Dry firing!

[Sumspot]

Hi everyone I would like to know if anyone as some story with this and the modern type of compound bow, and if there is a way to figure out the dammage before the actual failureof the limb and how many dry firing does it take, thanks for sharing !

[petew]

Most good bows will take it ounce or twice, but it does tremendous stress to everything.I had a release let go on me and the resulting dry fire blew the brass Nocs off the string and one stuck in my throat.It must have come off on the rebound .It sounded like a rifle went off when it happened.Other than the noc's nothing was hurt, except me.lol

Anytine a dry fire hapens it is time to take a close look at everything on the bow.Check for hairline cracks in the riser and limbs/ damaged cams/strings axles .

Listen carefully on the next draw cycle for strange noises.If you hear anything that sounds bad it probably is bad.

[Sumspot]

Thanks plasticpail ! Tell me did you keept the bow and if so, did u had any probleme after that ? O yes tell me those hairline crac should be long and deep or .....?

Thanks

[petew]

I still have it and never had any problems.A hairline crack will be hard to see[hairline].They can only get bigger as time goes by.Dry firing can void a warranty on most bows.The only one that will still give warranty if this hapens is Firebrand, the make the Intensity/Discovery and Colorado.Most shops will try to find out if a dry fire hapened when you ask for warranty.Some never ask.If they don't ask they don't have to refuse warranty.

[RodS]

On single cam bows I look first cracks around the axle holes on the lower limb. In my experience single cams put most of the stress of a dry fire on this area otherwise bows should be able to handle it once or twice.

[Sumspot]

Thanks everyone for your story. I would like to know about these cracks if they are long and deep or ......, and when I am looking for a second hand bow if there something else I sould look that would tell me if dry firing happen before !

Thank you again.

[petew]

If theere are cracks they may be almost invisible to a complete broken in half limb.

[Sumspot]

Thanks for your story and tips, if someone has a story or other tips I would appreciate, thanks.

[grandpawrichard]

If you have experienced a dry fire or think that the bow has been dry fired I highly suggest and recommend that the Axles and Bushings Be Replaced!
These two items really take it hard during a dry fire and NEED to be replaced, otherwise they can fail to work properly and cause the holes the limbs where they go thru to wallow out,; thus ruining the limbs.

I have had the oppertunity to buy several high end bows at reasonable prices, I almost went thru with the sales, until I found out that the bows had been dry fired. There is No way I will buy a bow that has gone thru a dry fire! To many invisible things can manifest themselves later and cause a lot of expense!

Anytime I buy a used bow, I inspect them very well before I buy, then when I get home they go into my bow press for an axel, bushing and string change! I don't even shoot them until all of the above things are done!

Dick

[archer2]

I have a Martin M-44 Firecat hanging on a nail in my basement that was the result of a dry fire.
The guy who had it attempted to shoot an A/C/E arrow that had hit the side of a target butt when it had released prematurely when his release malfunctioned (was getting used to using a back tension release).
Without thoroughly checking the arrow he attempted to shoot the same arrow again with disastrous results.

The arrow broke about 6ins from the nock and sailed past his hand and towards the target. The rest of the arrow fell at his feet. :shock:
The string which was attached to the cable at the "tear drops" flew off probably above his left arm and was found 20 feet to the side and about 10 feet behind the shooter.

Bow damage:
The "tear drops" had slapped the limbs on the back and on the face on the upper limb leaving deep marks and on the lower limb, hit on the back leaving marks.
The riser was hit, probably by the breaking arrow from what we could determine and had a 1/2" piece of paint knocked off.
The lower axle was bent.
The upper cam was bent.
The upper "tear drop" after hitting the limb several times was knocked off.

The only good thing about the whole incident was that he nor anyone else was hurt.
He also got to buy the new bow he was looking forward to getting. :D