Should I make the crossbow stock longer?

[Skarek]

I wonder if anyone of you have experience with making the crossbow stock longer?

I'm 190 cm tall and have quite long arms. It feels like the stock is a bit short for me. I notice that I mostly don't press it against my shoulder when I shoot, which should in theory lower the precision.

If you look at this picture, there are a gap of about 5 cm between my shoulder and the stock (green arrow).
The picture is a bit stage, and the scope is not placed correctly (it shook loose today), but it felt good holding the bow like that and it is quite close to how I usually hold it.


I once learned about rifles that if you hold stock a stock of correct length in your elbow fold (don't know what it is called in english, fossa cubitalis in latin ) your index finger should just reach the trigger. I don't know if this applies to crossbows. If you look at this test on my crossbow I reach about 5 cm too far.


It seems to me that I should make my crossbow stock about 5 cm longer. Do you also think so or should I change the way I hold my bow instead? Any thoughts or tips on how to do it and with what?

[wabi]

I've thought of adding a "slip-on" recoil pad to mine to see if it is more comfortable. If the extra length is better I can always add a permanent extension pad later.

[Grizzly Adam]

Skarek, the length-of-pull on your Excal does indeed look a little short for you. I'd suggest a recoil pad to lengthen it. It doesn't hurt to have one a little short ... but you do have a problem.

Easy fix.

[ger34]

First off..I am no expert in these things...although I am gradually learning more about custom stock building as I am building a thumbhole stock for myself...but here are a cpl things I have learnt in the process.....

first and foremost I noticed you were from Sweden....having been to Norway once I am going to assume that your weather is approximately the same as ours here during the Oct- Dec archery season....you are in a t shirt in the picture and i am again going to assume that you will have more clothing on during archery season....heres what I do....

put on the clothes that you normally would wear hunting....close your eyes and shoulder your bow with the scope mounted ..open your eyes and adjust the scope forward or backwards till you have a full field of view...set the bow down...keep repeating the process till you have the scope set at the appropriate eye relief.....IF and only IF you find you cannot move the scope back far enough to get a fulll field of view do you want to consider changing your stock length...

2nd I find that usually the cheekpiece on the stock is set up for the fibre optic sights that came with the bow..and is about 3/4" too low for a comfortable cheek rest....my fix for that is taping a piece of foam pipe insulation onto the stock to bring the cheekpiece up a little....if you hunt in the snow....the white surgical tape also provides good camo

Try those things out...see if it helps and let us know

Good luck!!

[Sandman]

Recoil pad would take up the slack~!

[dutchhunter]

yes i did add a slip on recoil pad to lengthen my xbow i to am over six feet tall and found my bow a littel short the recoil pad also increced the area of the butt to keep it from sliping the whole wrks was pretty cheap to do and very effective i posted a pic a wial back DUTCH

[BigUgly]

Your pull is too short. With your finger in the trigger housing hold your arm sideways then bend arm up. The butt should be in the crock of your elbow for proper fit.

[pdislow]

you look like there is plenty of room to adjust the scope forward too.

[TPM]

I once learned about rifles that if you hold stock a stock of correct length in your elbow fold (don't know what it is called in english, fossa cubitalis in latin ) your index finger should just reach the trigger.

With your finger in the trigger housing hold your arm sideways then bend arm up. The butt should be in the crock of your elbow for proper fit.

This, along with "a single shot .410 is a great beginners gun", is one of the biggest myths in the shooting world. I know stock fitters in the shotgun world cringe when they hear that one. At best it will tell you if you have long fore-arms. Length of pull is not nearly as important with rifles or crossbows as it is with shotguns. Eye relief is. ger34 hit the nail on the head. About the biggest thing length of pull on a rifle or cross bow affects is comfort. Comfort can affect confidence which may affect accuracy but that's about it. Personally I've don't mind a shorter stock on my crossbow as it give an over-all shorter package when I hunt from the confines of my ground blinds.
Judging by your picture I'd say your scope is set back way too far.

[peter p]

I wouldn't extend it. It looks like the stock fits you by the test you are doing with the stock in the crack of your elbow.
I would just move the scope forward and shoulder the bow properly.

[flbuckmaster]

...move the scope forward! it will bring the but back to your shoulder.
jay

[Skarek]

you are in a t shirt in the picture and i am again going to assume that you will have more clothing on during archery season....

I practice indoors mostly during winter, which means t-shirt. Outside I use a t-shirt and a thin wind breaker until it gets colder than -5C°, then I switch to a jacket with some lining. As you can see I'm quite good at keeping my body temperature. That is one of the benefits of being covered in fur . So usually the clothes don't give me that much distance.

...move the scope forward! it will bring the but back to your shoulder.
jay

I should have fastened the sight, it has confused you. It does not stick that far back usually... Anyway, I'll try to move the sight further forward (than the normal resting place that is a bit further forward than in the picture) and see if this helps.

If not. These recoil pads some of you were talking about. Are there any versions of these where you don't have to modify the stock to get them on?

[dutchhunter]

go to page 4 ready to hunt and look at the pics

[Grizzly Adam]

These recoil pads some of you were talking about. Are there any versions of these where you don't have to modify the stock to get them on?

Looking again at your pic, you do need to move your scope forward. If you still don't find it comfortable, you could use a slip-on or lace-on recoil pad to see if that helps.

You've gotten a variety of responses reflecting different views. I wouldn't expect any great agreement on this question.

It boils down to this: Beyond some basic rules, the stock that fits you is the one that you find comfortable and that you shoot well consistently.

That buttstock needs to be firmly seated when you shoot, and your eye-relief needs to be properly adjusted. If you can accomplish that by sliding your scope forward, and can live with the way it feels, your troubles are over.

Remember, most as-supplied stocks are a compromise.

On a humorous note, I know one rifle which features a length-of-pull that is entirely wrong for me. My younger brother has an as-issued Chinese SKS, and when I shoulder it, the rear of it's massive receiver is about 1/4" from my right cheekbone!

VERY disconcerting to hear that bolt slamming the rear of the receiver. It literally rings my teeth.

So, you see, sometimes size does matter.

OK ... let the Enzyte jokes roll, boys.

[Skarek]

go to page 4 ready to hunt and look at the pics

May I ask what page 4?

The thumbhole stock versions of the models they're available in have shorter overall lengths. Since the main frames and the risers/limbs are all the same, (Exomax same as Equinox except for stock) this says the thumbhole stocks are indeed shorter in length than the standard stock.

One of the reasons I went with a standard stock.

Thanks for all the answers. I'll tweak the scope position some and see If that helps. Otherwise I'll try a slip on recoil pad.