18 replies to this topic

[vaguru]

Well here are my results for the NAA Indoor National Championship with the crossbow.

I was too tenative with moving my sights yesterday, and dropped 5 points.  There was one guy 2 points ahead of me going into today.  I knew I had to shoot a perfect 600 to have any chance to win.  I had arrow number 28 leak out for a 9.  I ended up with a 599 today with 49 inners.  One point behind first place.  If we would have tied in score, I would have finished first due to inner count. My 599 was the highest score shot this year.

All I hoped for going into this shoot was not to be embrassed.  Guess I accomplished that, this being my first NAA shoot of any kind.  I opened some eyes since I was not following the accepted equipment.  I used a basically stock Excalibur Apex bow costing thousands less than the custom rigs on the line, and shooting Gold Tip arrows with stock components.

I met some really nice people there as well.  All very complimentary.  I was asked to qualify for the US World Team as well.  Can't afford that!

My thanks to all that helped me with getting this bow ready in time for the shoot, and the encouragement.  Special thanks to Tim Gillingham of Gold Tip Arrows and my friend Gary for his expert machining abilities.

  Next week is the NFAA Indoor Nationals.  I'll try and do better there.

Attached Files

•  First Day NAA Indoor Nationals 001.jpg   96.23K   14 downloads
•  Second Day NAA Indoor Nationals 002.jpg   100.61K   9 downloads
•  First Day NAA Indoor Nationals 001.jpg   96.23K   14 downloads
•  Second Day NAA Indoor Nationals 002.jpg   100.61K   9 downloads

[Sean]

Great shooting for sure wish you the best at the NFAA's.   CYA there

[Old Longhair]

Outstanding!!

[hiking]

good shooting and congrats on a terriffic score.

[Guide Girl]

That is quite the accomplishment! Congrats on the pay off of all the hard work you do. I'd sure like to see you go to the Worlds. Maybe some sponsorship money? That would be a event of a lifetime, so maybe you should reconsider trialing for that one. Take a chance. You can do it.

[Moe60]

Guide Girl said:

That is quite the accomplishment! Congrats on the pay off of all the hard work you do. I'd sure like to see you go to the Worlds. Maybe some sponsorship money? That would be a event of a lifetime, so maybe you should reconsider trialing for that one. Take a chance. You can do it.

If somebody organizes this I would chip in!

I think it would make the news

- A basically stock Excal winning the Worlds -

Heck I think Excal should help send you!

[bigricci]

Keep up the outstanding work!

[maad]

Great job congratulations, keep it up.

[Buck Buster]

Make us proud, the Nation is watching.

[kbarr1]

Congrats Guru,truly amazing to shoot those scores with the equiptment you shot compared to the equiptment that was designed for that shoot.Great Job buddy.

[vaguru]

Thanks to you all!  I'm really amazed at the response to this thread, both on the forums and via PM's and emails.  The word got out so fast, I couldn't believe it.  Had messages from our friends up north wanting to know!

There have been folks talking of sponsorship well beyond my expectations.  The offer from everyday members of forums like this willing to help out financially is astonishing.  

I'm not going to say no, but this is quite expensive.  The World Event is in New Zealand next year from what I'm told.  I'm also told that the Apex can't be competitve outdoors due to not being able to shoot the really small diameter arrows, due to wind drift.  I'm not sure about that, but then again I was told the Apex couldn't do what I just did.  My guess for dollars needed would be well over $5,000.  That is just a nogo for me, times being what they are and the reality of salary cuts coming in my job.

Thanks for all the well wishes.  I'll keep you posted.

[Sporty87]

Vaguru, Congratulations you are a professional.  I hope you go to the world competition.  I'll chip in what I can afford to help.

[Jim C]

I believe I was the first one to spend serious time with a Point Blanc trying to set it up for TNC outdoor target.  Did all sorts of things.  Indoor, the PB was fully competitive against the top rigs.  My best score-though not as high as "vagurus" was in the 590 range and that was after shooting a 45 pound recurve (the seven state indoors I won were alway in PM lines after shooting AM line with the recurve).  the larger diameter bolts are an advantage as well.  TNC President Bill Pimm and I figured a modified Excalibur or better yet, one of Robin Allen's rigs specifically designed to shoot as wide a bolt as wcsa rules allow (21/64) would be the ideal rig for the NFAA game.

Outdoors the Excalibur bows drift too much. there are a couple of reasons for that.

the first is the bolts it has to use. I had talked to bill about building a track that would allow the use of 1714 or ACC (which Pimm used to win a couple nationals back in the 1990's) in the excalibur bow but the market could not justify that.

The second thing is the limbs.  The excalibur limbs are extremely durable but they don't have near the speed as the barnsdale limbs most of the  top outdoor US shooters are using (the others are using spirits or pennypacker limbs).  Some people are putting the old barnett limb caps on the barnsdales so they can use 8125 or majesty rather than B50 or B500 and that renders even more speed.  

Its too bad that the APEX does not have a bracket available that would readily allow the attachment of a sure loc or copper john sight.  such a move-which I have discussed with Bill many a time, would open the door up to get alot more talent into indoor xbow archery.  I have a friend who was the 5th place finisher in the 1984 LA games air rifle who could be a 600 level xbow shooter without much effort and there are alot of rifle shooters around who could excell in indoor (especially) crossbow archery

[PB26]

Jim C said:

I believe I was the first one to spend serious time with a Point Blanc trying to set it up for TNC outdoor target.  Did all sorts of things.  Indoor, the PB was fully competitive against the top rigs.  My best score-though not as high as "vagurus" was in the 590 range and that was after shooting a 45 pound recurve (the seven state indoors I won were alway in PM lines after shooting AM line with the recurve).  the larger diameter bolts are an advantage as well.  TNC President Bill Pimm and I figured a modified Excalibur or better yet, one of Robin Allen's rigs specifically designed to shoot as wide a bolt as wcsa rules allow (21/64) would be the ideal rig for the NFAA game.

Outdoors the Excalibur bows drift too much. there are a couple of reasons for that.

the first is the bolts it has to use. I had talked to bill about building a track that would allow the use of 1714 or ACC (which Pimm used to win a couple nationals back in the 1990's) in the excalibur bow but the market could not justify that.

The second thing is the limbs.  The excalibur limbs are extremely durable but they don't have near the speed as the barnsdale limbs most of the  top outdoor US shooters are using (the others are using spirits or pennypacker limbs).  Some people are putting the old barnett limb caps on the barnsdales so they can use 8125 or majesty rather than B50 or B500 and that renders even more speed.  

Its too bad that the APEX does not have a bracket available that would readily allow the attachment of a sure loc or copper john sight.  such a move-which I have discussed with Bill many a time, would open the door up to get alot more talent into indoor xbow archery.  I have a friend who was the 5th place finisher in the 1984 LA games air rifle who could be a 600 level xbow shooter without much effort and there are alot of rifle shooters around who could excell in indoor (especially) crossbow archery

What kind of custom target bows are you guys referring to -- do you mean those funky looking Euro-style crossbows with the tiny bolts?

[Jim C]

PB26 said:

What kind of custom target bows are you guys referring to -- do you mean those funky looking Euro-style crossbows with the tiny bolts?

yeah, however they tend to be Australian or American made

[huntingal]

kbarr1 said:

Congrats Guru,truly amazing to shoot those scores with the equiptment you shot compared to the equiptment that was designed for that shoot.Great Job buddy.

I agree, congratulations on you performance. Way to go!

[Jim C]

Hey Guru, who did that machining of the sight mount bracket for your Apex?  THe old point blanks were easy to fit with a sure loc but not the Apex.

[vaguru]

I made that myself using a drill press, hacksaw and file.  Is my own idea.  I made everything you saw except the palm rest.  I drew up the plans and a friend of mine fabricated that for me.  I even made my own front sight globe and inserts, and the rear peep setup.  I already had the SureLoc from vertical days, so I have very little cost in the mods.  This thing was just an experiment to see just what could be done with the Apex.

Edited by vaguru, 25 March 2010 - 03:33 PM.
typo

[Jim C]

vaguru said:

I made that myself using a drill press, hacksaw and file.  Is my own idea.  I made everything you saw except the palm rest.  I drew up the plans and a friend of mine fabricated that for me.  I even made my own front sight globe and inserts, and the rear peep setup.  I already had the SureLoc from vertical days, so I have very little cost in the mods.  This thing was just an experiment to see just what could be done with the Apex.

Nice work. It looked real solid.

The Old Point Blanks had the original risers that were cast and had a screw mounted front sight.  Dan Miller had some brackets made up that would take a checkit extension or a sure loc extension.  The newer machined risers use a dovetail which makes things a bit tougher.  (the sight mount on the PB was such that you could put a sure loc on it but it was a tough fit)

I have a Phoenix that had a machined riser (which is far better than the original cast ones in terms of straightness) with the holes and that was set up for WCSA "sport" where a sure loc with a compound scope and a clarifier peep is more accurate than  a scope.

We used to hang alot of weight on the PB-the stabilizer Bill sold with the bow and a couple of the LAS counterweights on a korean adjustable V-Bar.

BTW if you are looking for an outdoor rig, Danny Miller of Horizontal told me he had a nice Pennypacker rig for about a third of what one would cost