the same month into August. Expect a couple weeks "down" time from mid-August to September, then back to the chuck once again. And after that of course it's Hunting Time again!!
By all means do give me a shout, and let's see what we can work out...

Interesting your fixed blade groups opened up past 60yards. I'll have to give my toxics and new recipe a try and report back.

I am still thinking of giving those Toxics a try this season, so will be Right Interested in any / all reports you may come up with!

Cheers,
Nog

[SEW]

110 yards. I benchrest my guns and crossbows to get the weapon's potential maximized, THEN work on my ability to shoot the thoroughly tweaked firearm/xbow.
My findings:foc becomes more important at longer range. Beyond the needed amount, accuracy stays good but drop increases. So, don't get more than needed, nor less. Fixed BHs do better with helical: less steering Expandibles do better with about 3-4 degree offset. Swackers and FOCs are quiet in flight and have the least steering and are affected by xwinds the least. Still, these bh's are not quite as accurate as field points. If using a multilined scope, set the speed/magnification at 20 and Max yardage: ie, with XB75 sight in at 20 yds and 75 yds, Hawke SR Pro at 20 and 100 yds. Low drag arrows will use a speed setting faster than the standard BC used by the manufacturer. The more the helical/offset used, the slightly more FOC required. I love my XB75, and its on my M380. Nothing I've experienced beats the 2-8 Duralyt lighted/Optimizer. The Optimizer/great scope gets max range and low light capability.
Learn to compensate for xwind. Don't be afraid of it, just learn to deal with it. Same with H/T winds. Don't consider long range shooting if you don't want to do the homework.
I read so much about deer movement after the shot, but I can't remember any deer over 50 yds, except 1, that moved after the shot. The noise at 50+ yards normally freezes the deer in place. I killed that 1 deer anyway.
I set up most of my stands for 50+ Yard shooting.
I've always found that I take the weapon hunting that has the best optics: MLer or xbow. Duralyt on M405, not by accident. Duralyt on converted Sav10ML to 45 PacNor smokeless, also.
Hope the above helps. SEW

PS Kill the deer far enough away that blood doesn't splatter on you.