Please be Careful Out There

[Garufa]

and know who you're with.....

 

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2014/jan/01/man-shot-with-crossbow-in-hunting-accident/

 

http://www.wate.com/story/24343466/greenback-man-shot-with-crossbow-in-hunting-accident

Edited January 2, 2014 by Garufa

[rugerla1]

WOW!

[VERO1]

I have never shot a crossbow, so I ask this question for my education only. Do crossbow triggers have safeties and are they generally reliable or just an after thought? My prayers to all parties concerned.

[TNMTBik3r]

Mine has a safety and it works. I've only shot a few models but they all had a safety. Since it is a bow I had an issue adapting and remembering to engage the safety when I first started shooting it.

Thoughts go out to those involved with this. Edited January 2, 2014 by jonathon1289

[JWC]

Mine has a safety. It's reliable. I'd say all of em are extremely reliable because, except for a few, you have to shoot them to unload them. So that means you walk around cocked, raise and lower from stands, drive in the truck, on atv's, etc. Even with a good safety all you gotta do is take the arrow out to render it safe and unloaded. a loud noise and possibly destroyed xbow from dry firing is what you get with no arrow. Mine's hanging up downstairs cocked right now (Which reminds me I need to shoot it.)
So basically he was crossing a fence with an arrow in it and the safety off and the trigger was depressed.
Prayers he makes it and recovers. Edited January 2, 2014 by JWC

[VERO1]

Thanks for the info. I wasn't finger pointing, I just didn't have any experience with them. I must admit, after looking at some of the arrow tips, I think I would rather take my chances with a gunshot wound!

[DaveS]

My crossbow has what I would call an automatic safety. You have to take the safety OFF to cock it, then the safety automatically engages as the crossbow is cocked. To fire it, disengage the safety, and pull the trigger. While hunting, that crossbow stays locked and cocked with a bolt on the rail. While crossing fences or whatever, REMOVE the bolt. That's the only way truly safety it. I hesitate at times to call these types of incidents "accidents". Some are totally preventable and should be called acts of "stupidity"! We probably will find out that one or both didn't have a hunter safety course. But then again, I don't suspect that helps some folks.

 

I hope the guy recovers well.

 

Dave

[peejman]

Somewhat off topic, but can someone explain how dry firing damages a crossbow?

[TNMTBik3r]

Somewhat off topic, but can someone explain how dry firing damages a crossbow?

 

Dry firing can damage ANY bow. Has to do with the stress/torque produced when the string is released - the arrow absorbs the energy when the string is released. Without an arrow all of the energy is released on the limbs which can cause them to crack or shatter. 

[peejman]

Dry firing can damage ANY bow. Has to do with the stress/torque produced when the string is released - the arrow absorbs the energy when the string is released. Without an arrow all of the energy is released on the limbs which can cause them to crack or shatter.

Interesting. I would have thought the arrow had so little mass as to be inconsequential. Thanks.

[TNMTBik3r]

The arrow does have very little mass but it still absorbs the energy - basically the energy has a place to travel (energy propels the arrow forward) instead of back through the limbs, cams and string.

Good analogy quoted from ArcheryTalk -  http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=357478

 

Imagine try to pitch a fast ball as hard as you can with no ball it would hurt your shoulder pretty bad same theory.

Edited January 2, 2014 by jonathon1289

[R_Bert]

That poor fellow died today.

[DaveS]

That poor fellow died today.

Sad...

[DaveS]

Jonathon explained it about as best as it can be explained!

 

Dave

[DaveS]

That poor fellow died today.

That's sad R_Bert as the shooter will probably never want to hunt again. We must all remember that these "accidents" are 100% preventable. I feel for the guy having to go through life knowing he killed his hunting buddy. It is what it is I guess.

 

Dave

[JWC]

What a shame.

[EastHipster]

The shooter SHOULD never hunt again.

There is no possible excuse for this to have happened

[Lumber_Jack]

Yeah it's hard to imagine how this happened. It's sad but one of the parties broke a basic firearms safety rule. Whether it's about the safety or finger on the trigger, but obviously it was pointed in an unsafe direction. One story said they were crossing a fence. That is a dangerous time in hunting. My father taught me to be extra cautious when crossing fences. Sad indeed as I'm sure the one has just killed his good friend. No way to cope with that.

[Sidewinder]

Very sad for all concerned. It's hard for me to wrap my mind around this.