Dry fire damage?

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  • deuxlatch

    Airbus
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 3, 2011
    658
    16
    Lafayette, La/Houston Tx.
    OK I have a friend who is selling his Mathews dual cam bow. He paid $800 for it 6 years ago. It was accidentally dry fired by someone looking at it. The person used 3 fingers to pull it back and when he tried to bring it back to rest the string slipped out of his fingers from about half draw. Is this bad? What kind of damage would that cause and how can you determine the severity? Thanks in advance.
     

    jcomar1

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    May 19, 2009
    361
    18
    From what I understand, those bows can take that and not have any issues. They are designed to be able to handle that now.
    But if it was to cause damage it would be in the limbs, cracking of the limbs. So double check the limbs, then once you see it's ok (which it should be), work your buddy down on the price because of it :)
     

    J.Ellis

    One for the road
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Jul 13, 2010
    48
    6
    Madisonville,LA
    The limbs would take most of the abuse from a dry fire but I would also check out the strings and Cams. Especially where the string and the cams meet around the half way point where it was dry fired.

    If it was at the half way point then the bow should have suffered no damage. I have seen limbs explode because of some jack ass trying to prove a point that you could dry fire a bow but he shot it from full draw and it was a 80lbs pull.
     

    Hitman

    ® ™
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Sep 4, 2008
    16,034
    36
    Lake Charles
    Bows made in the last 8-10 years are incredibly strong.

    Just take it to a Bow Shop and let them put it on a press to check everything over.

    If you can't do that, just check the frame for any cracks(NOT LIKELY and likely not possible with today's bows)
    and always replace the string on any (used) bow you buy.

    To be honest, unless it's LOADED with lots of arrows I wouldn't pay but around $400 for that bow.

    If you look on LA Sportsman Classifieds you can find 2-3 year old Bows Loaded for $400-700.

    06' is 7 years old and Dry Fired?
     
    Last edited:

    cnodie1

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Mar 2, 2011
    1,831
    36
    New Orleans
    TAKE IT TO A BOW SHOP! No matter the age, old or new bows can be damaged during a dry fire. The limbs might have cracking you can't see that a bow tech might. It is not something to mess around with.
     

    dzelenka

    D.R. 1827; HM; P100x3
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Mar 2, 2008
    4,013
    36
    Covington
    I've seen everything from no damage to popped strings, popped cables, bent cams and split limbs on a dry fire. One I saw recently needed both cams replaced. After they were replaced, the owner shot the bow around 100 times and brought it back in with a cracked limb. These are recently manufactured bows I am talking about. Have it checked out thoroughly by a competent bow mechanic.
     

    Win1917

    Win1917
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Apr 13, 2009
    440
    16
    Lafayette
    I dry fired mine a couple yrs ago (Bowtech Assassin), just plain forgot to knock an arrow. Needed a new string and both cams replaced. +1 on taking it to a shop to look at.
     

    pangris1

    Well-Known Member
    Gold Member
    Rating - 100%
    18   0   0
    Jan 13, 2010
    344
    28
    BR metro area
    It was explained to me that ANY amount of a dry fire impacts the life of the limbs at a minimum, i.e. if a bow would have been good for 30,000 arrows, a dry fire like that may manifest as a cracked limb in 20, 100, 500, 1000 arrows depending.

    Compound bows do indeed depreciate like rocks, go onto an archery forum if you want to buy used.

    Elite is the only company I'm aware of with a transferable lifetime warranty.

    Ken's Archery in Slidell = two thumbs up, Lee is a very knowledgeable and patient man. Got me all set up and fitted, couldn't be happier with how that went.
     

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