NAP Crossbow Spitfire Opinions.

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Possum
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NAP Crossbow Spitfire Opinions.

Post by Possum »

Just picked up some new crossbow spitfires. I have used regular spitfires and have banded them on for my crossbow. Since recurve crossbows are liken to super pro stock drag cars with the brunt of the force immediatly dumped on the arrow as soon as the string is released, should I use a band on my NAP crossbow spitfires?
I know that arrows on compound crossbows are already in motion when the cams or wheels break over and hit thier power curve.

To band or not to band. Shooting a Matrix 350 and a Matrix 330.
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Phillyarcher
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Re: NAP Crossbow Spitfire Opinions.

Post by Phillyarcher »

I have been using regular Spitfire Max 125 grain and have not had to put any bands on them. My first set up was a Vortex and did not experience any of them opening up. I now shoot a Micro 335 and shoot both the regular and the crossbow ones. The only difference is the tension clip is a slight bit heavier. So far I have had great success.
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Deaf jeff
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Re: NAP Crossbow Spitfire Opinions.

Post by Deaf jeff »

i used regular SF's out of my vortex for years and the last 3 years use SF' maxx out of my m355 and have not needed bands on either. i think they say the retaining clips are only reliable for a certain number of shots so avoid opening/closing the blades manually. also the bands might be a good insurance policy, if you have any doubts
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Re: NAP Crossbow Spitfire Opinions.

Post by amythntr »

.....I band with the camp of no-banders...I shoot the 100g XXX's and have had great deployment out to the 30 or so yds I have taken deer with the Spitfires!

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flightattendant100
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Re: NAP Crossbow Spitfire Opinions.

Post by flightattendant100 »

What could it hurt to band? You would prevent a possible premature opening ( not to be confused with anything else) and broadhead would still open on contact with game. I just don't see the down side to banding. Peace of mind is worth something, right?
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Re: NAP Crossbow Spitfire Opinions.

Post by longbow joe »

Band em if you must but i would worry about my limb cracking before i worried about a spitfire opening out of even a 405. honestly there that dependable
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Re: NAP Crossbow Spitfire Opinions.

Post by sproulman »

If you have SPITFIRES without lines cut in points they are old ones..I have them from 1996 ..lol..

if your bow speed is over 360fps the older ones can open .so yes band those .new ones with lines on points have THICKER blades to keep them tight no banding necessary ...

old spits weighted 103 grains and new ones around 106 grains do to heavier blades .

Even with new NAP spits rear deploying blades i still stay with what flies good and works..
only thing I do not like is i feel blades need to be sharper like razor blade is ..

Also you can get SPITS for 26 bucks at times on flea bay ,34 dollars at wal-mart ,new spits are 43 dollars .me i am staying with OLD design of spits they fly so good.......
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Re: NAP Crossbow Spitfire Opinions.

Post by bubba »

I shot the old Spitfire back in my long bow and compound day's, always flew close to my field point's and can't remember ever having any issues. I can't even count the many different broad head's i have tried, the newest and latest, one after another. And for me i have found that i have made a circle and am back to the old N.P.A. Spitfire, well the XXX Spitfire anyway. Why? After a season and a half i was shooting the swhacker first with my Ibex and it was alright, never lost a deer but had a lot of non pass thru's with mostly light blood trails. Then i shot them with my M-355 for half of last season still took a few deer but had two open in flight missing the deer completely. All the while my son was shooting the Spitfire XXX that were leaving what looked like shot gun slug holes in deer without no bands and no issues. So i finished up last season with my last 3 deer in the freezer thanks to the Spitfire XXX , back where i began. Also they make a 60-086 more or less for compound bows or for crossbows rated 370 f.p.s. or less and a 60-087 which have a slightly heavier retaining spring for crossbows that shoot over 370 to 410 f.p.s. as told to me by the sales rep at N.P.A. My son shoot's a M-380 at around 375 f.p.s. and like i said no issues. Also the rep said he wouldn't advice bands, any how hope this might help someone....
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Re: NAP Crossbow Spitfire Opinions.

Post by georgiaboy »

I'm putting bands on mine...probably don't need them but it won't hurt. :)
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IronNoggin
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Re: NAP Crossbow Spitfire Opinions.

Post by IronNoggin »

flightattendant100 wrote:What could it hurt to band? You would prevent a possible premature opening ( not to be confused with anything else) and broadhead would still open on contact with game. I just don't see the down side to banding. Peace of mind is worth something, right?
BINGO!

Once had a 125 Spitfire prematurely deploy the blades on a damn fine whitetail buck. Thankfully complete miss. :shock:
Now, even though I run the crossbow version of the same, I band every single time. :wink:

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Re: NAP Crossbow Spitfire Opinions.

Post by sproulman »

IronNoggin wrote:
flightattendant100 wrote:What could it hurt to band? You would prevent a possible premature opening ( not to be confused with anything else) and broadhead would still open on contact with game. I just don't see the down side to banding. Peace of mind is worth something, right?
BINGO!

Once had a 125 Spitfire prematurely deploy the blades on a damn fine whitetail buck. Thankfully complete miss. :shock:
Now, even though I run the crossbow version of the same, I band every single time. :wink:

Cheers,
Nog
The older version of NAP spitfires blades are loose what could it hurt putting a dental tooth band on them.but new crossbow version those blades are plenty tight in the point ......
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racking up points
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Re: NAP Crossbow Spitfire Opinions.

Post by racking up points »

Food for thought - the NAP FOC 170gn crossbow BH absolutely can pre-deploy in our Excals, (not my first-hand experience, but from a respected, contributing member of this forum), so why risk it? The band will never ruin your hunt but crap happens that tiny rubber band could save it. I double band mine.
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Re: NAP Crossbow Spitfire Opinions.

Post by bubba »

Even though the N.A.P. rep said to me he don't advise the use of bands, i agree with you that do, a little added security can't hurt? And i don't see it affecting the flight of the arrow..
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Re: NAP Crossbow Spitfire Opinions.

Post by tomcat »

On new Spitfires that haven't had its blade opened, I'm confident the blades will stay closed on its maiden flight....However....Each time a blade is opened it crushes the dimple inside the "retention shim" this proportionately diminishes its ability to keep the blades closed upon acceleration. The quick loading of recurve crossbows are known to load the arrow quickly , therefore compounding the issue.

I discovered this years ago in Speed bows and Excal xbows while paper tuning.(Read my old posts)...
The way to fix this is either:
Remove and re-dimple the shims with a small punch each and every time you shoot or open one up(including accidental).

Or just do as mentioned and remove the shims altogether using a rubber band instead and rest assured it wont open in flight, but definitely will when it impacts.

The band hardly ever breaks, they usually just roll back onto the shaft and can be re-used even.

The dimpled shim actually robs more energy IMHO than the band does anyways...
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Re: NAP Crossbow Spitfire Opinions.

Post by Normous »

I band my NAP's and usually find my dental band(s) rolling up the shaft and stopped by the fletching after a large holed pass through. :mrgreen:
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