Opinions please

[offshore]

I'm not a 380 owner - YET!. . . but, what I can tell you is Excalibur Crossbows are dead nuts accurate! ! ! I've owned 2 and now currently shoot an Exocet 200, out to 50 yards I WILL NOT shoot at the same point on the target in fear of doing damage to my arrows. 1" - 1 1/2" groups at that distance are the norm. Properly setting up your xbow and tuning your arrows is a must, but, nothing fancy. After that, if you have any shooting skills at all things should be a walk in the park. Shoot as much as you can and read as much information on this site as you can (others too) and ask all the questions you got. . .you'll be good to go. Good luck.

My current set up is;

Exocet 200
HHA Optimizer w/ Vortex Viper 2-8 X32
22" BE Zombie w/110gr. brass inserts 125gr. points @ 465gr.
Shooting around 305/310 fps

[Normous]

Paulaboutform is the resident expert here on what is accurately possible with the M380 with broadheads ands fieldpoints. He regularly prints 1 1/2" groups at 80 to 90 yards. I hope he posts soon.

IronNoggin who is resides close to Paulaboutform and could be close to neighbours also shoots the same tight groups using the M380 and BigJohn arrows.

[paulaboutform]

In my opinion, as I stated on an HHA Optimizer thread, I believe the achievable accuracy is dependent upon the equipment that's used then the shooter. Personally, the tightest groups I've been able to get are about 1 1/2" - 3 1/2" from 80yards to 110yards.My setup is as follows:
-M380
-Boo String
-TT 1.5lbs Target Trigger
-Grain matched B.E. Zombie Slayer arrows, 92gr brass inserts, 100gr points, 2"blazers
-HHA Optimizer
-Leupold VX-R 3-9X40 with the ballistic firedot reticle
-Lead Sled DFT

That's just my setup. As Normous was saying, IronNoggin also does a lot of long range shooting and has some crazy accurate groups that really make me kinda jealous so hopefully Matt will be able to chime in at some point. I guess my opinion is that these bows can be as accurate as the amount of time and effort you have to invest in them.

[xcaliber]

I agree, except I think the shooter imparts more variation than the equipment. Same equipment with different users often yields different results.

[Farmer]

My Y25 and M 380 are very capable . Have only shot to a max of about 50 yards for group . I know for a fact that these bows are capable of nailing a golf ball at that distance with every shot . For me that is plenty accurate for hunting .
Arrows used in my Y25 are 20 in 2216 's or Beman Thunderbolts with 100 grain points and 2 inch Blazers ( fletched with an eze bolt jig ) The M380 is shooting 18 inch 2219 aluminum with 2 inch Blazers and 125 grain points .

I am sure with a bit of tweeking ( trigger and string upgrades ) along with some premimium arrow i could shrink the groups down even more .

[flightattendant100]

Years ago on forum, a guy in Italy I think was shooting at 100 meters, 1 1/2" groups. There is a video somewhere. I think Boo knows him cause he shoots a Boo string.if I remember right he shot titanium arrows. Time from shot till it got to target was a while!!!!

[xcaliber]

Steve Rodo was on here last summer showing his shooting results with the M380 at 80 yards, and his grouping was about 1.5" I recommend getting consistent results from your shooting abilities first, then realize what you need to get better. My opinion!

[Limbs and Sticks]

Years ago on forum, a guy in Italy I think was shooting at 100 meters, 1 1/2" groups. There is a video somewhere. I think Boo knows him cause he shoots a Boo string.if I remember right he shot titanium arrows. Time from shot till it got to target was a while!!!!

http://www.cacciaebalestra.altervista.org/

Lost this link and to get it from Don not to long ago, lot of good stuff from this Shooter.

Wes

[IronNoggin]

... What is a serious M380 set-up really capable of doing?

Downright Amazing Things actually...

... I guess my opinion is that these bows can be as accurate as the amount of time and effort you have to invest in them.

Have to concur with Paul (Howdy "Neighbor"!) on this one. Although individual; shooters will vary to some extent, off a "bench" as you've described that should be minimized I would think.

I've shot the 380 with both the single and two stage Trigger Tech triggers. The single is perhaps slightly better for target shooting, whereas I believe I tend to like the two stage for hunting purposes.

I've also shot it with the factory scope, but decided to switch that out for one that offered aiming points out to 100 yards.

My set-up:

Matrix 380 XTRA
Haxke XB 30 Compact with SR Reticle
Boo Strings with whiskers
Custom Big John Black Eagle Executioners: 18.5", Luminocks, Brass fronts, 2" Blazer Vanes with both helical and offset, tipped with 125 grain Spitfires / field points, they weigh in at 395 grains "dressed".

For a "rest" I simply find an old log or stump, rest over that, and go to work.

My best groups at 70 through 90 yards have approached 1" at times, most commonly 1.5" - 2". Best at 100 ever cut that inch, but usually I see 1.5 - 2.5". More than satisfactory for me!

I've run up a few reports on this bow and it's performance, so as not to repeat all of that, you might check out:

http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2 ... =1&t=52777

http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2 ... =1&t=50972

http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2 ... =1&t=47065

There's more if you search my name here methinks, but that should give you the idea.

I spend a LOT of time shooting. Can't thank Trigger Tech, Big John, Boo & Excalibur for their Fantastic Products! Have certainly turned me & my bow into a Deadly Combination!

Like Paul suggested, a few tweaks with the after market accessories, and a lot of time dedicated to shooting, methinks these bows will make anyone look GREAT in terms of Accuracy & overall performance! That said, straight out of the box the Matrix shoots Good. The extras simply take that little step further I refer to as PINPOINT!

Cheers,
Nog

[hankenhunter]

Exellent replies guys! Matt, your last paragraph was particularly true as I have had rifle shooters and compounders shoot better than me the first time they shot a crossbow. Good shooting form translates across the board from rifles to crossbows. Like you Matt, I sight my bow in the way I hunt, not on a bench. Although I will bring our the tripod for some of the shooting games we play.
Happy shootin,
Hank

[xcaliber]

50 yards, off hand, my own arrows. Skill of the shooter rules the game, period! I have had hunting buddies shoot my muzzle loaders, crossbows, rifles, etc. Their expertise, yet unfamiliarity with the weapon gave me the advantage, every time! I'm not highlighting my abilities either, but the shooter must do their part regardless of the equipment. Poor skills will not make consistent shots with good equipment. This is stock trigger, my string, and arrows. According to the experts here, substandard equipment! I guess I'm a ringer when it comes to shooting!

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[URL=http://s1339.photobucket.com/user/xcali ... d.jpg.html]

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I wish i had all the good stuff, man that would make a big difference!

[xcaliber]

Oh, for the record, my wife shot my crossbow for the first time, and you can see it is dead as$ on. She missed at 20 yards.

[xcaliber]

Nog, Paul, you guys have logged thousands of shots, to say experience is second on the list just blows my mind! Sorry for the opinion, but I must speak my mind when it comes to experience, and expectations. two different worlds fellas!

[IronNoggin]

Nog, Paul, you guys have logged thousands of shots, to say experience is second on the list just blows my mind! Sorry for the opinion, but I must speak my mind when it comes to experience, and expectations. two different worlds fellas!

True that. But one MUST and First eliminate all of the equipment "variables". A Finely Tuned/Tweaked and Proven bow will generally enhance almost anyone's shooting abilities with it. After that comes the "Shooting a LOT" that I thought I'd mentioned. And in the field where all is said and done, the Two Combined RULE!

And btw, Never be sorry for your Opinion! Especially when it leans towards the Truth!

Cheers,
Nog

[xcaliber]

I'm sorry, I thought you said you were new to Excal, and 380.