FireNock on TAC15 arrow

[altonsvnnh]

Leave it to the new guy. I posted this earlier on the new guy intro forum by mistake and then found the TAC15 forum. I am in the process of reading everything on the site and am hoping that I haven't made an expensive mistake buying the TAC15 Elite.

I just purchased my new PSE TAC15 Elite and arrows. I decided to install Firenock illuminated nocks on some of them so that I wouldn't lose any of these pricey arrows while hunting. I contacted PSE for advice on using the Firenocks or other brands and was told by PSE tech support that PSE didn't recommend using them as they could possibly damage the crossbow and would void the warranty of the bow. WOW!!! I am just getting into this crossbow business and decided to go whole hog and buy the best money could buy. What experience does anyone out there have with the Firenock? Any help appreciated. I just ordered 6 of these Firenocks from LRH.

Thanks,

Alton
Savannah, GA

 

[netman]

Thats odd. The PSE rep that lives near me is building me six arrows right now with firenocks. I wish he would hurry up.

 

[altonsvnnh]

Thanks for the rapid reply. Everything that I have read so far tells me that the extreme speed of the bow will splinter the arrow shaft if the nock is not fitted tightly on the shaft. One site suggested using a "Bulldog collar" to prevent damage to the shaft. I wish that more info was out there concerning this issue.

Alton

 

[netman]

My buddy just bought six fire nocks and installed them himself on PSE bolts. He has shot them many times with no issues. He gets off work kinda late and shoots his Tac right at/before dark.
Our PSE rep got our firenocks straight from Firenock for out PSE bolts. I want three bolts with firenocks for evening stand hunting. They should be done in the next day or so.
We have been waiting for a new quiver mount PSE has for our quivers. If these bolts don't get done I will be out of tags fairly quick

 

[altonsvnnh]

Thanks, information like this helps. I don't understand why PSE doesn't officially support the the FireNock product.

 

[vinceau]

Here is today's experience. I too am new the forum and just got my tac ordinance week before last. After four shots the whisker bisket was deforming the fletchings so I stopped and ordered the QAD rest form the fellow in MI and waited for it to come. In the mean time I ordered the bulldog collars and from this site the firenocks. Got them and installed as per the instructions even waiting for the glue to dry a day before inserting the batteries. The QAD came and it was very straight forward on installation and got that done. I set the timing cord as per the instructions and when I pluck it the rest falls away. I paper tuned and off I go to shoot in. Well Im still getting something hitting the fletchings and can't figure out what or why. Oh I might mention that I also bought six Phathead 100 grain broad heads just as recomended. The PSE arrows with the PSE kocks and field poiints shoot into the same holes. the Firenocked arrows won't shoot a 10" group at 20 yards. Two of the three Phathead had the smaller blades sheer of on the first shot on each. I'm using the Block target for crossbows. Other three Phatheads go back to Bass Pro tomorrow. So I went back to the PSE arrow and PSE knock with field points. Arrows hit same hole at 20 yards. I'm pretty frustrated as I type this as bow season is a week gone now and I took my HSA off my old Horton bow to put on this one. Tomorrow it's off to the Pro shop and see if I can find a broad head that will work and I guess I'll forget the Firenocks. I'm pretty sure I'll never find the arrow without them but one of them didn't work either. It slammed thru the knock bending the battery on first shot. I checked the depth setting and it was ok. Put another in the same arrow and it worked fine. I just can't seem to get a broad head that wants to cooperater. Very frustrated. Anybody got any suggestions?

 

[Chyhunting]

Here is today's experience. I too am new the forum and just got my tac ordinance week before last. After four shots the whisker bisket was deforming the fletchings so I stopped and ordered the QAD rest form the fellow in MI and waited for it to come. In the mean time I ordered the bulldog collars and from this site the firenocks. Got them and installed as per the instructions even waiting for the glue to dry a day before inserting the batteries. The QAD came and it was very straight forward on installation and got that done. I set the timing cord as per the instructions and when I pluck it the rest falls away. I paper tuned and off I go to shoot in. Well Im still getting something hitting the fletchings and can't figure out what or why. Oh I might mention that I also bought six Phathead 100 grain broad heads just as recomended. The PSE arrows with the PSE kocks and field poiints shoot into the same holes. the Firenocked arrows won't shoot a 10" group at 20 yards. Two of the three Phathead had the smaller blades sheer of on the first shot on each. I'm using the Block target for crossbows. Other three Phatheads go back to Bass Pro tomorrow. So I went back to the PSE arrow and PSE knock with field points. Arrows hit same hole at 20 yards. I'm pretty frustrated as I type this as bow season is a week gone now and I took my HSA off my old Horton bow to put on this one. Tomorrow it's off to the Pro shop and see if I can find a broad head that will work and I guess I'll forget the Firenocks. I'm pretty sure I'll never find the arrow without them but one of them didn't work either. It slammed thru the knock bending the battery on first shot. I checked the depth setting and it was ok. Put another in the same arrow and it worked fine. I just can't seem to get a broad head that wants to cooperater. Very frustrated. Anybody got any suggestions?

You are going through "one of those times" , all you can do is keep yer head up , Keep testing until you find the right combo,you WILL find it, as for broadheads Go with Rage and you'll be back in the same hole!

 

[Andy Backus]

vinceau

I just recently discovered that there seems to be a bit less clearance between the arrows' vanes and the criss-crossed cables below on the new Elites and Ordnances. There doesn't seem to be a problem with the PSE arrows, but the Firenock Aerobolts have wider vanes that are at risk of making contact with the cables. I'm guessing that's what was happening to yours.

I'll be talking with one of the main PSE crossbow engineers this week (he was gone on an elk hunt last week). I'll get back to you guys with anything I learn.

Andy

 

[altonsvnnh]

I just received my FireNocks and am ready to give them a trial run. What interests me most about this forum is the information that people like myself have acquired and are willing to share with other members. I am sure that the PSE engineers are following this forum but are reluctant to reply or advise due to product liability issues.

I ask the same question that I asked earlier. Are the Bulldog rings necessary with the new PSE TAC15 arrows when you change to the FireNock lighted nocks?

Why hasn't PSE offered a drop away with this crossbow as an option if the whisker biscuit is causing such a problem as tearing/distorting fletches? The only thing that PSE said to me was not to modify the crossbow in any way or I would possibly cancel the warranty by adding after market. Proceeding with caution.

 

[altonsvnnh]

Any suggestions about safely removing factory nock from PSE TAC15 arrows so that I can install my FireNocks?

 

[Andy Backus]

I have not personally used the Bulldog collars with the Firenocks but others swear by them.

To remove the factory nocks, which are glued in, I put the arrow in a padded vice and grab the nock with a pliers or vice-grips and give it a twist. Usually the glue bond breaks easily and the nock wiggles out. Every once in a while I find one where it doesn't easily break loose. In that case, I skip that arrow so as not to break the nock and have a useless arrow.

 

[Mike K/NJ]

Vinceau, you mentioned that your fetching seemed to be hitting something even after installing the drop away. Is it the bottom right hand side fletch that is getting torn up more than the others?

 

[vinceau]

Ok all morning at the Pro Shop and we still don't have a good paper tune. The bow tech is going to still work on it. We got the horizontal solved but the verticle is still problematic. We did discover the what was hitting the fletchings was the criss cross cable. So the bow tech is going to call PSE to determine how to adjust the limbs to solve the verticle as opposed to lowering the QAD. Once I get an arrow going straight out of the bow then I still have to find a broad head. They had me shooting a QAD Exodus and it was at least hitting in the same spot consistently. I have my scope maxed out both to the left and down. I think I am going to have to turn it over to sight in the bow once we get it paper tuned. All broad heads are hitting almost a foot right of the field points. The tech said that he can probably fix that but I still won't know where the scope is going to be. I'm shooting a Nikon air gun scope to handle the forward force and it is on a HHA. It was a deadly combo on my old Horton. At leas it's just a single cross hair so I can turn it upside down, but whoo'd a thunk it. I'm going to give up on the Firenock thing until I get a stock arrow with a broadhead going downrange.

 

[vinceau]

Vinceau, you mentioned that your fetching seemed to be hitting something even after installing the drop away. Is it the bottom right hand side fletch that is getting torn up more than the others?

Mike the answer to that is yes. I think it is because that is the topside cross in the cable. Only one of the four fletchings is getting didtorted and the black markings is on the white side.