A crossbow is just like a gun right? NOT! Help lol

[Darksith]

OK,

Took my new to me xbow out to sight it in today...success and failures all over the place, more of the latter though. Couple obvious ones, first off...

I need an arrow in the bow to turn the safety off, but I am now at home playing with my draw handle, and I want to uncock the bow...I have no release arrow, how do I do it? Stick arrow in, then turn off safety and remove arrow?

Second, the scope that comes with the barrett 400 is a barrett scope...and a big piece of junk. I am maxed out in height and still shooting 2" low at 15 yards...how do I resolve this? Also I noticed when I turn the focus knob at the front eye piece, I can see the crosshairs move with it! So its not even perfectly parallel to the second lens or crosshairs? That can't be good. Is there a possibility that regarding the four lines in the scope, the top one isn't for 20 yards and maybe for 10 yards or something? I would of guessed 20, 40, 60, 80, not that I would shoot 60 or 80...

So I went out, lost my first 3 arrows in 4 shots (it was dark, using headlights to illuminate the target...they all went under the target and I couldn't find them after the fact...will return in the daylight. Anyway, I learned that if I have no idea how to use the draw handles, that it will in fact latch onto my draw handle string not the bow string lol...now I realize why there were so long and shortening them was a mistake lol!...another knot and it was repaired though. I obviously have a lot to learn, but am already enjoying myself playing with it.

Thanks in advance

[000buck]

Lol don't get attached to arrows they often go to live with god

[BiG Boar]

Just keep at er. That's all that matters.

[Fred1]

Do some google -ing to figure how to un-cock without the bolt in place... There is some trouble shooting regarding this ,but best you read about it than me try to explain it. Some bows are difficult to un-cock safely and recommend just shooting the bolt into something soft... Sounds like your scope is crap. Should be able to zero it at 20 yards and hit dead on on every line after that on 10 yard increments ?? My Excalibur is stupid accurate at all distances/increments to 60meters! So accurate I have a round bail with 6 blue dots on it - try not to shoot at the same dot twice! Keep at it! X-bows are easy... once you are set up.

[1980skywalker]

Sounds to me like you bought a used bow? Also sounds like your scope is junk and it seems weird about the whole safety thing. I think the first thing you need to do is figure out if your bow is at least shooting consistently, get a dead rest and at 20 yards aim for the same point twice. Don't worry if its high or low just make sure that the arrows are hitting the same spot.

[Darksith]

its shooting consistently, I just cant zero it in at 15 yards using the top line...the scope is maxed out to the top and still shooting about 2" too low at 15yds. I will adjust things by using the 2nd line in the scope for now at 20yards hopefully. Maybe the other line will work at 10 yards, but yeah the scope is junk...but I don't have the cash to replace it this year...I will either figure out a way to make it work or just give up on the bow season this year I guess...

[Midland]

its shooting consistently, I just cant zero it in at 15 yards using the top line...the scope is maxed out to the top and still shooting about 2" too low at 15yds. I will adjust things by using the 2nd line in the scope for now at 20yards hopefully. Maybe the other line will work at 10 yards, but yeah the scope is junk...but I don't have the cash to replace it this year...I will either figure out a way to make it work or just give up on the bow season this year I guess...

Isn't the whole season bow season?

[eagle eye]

Hi darksith,do you have a speed dial on your scope.
set it at close to the speed you think your arrow is travelling.
start at 20 yards and work your way up

[1980skywalker]

Get your scope remounted, if its 'maxed' out maybe it just needs an adjustement as far as how its mounted?

[steveo]

Can you not scrap the scope and use some cheap pin type sight? Scopes are nice but I would think you could be successful with a crossbow with normal pins. If you are shooting consistent groups with your bow you should be good to go. Just dial in your ethics compass and shoot at a comfortable distance you are confident at. You should start the learning process as fast as you can then next year you will have a year of hunting under your belt.