shooting with the axiom today! question about bolt weight.

[Pasidewinder]

Ok, as I posted before I finally got my "self induced" accuracy problems figured out with my axiom. Our season started here in Pa on the 3rd, I hadent quite regained my confidence with the axiom yet so I've been lugging the Mathews around all week.

Deer movement has been slow all week for me so I decided to sleep in today and get some more bag time with the crossbow. It is shooting superbly by the way, one hole groups on every shot! 99% of all my treestands only offer a 30 yd shot or less so I wanted to make sure my longest (30yd) zero was as accurate as possible.

It took me 3 shots at 30yds and I was hitting the same hole every time in center of bull, then I moved up to 20 and am hitting 100% same hole, only exactly 1" to the right but dead center up and down. This doesn't concern me because 1" isn't going to make much difference in a hunting situation and apparently the closer I get to 30yds this 1" decreases till I'm dead center again, but my question is what causes this, pulling the string back slightly one way? (I do use the cocking aid), or possibly aslight cant in the crosshairs? I'm not going to change anything either way as I have gained the confidence I needed in this setup.

Also my setup consists of 18" Easton 2219 magnums, plastic nock, factory aluminum insert, 4" Easton vanes, and a 125 grn slick trick mag to top it off, for a total weight (according to my digital powder scale) comeing out to 469 grns. Does anyone see a problem with this weight bolt out of an axiom shooting mainly 30 yds or less?

[longbow joe]

You can"split the differene" move a couple clicks so your half inch at 20 yards . And see what it looks like shooting 30 yards . It could be a number of things .you didnt mention if your shooting broadheads or f points . Some times a broadhead can steer a bolt then correct itself ten yards down.you could possibly try a heavier head. Like you said at hunting ranges its not that bad.

[Cityboy]

i am fairly new to the world of crossbows but looking at the specs of your Axiom & my Phoenix, they are about the same.
i just had xcaliber make me 4 arrows...18" zombie slayers, 80gr brass insert, with 125gr Muzzy BH for a 390gr total weight. had a double lung pass through on a doe @ 35 yards.
these are awesome for me and i will be having more of the same made.

[Pasidewinder]

Thanks for your replies fellas, yes, I was practicing with my broadheads, these slick tricks fly better than ANY fixed blade I have ever shot.

I don't think I'm gonna bother "splitting" the difference as I don't believe ME, shooting off hand out of a stand, will ever notice 1" devience either way.

As far as a pass through, on a lung or heart hit, I believe just about any set up will do this at reasonable ranges, my concern was a little extra energy should I get off a little for what ever reason and catch a shoulder blade going in or out, I figure a little Extra weight couldn't hurt at the ranges I mostly encounter, I know that most setups will work for whitetails, and Alot of us put more thought into our setups than mostly needed, but heck that's the fun of it right?

I know I'm a bit heavier with this set up compared to the factory firebolts, but the chevrons in the scope seem to be lineing up as to the weight the scope is calibrated for, ie- factory firebolts with 150 grn bolt cutters.

[wabi]

I had a problem with SlickTricks when I first tried them years ago. Everyone was telling me they would group right with field points, but at 20 yards they were about 1" low left. A one-hole group, but 1" off.

After a lot of thought I decided the only variable in the formula was the arrows. I was shooting an arrow with only 4º offset on the vanes.

Fletched up a couple arrows with an 8º helical and the SlickTricks were grouping with everything else on those arrows.

It could be you need more spin on your arrows the stabilize them quickly.

[Pasidewinder]

I have been shooting archery for about 20 years and I can remember always haveing troubles with fixed heads not shooting as tight as what I would like them to, after learning the ins and outs of arrow building and tuneing, most of the time I can get very acceptable accuracy out of my setups. Then I switched to mechanicals and never looked back until now.

Some broadheads just seem to refuse to tune in, these slick tricks are shooting one hole groups every shot, I believe the one inch deviance has nothing to do with arrow setup, I believe the scope may be ever so slightly chanted, but as stated before I'm more than happy with my accuracy at this point I will finish my season as is and maybe next year get better glass on the crossbow and really expieriment.

[GRUNDY]

I was going to suggest that the scope is not perfectly level in relation to the bow.

Probably not a by-product of a cheap scope. (although expensive scopes are cool)

B