New Crossbow

[yoderjac]

I've been using an old Parker Hurricane for quite a few years now. Parker went out of business this year so parts and maintenance will eventually become an issue. I have a couple friends that I'd like to introduce to hunting this year. They don't have equipment. I've been lending out firearms and such but I don't have an extra crossbow. So, a week or so ago I started doing some research. My primary concern is noise, not speed which is driving the industry. Here is an old thread where I posted some string jumping information: http://www.habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/crossbow-noise.9885/ I don't shoot past 30 yards with a crossbow at deer for ethical reasons, so speed is not a factor.

I found some reviews in one of the trade magazines that took standard measurements including sound. Not every crossbow was reviewed, but it was a good mix. It look to me like Mission Sniper-lite was significantly quieter than others. I started to look into that. There is a Mathews dealer not to far out of the way on my way home from the farm and I decided to stop by and check one out. Well, the dealer said they had been discontinued this year and replaced by the sub 1-lite. He said it was even quieter, but I kind of doubt that since it is about 20 fps faster at around 330 fps and only 1 lb heavier at 7 lbs, but who knows if that is true or just puffing. One thing I really liked about it is the decocking mechanism which was the only major complaint reviewers had about the Sniper-lite. Of course, it is more expensive.

Well, I made the mistake of shooting it. Same mistake I made years ago with a Switchback. Don't shoot it or you will leave with it. Even in the indoor range, I found it pretty quiet. There were guys shooting compounds in the other lanes. I'd listen to them shoot and then listen to the Sub 1-lite. It was only slightly louder to my ear. I'm sure it is significantly quieter than my Parker. I'll do a more controlled comparison when I get a chance.

I only took a few shots at the dealer, but I plan to sight it in later this week. I'll have a better feel for it then. So far, I like it a lot. I'll still probably use my Switchback in the early season when it is warm and my arthritis isn't acting up, but I think I'll be more tempted to use the Sub 1-lite than I was to use the Parker in the early season.

If anyone else is shooting one of these and has any advise, thinks to watch out for, or tricks, please let me know.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[yoderjac]

Am I the first on the forum to try one of these?

 

[yoderjac]

I can't take shots longer than 30 yards in my back yard, but I decided to sight it in at 20 and 30 yards today. Well, that lasted only 2 shots, one at 20 and 1 and 30. Both were dead center. I did notice a few things. When I loaded the first arrow, the safety would not release. I took a second look and the bolt was not fully seated. You need to push these in a bit harder than with my previous parker to disengage the anti-dry-fire device. Once I reseated the arrow, the safety disengaged easily. This was the first time I shot it outdoors. I did not have my hearing aids in, but I paid special attention to the sound at 30 yards because at that distance there is enough time between arrow release and impact to clearly differentiate. The arrow impact on the target bag was far louder than the release. I was amazed how quiet this bow is outdoors. I do plan to repeat this with my hearing aids when I take it to the farm this week and sight it in at longer distances. I don't shoot at deer beyond 30 yards, but I do like to practice at longer yardages.

While I do like the Hawke scope, I find the reticle too busy as it is set up for shooting very long distances compared to my intended use. I'm sure I'll get used to it.

It is early, but all in all, I like it very well so far.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[TreeDaddy]

Jack,

I bought the mission sub lite with Hawke scope for my wife this past saturday

First bow for either one of us

any and all pointers/tips appreciated

bill

 

[Belchertown Bowman]

I am a member of this forum,.. and you cannot find beat the advice there.

https://www.crossbownation.com/community/

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

one can always increase arrow weight to decrease noise correct? I might be wrong but that is the impression im under.

 

[jsasker007]

Don't forget about all the different noise dampening options they have on the market. Limb savers ,bow jax, monkey tails----even if you don't have enough wax on the string it will start getting a little louder.

 

[bjseiler]

Maybe my deer are all deaf from being so close to an interstate but I still have not seen a deer string jump including the one my 11 year old daughter just got this weekend at 29 yards. Might also be lucky but we're rocking bottom of the barrel Crosspointe Sniper's at ~$220. We mostly shoot from box blinds though. If I were climbing up a tree I'd probably want something smaller, lighter, etc. Robin Hooded a bolt a couple weeks ago at 25 yards. Just amazed how something so cheap shoots so well.

 

[yoderjac]

Jack,

I bought the mission sub lite with Hawke scope for my wife this past saturday

First bow for either one of us

any and all pointers/tips appreciated

bill

So far, I haven't found anything beyond the "make sure the arrow is fully seated" that is not on the Mission site. Nothing like settling the crosshairs on a deer and the safety won't release. I'm sure arrow seating will become second nature after using it a bit. It is very easy to cock for me, but Mission sells a neat little crank cocking device if you wife has issues cocking it.

If this is your first bow ever, my general advise for new crossbow users that were not bowhhunters is this. It will be very tempting to think of a crossbow as a gun. It has a stock and a scope. A crossbow is a bow, not a gun. It has the same range as a compound bow regardless of all the industry hype about distance. The first thing to focus on is shot positions. There are lots of angles that work for a gun that don't work for a bow. I'd suggest an IBEP/NBEF class if you haven't taken one: https://nbef.org/ Beyond shot position, distance is another thing where it is tempting to believe the hype. Bowhunting is a short range sport. In most settings, you can't see small branches without leaves beyond 30 yards. They can have a big impact with deflection with an arrow. With a compound, I'm comfortable at 20 to 25 yards and with a crossbow, out to 30. One's distance is limited by their tolerance for unrecovered wounded game and mine is pretty low.

One final piece of advise, elevation is more important with bowhunting. Deer can run quite a distance, even when double lunged. I've had difficulty finding deer that I shot from a ground blind because the relatively high exit wound causes the blood to pool in the chest and you don't get a good blood trail. Shooting from an elevate stand at close range offers a low exit wound making for a good blood trail.

Best of luck,

Jack

 

[yoderjac]

one can always increase arrow weight to decrease noise correct? I might be wrong but that is the impression im under.

Yes, that is one way to do it. A heavier arrow absorbs the energy from the bow more efficiently. Energy not absorbed by the arrow needs to go somewhere and most goes to vibration which equals noise. Bow design impact efficiency as well.

My plan is to start with the 19" 350 grain (arrow plus 100 grain head) as I'm impressed with how quiet this crossbow is. If String jumping is still an issue, I can go to a 125 grain head or 22" arrows or both. But, so far, I'm impressed with the quietness.

 

[yoderjac]

I am a member of this forum,.. and you cannot find beat the advice there.

https://www.crossbownation.com/community/

Thanks. I've been lurking over there for a while since I've been contemplating this purchase.

 

[yoderjac]

Maybe my deer are all deaf from being so close to an interstate but I still have not seen a deer string jump including the one my 11 year old daughter just got this weekend at 29 yards. Might also be lucky but we're rocking bottom of the barrel Crosspointe Sniper's at ~$220. We mostly shoot from box blinds though. If I were climbing up a tree I'd probably want something smaller, lighter, etc. Robin Hooded a bolt a couple weeks ago at 25 yards. Just amazed how something so cheap shoots so well.

And that is the issue with string jumping, deer don't always do it. If they did, one could simply compensate by adjusting aiming point. There are lots of factors. The ambient noise does play a role. It is not just the intensity of the sound, but the character of it, the distance from the deer, wind direction, and lots of other things. Deer that are more highly pressured seem to do it more often. It has clearly been an issue in my area.

 

[SwampCat]

I have seen a number of different deer in an open food plot string jump a 425 fps Ravin arrow at a range of 35 yds.

 

[yoderjac]

I have seen a number of different deer in an open food plot string jump a 425 fps Ravin arrow at a range of 35 yds.

No crossbow is even close to being fast enough to prevent string jumping. If you rung through the physics you need to be in the ball park of 1,000 fps. The only thing speed buys you is to mitigate ranging error. Using a range finder to range trees prior to the hunt and limiting my shots to 30 yards (ethical max under most conditions for me), my ranging error is down to a couple yards. String jumping, which is an autonomic reaction, tends to be more prevalent at shorter ranges, but it the sound is loud and sharp enough it pushes this out a bit further. For me, silence is golden!

Thanks,

Jack

 

[SwampCat]

No crossbow is even close to being fast enough to prevent string jumping. If you rung through the physics you need to be in the ball park of 1,000 fps. The only thing speed buys you is to mitigate ranging error. Using a range finder to range trees prior to the hunt and limiting my shots to 30 yards (ethical max under most conditions for me), my ranging error is down to a couple yards. String jumping, which is an autonomic reaction, tends to be more prevalent at shorter ranges, but it the sound is loud and sharp enough it pushes this out a bit further. For me, silence is golden!

Thanks,

Jack

Over thirty yards - in the open - I would feel better using my hoyt compound - if my shoulder wasnt coming apart on me. Dont much hunt food plots anymore with any kind of bow - hunt the trails going to them - and suffer when you pick the wrong one.

 

[Barndog56]

Am I the first on the forum to try one of these?

I shot a Sub-1 just over a year ago, before they came out with the light version. I was amazed at how quiet it was. I would love to get one, but don't have the budget.

I was shooting a Barnett Ghost 385 and it was very loud, almost needed earplugs. No amount of noise dampeners would make a big enough difference.

 

[yoderjac]

Over thirty yards - in the open - I would feel better using my hoyt compound - if my shoulder wasnt coming apart on me. Dont much hunt food plots anymore with any kind of bow - hunt the trails going to them - and suffer when you pick the wrong one.

Same here, most of my personal hunting is not over plots unless I'm trying to take a doe.

I shot a Sub-1 just over a year ago, before they came out with the light version. I was amazed at how quiet it was. I would love to get one, but don't have the budget.

I was shooting a Barnett Ghost 385 and it was very loud, almost needed earplugs. No amount of noise dampeners would make a big enough difference.

Yes, years ago when crossbows were first being legalized here, a several companies came in to our Hunter Ed advanced training (training of HE instructors) to demo and give us safety procedures for their bows. I can remember shooting an Excalibur that sounded like a .22. When we asked about the noise and string jumping, the rep had the audacity to say "our crossbows are so fast that deer don't have time to jump the string." When everyone in the class laughed and it dawned on him that he wasn't at a trade show, he sheepishly changed the subject quickly.

Sound dampening devices can help to a minor degree, but the lions share is the design of the bow. The Sub 1 has a great design, but there is still some room for improvement. The cam design does a great job of dealing with inertia issues. The parallel limbs tend to cancel vibration of each other.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[SwampCat]

Same here, most of my personal hunting is not over plots unless I'm trying to take a

Same here, most of my personal hunting is not over plots unless I'm trying to take a doe.

Thanks,

Jack

I meant that I dont hunt food plots - or really any open ground with a bow - because of the likelihood of “string jumping”. We will hunt food plots with a firearm. We kill 75% of our mature bucks in a food plot.

 

[yoderjac]

I meant that I dont hunt food plots - or really any open ground with a bow - because of the likelihood of “string jumping”. We will hunt food plots with a firearm. We kill 75% of our mature bucks in a food plot.

We get a lot of small bucks in food plots here but daytime visits by mature bucks are rare but they do happen on occasion in our smaller plots. My sense is that string jumping is more common in open areas because deer are more exposed and probably more wary. I find they often happen in my woodlots as well. Probably depends on pressure.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Big Snow Man]

The Mission Sub 1 series has some of the best fit and finish on the market. You pay for that but it’s smooth and quit and best of all you can decock it when you get back to your vehicle.