What happened??

[NonTypicalCPA]

I was target shooting last night with my new GT Laser 2's with firenocks. On my 7th arrow the bow (exocet 200) sounded significantly different at the shot, made me think that I had dryfired. I also did not see or hear the arrow hit the target. So I'm looking things over trying to figure out what had just happened and confirmed that I definately had an arrow on the rail. I checked the limbs for any stress fractures and didn't find any. And now I can't find my arrow. I even went back out after dark looking for the lighted nock without any luck.

What happened? I'm guessing the string slipped off the nock during the power stroke and launched my new arrow into parts unknown? Any other ideas?

I shot a few more arrow afterwards without any issues.

[bucknbill]

i,m thinking the arrow had some kind of damage you did not know before the shot and shattered to who knows where..i had that to happen on a smaller buck one time..never found the arrow and it sounded like a dry fire..i think it was the plastic half moon nock on mine that gave way...but that was a different brand bow back then..glad everything is ok

[wabi]

Is it possible the arrow was not firmly seated against the string when you fired?

I had an arrow (with an older Vixen) launch upwards and was bent (aluminum shaft) when I recovered it one time. In hindsight my best guess is that the arrow had probably moved forward when I rested the bow against the shooting bench with the stirrup down after loading the arrow and before the shot (had to answer "nature's call" ). With the nock not tight against the string, the string had actually gone under the arrow when I pulled the trigger - bending the arrow and throwing it up in the air.

Sounded like a dry-fire, was in reality a partial dry-fire, but the Excalibur stood up to the abuse!

[Onetimeonly x-->]

I'm not 100% sure and maybe shouldn't
even post? But I thought I read somewhere
here, it's best to shoot with a FLAT nock
out of the Excals. Less chance of a dry-fire!

[sumner4991]

If you check the ground a few feet from your target, then you will most likely find the arrow.

Sounds like you had a partial dry-fire. I've had a few of those . . .for various reasons. In all cases, the arrow landed short of the target by a few feet and burried up in the ground. I found them all, took a long blade and cut the ground cross my intended path in two foot increments until I found my arrow.

In a partial dry fire, the string slips under the nock and lifts the back end of the arrow which results in the tip finding an early landing.

Make sure your arrow is seated firmly against the string every time. If it is and still happens, then take a look at where your arrow is seated against the string. If the string is too thin, then that can cause the same thing. If rail lube gets on the end of your nock, then a dry fire can happen. I use plastic nocks and they are slick . . .I rough them up wil a little sand paper.

[Dash]

I had a similar thing happen when doing some testing at an archery club one day. Couldn't find the arrow. The next week I returned to the same shooting lane and went down it with my Minelab detector (Best gold detector you can get)
After hours of digging up all types of arrows, tips, inserts, bottle tops, I gave up. Man than beautiful green field was a junkyard under the surface! I never did get to the bottom of what happened, but thought along the lines of a partial dry fire. Could have been apart from the string when fired. Hard to say.

[j.krug]

It's sounds like as the others said you may have had a partial dry fire.

[NonTypicalCPA]

Thanks for all the input folks. I would agree that the most likely is that I didn't have the arrow resting against the string at the shot. I still haven't found it. The good news is that I shot again last night for over an hour and it dind't happen a second time.

[NonTypicalCPA]

I'm not 100% sure and maybe shouldn't
even post? But I thought I read somewhere
here, it's best to shoot with a FLAT nock
out of the Excals. Less chance of a dry-fire!

My Firenocks are flat.

[Wildlife Control]

I had the same thing happen while using a plastic flat nock. The plastic deforms after only a few shots and causes the string to slip off the nock. I only use alumimun nocks for that reason. In my case it detroyed a fairly new FF string. If you can find the bolt check the firenock for flatness around the edges. It only takes a slight deformation to cause a problem. Best of luck.

[BrunoB]

Same thing happened to me this past weekend, I've installed a new BOO string and the Firenock did not like it... I shot that arrow many time before with an Excal FF string. After inspection, I noticed two things; the serving diameter is a bit smaller on my Boo string and my Firenock is not 100% flat. The Firenock nock has a joint (line) crossing the center creating a high point along that line. My arrow was installed with the 'nock joint' horizontally and the center of the serving is below the joint line so sitting on a very slight angled surface. Now I'm too scared to try this but I assume that if I place the arrow with the 'nock joint' vertically, I will not have the problem... Too bad, I really liked that Firenock.

Bruno

[Boo]

Square the end of the nock on a bench grinder and leave the face rough.

[AlabamaDave]

Square the end of the nock on a bench grinder and leave the face rough.

I shoot Eluminocks that are not flat...Should I do this to mine?...No problem shooting them so far,just didnt know if flatening was necessary.

[BrunoB]

Square the end of the nock on a bench grinder and leave the face rough.

Funny, I did that last night but I'm still not sure if I will reinstall it... I know it should work but that was my first partial dry fire and I don't want to damage your piece of art (beautiful string btw, thank you) or the xbow.