big shot trigger

[Webfoot]

I went cheap figuring I can upgrade later of these don't work. The $5 panic snap doesn't have a rated working load but it feels substantial, so unless it's complete crap I don't think it will fail in this application. The $9 Rope Ratchet is less substantial feeling and only rated to 150 pounds but that's probably enough. I'll handle them as if either could break at any moment.

 

[Winchman]

I used panic snaps for a while, but they kept breaking. I got this $18 arrow release from Amazon which works much better. I made the plastic guard to protect the trigger and stop accidental releases. The pulley is part of my 2:1 tensioning system. The release pressure is very light, so my accuracy is better than it was with the panic snap. I've made several hundred shots with zero issues.

Amazon.com

 

[Webfoot]

@Winchman Which part of the panic snap breaks? Is it the hinge pin?

 

[ghostice]

I used panic snaps for a while, but they kept breaking. I got this $18 arrow release from Amazon which works much better. I made the plastic guard to protect the trigger and stop accidental releases. The pulley is part of my 2:1 tensioning system. The release pressure is very light, so my accuracy is better than it was with the panic snap. I've made several hundred shots with zero issues.
View attachment 96150

Amazon.com

View attachment 96151

I like the guard idea vis a vis the comments above about a loaded weapon like thingy when fully pulled back. Stay safe out there.

 

[Winchman]

They broke on either side of the hinge. I made new pieces for the moving side from aluminum stock, and bought new snaps when the fixed sides broke. I didn't have a hinge pin fail.

 

[Bart_]

+1 on the light trigger force. good idea on the trigger guard. breakage is likely not caused by overload but instead repeated shock cycles during firing - arm flails open then bottoms hard on travel stop

 

[Webfoot]

breakage is likely not caused by overload but instead repeated shock cycles during firing - arm flails open then bottoms hard on travel stop

That seemed like a possible problem to me so I am going to wrap some cord between the two rear legs to provide a softer stop for the front articulating jaw.

 

[Winchman]

Yeah, the moving part of the panic snap takes a beating, and it's probably only cast zinc. I'll never go back after using the archery release. If it breaks or starts acting up, I'll get a better one now that I know how nicely they work.

 

[SeanRuel]

This archery release had a bolt connectionto the wrist strap. I tapped out the pins to remove and added this thin cord w a stopper- prussic directly on the pole and clip to a loop of dynaglide

 

[Winchman]

I'm just not strong enough to pull a lot of tension on the bungee without the 2:1 setup. The loop around the pulley has a prussic on both ends. I stand the pole straight up, and use my body weight to push one prussic all the way down. I push the second one part way down depending on the height of the shot. I keep the pole upright until I make the shot.

 

[dmonn]

Here is what I use.

It is pretty simple and cheap.........LIKE ME!

Video links below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7vg5zjA9Jts


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Qcf47ElkhnY

This is nearly identical to what I came up with. I like your calibration marks. I do "guess and adjust" which can be slow.

 

[DLF]

I use the Notch trigger. Spendy at $75, but considering a pizza cost $45 these days...

The trigger is such a luxury. The best thing is you can take your time while aiming. Like a crossbow compared to a regular non-compound bow.

You can adjust the tension by unclamping the trigger and moving it up/down the pole, but I found that to be a bit of a pain so I added a tail and attached a short prusik loop so I can easily adjust the pull length.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Interesting to see if added weight on pouch coming to sudden stops is harder on the bands.

 

[DLF]

Nothing like looking at a photo to realize how ugly something is... I redid it using a Blake's tied onto itself. Only gives me half the range adjust, but so much cleaner.

 

[Bart_]

DLF you could put relative repeatability calibration sharpie marks on the orange pole where the clamp/trigger/bracket gets positioned. I say relative because the temperature aging and initial length of the tubing plus possibly going with other than 12oz bag knocks off an absolute or height calibration. Call it the zebra stick ruler

 

[Winchman]

I'm surprised you're willing to give up so much length for tension adjustment by using the original loop on the basket. I got rid of it when I switched to the snap release...

and shortened the assembly a little more when I switched to the archery release.

Using two hitches on the rope uses less of the pole length. I made the rope just long enough to leave a little slack with both hitches near the pole joiner and the basket connected to the release. That makes carrying the Big Shot around ready-to-use much easier. I can make eighty-foot shots with one hitch at the end cap and the other about eight inches away.

There's probably room for improvement, but my setup is working really well at a low cost.

 

[Bart_]

Y'all know about the trick of tying one loop of tiny bungee cord around the prussic coils on the pole so the prussic doesn't randomly slide around when there's no tension? freebie. also retains your "previous shot" setting in case you forgot to look at the ruler