I always lube the string and the rail before I shoot each time. I was doing so good at 20 and 30 yards. I took it out yesterday and all the shots where high and not grouping as well like last week. When I put the string on it was new and now probably had less than 50 shots on it. This is an Excalibur Matrix 380 with R.E.D.S. on it. The Excalibur string I put on was just a basic replacement string. The distance from the pads to the string was just over 1/2 inch when I was shooting great. Now it is 1/4 inch from the pads. The string much have stretched pretty good in a short time. Should I leave it at 1/4 inch and move the scope again, this seems the easiest. Or should I attempt to adjust the string back to 1/2 to 5/8 like it was before?
Tonight I have to shoot again to see if I can get the group back to what it was before, but as of last night the grouping was not the greatest. I did not cock the bow and leave it cocked for longer than a few minutes before each shot.
Also
I have heard many different versions even from Excalibur, but what is the ideal brace length to keep on my bow?
Thank You very much.
The difference in brace height from 1/2" to 1/4" should not cause much if any change in POI. A new string will stretch very quickly, but should settle after that. So 1/4" from the REDS is normal, so leave the string where it is. If it stretchs further, then you can adjust it back to 1/4".
You say that you're not able to group your arrows like before, that can be caused by various things. First check to make sure your scope mounts are not loose. Then check all the screws on your crossbow. If that doesn't fix the problem, then you might have a defective scope.
I put a new factory string on my matrix grizzly earlier this spring/summer and complained (other threads) that it seemed short and wasn’t stretching to my preferred brace height. Its Sept 7th and it has barely moved 1/8”. So, a new string doesn’t always stretch and it makes me wonder about the consistency of materials or if something changed. It freakin shoots good though and my bow went from 298-302 with 100gr heads on my original string to 315 on the chrono with this new string.
Even now its still above the factory brace line and well above my preference.
Keep the string 1/2" from the bumpers and keep shooting. You will increase the rate of creep that way. Removing the string stops might help as well. Just sitting on the bow will cause a quick but small amount of creep but once that part is done, it won't creep very fast without heat. Shooting is the only way to elongate a string in any quick manner.
