23 replies to this topic

[Boo]

Well I finally got a chance to spend a few hours with my 165 today. I thought I'd be smart and zero my XB30 at 30 yards so as not to ruin the fletchings on my Victory, CE Maxima Hunters and Aramid KVs. I shot at different spots knowing the potential accuracy. I was shooting at a new bag target that was the thickest I could buy. I think it is about 18" thick. Well at 30 yards those suckers almost completely passed through! Needless to say my fletching job didn't hold up. All fletchings are not inside the target. I stepped out to 50 yards and put an ultra dense Delta Dead Stop in front of my McKenzie bag. Crap! I ruined another 3! Fifty yards wasn't much better either! Well you wouldn't think at 70 yards one would still have a pass through problem. Wrong. I had half of the arrows disappear in the McKenzie and the other half in far enough to bury part of the fletchings. The only fletchings that survived the target was the factory fletched Aramid KVs. I waited until the 5 mile an hour winds subside and shot a 3" group at 70 yards!
The XB30 was sighted in at 30 and thought I could shoot at 50 using the next lower crosshair. Hmmm, you'd think I would hit somewhere on the target at 50? Noooooo! I lost an Aramid Kv in the tall weeds! Dammmmmmmmmmmmmm! I ended up using the bottom of the center crosshair for 50 yards. And if you've ever looked at how the XB30 is configured the distance between the center of the center crosshair and the bottom of that crosshair is really close!

I learned a few things today.
This bow is not for everyone. I think it's best suited to hunt with.
This thing is stupid accurate.
It will be an awesome bow for moose, mule deer and hogs where an accurate longer shot makes sense. I would not hesitate to shoot at a Caribou, Moose or Mulie at 60 or more yards.
For the arrow junkie like me the 125 is the better choice.
You need a Spyder Web target for the 165 or a 4X4 Block and if you do use a 4X4 use arrow lube and bring a Danny Miller arrow puller.
There is no scope well suited to this bow. To facilitate multi aiming points you would need high magnification like 6X or more, A single crosshair scope is best suited to the 165 and a zoom would be great.

I tried calling Jim on the way home and got no answer but he did call me back after seeing my number on his phone. He pretty much chuckled the whole time I told him about to day's events. He wasn't surprised at all and reiterated that this bow is not for everyone and that it is a bow primarily suited to hunting. I asked if I could swap cams with my 125 and the answer is basically no. But he has some 150 lb limbs coming for testing.
BTW, I was using a Shooters Ridge bag rest, just the greatest! http://www.shootersr...larangebag.aspx
Now the days events bring one last question. Does Jim have any financial interests in Spyder Web targets?:lol:

[buckeyeoutfitter]

Boo, on 26 August 2010 - 02:13 AM, said:

Well I finally got a chance to spend a few hours with my 165 today. I thought I'd be smart and zero my XB30 at 30 yards so as not to ruin the fletchings on my Victory, CE Maxima Hunters and Aramid KVs. I shot at different spots knowing the potential accuracy. I was shooting at a new bag target that was the thickest I could buy. I think it is about 18" thick. Well at 30 yards those suckers almost completely passed through! Needless to say my fletching job didn't hold up. All fletchings are not inside the target. I stepped out to 50 yards and put an ultra dense Delta Dead Stop in front of my McKenzie bag. Crap! I ruined another 3! Fifty yards wasn't much better either! Well you wouldn't think at 70 yards one would still have a pass through problem. Wrong. I had half of the arrows disappear in the McKenzie and the other half in far enough to bury part of the fletchings. The only fletchings that survived the target was the factory fletched Aramid KVs. I waited until the 5 mile an hour winds subside and shot a 3" group at 70 yards!
The XB30 was sighted in at 30 and thought I could shoot at 50 using the next lower crosshair. Hmmm, you'd think I would hit somewhere on the target at 50? Noooooo! I lost an Aramid Kv in the tall weeds! Dammmmmmmmmmmmmm! I ended up using the bottom of the center crosshair for 50 yards. And if you've ever looked at how the XB30 is configured the distance between the center of the center crosshair and the bottom of that crosshair is really close!

I learned a few things today.
This bow is not for everyone. I think it's best suited to hunt with.
This thing is stupid accurate.
It will be an awesome bow for moose, mule deer and hogs where an accurate longer shot makes sense. I would not hesitate to shoot at a Caribou, Moose or Mulie at 60 or more yards.
For the arrow junkie like me the 125 is the better choice.
You need a Spyder Web target for the 165 or a 4X4 Block and if you do use a 4X4 use arrow lube and bring a Danny Miller arrow puller.
There is no scope well suited to this bow. To facilitate multi aiming points you would need high magnification like 6X or more, A single crosshair scope is best suited to the 165 and a zoom would be great.

I tried calling Jim on the way home and got no answer but he did call me back after seeing my number on his phone. He pretty much chuckled the whole time I told him about to day's events. He wasn't surprised at all and reiterated that this bow is not for everyone and that is a bow primarily suited to hunting. I asked if I could swap cams with my 125 and the answer is basically no. But he has some 150 lb limbs coming for testing.
BTW, I was using a Shooters Ridge bag rest, just the greatest! http://www.shootersr...larangebag.aspx
Now the days events bring one last question. Does Jim have any financial interests in Spyder Web targets?:lol:

my new spyderweb target is getting its but whipped.... arrows r starting to sink up to fletches... trying to think of a way to build my own lol...

[Boo]

This whole thing spinning around Jim's 165 is all new to the crossbow world. All the problems around casting arrows well over 400 ft/sec has not been dealt with before and us 165 owners are willing victims of an unknown and unheard of problems of arrows, targets, fletchings, ethical hunting distances and the list goes on!
BTW, for those who are using the Parker crank on the Scorpyds I've figured out a neat way of cocking the bow. I'll post my find when I have some more time.

[The 3D life]

try the rienhart 18-1 target. it stops my maxima hunters just fine.

[Raleigh Archer]

And that's just the first time you tried at that yardage!! From what I can do at 30 yards with the right arrow, I know it is capable of even better than that!

[Big-Bird-VA]

I bought this target and it's doing fine with the 165. It was $69 at Dicks. Bass Pro and other places have it. Rated at 400fps. Target

[quadkiller]

morrell bag targgets work good for my tac also. i shot a 18-1 target and had a really hard time getting arrow out. you just have to use multiple aim point or no target will hold up. i'd use spyder web with paper targets like raleigh did, but aim at multiple areas. he just got caught up in the moment. lol who wouldn't. same hole.....same hole.....same hole. i think someone could shoot the eye of a deer at 60 yards if they wanted with this beast of a bow.

[vixenmaster]

3" groups at 70 yds, shoot on friend. So Jim is going with 150 lb limbs instead of 145 lb limbs ? Wondering why as the 145 would be dead in the middle between the 165 & 125.

[Boo]

Watch this.


I think we need a scope with two markings, close and far!:lol:

[Sagittarius]

Good shooting ol' friend.
You should have video-taped your bow being cocked using your crank.
You would have been the first.

[Jvac3]

Sagittarius, on 27 August 2010 - 04:42 AM, said:

Good shooting ol' friend.
You should have video-taped your bow being cocked using your crank.
You would have been the first.

Nice shooting Boo.What is the weight of the arrow you are shooting from carbon express

[Boo]

Jvac3hunter, on 27 August 2010 - 08:55 PM, said:

Nice shooting Boo.What is the weight of the arrow you are shooting from carbon express

420 grains total weight. It was where the bow started to feel good on the shot. Accuracy did not seem less at lower weights. I might go 450 but no way I want to go more. The Maxima Hunters and the Aramids are virtually the same weight and no difference in accuracy. Both arrows are built with weight forward. Don't ask me what FOC I have, I never pay attention to the numbers I only pay attention to how the arrows fly.

[kbarr1]

Good shooting buddy.I think the hogs will really be in trouble with that penetration.

[Jvac3]

Boo, on 27 August 2010 - 11:19 PM, said:

420 grains total weight. It was where the bow started to feel good on the shot. Accuracy did not seem less at lower weights. I might go 450 but no way I want to go more. The Maxima Hunters and the Aramids are virtually the same weight and no difference in accuracy. Both arrows are built with weight forward. Don't ask me what FOC I have, I never pay attention to the numbers I only pay attention to how the arrows fly.

Boo
Do you use a lighter brass inserts to get it to weight 420 grains with a 100 grain head.Than the ones that come from carbon express

[Boo]

Jvac3hunter, on 31 August 2010 - 12:14 AM, said:

Boo
Do you use a lighter brass inserts to get it to weight 420 grains with a 100 grain head.Than the ones that come from carbon express

My apologies. The Victories were 420 gr using an 8 gr brass insert and 100 gr tip. The CE KVs were wearing 125 gr tips weighted in at 470 gr. The CE Maxima Hunters were 490 using a 125 gr tip. All CEs were stock.

[ben694]

HI BOO,
THE VICTORIES ARROW VERSUS ARAMID WITCH ONE HAVE BEST PERFORMANCE?
IN YOUR TEST.

[Boo]

ben694, on 31 August 2010 - 04:46 PM, said:

HI BOO,
THE VICTORIES ARROW VERSUS ARAMID WITCH ONE HAVE BEST PERFORMANCE?
IN YOUR TEST.

I didn't see a difference. The CEs are a weight forward design with a 125 gr tip and the Victories had a 100 gr tip and a 80 gr brass insert. Never measured FOC but they have a good amount of FOC. I am sticking with the Aramids for the RDT165.

[Lightfoot]

Hey Boo.

From everything posted on the 165 here on CBN the 165 is one serious hunting machine which might best be utilized at 50 yrds and beyond. At least for target shooting LOL. You need two setups Boo, so you have to only walk half the distance when shooting and the targets last more shooting sessions with two targets facing each other. Another way to look at is two targets equal twice the shooting time and only half the walking.

Perhaps target shooting should start at 75 yrds and go on from there,a second target at an even 100yrds. Busting eggs at 75 to 100 yrds would be awesome if you find a scope up to the job.

The 100 - 125 RDT seems to cover everyone else from beginner to MOST advanced users or hunters, and might make target practice a little less expensive?. A fella could walk hisself to death target practicing with the RDT 165 effective range...

Thanx for the great report.

L.

Oh yeah, when hog hunting with Awshucks next year, be sure there is no other pig or pigs directly behind the one you want to shoot. Otherwise you may end up paying for two or more animals per shot hahaha.

[SEW]

Boo,
That is good shooting. Let me share a finding I've made. I have been shooting my Stryke Force with 125g Spitfire practice heads and Red Hot arrows(total 438gs). I am a benchrest shooter and have an excellent range(at home) to shoot at: complete with wind flags, etc. My set-up is a SF with an HHA Optimizer with a Weaver Classic Extreme scope 50mm with 2.5X10/PA,lighted reticle. The 10X at 70 yds and beyond will definitely help reduce groups vs a much lower power scope - all else equal. Out to 60 yds I can keep 1" gps easily but at 70 yds - 2" and 80 yds 4". It really started opening up. I tried the 175g Slick Tricks indexed with the blades at 10:30 and 1:30 etc and got back to 1" at 70 and slightly less than 2" at 80 yds. The increased FOC really came into play out that far. I am now re-fletching one of the Red Hots with 5" low profile vanes(comes with 2" Duravanes) to see what happens. You might try a little, or a lot, more wt up front and see what happens. Good luck.
PS My back-up x-bow is a #175 Parker Saf Mag. It does well out to 80 yds with the 125g SFs and seems to not be as picky as the SF concerning FOC. Possibly, the faster the x-bow, the more FOC helps. Your bow is somewhat faster than mine(383'/sec with 438g combination - haven't chrono'd with 175g STs).

[SEW]

Boo,
I know v-bow shooters who can get angle of whitetail out to 100+ yds also. Our h-bows shoot very well but so do many of theirs. On good days I expect many of us can keep all of our arrows in the kill zone at 70-80 yds with our compounds, if we practice at it. I still shoot my Hoyt to 80 yds so I am much more comfortable at shorter ranges, much shorter. This isn't to be-little either of our x-bows but to insure to casual readers that v-bows can deliver this level of performance also. All too often some v-bow people tend to think there is some type of range advantage inherently possible with the x-bow that just isn't there with the v-bow. I am convinced this is incorrect.