on all orders over $59
on all orders over $59
Thinking of buying one, already bought one or a gift from a relative? No matter where it comes from, you should pay attention to the following lines. In this article, How to use a crossbow, I will bring you mostly step by step from touching the crossbow to shooting it safely. If you still hesitate about what to buy, have a look at our blog post about How to choose a Crossbow.
Notes: Buying online (probably means that you will have to assemble the crossbow yourself when you received it) or receiving from a relative his old crossbow because he got a new one, you should read and understand the owner's manual of your crossbow ( simply to assemble it appropriately if you bought online). By doing so, you will understand the specifics for the proper use of your crossbow.
If you buy from the pro-shop, they will explain to you the specifics of your crossbow. But, I still recommend you to read the manual before shooting your crossbow. Never bad to know more than less.
If you already bought one and you are looking to sight-in your crossbow. Follow the link to get the basics about sight-in a crossbow.
I take into consideration that you will also buy bolts (fletched bolts) and bolt heads if you didn't buy a crossbow package. Otherwise, please do so. (some practice points and some hunting broadheads. If you intend to use broadheads for practicing and hunting make sure that you sharpen the blades before every hunt).
Assuming that you bought a package, let's stick to the crossbow basic guideline on how to use a crossbow.
The first step after assembling everything or leaving the pro-shop after purchasing would be of course have some fun! You can go at the practice range or in your backyard as long as you can reach enough yards away from your target (20 yards recommended - 18m).
Of course, if you are at home, you will need a target. What is an archery target? Specific targets are necessary for crossbows. You should have a look at our blog post on what is an archery target. A dense foam layered target is usually what you are looking for with crossbows. It is possible to do it yourself also.
Tip: Make sure you have a backstop, something behind your target that will stop your arrow if it gets through your initial target.
Shoot then some bolts to see if you can group your bolts in the same area with a maximum of 2-3 inches in-between them. After a few good grouping shots, you will be ready to sighting-in your crossbow if necessary. It may vary in time between, more or less 10 to 30 minutes depending on your level to do a proper sighting-in.
But before sighting-in your crossbow for a better result, you should look at the following lines about how to shoot a crossbow. Why I suggested you shoot some bolts and read the following lines about how to shoot before getting in sighting-in tuning is simply because you have to be able to shoot tight arrow groups first, otherwise, the result will only show that you have bad aiming and bad technique. Let's start with the serving.
If you have noticed some inconsistency right away. Make sure that your serving is centered as shown above before going further. This part is a small detail but can affect much more than you think the straightness of your bolts. The serving is the wrapping of thread used to protect the center and loops of bowstrings. When brought the bowstring to the latch you must notice if it's placed in its center like shown above.
This way you increase your consistency of shots. You can put markers with a pen on the serving to help you centered the serving faster into a cocked position. If the string is off-center, you can simply pull the string back behind the latch and replace it until it is centered.
Whatever you do before shooting, if you are not ready to shoot, safety should be on. Mainly to avoid any preventable injuries that could occur with the safety off. There are a few simple actions to do before shooting.
To be more consistent though, you should always try to keep the same gestures. Let’s start with the simplest step.
Holding the crossbow
Put your handbow close to the trigger without putting your finger on it. You should keep it parallel to the trigger for safety reasons. Then, put your other hand on the foregrip. Fingers must stay under the barrel as shown below.
You saw how to shoot step by step your crossbow and how to stay safe while manipulating your weapon. You can also follow the link to know how to sight-in your crossbow.
I hope that you found value in this post! Feel free to share and comment!
Thank you for reading!
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