What did I do?

[fairchaser]

I was shooting my Excalibur crossbow yesterday and I had a semi-dry fire situation and I am not sure what happened. I cocked the bow and placed the bolt on the rail, slid it back to the string and when I shot it sounded like a dry fire and the bolt went about 20 feet. Still don't know what happened but I inspected everything and then shot it several more times without incident. Anyone have any clues what I did?

 

[Rubberduck270]

May not have been seated on the string good and the string went under the arrow and caught on the fletching. Since it's not a compound crossbow you didn't hurt anything though. No worries.

 

[fairchaser]

May not have been seated on the string good and the string went under the arrow and caught on the fletching. Since it's not a compound crossbow you didn't hurt anything though. No worries.

I think that is what happened too. If I didn't get a fletching down in that grove, it may not have seated. I hate to think what would have happend with a compound crossbow. Thanks

 

[REM7]

May not have been seated on the string good and the string went under the arrow and caught on the fletching. Since it's not a compound crossbow you didn't hurt anything though. No worries.

agreed

 

[Mag]

I had same thing happen last year while taking a shot at a deer 15 yds away from a ground blind. The bolt just sailed underneath the deer and I was in shock as I was already getting ready for the drag! didn't hurt the crossbow though.

 

[Legnip]

I would agree with seating the bolt without knowing more. Are you using a flat nock? What size bolt are you using?

 

[morgancountry]

Make sure you have flat nocks and not moon ones.