Non-Bitter Shooter Looking For Crossbow Bolts That Can Penetrate Balloons

[Lorimor]

Hi,  I'm Tim.  I'm not bitter but I am looking for bolts for a pistol crossbow that can actually penetrate ordinary latex balloons.  (At least, we were told that they were ordinary balloons.) 

I would like to practice shooting balloons with a pistol crossbow in a non-bitter manner to alleviate any bitter feelings that I'm not feeling that may have a resulted from a recent match that involved shooting a balloon with a pistol crossbow.   So to do that, I need some GOOD bolts that actually work. 

They DO make them, right? 

Signed,

Tim
A Very Non-Bitter Shooter who wants to get better at busting balloons with a pistol crossbow. 
 



 

[shooter]

 I think Harbor Freight sells them,

[JTH]

Hi,  I'm Tim.  I'm not bitter but I am looking for bolts for a pistol crossbow that can actually penetrate ordinary latex balloons.  (At least, we were told that they were ordinary balloons.) 

I would like to practice shooting balloons with a pistol crossbow in a non-bitter manner to alleviate any bitter feelings that I'm not feeling that may have a resulted from a recent match that involved shooting a balloon with a pistol crossbow.   So to do that, I need some GOOD bolts that actually work. 

They DO make them, right? 

Signed,

Tim
A Very Non-Bitter Shooter who wants to get better at busting balloons with a pistol crossbow. 
 

Now, now, Tim.  Those bolts worked perfectly well at bursting balloons....








.....for everyone else.


(Yeah, me neither.  And in my video, you can see the bolt hitting the balloon sideways and bouncing off.  And it was MY pistol crossbow!)

[greg58]

Now, now, Tim.  Those bolts worked perfectly well at bursting balloons....








.....for everyone else.


(Yeah, me neither.  And in my video, you can see the bolt hitting the balloon sideways and bouncing off.  And it was MY pistol crossbow!)

Thats how Tim's hit the balloon also, totally sideways.
Greg58

[Lorimor]

Now, now, Tim.  Those bolts worked perfectly well at bursting balloons....








.....for everyone else.


(Yeah, me neither.  And in my video, you can see the bolt hitting the balloon sideways and bouncing off.  And it was MY pistol crossbow!)

Mine did EXACTLY the same thing. 

But I'm not bitter. 

[Mali]

I asked the RO on that stage about how people were doing with that part and he said that about 70% were popping the balloon.  Seems to me that JTH did a great job with that stage.  Honestly from an observer standpoint everyone seemed to love all the stages

For those who did not get to see the balloon headed zombie...

[abbafandr]

The balloon was no problem for me.   Unfortunately, I had to shoot the rest of the stage and it was ugly
Once the buzzer sounded, and the balloon popped, my poor stage planning skills were brought to the brutal disinfectant of sunlight.

[Lorimor]

I asked the RO on that stage about how people were doing with that part and he said that about 70% were popping the balloon.  Seems to me that JTH did a great job with that stage.  Honestly from an observer standpoint everyone seemed to love all the stages

For those who did not get to see the balloon headed zombie...

I thought JTH did a great job, as did all the staff.  The stages were all fun to shoot and I think everyone on our squad had a good time.  I know I did.  However, we only had two folks on Squad One bust the balloon.   I felt like I was in carnival midway "game of chance."    And beyond that, we had to move, press the trigger properly AND look at the sights, with every shot... on all stages!!!  I'm sure no other squad had to do that!!!!

The fix was in. 

(And if anyone hasn't caught on by now, my entire post was entirely tongue-in-cheek.  It was a great day and event all the way around, even with the numerous stage planning/execution boo-boo's I committed.    ) 

[JTH]

Glad folks had a good time. 

Here's a video of a couple of people doing some stage runs...

Sean needs to register that rifle as an NFA item.  At least while HE is shooting it!  Ridiculous split times...

[Mali]

Was this the test runs for the ROs on Saturday?

[Lorimor]

Glad folks had a good time. 

Sean needs to register that rifle as an NFA item.  At least while HE is shooting it!  Ridiculous split times...

OMG!  The Zeeb Syndrome is spreading!!  I'm going to have to re-think my tactics.  Seems like I'm always matched up in FOF training events against guys with Class III trigger fingers.  I'd better invest in better Airsoft armor. 

[JTH]

Was this the test runs for the ROs on Saturday?

This was on Saturday when staff shot, but they weren't test runs---staff counted for score like everyone else.  (Matter of fact, Sean won Rimfire Rifle, and Alex won Centerfire Pistol Irons for the match.)

Man, I wish my runs had been test runs.  I've love to shoot that match again, and not make the mistakes (or have the red dot turn off on one memorable stage!) that I made the first time.

Needed doubled hits on steel on stage 1 to make two plates fall, had a FTN on stage 4 due to the dot suddenly being GONE halfway through the stage (and boy did aiming through a tube suddenly add time!), didn't burst the balloon on stage 5, and had another FTN on stage 7 that added 5 seconds to a 9 second stage time.

[sigh]

[Mali]

So basically even the Big Dogs have an off day?   

[Lorimor]

I propose that "FTN" be renamed to "Biden."  Fire two blasts into the berm, target is not hit, no harm, no foul.  Everybody's happy.   The shooter would be upholding the finest of PC traditions. 

Shooter A:  How'd you do on Stage 5?
Shooter B:  Five Bidens in a row! 

[JTH]

I propose that "FTN" be renamed to "Biden."  Fire two blasts into the berm, target is not hit, no harm, no foul.  Everybody's happy.   The shooter would be upholding the finest of PC traditions. 

Shooter A:  How'd you do on Stage 5?
Shooter B:  Five Bidens in a row! 

This is kinda the opposite of the Ardena Rule, which is:

If you tag a no-shoot, it doesn't count as long as you hit EVERY no-shoot on the stage, because there are no witnesses.



.....Ardena is a little psychopathic sometimes. 

[JTH]

So basically even the Big Dogs have an off day?   

I don't know about the Big Dogs, but I've had off MONTHS before...