Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Crossbow Advice Please

After breaking my wrist in an ATV accident a couple years ago I have been unable to comfortably or accurately shoot my compound. Nebraska has now legalized crossbows for the archery season which opens up an opportunity for me to get back in the bowhunting game.

Any advice you guys could give on brands etc. would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

Best advice is cost doesn't mean better accuracy. I bought a Horton 175 for $299, that was factory reconditioned, from a Horton rep. at a gun show. Came with full factory warranty. It shoots absolutely as well as The Parker co2 deal, and PSE, both well over $1000. I have a bad shoulder, that is fine if I don't pull back a compound repeatedly. I don't want a painful 6-12 mo. surgery rehab, that only bothers me doing the bow thing... Sounds like you're on the right track too!..

Many great products out there in the Crossbow market, the market is so competitive now that they all have to be pretty good or they wouldn't be around. My choice is Tenpoint..........Good luck.......Hillbilly.

Thanks guys.

Mike

Ten Point has great customer service and a fine quality product. My dad's been shooting his for about 8 years now, heavy but really hits deer hard.

I have a Parker that has taken quite a few deer. Should be taking a few more starting the 24th! :-) TM

I've had good luck with Parker xbows.

If price is a concern, there are several xbows under $600 fully equipped that surprisingly are very good xbows. Horton's Ultralight, the Wicked Ridge Series by Ten Point, and various Parkers to name a few.

I'd probably go with the Parker Buck-Buster 175 or the Horton UL on the low end. Both are rated at 330fps and very accurate.

I've ran a Parker BB for several years and it's been a good bow. Very accurate(sub 1" groups at 30yds).

Call David at Wyvern Creations. He's a great guy and runs about the best deals I've found. www.wyverncreations.com

For bolts, I'd look at the GT L2s with brass inserts. You'll want a high FOC % for the best accuracy and many bolts aren't weight fwd enough IME. I run 2" Vanetec vanes on the L2s with brass inserts and 125grn tips for 405grn with 26% FOC. They are amazingly accurate out of my Huricane and my BB. I can't shoot at the same dot out to 40 with them without damaging the bolts. Friend of mine was having accuracy issues with aluminum Horton bolts and carbon Easton bolts in his Vision, so I gave him one of my arrows to try and his accuracy issues were over with the higher FOC.

If you want to use an expandable, be sure you use one with strong retention, such as the NAP Spitfire. Some exps will open in flight on an xbow. For fixed heads, try out the Slick Tricks.

Hawke makes good xbow scopes if you don't purchase a package deal.

Good Luck,

loder

Bowhunr,

If you broke your wrist then you might have trouble cocking a 175 lb xbow. You may want to look at some of the bows that have the built in cocking piece. Good luck!

I have been thinking the same thing. No one mentioned Barnett? See these around quite a bit, but they are not as good or are there other problems with them?

Excalibur Ibex, Gold Tip arrows with brass inserts, 100 grain slick tricks

You will thank me later

Friend owns a bow shop and tells me there is a crossbow now that cocks, using a CO2 cartridge. If the broken wrist is a problem, you might want to look into that. TM

My two cents FWIW is go with an Exalibur and don't look back. My buddy and I talked about getting into the crossbow thing when Oklahoma legalized them for archery season. We both have shoulder problems. He purchased an Excalibur (can't remember the model) and we both shot it. They are freakishly accurate. So, I bought the new Excalibur Axiom package just about two weeks ago. Very simple to put together. I was on the range in half an hour. It took three bolts down range at the recommended 20 yards to have it hitting bulls-eye on a two inch circle target. I shot a fourth just to be sure and that fourth bolt "Robin hooded" the third bolt and split it clean. The Excalibur scope comes with graduations for 20, 30, 40 and 50 yards. So, I moved back to 30 and the bolt hit dead center. Forty, same result and 50 was only about 1 1/2 to 2" low. I was amazed. Plus if the string breaks or needs replaced, because the bow is a recurve, it's easily replaceable by yourself without paying a pro shop.

parker does make a xbow that will cock itself. all the parkers i've shot ,shot well. i have seen lots of problems with parker xbows. i only live 25miles from the factory and i know a few guys that work for them. i can carry a broken bow in to the factory and get it repaired or replaced very fast. they have excellent customer service.

i am shooting a tenpoint that i bought dirt cheap.it has been a great bow,no complaints at all . i used to own a barnett and will never own another. my quad 400 was pure junk.

The Excalibur field tips that come with the bow are 150 grain as are the somewhat pricey broadheads that Excal sells for them. I've seen what Slick Tricks results look like, pretty good, but how does the 100 grain shoot out of the Excal or would a 125 work better? Velocity is 330 fps out of a Vortex.