Video: Why Dry Firing a Bow is a Bad Idea
Daniel Xu 06.23.16
How many times have you heard that dry firing a bow is a bad idea? Odds are, you have already been lectured once or twice about this before, and for good reason. Bows should always be used with an arrow, and skipping this vital component could lead to a dangerous scenario. While dry firing a compound bow may seem relatively harmless, it could result in catastrophic damage to your hunting tool, and sometimes even injury to the user.
Basically, one of the three things happen when you dry fire a bow. Either nothing happens, your bow dramatically falls apart, or the most worrying scenario: nothing happens immediately but your bow has been damaged. Minute cracking and splintering can occur in the event of a dry fire, and that means the next time you decide to use that particular bow, you’ll be in for a massive surprise.
According to the video below, that is what happened here. If you ever absentmindedly dry fire your bow (or loan it to someone who does), be sure to carefully examine the bow afterwards. Make note of any scratches, cracks or fraying, and flex it lightly to see if it makes any strange noises. If you are not especially experienced with these tasks, give it to someone who is or bring it in to a professional.
After all, it’s more than worth the money not to have fiberglass embedded in your forearms.
