crossbow recoil

[Masboy]

I,ve heard that crossbows have a reverse recoil? I been noticing when shooting my vortex from a bench with a light sweatshirt the thing has been kicking me like a high power rifle and coming back . when benchrest shooting I barely touch the forearm and let it lay on the bag and don,t pull it back into my shoulder tight and it seems to be more consistent for accuracy this way but the darn thing hurts my shoulder after a lot of shooting.getting a recoil pad for sure! never heard of one kicking but mine does! I guess mabey when the limbs and string comes back after the shot? and I ain,t no sissy boy! this darn thing hurts my shoulder at times!

[Hester0305]

My Vortex does the same thing shooting from the bench it sometimes hurts my collar bone when I shoot a lot. I don't touch the forearm at all shooting from the bench with sand bags I place my non shooting hand on top of the back of the stock just like I shoot my rifles.

[Geodehunter]

Just don't get the scope to close to your eye. Might wind up needing a bandaid.

[taz3]

A good way to reduce the kick if you use a pad to rest the fore grip on and keep your fore hand safe, is to place your fore hand on the stock and rest your cheek on your hand. If you have a cheek piece as I do, you may want to put your hand further back, just behind the cheek piece. This allows for easier scope sighting. It is an easy way to stabilize the crossbow, while keeping a firm hold to reduce recoil kick.

[Mister B]

We had a newbe on our deer lease who got him a new Axiom( at my suggestion.) The first arrow he shot at a deer gave him a scope cut just like a gun does sometimes. I thought it was a fluke. We sure ribbed him about. By the way, he did get his deer, a little six point. lol.

[yooper_man]

Shooting my Equinox freehand or off the bench I feel very little recoil back on my shoulder and certainly nothing that hurts even during long practice sessions. Off the bench I shoot using a Harris bench rest bi-pod. My 14 year old daughter also love too shoot my Equinox, but only off the bench with the Harris bench rest bi-pod. We both rest it against our shoulder and hold the forend. She loves the beast.

yooper_man

[colouredchameleon]

I shoot a 7mm Rem Mag a quite a bit from a bench so anything else I do not really notice.
Will take note next time out with my Equinox.
The only thing I find that gets sore are my shoulder and forearm muscles from repeated cocking of the Equinox the day after a long shooting session.

[Bullzeye]

Interesting, with my Exocet 200 I do not remember having very much recoil, though I have always shot rifles and I wonder if those of you experiencing heavy recoil are Not rifle shooters and you may not be holding the stock firmly enough against your shoulder creating a space with gives the stock a running start before contacting your shoulder therefore creating the more felt recoil.
The thumbhole stock on the Vortex may also be a factor if you have small hands, the recoil of the bow may exceed the strength of your thumb joint.
These are principles I have learned from rifle shooting the last 25+ yrs and would assume to be true for bow recoil.

[rej]

The only thing in the recoil from the vortex that bothered me was the buzzy vibrating feeling(FFF string). Somewhat eliminated that with heavier arrow weight and S5's. To me there is no felt recoil at the shoulder. I bench a .338 WM for long range shooting and what I learned over time shooting it may be why the crossbow seems tame, however, my 13 year old daughter is now shooting the vortex and she got bruises from it so there is something to this recoil thing. Only thing I can think of is shooting technique and that perceived recoil is different for every shooter.