Bullzeye wrote:Either I have a short thumb or the people who have whacked their thumbs have real long thumbs, but I cannot get my thumb up on the deck to get hit when holding my bow.
Same here - there's is just no way that my thumb - or any other fingers for that matter - can get around the forearm of my Equinox so that they would be over the rail!
taz3 wrote:
I thought the same thing, because I never put my thumb over the barrel when firing a rifle, so how does it happen with a crossbow?
The best way to understand how it happens, is to sit in a chair while holding your crossbow on your lap, then allow the Xbow to point downward. You will that your front hand naturally rotates your thumb up onto the rail, right in the path of the string, now take a second to think about sitting, waiting during a hunt and all the sudden a deer comes within range, broadside with the perfect shot. You raise your xbow to put the deer in your scope, as your heart is racing and you're doing everything in your power not to spook the deer, but when you pull the trigger, you realize you never moved your thumb!
Well see that's the problem right there. If you guys would be out hunting Moose* and Elk*, you'd be walking all day long, carrying your xbow rather than sitting with it in your lap, catchin' some Zzz and eliminating the possiblities referred too above
(*runs out before getting screamed at )
(still trying to come up with something witty and interesting to add)
Unless you have some extremely long fingers I don't think it's possible to get one in the bite when shooting off hand. The fore end of these bows is so wide that with your forward hand in a typical shooting positions it seems impossible. After seeing the graphic photos of the gentlemen who almost lost his digit I almost became a little nervous shooting my bow. One shot Scott made a good point, the only time I could see this happening is shooting off a rest either in a tree stand or practicing on the range. I do the same thing with my rifle, my left hand has no where to be since my rifle or crossbow is resting on a bag or my caldwell rest. With my rifle I rest my left hand on top of the scope or on the barrel ahead of the scope, with the crossbow however if your a careless it is VERY easy to let some part of your left hand get in the bite. After seeing the photos I make a conscious effort to put my hand in my lap!
2011 Vortex w/S5
Fire Bolts w/rage 100 gn for deer
Fire Bolts w/bolt cutters for everything else
.338 Ruger compact mag
Nikon Pro Staff LRF
Excal FFF string
Gewehrhund wrote: After seeing the photos I make a conscious effort to put my hand in my lap!
Another good option I've exercised with sighting a rifle, that will lend itself well to Xbows sighting, is to put your forward hand on the cheek piece and rest your cheek on you hand, now both hands are occupied and safely out of harms way. This will also help to steady the Xbow too.
Phoenix Crossbow
Outdoors and Cars
I'd rather be hunting
Gewehrhund wrote: After seeing the photos I make a conscious effort to put my hand in my lap!
Another good option I've exercised with sighting a rifle, that will lend itself well to Xbows sighting, is to put your forward hand on the cheek piece and rest your cheek on you hand, now both hands are occupied and safely out of harms way. This will also help to steady the Xbow too.
When I'm shooting either off a bench or in the prone position, my left hand (i'm right handed) is tucked in underneatht my stock to help further control the elevation and side-to-side movement of it, using the top of my hand.
I've never tried putting my hand & then resting my face on top of it, but I'll give that a try. The rifles I own have adjustable or raised cheek pieces so it'd end up being too high, but next time I have a straight stock at the range I'll try it!
(still trying to come up with something witty and interesting to add)
Been away for a bit, but still working on this, and need some more opinions.
Would you be interested in a guard that would require drilling your crossbow body, or just the plastic stock or neither? The reason I ask, is because it can be made cheaper if the plastic or body is drilled, but if enough folks prefer to have something that requires no modification and don't mind the extra cost, I'll go that route.
Phoenix Crossbow
Outdoors and Cars
I'd rather be hunting
My son hit the first joint of his thumb and he was using the deck railing on our porch as a rest. He had the xbow on the railing and his hand wasn't under the forearm like it would normally be. I think he didn't know where to put his other hand and ended up deciding on the wrong position.
For you ideas on a thumb guard, I personally would not want to drill any holes in my bow.
It hasn't happened to me (yet) but I witnessed one and again it was when shooting from a rest caused an unnatural grip on the forearm. I probably would not purchase a guard. The thought has crossed my mind but probably not interested because it has not happened to me.
Mine was VERY minor, more of a wake up call. I was shooting from a table that was WAY too low for the chair I was sitting in, so I was stretched way out trying to get down low enough. The back knuckle of my thumb( the one closest to your wrist) got up because of the crazy position I was in.The rest of my thumb was down sorta like a loose fist. At the shot it felt like someone had stuck a lit cigarette against my knuckle.I jumped and looked at it and it looked like you had sanded it off a bit with about 80 grit sand paper.Just an abrasion. I was very lucky.The position I was in was so bad that about anything could have happened. We shoot from a different bench now!
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