Hunting needs time and effort. On average, the more time and effort you spend, the more chances you will be getting to shoot. Yet if you’re getting a single shot or several shooting opportunities during the hunting season, weapons failure at the moment of truth, or worse, an incident with your weapon, is what any outdoor man can avoid. Every weapon needs maintenance, but crossbow requires regular maintenance. Because a crossbow includes all parts of the weapon and the bow, the repair is twice. Maintenance, storage, and safety are easy and will guarantee you can continue to hunt with your crossbow for several coming years. See also our suggestions on tree stands buying guide, hunting blinds buying guide, Tips for bow hunting, how to set up your tree stand.
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Stock
Since the anatomy of the crossbow is mounted perpendicular to the stock. The stock will be taken care in the same manner as that of a rifle. Gun oil should be used on any mechanical parts and oil should be rubbed into the frame, rail, and arrow track to protect it from weathering factors. For any crossbow hunter, checking the safety/trigger system for each hunt will become routine, but never do so with the crossbow cocked, a dry-fire may occur, as these are unpredictable and will damage a crossbow. The arrow track and the rail do need some additional lubricant equipped for crossbows. Since the bowstring moves along the rail, the wear of the string should be rapid. Rail lube must be added every 5-10 shots under standard working conditions to help prevent this and stop the early breakup of the string. This will actually be re-applied after cleaning and wiping down the crossbow for hunting wet and cold weather.
String
The crossbow string is important and must be protected with a silicone-based string wax in order to extend its life. Wax applicators are inexpensive and can be used after five or more sessions if the material is distorted. Run the applicator all over the string length, then rub it into the string fibers. When you have a compound model, wax the cable instead. The only place that you should not put wax to every area that has a string. Afterward, wipe off any excess wax as this adds extra weight to your string, although low wax, can affect your arrow speed. Try to clean the string first, every six waxes, before adding fresh wax. Take a six-inch strand of string or dental floss, then wrap it around the thread, gripping all ends then sliding the strand down the rope length with a see-sawing motion. The dirty wax used will come out of the string-discard and re-apply as above new wax. Replace some rope strings.
Cams and limbs
Inspect the cams and limbs of your Crossbow regularly. From different sounds, you can know that something about the crossbow isn’t correct. Excess vibration, different or louder sounds, and unpredictable accuracy are all indications of a crossbow that requires careful inspection.
Arrows
Before shooting, arrows too should be inspected. Spin checking ensures straightness and helps with accuracy. Flexing the carbon arrow shafts into a half-moon form by keeping both ends means that the base is not damaged and will avoid the transfer of energy from the string when released. A damaged arrow shaft is unsafe for fire, so discard immediately so that the arrow is never used by accident.
Spanning
To span a crossbow, you can place your foot securely at the stirrup to prevent slipping the crossbow and hitting you in the face. Seek to get the right and the left side at equal distance from the stock to prevent the crossbow from getting cocked unevenly. This prevents the crossbow from shooting with reduced accuracy. A cocking device (either mechanical or rope) helps immensely with this and is highly recommended.
When stretched, ensure safety is on. One excellent thing I enjoy about my MXB-400 mission model is that while the string is fastened the safety is immediately engaged (anti-dry-fire) and can not be moved before an arrow is seated. Check the nock extensively before seating an arrow. Never shoot a broken or cracked nock at a crossbow. While keeping the stirrup on the ground, increasing it on the arrow track, and slide it toward the string, nock first.
To unload a crossbow you have to read the detailed instructions of the manufacturer for your model. Some allow to un-span the crossbow using a cocking tool in reserve, while others insist on a shot being fired to unload it. I’ve performed this for different models and the targeting is much faster, but louder and allows you to swap a field tip from the broadhead.
Try to treat the crossbow very carefully because it is a lethal weapon. Trying to shoot safety practices will also be followed with a crossbow, all those that apply to every type of hunters like never point your crossbow at anything that you do never intend to shoot and keep your safety on and finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. Any additional crossbow-specific safety guidelines include: when cocked, do not place the crossbow on the ground, that is to prevent the bolt from engaging without the knowledge. Instead, stand it up to a tree, a leg, or a fence post. Never position a part of the body on the rail or in between the limbs.
Best Crossbow Bolts for Hunting
Storage
Store your crossbow at room temperature while not in use, strings have large but – anti-cocked and keep away from solvents and chemicals.
A good crossbow case will help protect your crossbow against damage, particularly when transported to and from your hunting spot or practice field. Accessories can fall loose as crossbows are bumped and jostled, scopes can lose zero, and devices may be damaged.
In addition to protecting your crossbow from impact damage, a hard case can also protect it from damaging dust and moisture, increasing the life of your wires, cables, and mechanisms.
Invest in a hard-wearing quality case to protect your archery equipment and other equipment. Not only will it provide an extra layer of protection to your weapon, even in a hard case, if you plan to travel with your crossbow, but airlines also require transport of crossbows.
Final Thoughts
It is best to buy an arrow that will fly straight and penetrate a target. The arrow needs to fit the type of target to expect to hit. For better performance, crossbows should be maintained well and we hope our tips on safety and maintenance will surely help you.