Keep your Axe crossbow in great working order all year long.
By FeraDyne Staff
The buck you’ve been waiting to encounter is finally cruising down the trail toward your 30-yard shooting lane. You confidently raise your Axe crossbow and prepare to shoot. You inhale deeply, exhale while settling the crosshair behind his shoulder and execute a perfect shot. The bolt runs through his ribs like a hot knife through butter. In the blink of an eye, you’re standing around the skinning shed telling and re-telling the story to your friends and family, still in disbelief that you got your dream buck.
Things could have gone far differently. Consider this alternative: November is just one week away. You’re so cranked up to hunt the rut that you can hardly sleep at night. Other than a few shots in August just to make sure your scope was still on, you haven’t handled or shot your crossbow at all. You get it out and notice that the bowstring is hanging on by a thread. Your excitement fades to the cold reality that getting the crossbow back into working order will require a pro-shop visit. Bad becomes worse when the bow tech at the counter informs you that he doesn’t have a string set in stock, and that lead times are longer than a week.
Axe makes reliable, high-performance crossbows that you can depend on in the field. But, just like trucks, firearms or any other mechanical thing, your AX405 or AX440 requires maintenance in order to function properly. You can’t overlook maintenance, otherwise, your oversights can become the catalysts for problems that ultimately could end your November vacation days before they even begin.
Crossbow maintenance must be taken seriously. Here are five tips to keep your Axe crossbow in tip-top working order so that you can tell your success story around the skinning shed.
1. String and Cable Care
A crossbow’s bowstring and cables serve an equally important role as limbs. They’re constantly under tension, and they’re made from fibers that don’t last perpetually. They wear out as you shoot your crossbow and as they’re exposed to dirt, rain, brush, etc. while hunting.
Shooting your crossbow is important, and it’s obviously the ladder toward proficiency and confidence. So, don’t worry about shooting your crossbow too often. But, when you do, just know that with routine use you must monitor string and cable condition.
When the bowstring and/or cable fibers appear slightly dry or exhibit slight fraying, it’s time to wax them. Only apply bowstring wax to the exposed string fibers, not the servings. Waxing the center serving won’t enhance string life, plus it will allow the wax to build up in the trigger box each time the crossbow is cocked, and that along with dust and grit that it collects could affect the mechanisms therein. Apply light amounts and gently work it into the string fibers with your thumb and index finger, following the string’s twist.
Anytime you notice severe string or cable wear or cut fibers, don’t risk a blowup episode. Promptly have the set replaced. And regardless of visible wear, have the string and cables replaced at least every 2 years. Remember, these pieces serve an important role, and risking shooting your crossbow with a failing string and cables is dangerous and can put a roadblock in your deer season.
2. Lube the Rail
One of the biggest maintenance oversights is failing to lube the rail or using the incorrect product for the job. First, ignore the temptation to use anything other than crossbow rail lube. Other substances might collect dirt and debris, which will transfer to the trigger box when the string is cocked. String wax is an especially poor choice.
Inspect the rail following each practice session or hunt. Apply a small amount of rail lube when needed. During normal summer practice, it’s likely that the rail will need lube after every 3-4 dozen shots or so. This will promote the life of the bowstring’s center serving.
3. Don’t Store It Cocked
A huge mistake that some hunters make is failing to de-cock the crossbow following an unsuccessful hunt. It might not seem like a big deal to store it that way after an evening hunt if you’ll be hunting again the next morning, but crossbows aren’t designed to be cocked for long durations. The continual stress on the limbs can potentially cause damage, especially with the addition of hot or cold temperatures. So, de-cock your crossbow following each hunt.
4. Store It In An Ideal Environment
When not in use, especially during the off-season, store your crossbow properly. In other words, don’t hang it up in an unheated garage during the winter, and don’t store it in an uninsulated attic during the blazing summer heat. Avoid damp basements and super-dry boiler rooms. Store it at normal room temperature, and only expose it to extreme heat or cold when those are the current hunting conditions. When transporting it, protect it in a crossbow case.
5. Have a Pro Shop Service It Once Annually
A crossbow has many intricate workings, so it’s always best to have an authorized Axe dealer give your Axe crossbow an annual once-over. He or she can thoroughly inspect it for damages or required maintenance that can only be performed with a bow press. Some dealers might inspect it free of charge if you purchased the crossbow from them, and even if you’re charged service fees, it gives you great peace of mind to have it looked over by a professional; either they find nothing wrong and tell you that the crossbow is good to go, or they locate an issue and resolve it.
Final Tips
To wrap up, let’s discuss a few final maintenance tips you should know. Identify loose hardware and tighten it. Check your bolts before every shot by flexing them. If you hear any pops or cracks, then you know the bolt is unsafe to shoot and can discard it. Inspect the vanes for damage or to see if they’re beginning to peel off. Use your scope covers to keep debris off the optics when not in use, and wipe the glass periodically to remove dust and fogging.
Hunting in the rain can be extremely productive, but you have to dry off your crossbow as promptly as possible following the hunt, otherwise, the moisture could potentially cause rust and corrosion in important areas. Wipe it off with a dry towel first, then set it in front of a box fan until it is completely dry. It’s also possible that you’ll have to apply bowstring wax to the string and rail lube to the rail once it’s entirely dry.
Those are the fundamental maintenance tips every crossbow hunter should follow to prevent damage, prolong the life of the crossbow and its components, and keep it in great working order through the hunting season. It could be the difference between telling a success story around the skinning shed or realizing that you’ll have to miss your rut vacation because your crossbow’s bowstring is hanging on by a thread.