How To Keep Your Crossbow And Yourself Safe From Harm

A crossbow is the tool of choice when it comes to hunting for many people. However, you have to realize that in the hands of someone who is not experienced, it can lead to deadly accidents. A crossbow stores about 400 pounds-feet of deadly potential energy and a razor-edged, pointed arrow which can be lethal. All you need are a few basic safety tips, and you’re good to go. If you want more information about crossbows and care, you can check this website out for more details.

 

Guide To Safe Crossbow Operation

Read the manual

Regardless of your experience with shooting a crossbow, you need to educate yourself with the manual. While a lot of crossbows have several common functions, there are a few unique to each model which you can only learn from the manual. Make sure you read end to end, and you are comfortable with the crossbow’s operation in theory before you attempt to shoot with it.

 

Direction awareness

A crossbow is a tool that is meant to be lethal pretty much like a firearm. And you increase the chances of inflicting grievous injury when you point it in unsafe directions. You need to keep in mind that a crossbow like most mechanical devices can fail at inopportune moments and so you need to keep it pointed away from unintended targets. Be aware of the surroundings and the direction your crossbow is pointing as well.

 

Fingers below deck

If you’ve met an experienced crossbow hunter, the first thing they will tell you is that you need to check your finger just before you shoot. A crossbow string has a lot of energy in a small area, and this means any fingers coming in the way can get severed during the firing operation. There are of course guards in place on all crossbows that can prevent this from happening, but you need to remember “fingers down” just before you pull the trigger.

 

Choosing bolts

This is another vital part of the safety protocol and that which a few people tend to miss. You need to make sure that the bolts that you use correspond to the size and strength of the crossbow you’re using. The difference in weight of the bolts can have dangerous consequences for you as well as hamper the operation of the crossbow sometimes damaging it beyond repair.

 

Lubrication

Crossbows need to be lubricated and often to help their longevity and their ease of use. You need to lube the string, barrel and at every point, the string and the bolt come in contact with the barrel and the body. You need to ensure that the cable slide is in place. You can also consult the manual which details the parts that need to be lubricated on a regular basis.

 

Loading the crossbow

Loading a crossbow is something you need to pay attention to especially when you are getting it done the first few times. You should remember to keep your fingers safe from danger and take all precautions not to expose them to harm. You need to load the crossbow by gripping the arrow with the thumb and forefinger and put it on the barrel closest to the stirrup. Ideally, this means that the thumb and forefinger never have to enter the cams and cocking mechanism’s area.

 

Limbs splay

We’ve all talked about safety before and during firing the crossbow. But what you need to take into account is the limbs of the crossbow splaying after a shot. This is especially relevant when you’re next to a tree or some other static object as that unbalance you.  The best thing to do is wear a tree-stand safety vest in a tree stand.

 

Be careful with broadheads

When you use an arrow with broadheads on them, you need to be extra careful because they are sharp enough to cut through strings without exerting too much force. This holds true because crossbows are usually loaded when the light is low, and you have limited visibility. You need to have a set routine to load these kinds of arrows so as not to cut your crossbow string.

 

Conclusion

A crossbow is a dangerous weapon but being aware of operating procedures and general surroundings can definitely help to keep you and the device out of danger. The instruction manual as a lot of vital information which you shouldn’t skip. Remember to follow these simple precautions, and you should be good to go!