Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Silencing a crossbow.

Miles58 is my go to guy for help, but I'll just throw this out there. Brand new to crossbows-shooting an Excaliber Ibex recurve crossbow. Just shot it for the first time today, and as expected, it's loud. Are these worth silencing, or just limit the shots to 20 yards? I'd like to stretch it out to at least 30-40 yards, but not if they're just gonna jump the string.

Cat whiskers or????? for silencing?

Have you tried the Bowjax stuff?

Or the Excalibur S5?

Thanks for the info.

If the deer is relaxed and feeding, you should be good to 40 or so (my max shooting distance). The recurve crossbows are loud by vertical bow standards, but at reasonable ranges on a relaxed deer, the arrow arrives before the deer has time to hear, verify, and react - in most cases. There are always exceptions, but generally speaking, I would take a shot to 40 yards with minimal concern on a relaxed animal. JMO

there are several guys who make flemish strings for the Excals and they can add in whiskers which help slightly.

Check the brace height.
Might be on the low side.
Can you run a string stop instead of string silencers?
Could be limb resonance- needing a dampener.

I'll ask my buddy tomorrow, he had one, said it was awesome....as far as Xbows go (went back to reg bow).

It's always been my understanding that the best you'll do is get a little bit quieter and it will still be LOUD

I'm not familiar with the term brace height-can you describe what this is and how I check it?
What's a string stop?

Same thing I've heard too. Don't know if it's worth messing with or not. I really don't want anything that's going to sacrifice much speed. Speed kills.

The arrow retainer brush replaces the retainer spring. Not only does it hold arrow in better alignment, it makes bow notably quiter. That twang sound you hear at the shot is the the arrow retainer spring vibrating. I highly recommend to anyone, if you can replace it, do so.........

http://www.tenpointcrossbows.com/shop/Other-Crossbow-Accessories-C19.aspx

I am not sure what companies make them, or if aftermarket parts are made. I just know that it is a definite upgrade.

GG, I have 2 bowjax string silencers here NIB. And also one that was on my arrow retainer spring. You are more than welcome to them. I can drop in mail. Let me know.......

[/quote]I'm not familiar with the term brace height-can you describe what this is and how I check it?
What's a string stop? [/quote]

To find the brace height, measure the distance from the string to the point where the limb assembly joins the front of the rail (the body of the bow). For your Ibex, it should be anywhere from 5/8" to 1 5/8". A new string will stretch, requiring you to lengthen the brace height by removing one end of the string from the limb tip (use a stringing aid - sold separately), and twist the string maybe two times, re-string the bow, and re-measure the distance. Repeat until you have the right brace height. Too low of a brace height will make your bow noisier, and can cause limb failure. What's nice about an Excal is that you can do this adjustment, rather than taking it back to the shop.

String stops are rubber "bumpers" that attach to your bow, and reduce the noise and vibration of the shot. Your Ibex would require Excalibur "S5" string stops. Very easy to install, but you'll have to adjust your brace height so there's a distance of 1/8" to 1/4" from the string to the rubber bumpers.
Hope this helps.

Jeff

GG, Used one for years and yes you can quiet them a little but they will still be LOUD. Danger zone for me is 28+ yards. They have time to react to the noise at that distance. Therefore, that is my limit. YMMV

Ray

I like the idea of that brush. I'll have to see if one's available for my bow. I bought this bow used, and my understanding is it's a discontinued model.

gophergunner, if your bow didn't come with an owners manual, you can download it on Excalibur's website. And in case you weren't aware, even tho you bought it used, it's still covered by their forever warranty.

Thanks, Jeffy

I'm not familiar with the term brace height-can you describe what this is and how I check it?
What's a string stop? [/quote]

To find the brace height, measure the distance from the string to the point where the limb assembly joins the front of the rail (the body of the bow). For your Ibex, it should be anywhere from 5/8" to 1 5/8". A new string will stretch, requiring you to lengthen the brace height by removing one end of the string from the limb tip (use a stringing aid - sold separately), and twist the string maybe two times, re-string the bow, and re-measure the distance. Repeat until you have the right brace height. Too low of a brace height will make your bow noisier, and can cause limb failure. What's nice about an Excal is that you can do this adjustment, rather than taking it back to the shop.

String stops are rubber "bumpers" that attach to your bow, and reduce the noise and vibration of the shot. Your Ibex would require Excalibur "S5" string stops. Very easy to install, but you'll have to adjust your brace height so there's a distance of 1/8" to 1/4" from the string to the rubber bumpers.
Hope this helps.

Jeff [/quote]I just had the bow gone over by a reputable archery shop in the area. Am I safe assuming they would have checked this?

? Speed of crossbow? maybe 400 fps? Speed of sound 1100 fps give or take.

an arrow will NEVER reach an animal before the sound does. NEVER.

FWIW.

I"ve taken a lot of game with bows of all kinds. For our skittish deer, even relaxed head down, no where close to a feeder etc.... IE I don't hunt feeders all that often, I limit my shots to 15 steps or less. Fool proof. Beyond that things start to go wrong.

Just my choice. I'll never fire another arrow past that regardless at live game. And yes I've taken quite a bit at distances out to what some would call stupid. when it works, its fine. When it doesn't if you are lucky you miss, when you aren't lucky and the game ALMOST gets out of the way, life sucks.

Laugh away, crossbow at 15 or less.

No laughing here bud. Like Harry Callahan said, "A man's got to know his limitations".

40 yds is it for me. I Have a pretty quiet bow. I practice that far, am very accurate at that range, and it is about as far as I feel I can get away with. I am actually accurate further out than that, and have a 60 yd. hashmark in my reticle, but other factors come into play at that range. Mainly noise. And energy.

This deer was DRT in his tracks. First deer I have killed with an arrow that dropped on the spot and did not even squirm around. 36 yards.....

Pics/arrow is undisturbed and as I found it. Arrow bounced off far side shoulder joint, broke in half, and the one half jumped back out of the entrance hole somewhat. Broadhead was found in shoulder......

I just had the bow gone over by a reputable archery shop in the area. Am I safe assuming they would have checked this?
[/quote]

Yeah, I'm pretty confident that they'd have checked that, but measure it yourself, especially after you've shot it a number of times. While you're at it, it's a good idea to occasionally make sure all screws and bolts are snug. The vibration of shooting may loosen them after a while.

Just found a pic of said broahead. I guess the arrow wasn't really broken in half, as I stated. Pics do sure help my memory

Nice pics! Is that a TenPoint xbow? Which model? You may need to change your name to 2muchbow!

It is a Turbo XLTII with a Leupold crossbow scope. 100 grain Spitfires. I am very happy with the setup. I recently changed the picatinny rail, rings, and arrow retainer spring to a brush style retainer. It is even better now, and quieter.

It also now has an AR-15 style 5 slot rail tapped into the bottom. Can mount a bipod, flashlight, etc.....

Thanks for everyone's input here guys. I'm learning a lot. I kind of figured 20 yards was about max for this bow.

OK. Pay attention!

Fill the rail with great stuff foam.

Wrap the stirrup with black friction tape double thick.

Forget about the arrow holder, it's not going to make noise if it's properly down on the rail.

Get heavy arrows like FMJs.

My compound is a Matthews HTR. It's as quiet as compound bows come. Bambi is going to hear that bow at fifty yards. There's nothing I can do about that.

Set up so that you're shooting about twenty yards and pay no attention to people telling you Bambi will jump the string at that range. If you're shooting at a relaxed deer it takes time for the sound to get there. It takes time for the sound to be processed. It takes time for Bambi to react, even if it's reflexively. It takes time to send the signal to the muscles to load them. It takes time to trip the trigger and move Bambi. By the time all that happens Bambi has an arrow exiting his body. Take that to the bank. And tell them I'll back the check.

Just the trigger noise on your crossbow is a lot louder than my HTR, and you're not going to mitigate that.

There are 3 main things on a crossbow that cause noise, assuming everything is properly tightened.

1----string----Use string silencers and/or a string stop system

2----retention spring ---There is no such thing as a quiet one. Properly installed or not. It makes noise. Use Bowjax silencers on it, or shrink tubing. Better yet, replace with a brush style holder.

3-----stirrup.----I don't do anything to mine other than make sure it is tight. Have thought about friction tape but it holds water. Electrical tape would probably come off after a short while

Most use some sort of silencers on limbs also........

GG, One final note. Make sure all the screws, etc. are TIGHT! I check mine at the start of every month and there is normally one or more that is slightly loose. Lots of energy let loose each time you shoot and things do loosen up. Tightening will help keep the noise down to the point you do not have to wear ear plugs! :-)

Another final note. Pay attention when raising the xbow to shoot. With a compound, you can do it when a deers head goes behind a tree, etc.. Limbs on your xbow stick out to the side and I got busted a lot raising the bow, before I learned this. You need more cover to get the xbow up. JMHO YMMV

Ray

Here is a pic of new brush style arrow holder. And you can see one of the string silencers:

my tenpoint titan has the crank cocker so i removed the stirrip completely. it was making my bow noisier and adding weight that i didn't need.

That is not a bad idea. I just have the Accudraw 50 where it is magnetized and hides in the stock. But am happy with it as is. If the Accudraw ever fails, maybe I will do that...

"an arrow will NEVER reach an animal before the sound does. NEVER."

I've been rifle hunting deer for over 50 years but am really a novice when it comes to bow hunting. I bought a crossbow a few years ago so I could hunt with my bow hunting friends during bow season. They always wound a lot of deer and hogs that they sometimes find the next day. I figured a crossbow would be better for me. I've only killed a big sow and one doe so far with this crossbow that shoots 300fps. I shot both at a feeder from 20yds while sitting in a folding chair backed into a cedar bush with the wind in my face. The sow didn't react until until the arrow hit. The sow ran about 20 yards, laid down and bled out. The doe didn't react either until the arrow hit and then ran about 40 yards before it laid down. I think that a lot of animals that jump the string are reacting to the shooters movement more often than to the sound of the bow. I made sure that both the sow and doe had their heads turned away from me before I pulled the trigger. I don't know about hogs but I know that deer have fantastic peripheral vision. I read about string jumping on a bowhunting website and the professional writer posted a video to prove that it's impossible for an arrow to reach a deer before it reacts to the noise of the bow from 30yds and that may be true. The problem I saw with the video is that the deer was standing broadside with it's head up when he shot and it's whole left eye was clearly visible. I'm pretty sure the deer reacted to the shooters movement instead of the bow noise or to the bright Luminox nock he was shooting that is really visible in the video. He was shooting a 300fps Matthews bow.