PSE TAC 15 crossbow - first range outing

[Bernie2525]

Hi Len - thanks for update on bag target / the Morrell does look like the best fit. - I am looking at two new scopes that are just comming out - this one: HHA Sports Optimizer Speed Dial Sighting System - which allows you to dial the distance to target and Red Hot™ Pin Point Dial-A-Distance Illuminated Crossbow Scope. Both sell for about $300. Both made for crossbows. These make sense if truly accurate as claim - check these out and let me know what you think - for white tail deer hunting I am hoping these make arrow distance drop less guessing! Cost of arrows are pricey but if hold up to stress of this cross bow speed - worth the cost! My cross bow arrives Wednesday - now all I need is a scope that works for hunting! Will use my Ten Point Scope until decide on best scope for PSE TAC 15i. THANKS

 

[Len Backus]

HHA is located one hour from my house. I will call them tomorrow and maybe go visit them this week. I want a scope system with enough moa to go from about 30 yards out to 110 or so. I am not quite finished creating my drop table so I can't say exactly how many MOA that is but it appears to be in the range of 69 moa from 50 yards to 100 yards.

 

[Bernie2525]

HHA is located one hour from my house. I will call them tomorrow and maybe go visit them this week. I want a scope system with enough moa to go from about 30 yards out to 110 or so. I am not quite finished creating my drop table so I can't say exactly how many MOA that is but it appears to be in the range of 72 moa from 50 yards to 100 yards.

The HHA scope looks promising - thanks let me know what you think of this particular scope and its capability for reducing guess of drop - probably go by Bass pro nad look at this week - - we have a Bass Pro in Baton Rouge

 

[Bernie2525]

The HHA scope looks promising - thanks let me know what you think of this particular scope and its capability for reducing guess of drop - probably go by Bass pro nad look at this week - - we have a Bass Pro in Baton Rouge

sorry this is not a scope - it attaches to scope and mount
just add to existing scope

 

[Len Backus]

I did a rough drop test this morning at the range. It needs to be verified again in the field. But -- we all need to know what we are dealing with in total moa drop out to, say, 120 yards to know what our scope needs may be.

The Accupoint scope ($140) offered by PSE is what I have been using. PSE shopped pretty hard to find one that wan't too expensive for their market, our market is used to spending much more. And PSE understood the need for an airgun type of recoil tolerance and the need for gobs of vertical capacity. The parallax is decent. I found I needed only 2 positions on the dial to handle everything out to 100 yards. Up to 40(?) yards I set mine at 40, from there out to 100 I set mine to 90.Otherwise I leave it alone as I change distance. Yours could be different.

This one has 6 mildots above and below, making there 13 points to work with. At 9 power, that is 41 moa, not enough, but at 3 power it is 123 moa, just enough.

 

[Bernie2525]

Thanks Len : for tests and chart

mine comes in this week - start testing mine at hunting camp

I ordered that scope last week with cross bow - But I am curious concerning HHA's elevation adjusting device addition to scope mount. Probably buy one just to try out -
Thanks

 

[Len Backus]

I checked my drop table (above) this morning at the range. I got as far as dot #10 and my 2 arrows were 1.5 inches low and 1.6 inches apart.

So the chart data is verified.

I may go out to 121 yards tomorrow.

 

[Bernie2525]

Those numbers are incredable!

 

[Len Backus]

Those numbers are incredable!

Yes, and the 2 shot groups I used to verify drop were all under 2 inches each.

I broke a nock on one of the groups by hitting the arrow. I forgot which distance, somewhere around 60 or 70 yards.

When practicing you really need to shoot at individual dot targets if you are shooting anywhere inside of 70 yards.

 

[Bernie2525]

The Scope that PSE recommends is impressive - I like it. Have not had a chance to try TAC 15i yet - but the TAC 15i and scope are very impressive - this cross bow as they say "changes everything"!

 

[Buffalobob]

So Len, do you have an exotic animal permit from the Wisconsin DNR? A trained gorilla is about the only way you could get one of those arrows pulled back out of the target. The penetration must be really tremendous with a heavy point.

 

[Len Backus]

Jim, a field point comes out of a Morrell Bone Collector target with 2 fingers.

 

[Buzzard Bait]

Len, this is the first post from a new member.

I found a reference to your PSE Tac 15 crossbow review in another forum and joined this forum because I also have a Tac 15. I had not been able to find much useful information/how-to, etc. regarding the Tac 15 until I read your review and the forum dicussion here.

I have shot a bow and arrow for many years (longbows to compounds) and found two subjects archers generally discussed were total arrow weight and FOC. The FOC percentage varied quite a bit with total arrow weight varying about 2 grains.

I have 15 PSE shafts, a dozen 100 grain field points and a dozen 100 grain broadheads and being from the old school I weighed and recorded each one. Fourteen of the shafts weigh between 343.0 and 346.0 grains; the fifteenth shaft weighs 338.7 grains. The 100 grain broadheads weigh 98.1 to 98.8 grains. The 100 grain field points weigh 100.2 to102.5 grains.

Note: I haven't had much success with mechanical broadheads so purchased one piece metal injection molded G5 Montec carbon steel broadheads. These broadheads are advertised to to 25% sharper, retain their edge longer and be easier to sharpen than their stainless steel broadheads. And they have been spin tested to +/- .002" straightness tolerance (for field point accuracy).

By juggling components I can get 5 shafts with field points within 1.7 grains and 5 shafts with broadheads within 1.6 grains. However, this is by using 10 different shafts. I have not measured arrow lengths and calculated FOC of any of the combinations or shot any arrows through a chronograph. Total weights of these 10 combinations varies from 442.2 to 444.9 grains.

My Questions are:
1. What is a reasonable total weight range to use for the Tac 15 arrows?
2. What is a reasonable FOC range for these arrows?
3. The arrows are supplied with inserts, 4 fletch fletchings and nocks installed. Will there be any alignment problems when using the three blade broadheads with the 4 fletch fletchings?
4. You mentioned paper tuning. How far from the bow did you place the paper?

I apologize for such a long post.

 

[Len Backus]

rmbeach

I know the PSE boys are shooting 3 blade broadheads successfully. I am traveling right now so don't remember the model they mentioned. I plan to shoot expandables and may just use 100 grain Puckett's Bloodtrailers that I have been using with my compound ever since i switched to faster carbon arrows 10 (?) years ago.

I expect the upcoming discussion about expandables will be about as spirited as that about which bullet is best for long range rifle hunting.

I don't plan to weigh my arrows but I will sort for accuracy at the longer ranges before hunting.