The idea of applying laser technology to archery aiming has been around for years, but Larry Bay, founder and CEO of Clean-Shot Archery, developed the concept and applied it directly to the tip of the arrow—the point where steel meets flesh and bone.
Bay’s Spot-On Laser Broadhead (1 per pack, $50) put Clean-Shot on the map. It has an internal laser beam that is activated by an included bow-mounted magnet. The laser is adjustable from 20 to 60 yards to compensate for arrow drop and the ferrule is tipped with a hollow point for the laser light. Bay says this ¼-inch hole cuts before the blades arrive and actually promotes penetration. All packages containing laser broadheads give users the option to switch from 125 to 150 grains by changing from the “standard” to the “large” tip. These broadheads are available with either disposable or rechargeable batteries. (pack of two heads with rechargeable batteries, $100; pack of two heads with rechargeable batteries and 12-volt recharging unit, $140).
“The Calibration Point—coming the summer of 2012 ($50)—uses the same ferrule, tips, and blades, if you want to use blades,” says Bay, “as our hunting broadheads such as the Hogzilla Killa and our non-laser broadhead, the Hollow Point. This ensures predictable flight. Whether you’re shooting our calibration point, a laser broadhead or a hollow point broadhead, the flight pattern and groupings will be identical.” The point weight is 100 grains as packaged without blades. By switching to the included large tip, an archer can increase the weight of the point to 125 grains. According to Bay, using a Laser Calibration Point lets an archer set up and tune pin sights quickly.
How about a broadhead named Hogzilla Killa'! Larry Bay says his head is the very first designed specifically to hunt hogs in “low or no” light conditions. “The Class 3R laser in the Hogzilla Killa' automatically activates at full draw via a bow-mounted magnet.”
The set screw-adjustable laser aiming point in each head has left-right adjustment and 24 inches of elevation adjustment at 30 yards. This allows archers to "sight in" each arrow. “Most hog killing is done at less than 30 yards,” Bay says, “so little adjustment should be needed. Just aim and shoot where the laser dot is illuminated.”
Laser Hogzilla Killa' heads (2-pack $99) use the standard aluminum ferrule with ¼-inch hollow tip and center mounted laser. Cutting diameter for the three stainless blades is 1 ¼-inch. Weight is 125 grains with the large tip; 150 grains with the large tip plus the weight slug. The included disposable battery pack allows up to 100 shots: replacement battery packs (4-pack $13) or rechargeable batteries (pack of 1 $13; 12-volt charger $40).
“Once you retrieve your arrow,” Bay says, “simply clean out the Hogzilla Killa's hollow tip and screw it back onto the broadhead. You’re ready to shoot again.”
The Spot-On Hollow Point is Clean-Shot’s non-laser, fixed-blade broadhead. This head’s unique feature is its hollow point tip, a sharp, ¼-inch (.25-caliber) cavity that, on contact drills an instant hole before the three stainless blades make contact. The core drilling effect provides deeper penetration than heads without this feature, says Director of Marketing Sheri Bay, and it works remarkably well on tough hides such as hogs. The total cutting diameter is 1 ¼ inches.
The Hollow Point broadhead (3-pack $40) is a unique “weight adjustable head.” With its standard tip in place on the aluminum ferrule, it is a 100-grain head. With the large tip or a weight slug, it becomes a 125-grain head. Purchase the optional large hunting tip (2-pack $8) and weight increases to 150 grains, the new normative weight for modern high power crossbows (and for heavyweight traditional shooters). The Hollow Point can be upgraded to a Laser Broadhead in the field.
In the Bowfish Assassin, Bay adapted his laser technology to bowfishing. Standard 5/16-inch bowfishing shafts tipped with the Laser Bowfish Assassin are sighted in at the factory for line of sight to 20 yards. This allows a shooter to aim directly at the fish because the laser beam bends in water. This takes the guesswork out of aiming. Assassin points (1 per pack, $50) fly true and offer the ability to shoot in low light conditions or at night when big fish are most active. The Assassin Pro (1 per pack, $70) is designed for large fish and reptiles. It has a large hollow point tip and three hunting blades.
Clean-Shot’s Lock-n-Load aluminum broadhead inserts (6-pack $20) are unique. They do not require glue or waiting for glue to dry, and are not a press fit, at least, not in the conventional sense. Once a shaft is cut to length, an insert is slipped into place and held in position like a molly bolt. The provided 5/64 Allen wrench tightens tiny flanges built into each insert against the inside of the shaft. If an arrow is broken or a head is damaged, the self-centering Lock-n-Load inserts can be unscrewed and used on another shaft. When using the Spot-On Laser head, it is essential to use these inserts to keep the laser locked in place. They fit all standard carbon shafts with .244 to .246 inside diameter. The ability to easily index the blades to the vanes is an additional feature.
Contact: (800) 242-9023 or (425) 242-5970; e-mail info@clean-shot.com. On the web at www.clean-shot.com
