PSE TAC 15 Crossbow Review
By Len Backus
Updated 2013-2-4
Page 1 of 3
I became a PSE TAC 15/15i crossbow dealer because my own PSE TAC 15/15i crossbow shot 6 arrows into 1.875 inches at 100 yards, on my third day of shooting it.
6 shots into 1.875 inches at 100 yards.
In preparing for this TAC 15/15i/10/10i review article, I shot the group above from a rest with just one arrow that I had sorted for. (6 trips to the target) So the 2 holes on the left were the first, then I adjusted windage on the scope to move my group to the right and continued shooting the group.
I began field research for my PSE TAC 15/15i/10/10i crossbow review article at the county archery range. On that first day what must the other archers have thought as they saw me repeatedly walking back from my target, eyes downward, shaking my head. They may have thought "Well if he is disappointed with his groups maybe he should just practice more". But they had no idea from their vantage point that I was consistently shooting tiny groups with my PSE TAC 15i crossbow that made me shake my head. In the first couple of days I eventually shot at yardages that 99% of compound bow hunters never even try. Forty yards and then 50 and then 60 and then 70 and then 80 and then 90 and then 100 yards and finally out to 120. It took me a couple of days of shooting tiny groups with my TAC 15i crossbow to confirm that they were not just a fluke.
First 2 shots ever at 40 yards
One morning I went to the range to chronograph my PSE TAC 15i crossbow. I got there as the sun was still slightly below the horizon dominated by a large hill and the lighting was a little dim for my CED M2 chronograph. It took a few shots at 10 feet to get a shot to register. When it did, it said: "406 FPS". Pretty impressive and just what PSE said to expect.
Then I moved back to 100 yards with no wind on the still morning. At this yardage I was understandably apprehensive, not wanting to wreck components of my chrono. So I selected one arrow, by chance one that I had days earlier labeled #16. I took 2 successive shots with it and the PSE TAC 15i crossbow to confirm POI at this range. After the second shot and before I removed the arrow, I was just barely able to fit my flattened thumb between the remaining arrow and the hole it had punched into the target on its first shot. That made the 2-shot test group about 1.25 inches, center-to-center. "I guess I am now confident in my PSE TAC 15i crossbow's ability to shoot through the chrono at 100 yards!", I thought.
406 FPS.
By Len Backus
Updated 2013-2-4
Page 1 of 3
I became a PSE TAC 15/15i crossbow dealer because my own PSE TAC 15/15i crossbow shot 6 arrows into 1.875 inches at 100 yards, on my third day of shooting it.
6 shots into 1.875 inches at 100 yards.
In preparing for this TAC 15/15i/10/10i review article, I shot the group above from a rest with just one arrow that I had sorted for. (6 trips to the target) So the 2 holes on the left were the first, then I adjusted windage on the scope to move my group to the right and continued shooting the group.
This crossbow so impressed me that it took only a few days to decide to offer it in the LRH Store. We are now shipping the new replacement models -- the 2013 TAC Elite and TAC Ordnance
Read my review of the new TAC ELite and Ordnance models.
[/INDENT]Read my review of the new TAC ELite and Ordnance models.
I began field research for my PSE TAC 15/15i/10/10i crossbow review article at the county archery range. On that first day what must the other archers have thought as they saw me repeatedly walking back from my target, eyes downward, shaking my head. They may have thought "Well if he is disappointed with his groups maybe he should just practice more". But they had no idea from their vantage point that I was consistently shooting tiny groups with my PSE TAC 15i crossbow that made me shake my head. In the first couple of days I eventually shot at yardages that 99% of compound bow hunters never even try. Forty yards and then 50 and then 60 and then 70 and then 80 and then 90 and then 100 yards and finally out to 120. It took me a couple of days of shooting tiny groups with my TAC 15i crossbow to confirm that they were not just a fluke.
First 2 shots ever at 40 yards
One morning I went to the range to chronograph my PSE TAC 15i crossbow. I got there as the sun was still slightly below the horizon dominated by a large hill and the lighting was a little dim for my CED M2 chronograph. It took a few shots at 10 feet to get a shot to register. When it did, it said: "406 FPS". Pretty impressive and just what PSE said to expect.
Then I moved back to 100 yards with no wind on the still morning. At this yardage I was understandably apprehensive, not wanting to wreck components of my chrono. So I selected one arrow, by chance one that I had days earlier labeled #16. I took 2 successive shots with it and the PSE TAC 15i crossbow to confirm POI at this range. After the second shot and before I removed the arrow, I was just barely able to fit my flattened thumb between the remaining arrow and the hole it had punched into the target on its first shot. That made the 2-shot test group about 1.25 inches, center-to-center. "I guess I am now confident in my PSE TAC 15i crossbow's ability to shoot through the chrono at 100 yards!", I thought.
406 FPS.
PSE TAC 15/15i, 10/10i Crossbow Review
PAGE 2 of 3
Well, I had problems again trying to get a shot to register properly on the chrono. After 5 shots all I could get was "6166 FPS" and I don't think that was a correct reading so I gave up for the day. But, think about it. I placed 5 shots at 100 yards with an arrow through the small sweet spot of a chrono with only about 5 inches of horizontal space between the 2 sides. My 5-shot group size was less than 3 inches including its vertical component.
PSE feels its TAC Series of crossbows is more accurate than others because of
Rail-less design using nocking loop for cocking provides accuracy advantage
In this review article my emphasis is on long range accuracy and consistency. East of the Mississippi River we archers would like to be able to harvest animals at longer distances. But it is in our West that many of us long range rifle hunters see the most potential for the PSE Tac 15 crossbow. On the plains and in the mountains compound bow hunters have been shooting deer, antelope and elk at longer ranges than eastern hunters for years. They practice a lot out to 70, 80 yards or more and are prepared to take standing, undisturbed elk or deer at ranges approaching those numbers.
I believe this crossbow is a legitimate 100 yard tool in the hands of a responsible, practiced, serious hunter. Accurate range finding and wind doping will be crucial to success. And the discipline to turn down a shot under unfavorable wind conditions will be essential. But that is no different than the rules we long range rifle hunters live with each hunting season.
I shot the PSE TAC 15i crossbow purposely in crosswinds up to 10 mph. I wanted to establish an estimate of the amount of wind drift that would have to be adjusted for at yardages out to 100 yards and a little bit further. My preliminary conclusion is that a shot at 100 yards in a 10 mph crosswind would need 22 inches or so of correction. Here is an interesting reference point. A flat shooting rifle cartridge at 700 yards drifts about that same amount and we long range rifle hunters are successful at ranges far beyond that. Shooting into the wind, I estimate that a 10 mph wind causes 3 inches of additional drop.
Well, I had problems again trying to get a shot to register properly on the chrono. After 5 shots all I could get was "6166 FPS" and I don't think that was a correct reading so I gave up for the day. But, think about it. I placed 5 shots at 100 yards with an arrow through the small sweet spot of a chrono with only about 5 inches of horizontal space between the 2 sides. My 5-shot group size was less than 3 inches including its vertical component.
PSE feels its TAC Series of crossbows is more accurate than others because of
- Rail-less design allows for clean and clear travel of the string
- The only crossbow that uses a nocking loop that ensures consistent arrow placement on the string
- Mil-spec trigger with the option to upgrade to a custom trigger.
- Integrated cocking mechanism with precision release aid
- Custom TAC Arrows
- Picatinny rails that will accept a bi-pod for stable shooting
- Adjustable stock for a good fit
Rail-less design using nocking loop for cocking provides accuracy advantage
In this review article my emphasis is on long range accuracy and consistency. East of the Mississippi River we archers would like to be able to harvest animals at longer distances. But it is in our West that many of us long range rifle hunters see the most potential for the PSE Tac 15 crossbow. On the plains and in the mountains compound bow hunters have been shooting deer, antelope and elk at longer ranges than eastern hunters for years. They practice a lot out to 70, 80 yards or more and are prepared to take standing, undisturbed elk or deer at ranges approaching those numbers.
I believe this crossbow is a legitimate 100 yard tool in the hands of a responsible, practiced, serious hunter. Accurate range finding and wind doping will be crucial to success. And the discipline to turn down a shot under unfavorable wind conditions will be essential. But that is no different than the rules we long range rifle hunters live with each hunting season.
I shot the PSE TAC 15i crossbow purposely in crosswinds up to 10 mph. I wanted to establish an estimate of the amount of wind drift that would have to be adjusted for at yardages out to 100 yards and a little bit further. My preliminary conclusion is that a shot at 100 yards in a 10 mph crosswind would need 22 inches or so of correction. Here is an interesting reference point. A flat shooting rifle cartridge at 700 yards drifts about that same amount and we long range rifle hunters are successful at ranges far beyond that. Shooting into the wind, I estimate that a 10 mph wind causes 3 inches of additional drop.
PSE TAC 15/15i, 10/10i Crossbow Review
Page 3 of 3
The scope that PSE offers, and that I used during the crossbow article review field work, is ideally suited to the long range capability of the TAC 15 crossbow. It is an Accushot scope with 6 mildots above and 6 below. My calculations indicate the drop needed to get from a 30 yard target out to a 120 yard target is about 124 MOA. If the scope is set on 3 power, when zeroing with the top mildot at 30 yards, the bottom mildot will be on at somewhere around a 120 yard target. I have so far found no other mildot scope with that much drop.
Here is the drop data. Note that I have not yet shot out past 100 yards to confirm those drops.
I don't feel that dialing a turret for different yardages will work as there would be too many revolutions involved even if a scope had enough capacity to do that.
The PSE TAC 15 Series provides the ability to replace the factory trigger with a custom trigger. My tiny groups on the first days were shot with the factory trigger with its fairly stiff pull weight of 7 pounds. But since I am used to a low pull weight trigger on all my rifles, I installed a 3 pound Timney trigger on my crossbow and now its pull will be consistent with that of my rifles.
In writing this review article I knew that a 406 foot per second crossbow needs a good target to prevent pass through and still provide for easy removal from the target without damaging the pricey arrows. I started out purchasing an otherwise good bag target that, in fairness, wasn't really designed for this velocity. Quickly I switched to the Morrell Bone Collector line of targets and have been completely satisfied. My first was the Morrell Bone Collector Outdoor Range target because of its large size. I thought I may need its larger target size for shooting in the wind. Wrong, not necessary!
Wind deflection study @ 100 yards -- Morrell Bone Collector 400 FPS target
The one I am now using is the Morrell Bone Collector 400 FPS target. More compact, the Morrell Bone Collector 400 FPS target is cubical in shape with many target face choices. Both of the Morrell Bone Collector targets easily stopped hyper-fast arrows and I was able to pull them out safely using just 3 fingers.
When practicing on the Morrell Bone Collector 400 FPS target with this laser ray of a crossbow I learned the hard way that at less than 70 yards I need to shoot multiple arrows at individual dots unless I want to keep the PSE arrow makers on overtime making me replacements.
Individual dots for practice @ 70 yards - Morrell Bone Collector Target.
Get the best broadhead target you can find. It is cheap insurance that you not damage arrows that go too deep and wreck vanes. My current one is the Block Crossbow Target. I am very happy with it.
For a quiver I went with a hip style and chose the Tarantula MAQ model. With it I can sit or even crawl without the quiver getting tangled up. I found this feature to be critical out west last month. It will also hang easily in a tree stand back home.
Get the best broadhead target you can find. It is cheap insurance that you not damage arrows that go too deep and wreck vanes. My current one is the Block Black Crossbow CB-16. I am very happy with it.
Phat Head broadheads impacted only 2 inches lower at 100 yards than the 85 grain field tips.
I am done searching for a good broadhead. I'll be shooting the Phat Head at deer in Wyoming out to about 100 yards this fall.
Click to expand...
PSE offers the TAC series crossbow in the TAC 15/10 version that fits onto your own AR15 lower. It takes "30 seconds from bang to twang" when converting your AR15 rifle to a TAC 15/10 crossbow.
Also offered is the TAC 15i/10i version which comes with an integral or integrated PSE provided lower. I chose the latter version in the full size and velocity TAC 15i designation. The TAC 10/10i has 50 FPS less velocity and is a little bit shorter.
Only a few minor negatives come to mind. The TAC 15i is a little front heavy but this is not a significant factor. The crank has a ratcheting sound but it is very easy to totally silence by simply depressing a lever when in a hunting situation. I have had some issues with the fletching. There has been a tendency for the leading edge of some vanes to come lose in flight. I have returned some to PSE so their tech staff can evaluate the cause. A more substantial hand hold under the lower rail would be nice. But all in all, a remarkably well designed and built tool.
_______________________________________
About The Author:
Len Backus is the owner of www.LongRangeHunting.com. He has been a long range hunter since the 90's and is as likely to bag his game with a camera as with a rifle or a specialty handgun. His outdoor photography can be seen at LenBackus.com
The scope that PSE offers, and that I used during the crossbow article review field work, is ideally suited to the long range capability of the TAC 15 crossbow. It is an Accushot scope with 6 mildots above and 6 below. My calculations indicate the drop needed to get from a 30 yard target out to a 120 yard target is about 124 MOA. If the scope is set on 3 power, when zeroing with the top mildot at 30 yards, the bottom mildot will be on at somewhere around a 120 yard target. I have so far found no other mildot scope with that much drop.
Here is the drop data. Note that I have not yet shot out past 100 yards to confirm those drops.
I don't feel that dialing a turret for different yardages will work as there would be too many revolutions involved even if a scope had enough capacity to do that.
The PSE TAC 15 Series provides the ability to replace the factory trigger with a custom trigger. My tiny groups on the first days were shot with the factory trigger with its fairly stiff pull weight of 7 pounds. But since I am used to a low pull weight trigger on all my rifles, I installed a 3 pound Timney trigger on my crossbow and now its pull will be consistent with that of my rifles.
In writing this review article I knew that a 406 foot per second crossbow needs a good target to prevent pass through and still provide for easy removal from the target without damaging the pricey arrows. I started out purchasing an otherwise good bag target that, in fairness, wasn't really designed for this velocity. Quickly I switched to the Morrell Bone Collector line of targets and have been completely satisfied. My first was the Morrell Bone Collector Outdoor Range target because of its large size. I thought I may need its larger target size for shooting in the wind. Wrong, not necessary!
Wind deflection study @ 100 yards -- Morrell Bone Collector 400 FPS target
The one I am now using is the Morrell Bone Collector 400 FPS target. More compact, the Morrell Bone Collector 400 FPS target is cubical in shape with many target face choices. Both of the Morrell Bone Collector targets easily stopped hyper-fast arrows and I was able to pull them out safely using just 3 fingers.
When practicing on the Morrell Bone Collector 400 FPS target with this laser ray of a crossbow I learned the hard way that at less than 70 yards I need to shoot multiple arrows at individual dots unless I want to keep the PSE arrow makers on overtime making me replacements.
Individual dots for practice @ 70 yards - Morrell Bone Collector Target.
Get the best broadhead target you can find. It is cheap insurance that you not damage arrows that go too deep and wreck vanes. My current one is the Block Crossbow Target. I am very happy with it.
For a quiver I went with a hip style and chose the Tarantula MAQ model. With it I can sit or even crawl without the quiver getting tangled up. I found this feature to be critical out west last month. It will also hang easily in a tree stand back home.
Get the best broadhead target you can find. It is cheap insurance that you not damage arrows that go too deep and wreck vanes. My current one is the Block Black Crossbow CB-16. I am very happy with it.
Phat Head broadheads impacted only 2 inches lower at 100 yards than the 85 grain field tips.
I am done searching for a good broadhead. I'll be shooting the Phat Head at deer in Wyoming out to about 100 yards this fall.
Click to expand...
PSE offers the TAC series crossbow in the TAC 15/10 version that fits onto your own AR15 lower. It takes "30 seconds from bang to twang" when converting your AR15 rifle to a TAC 15/10 crossbow.
Also offered is the TAC 15i/10i version which comes with an integral or integrated PSE provided lower. I chose the latter version in the full size and velocity TAC 15i designation. The TAC 10/10i has 50 FPS less velocity and is a little bit shorter.
Only a few minor negatives come to mind. The TAC 15i is a little front heavy but this is not a significant factor. The crank has a ratcheting sound but it is very easy to totally silence by simply depressing a lever when in a hunting situation. I have had some issues with the fletching. There has been a tendency for the leading edge of some vanes to come lose in flight. I have returned some to PSE so their tech staff can evaluate the cause. A more substantial hand hold under the lower rail would be nice. But all in all, a remarkably well designed and built tool.
_______________________________________
About The Author:
Len Backus is the owner of www.LongRangeHunting.com. He has been a long range hunter since the 90's and is as likely to bag his game with a camera as with a rifle or a specialty handgun. His outdoor photography can be seen at LenBackus.com
