[ELI5] why is dry firing a bow so bad for it? Does the arrow really make that much of a difference in that regard?

Question

[ELI5] why is dry firing a bow so bad for it? Does the arrow really make that much of a difference in that regard?

In: 2366

Answer 1

Because the energy is usually dispersed via the arrow. Without an arrow the bow takes that energy and it damages it over time, for a compound bow it can crack the carbon fiber and ruin the string, the string will come off the pullies or cams, and get all tangled.