I keep reading bits and pieces regarding the PSE TAC 15 crossbow and speeds of 415 fps along with “accuracy” out to 100 yards. This, quite frankly, makes me shake my head in wonderment; however, it also brings to mind a few questions. 1: What sized groups will this rig produce at 100 yards on a calm day? 2: What retained energy/velocity does one of their specialized bolts retain at this distance? 3 What type of broadhead is a fellow going to use at these velocities? You just know someone is going to try to poke a deer at 125 yards.
I heard from a dealer that the itac15 is terribly inconsistent in the accuracy department. Don't fall for the marketing hype. If you want a curate buy the PSE EVO bow and shoot away. Awesome product they have in the EVO.
Im sure that it can produce Pretty decent groups at 100 yards, but so can most other bows on the market in the right hands. But it still doesn't make up for the Time its going to take for the arrow to reach its target.
4 to 5" groups @ 100 yds. not too bad accuracy I would say. Go to patsarchery.com there is a video clip of owner shooting @ 100 yds. The are quite a handful to shoot and a little loud but that much velocity don't cost nothin. I have a friend that has one and just put a Chip McCormick trigger in it. His groups are usually pretty good. With that much velocity and those high dollar arrows if they shoot much better than that you better get a different target for each shot. Don't know if he's started shootin or not this year. We're burnin up here in Okieland. Shooting anything is not much fun right now.
This brings to mind: I already own a .45 caliber, Thompson Center Hawken percussion rifle that shoots my hand cast, 245 grain, Thompson Maxi-Ball into 3 inch groups all day long at 100 yards (with open sights). All I have to do is make sure the touch (flash) hole is clean and it works every time. Of course, I employ the T/C Hot Shot nipple. Remington #11 percussion cap 45 caliber TC Maxi-ball Blue and Grey Lubricant in grooves of projectile 75 grains (by volume) fffg Goex black powder Caution: do not use fffg powder in rifles over 45 caliber Do I really want to cock that blasted crossbow or push a bright shiny bullet down the tube? I know, I know blastphemy.
RE my uncle shoots that pse tac 15 and it is very accurate, about as accurate as a black powder rifle with open sights at 100 yards, using the pse scope. IT WILL KILL A DEER AT THAT DISTANCE WITH ANY BROADHEAD, but the problem is getting the deer to stay still that long; 1) before the shot, 2) during the shot, possibly having heard the string noise. If that deer moves one step, you are in trouble. Also remember you have to know the distance in the field, which is easier said than done because deer never seem to stay still next to a range marker for too long. Hope i'm not discouraging you, but 100 yards is a tough shot man.
My concerns about broadheads were planing issues with fixed blade designs at those launch velocities (advertised 400 fps). Then, if one used a mechanical type head would there be enough remaining energy to reliably deploy the blades at 100 yards? Regardless, that distance is akin to shooting 2000 yards with a well developed 7mm Remington Magnum. Yeah, you could probably tag ‘em if they stood still, there was no cross wind and everything was perfect (including the operator). I still maintain the ethics of taking that shot would be thin…so thin as to be gossamer. No doubt, practice at that range would be fun. In the past I have done the same using vertical bows. “Gee, look at the pretty arc!”
another thing to remember...the pse itac is one of the few bows that really have to be "tuned" due to the whisker biscuit on the front....i'm sure its easier to centertune than a bow, but most crossbows are naturally tuned with a straight "barrel"
I was recently involved in a discussion revolving around squeezing the maximum accuracy out of the PSE TAC bow on Les Backus’ Long Range Hunting On-Line Magazine, TAC forum. http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f108/tac-15-15i-basic-unpublished-information-68785/ There is actually a wealth of information about these bows to be mined from this web site (as well as firearm data). Strangely, other archery based web-sites seem to shy away from extensive cross bow conversations and horizontal archery is the most rapidly growing segment of the archery/hunting universe. I found it interesting to see this discussion on a primarily rifle focused site. OK, I admit it…quietly; very quietly…I like eargisplittenloudenboomen too…even though I am an archer.
I shot one of these devices last summer. Shooting in a gusty wind @ 84 yards, the performance was fairly impressive. The wind at that range certainly made a difference. At 100 yards it would be even more noticable. The trigger was also pretty bad (far too heavy). The one I shot had a mil-dot type scope which is nice because there is considerable arrow drop at the extended ranges. It's loud and heavy... but nifty in it's own right. (I'm also pretty sure it's not legal to hunt with in IL) So, it definitely can be shot 'accurately' at 100 yards. Just as a .22 rimfire can be. However, trying to kill a deer with this crossbow at that range would be a bad idea in my book. (tho' surely some will try it)
Once again, I defer to Les Backus’ website: Target triggers that fit the AR platform will work in the TAC. The Timney trigger seems most popular in that forum. http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f108/pse-tac-15-15i-installing-timney-trigger-system-66938/ Any projectile traveling with that time of flight to target will be dramatically effected by any variation in wind. Even heavy high power rifle bullets are effected by slight cross winds as time of flight increases. You are right in your supposition that someone will attempt a long range shot at game under less than perfect circumstances. I contend that even under “perfect” conditions, big game shooting with any state-of-art archery equipment at these ranges is wrong. Discussions on ethics are too far and few in between when the testosterone is flowing freely. Have you ever noticed how the more testosterone is involved in any situation the less intelligence and common sense seems to be present?
