by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
Sen_X AR-6 Tactical Arrow Repeating Crossbow.
This report covers:
- Repeater
- “Sights”
- Built-in laser
- Accurate
- Robin Hoods!
- Discussion
- Summary
Today we get to see the AR-6 crossbow in action. I have to say — for a non-airgun this little crossbow is one of the most intriguing shooting platforms to come along in the past 20 years!
Repeater
Besides being essentially a pistol the AR-6 is a repeating crossbow — an oddity in itself. The box that sits on top of the bow holds the arrows and the rest of the mechanism that allows it to be a repeater. And, in about 100 shots thus far, there have been no problems with the bow’s reliability.
I did have one problem with the repeating magazine though, and it was my fault. In the beginning when I was first getting used to the bow I didn’t watch the spring that pushes down on the arrows and I bent it while closing the magazine cover. So I had to re-bend it to press on the arrows. Now the cover pops open when I shoot with 6 arrows loaded. It doesn’t happen with just 5 arrows loaded, so that’s all I load. I will say that I loaded six arrows in the video that’s coming, but there were really only 5. So, if you get one of these, watch that magazine spring so you don’t bend it like I did!
“Sights”
The crossbow really only has a front sight. I use the top of the silver spring latch on the magazine cover for the rear sight. It may sound crude, but it does work.
The “sights” are nothing to speak of, yet I find I can align them with precision to accomplish my objective.
Built-in laser
The AR-6 does come with a built-in red laser, but in bright sunlight it is invisible. There is also a short Picatinney rail on the front of the bow just forward of the front sight. It would hold a dot sight very well. Now — where can I find a good adjustable dot sight?
Accurate
This little crossbow is accurate! This time out I shot at the target bag from 10 meters from the start. In the video I say it’s 25 feet but I went out and measured it with a laser rangefinder and its over 10 meters. You’ll see where I shot in the video. And I began to get groups of reasonable proportions. This shooting is all offhand, so shaky old BB is the biggest variable.
From 10 meters here are 4 arrows in a group that’s just a little larger than my hand.
This is my first bullseye. Yes, there is a fourth arrow about 4 inches away that I cropped out.
Robin Hoods!
Until this day I had been outshooting my neighbor, Denny. Then something happened in the middle of our session. Denny got real serious. His facial expression changed to one of concentration that told me my glory days were about to end.
Sometimes success isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s fine to theorize about Robin Hood shots where one arrow hits another at the target. But it quite another thing when it happens. This AR-6 is so darned accurate that it’s come very close for me a number of times. When Denny got serious, he started doing it, too. Let me show you.
When Denny got serious about his shooting, my arrows were put in jeopardy! Maybe even double jeopardy!
Okay, enough talk. Let’s see how this crossbow shoots!
Discussion
This was only the third time I was out with the crossbow, not counting last year at the Pyramyd AIR Cup. As you can see, I’m just getting used to the AR-6, and already I have to think about shooting at different targets. Otherwise I risk damaging arrows.
Summary
Oh, there are lots more reports to come. I just enjoy shooting this quiet little bow, so I’m going to search for reasons to use it. This is like throwing darts, except the distance is greater. If a guy owned a sports bar, this would be a real crowd-pleaser!
B.B.,
Your SEN-X AR-6 may be “quite (a) little bow” but it is also quiet? Clue for potential fix in Summary.
Is the magazine spring replaceable? How about other parts? What kind of game, in your opinion, would this be able to take ethically?
shootski
shootski,
Oh, ha ha! 🙂
That’s one on me! Well I’m starting the year of vision off right.
B.B.
B.B,
“Its the VISION thing!” Bush, the elder.
Gets folks all the time….
The hand crossbow does look like a fun step up in POWER from a Nerf version, Lol!
shootski
Shootski,
An arrow bag.
RidgeRunner,
You make me go all A-Quiver!
Shootski
Oooh, bad pun.
yes what good is it if you cant kill every animal that wanders or lands on your property
Mildot52,
Most of the beasts and fowl find welcomed respite on the lands that we husband. Only those that are out of balance to excess and therefor despoil the property or the land are harvested for food or properly and respectfully disposed of when no other choice remains.
Waste not, want not.
shootski
well that is good to hear. not against hunting at all I stopped years ago just never liked guys that kill any animals comes on their land out of season to boot
BB,
I like it. I had not researched it at all other than your reports here. I love the way it cocks and thus answers my question about what the curved “thingy” hanging out the back does.
Fine job on the video as well. I can not pin point why, but it seems like one of your better ones.
Good Day to you and to all,……… Chris
Chris,
Thanks. I am getting better with the videos. I have gone from marginal to barely acceptable I hope to make it to mediocre soon. 😉
B.B.
BB,
Compared to myself, you have surpassed mediocrity.
B.B.,
Mediocre is the new AVERAGE! Feel good about your accomplishments! You know…you don’t need to strive so hard, ;^)
shootski
shootski,
Does that mean I qualify for a Certificate of Attendance? 🙂
B.B.
B.B,
Of course!
shootski
Chris USA,
“I like it. I had not researched it at all other than…”
That means it is a buy!!! BUY!!! Chris. as soon as they drop the price below MSRP.
shootski
Shootski,
One enabler on this blog is enough! (aka: BB) Though I will admit,… I have done my share of and maybe? pushed others towards a certain direction. It is nice that we can all share what works for each of us and then draw from that for our own direction.
Chris
Chris USA,
My sarcastic humor fails me again!
I only hope to share, to inform, perchance to teach; and then only some small amount….
shootski
Shootski,
Nawwww!,…. I rather like your sense of humor,… even if I do miss it from time to time. I tend to take people literally,.. perhaps too much so. I was raised to give people the benefit of the doubt until given reason to believe otherwise. The longer I live,… the more I wonder. My humor leans to the “dry” side,… but hey,… I am working on it! 😉
Oh,… I was also raised to hang out with “right” crowd. (like here?) That however I failed to heed for the most part. Not bad mind you, but I could have certainly applied myself better in my youth. Live and learn.
Like someone said earlier,… I am very thankful to even still be here. 😉
You are a pretty good “fit” here. 🙂
Chris
Off topic:
HAM has a couple of new articles. One is for the new FX Impact Power Plenum that Hank has mentioned. The other is for the Labradar unit that Shootski has mentioned.
https://hardairmagazine.com/news/the-fx-impact-mkii-is-now-upgraded-with-power-plenum/
https://hardairmagazine.com/reviews/labradar-tips-and-tricks-for-airgun-use/
I thought that since both have been discussed here on the blog,.. some might find them of interest. It also dovetails into BB’s previous article of “What does the New Year hold?” There is a lot to keep up on and stay pace with these days. (under statement,.. to be sure!)
I will say, that Labradar is a pretty good (big) sized unit. Quite the unit, but not sure it would be for everyone.
The FX article is quite impressive. One of the things that stands out is the company’s commitment to launching a well tested/developed product,… their commitment to customer service,… and their ability to make the new parts available to previous model owners. Now that is a “Win, Win, Win” combo to be sure!
Enjoy,…… Chris
BB,
You are going to put that into the hands of a bunch of drunks? Really? Why do you think they went to plastic tipped darts and then got rid of the boards altogether?
RR,
That’s in the United States. In the civilized world people still throw pointed darts. The Zimmerstutzen was a parlor rifle for exactly this kind of sport.
B.B.
BB,
My 1906 BSA was used in pub competitions back in the day. There were some good old days.
LOL good post BB. when I was a kid in Bklyn NY we would go to coney island boardwalk to shoot 22 pump gallery guns
RR,
I believe it was Michael Simons “Burgers and Brews” series or maybe Guy’s “Diner’s, Drive Ins and Dives”,… but there is a pub that has ax throwing. Small ones and the long handled, double bladed ones. I thought it was a good idea that BB had.
Then again,… what do I know? 😉 Perhaps the “civilized world”,… or people for that matter,… just are not what they once were? People smoking/using recreational weed adds another whole dimension of,… “Is someone impaired and what on?” Tougher to discern that.
But yea,… the ax throwing pub does in fact exist!
Chris
Chris,
I saw that. I guess as long as they have adult supervision…
RR,
Being a pub,… I would assume 21 years of age might be the norm? Maybe 18? So,… the “adults” need “adult” supervision? Mmmmm? How about (sober) adults supervising,.. that also happen to possess some semblance/lick of common sense? 😉
I do not do bars,.. (well,… back in the day) but that would be a fun place for responsible enthusiasts like ourselves. Ax, arrow pistol and lower powered air rifles.
Chris
Chris,
There is a reason all that disappeared.
Exactly what I was thinking RR. What could possibly go wrong, lol.
You’ll put your eye out kid.
B.B.
Is it backyard friendly? Whenever I shoot arrows, my misses “catch an edge” and are catapulted skyward.
-Y
PS at my range there is an axe throwing area.
Back on subject here. Sort of.
Imagine if this repeating crossbow had the air cock system like the other crossbow BB has been reviewing.
Now that would be a cool crossbow.
Maybe there will be something like that at Shot Show this year. 😉
GF1,
How about a fully autonomous crossbow?
I saw that movie…
-Y
Yogi
What movie was that?
B.B.,
I can’t remember if I told you about this book before. I’ll keep it short. The book is “Airguns”, by Eldon G. Wolff. This web page allows you to look at the book on line or download it. The downloads are not all available even though they are listed. The PDF is available.
The print in the PDF isn’t great but it is readable. The text and photographs are cleaner in the on line version. This is a book of history, the kind you and Robert Beeman can appreciate.
The author devotes only a couple of pages to “modern” airguns. The link will take you straight to those two pages in the on line version. The PDF can be downloaded by a link below.
Interestingly, if you place you mouse pointer on the on line book image, you can scroll down to increase the image size; this is just opposite is you place the pointer on the text below.
https://archive.org/details/Airguns/page/n141
~ken
Ken,
Thanks. I have the book.
B.B.
B.B.,
I have seen people do accuracy reports on bows use the 1 shot per bull method (similar to some of the airgun targets.) There should be a way to overlay the results and give an accuracy number after. This would avoid damaging arrows. Not to mention the inaccuracies of one arrow hitting another and being forced off its intended trajectory.
Might also give one the opportunity on seeing if the arrows are repairable with new flights and possibly new nocks. If these are available for said arrows.
Silver Eagle
Silver Eagle,
Part of your dream software already exists:
https://www.6mmbr.com/ontargetsoftware.html
I have not had time to see if someone has the full capabilities you are looking for. I do this manually by doing the math.
Thanks for the opportunity to do my good deed today after all my sarcasm above!
shootski
Shootski,
With today’s software and video / picture taking. I am sure it is out there. Would not doubt at all that the manufacturers of all things shooting related have it.
Whether or not it is available (and hopefully free.) is another story though.
Silver Eagle
Silver Eagle,
Well it didn’t take much searching!
https://ontargetshooting.com/
No surprise they are still in the TARGET businesses considering the quality free product they fielded over a decade ago!
I’m going to study up on it and see if it makes any sense to pay for the increased capabilities to include the Virtual target capability that on first browse appears to be exactly what you asked for!
shootski
Just received a notification email from “Under Pressure” showing the new Hatsan TactAir Spark compressor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuhB97oigl4&feature=em-uploademail
B.B.,
If you haven’t seen this companies products you owe it to yourself to look:
https://ontargetshooting.com/
It could make your workload easier and up the information you provided your readership!
shootski
B.B., and Readership,
Here is a review of the Ontarget system by a shooting dentist! Makes an interesting read with fairly good information:
http://thedentalwarrior.com/2019/05/05/ontarget-shot-group-analysis-software-a-shooters-review/
It would certainly help with not doing RobinHoods with the SEN-X-AR-6 and other Bolt and Arrow shooters! Could also be part of: “What does the new Year Hold.
shootski