Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Help with picking crossbow

I am getting to the age where a crossbow is in my near future. I would appreciate any info on what to look for, good brands and models, do I want a crank handle for pulling the string back, and anything else you have learned through trial and error.

Thanks for any help,

Dean

xcaliber

I bought my first one last year, an Excalibur. Spent more on the total package: bow & upgraded scope, errors, broadheads, crank, stringer, etc, than almost any rifle I ever bought. The attraction for me of Excalibur was the simplicity, reliability, and that I can do the little maintenance it requires myself; no trips to the dealer. Trade-offs to get that are size and a bit of noise, plus maybe some lack of cool-factor. Took me a few minutes to assemble, a few more to sight in, then two shots, two deer. I'm good to 50 yards, but both deer were taken at about 35.

Some of the compound models are very cool, compact, and a bit faster, but some aren't legal here because of restrictions on bow width and arrow length. My Matrix Bulldog 380, according to the scope setting, is shooting my hunting bolts at 330fps. It's a hammer.

Unless you're in pretty good shape, get a crank. I can cock my 260 pounder with the cord, and carry that for field reloads, but for practice a crank will keep you from straining something.

What’s your budget?

No need for a public answer, but that really drives what will work, what will last you, and what your wants are.

I’m Excalibur fan, but I’ve used Ten Point, Barnett, and Carbon Express. Excalibur’s have one string, and you can change it without a bow press / bow shop.

IMHO for entry compound - the Centerpoint Sniper is about the best entry level crossbow in the market. Wicked Ridge G-3 is similar, and reasonable for reliability.

Entry level compound crossbow strings and cables “typically” do not hold up well to long term shooting. If you’re going to zero in ten shots, and not shoot again until you’re on game, they’ll last.

If you are going to shot 100-150 bolts before season, stepping up in the product lines will generally get you a longer run before changing out the cables and string.

I had an entry level Barrett - it was only good for about 50 shots before the servings started coming apart. After the second set of replacements, I sold it for a better solution.

I’m fairly healthy and strong, but the crank is much easier in the stand, and for decocking after the hunt.

Most entry package crossbow scopes are junk, and you’ll be chasing a floating zero, or a reticle aim point that doesn’t match your shooting distance.

I have a custom Koda bow with a xcaliber micro bow. The trigger is a little stiff.

I also have a ravin R 9. It is very nice to shoot, but clumsy to still hunt with.

If you hunt out of a stand I would buy a ravin! And I would look for an older one, I don't think the newer ones are that much better for the price they charge. But I haven't shot many.

^^^^^^^^
This

The raven is extraordinary in its consistent draw and cocking system. Not to mention trigger.

I harvested a dominant buck pre rut at seven yards. And was able to reload while his buddy stood in the alfalfa dumbfounded.

I was only 18 feet above the beast.

But if you are gonna be sneaking around..............the raven will make it a miserable hike, IMO.

I have an Excalibur Bulldog 330. For me it’s not to had to cock. I killed my buck at 20 or so yards. I use shooting stick(bog pod) in the blind. I don’t shoot it free hand to well.

Thanks for all the info. I really have not come up with a hard and fast budget. I generally try to buy around the midpoint or better. I have never had good luck with the budget or entry level products. I don’t like having to upgrade right away.

I have been told that xcalibur is good. I also have heard good things about Tenpoint. Are there any particular models you would recommend? Who has the best crank system or they all about the same? I don’t have to have the absolute fastest speed but I would like to feel good about 50 yard shots. Is this reasonable with practice?

I value quality over price and I like things that last. I won’t be buying a new bow every year so I would like something with fairly new technology. I don’t want to be obsolete right after I buy it.

Again, thanks for helping a newbie!

Dean

I have killed over two dozen deer with an Excalibur. There's things I like and some I do not about the bow. I am shooting over 300 FPS even with heavy arrows and I have had several of the deer manage to jump the string at 20 yards.Never caused a miss, but it even a less good hit can be trouble you don't need.

50 yards shots can be made but Bambi can move an awful lot before the arrow gets there. Don't take them. 20 is much better and fifteen better still. Accuracy is not the issue, it's the time of flight of the arrow. Even with good solid double lung hits, even with shots right through the heart, even with shots that sever the great vessels above the heart laving it loose in the chest, you cannot predict very well how far Bambi may run after the hit. I have had them drop in their tracks after the shot. I had one double lunged that ran for a little over a mile bleeding so well that I could follow it as fast as I can walk and could have followed it at a run could I still run. I had one bleed so heavily that I could see the blood trail almost 100 yards away with a flashlight make it 200 yards. I have one last fall that I took at a steep downward angle that one blade of the four blade head sliced 1/2 inch of the scapula and a couple ribs on the way in but did not make an exit hole. That deer made it fifty yards without bleeding a drop. Then, it tipped over and everything within ten feet was very red.

You don't get to choose what happens after you pull the trigger. All you can hope to do is cut down Bambi's options. The closer you are the better you can visualize the arrow path through Bambi, the less time Bambi has to react, the more power you can apply to the job of driving the arrow all the way through.

Anyone consider the Hickory Creek?
I like the concept, not sure how it would be in real use.
Think it would be much nicer to walk with, and from a treestand,
it would be more maneuverable. From a blind? Maybe not.

This is a sample of one, as I said at the outset. After some months, and the two deer, I noticed my string was getting very close to the bumpers on the limbs. The solution is to put some twists in the string. I already had the stringer required. It took about as long for me to find and watch the video instructions as to actually do it. I hunt about 20 minutes from my home, but imagine how you'd handle a problem with the string or cables if you were using a compound that requires a press and maybe a technician for such work and were hunting out in the sticks someplace. I carry everything needed in my trunk, so a whoopsie can be fixed quickly and I can get back to "work".

The crank for the Matrix line is pricey, and I decided to go without it at first. Didn't take me long to decide to pony up the $230. It's built really well, and makes practice or target shooting a breeze, not a workout. They claim 12lbs of cocking effort. With the rope, my bow takes 130 pounds of awkward-angle tugging to cock. Pretty easy decision for an old fat man to make. Young strong fellers can likely do without, but I hate back pain. Since I also hate lugging a bunch of crap around in the woods, the rope goes in my pack, not the crank, even though I may have to climb out of a tree to use it.

I bought my bow off Amazon. They have good prices, and the dealer upgraded the scope to Excalibur's top model. If it craps, I'll probably get the very nice Hawke. I also am toying with the idea of going with a red dot zeroed at 30 yards to lighten the load and make the package smaller. Although I didn't use it, holders of the Amazon Store Card can buy pricey items with a 12-month, no interest plan.

Kudu3, I shoot an Excalibur Micro. It uses a 16.5 inch bolt. It cocks by hand fairly easy.... If I had to pull three more inches it might make a cocker necessary for me. The excalibers can be un-cocked by hand too, which is another plus.

OP - while I agree that the Excalibur can be uncocked by hand - I’ve done it, it’s not for the older hunter. Good chance to tear or pull something in the shoulders that does heal quickly.

I have the Micro 360 takedown, with the crank. I can cock it with rope, but I’d better stretch first. The crank is expensive - about $200 if you catch a sale. The good - It’s near silent, easy on / easy off, and I can decock with it if I choose. Downside - it’s steel and heavy, but I’ll bet it will outlast me.

Letting loose ~350 pounds of force, regardless of how it’s compounded down, is not a light task, especially in the dark, after a full hunt. 99% of the time, I’ll let the discharge bolt do it’s work.

Two hunters in my area regularly use Hickory Creeks - with ease and good success. Our deer management group lead takes between 4-6 deer a year with his, he’s got major rotator issues, holding compounds at draw are out for him.

The other guy is very elderly with health issues, but gets about one a season with his, but he’s not in the woods as much as he used to be.

From my experience this year, the newer Excalibur Micros are a lot quieter (subjective opinion) than the older Excalibur models. Mine is much quieter than the Carbon Express CX I had.

with the excalibur crank you can uncock it easy I forgot what mod. mine is it shoots 330 fps. with the factory string with the flimish string I get 356\357 fps .6 of us on our lease have not had a deer or hog jump the string. kudu3 pm me if you need more info

It's very easy to decock the Centerpoint Sniper 370 using the cocking rope. There are several videos on youtube showing how to do it. The sniper 370 is very accurate, fast and quiet. I have no trouble repeatedly hitting a 1" bullseye at 40 yards with mine and it chrono's 355 fps with a 20" 420 gr. arrow.

I bought Dinny's Ten Point Titan Extreme a few weeks ago with exactly the same thoughts you expressed. I'm not leaving my compound at home in favor of it but it's good to have a backup. I hurt my shoulder two years ago and that nearly cost me the bow season. Anyway, the crossbow I got is several years old but in greatshape. I had new strings and cables put on it and I'm amazed at the accuracy, even beyond 40 yards. I learned quickly not to shoot too many bolts into the target. You start damaging the them quickly! I bought a middle of the road package, hoping to learn about crossbows and get an insurance policy. I think I've done that. It came with a crank but I prefer a rope cocker. If I have to hunt full time with a crossbow in the future, I'll no doubt move up to one of the high end rocket launchers that have been mentioned but I'm definitely in the game now.

I don't decock mine. I just bring it home and fire a field point into my target. Good way to check the zero too.

That would be illegal here. We have an 18" minimum. No idea what the reason is for that, but gotta deal with it.

I purchased a Horton Utra-Lite Express 8 years ago, this would likely be classified as an entry level bow. It was inexpensive and the fasteners did come loose causing a loss of accuracy. Since locktiting the fasteners the bow has held up very well. I did have the cables changed at year 5. The bow has been shot hundreds of times. I like getting it out when company is here and it seems everyone likes shooting it.

If I were to purchase another I would visit my local Cabelas and shoot everyone they had and then choose. For me, the trigger quality is a big deal and I don't want a heavy bow. I see no reason to dump a couple of grand into a bow. I've shot a buck every year with my "cheapie" bow and 3 of the 8 make B&Y.

I carry my target in the truck and shoot a field tip to decock it.

After a lot of study and watching videos, I got the Ravin R10. Speed, excellent cranking system, scope, moderate weight, good trigger. If you want all that but more compact, get the R26, at more money.

I like the other Excalibur models other than what I have. The Griz models are really light and very easy to draw. Even mine being a 330 model it’s still overkill for anything in North America.
What I like about the Excalibur crossbows is I can take it all a part and put it together without needing to go to a bow shop.

What to buy a Remington or a Winchester....a Ten Point or Excaliber..... they all will do the job if you do yours. Cheaper models today are light years a head of what they were 10 years ago and high end xbows still break. Go to a pro shop pick up different models and make your pick on what feels good to you.
Companies like Ten Poi take xbows under different names,I.e. Horton, Wicked Ridge, Ten Point but also make parts they sell to other companies... a Ten Point limb can show up on a high end crossbow just like that motor in your car or circuit board in your tv.

I've been shooting a crossbow for about 10 years . I've harvested several wt deer and a black bear .
The bow was an Excalibur Exocet . 200lb . I now shoot a Ten Point . The ONLY reason I went to a compound cross bow was to be able to shoot out of a box . The windows are too narrow for the recurve .

The simplicity and accuracy of my Excalibur were great . Took it apart for a trip to Manitoba and carried it in a rifle case .Assembled it at camp -it was dead on !

If we ever replace the box blinds we're using with wider windows I'm buying another recurve .
Not a thing wrong with the Ten Point and it is also very accurate , but it is a little heavier , and of course you need to take it to a pro shop for repair or tuneup .

Good luck
Soup

I bought an Excaliber a couple of years ago. It is simple accurate and loud. I wouldn't shoot farther than 25 yard because of the noise. It is hard to see the bolt in flight supposedly 355 fps.
I didn't hunt with it last year because I had plenty of meat. I shoot mine into a target to uncock.
The cocking aid that came with it makes it easy to draw. I chose it because of it's simplicity.
One of my limbs exploded on the 6th shot the first day I shot it. I sent it back and they returned it within a few days. Haven't shot it much since except to check the scope. I plan to shoot a deer this fall with it.

I recently went through the same process. I chose the Ravin R10 for excellent cocking mechanism, trigger, moderate weight, adequate scope, high velocity, relatively compact size. I searched around and got a good deal on ebay.

We have 2 & like both.

Horton Vision 174 - reverse limb compound. Beautiful to carry, comes to the shoulder feeling balanced & a dream to shoot from a blind & accurate.

Excalibur Grizzly - simple to operate & shoot, but feels awkward to carry & less balanced to shoot. Very much weight forward.

Both have taken deer & black bear.

Normally ends up with Deb taking the "comfortable" Horton & me with the Excalibur.

We discharge into a target with a field tipped bolts.

Thank you all for all the great info. I like the idea of the raven but I really don’t want to spend $1500 for a bow. Have looked at the Tenpoint Titan M1 for about $800 including the cocker. I like the xcalibur also but the cocker is a lot more and I don’t share the opinion that I can cock it easily with the string. I really need to go to a Cabelas or a very good bow shop and shoot some. Hopefully next week.

Thanks,

Dean

I came close to buying one, I have not ruled it out either . I like the Mission sniper lite

I just got done shooting my r9, my buddy had a R 10. And I had a Excalibur limbs on a KODA bow.

My buddy had not shot his r 10 but one shot previously. He was hitting a bullseye in a brisk wind at sixty yards in about three shots!

The Koda bow couldn't hang with the ravin at 60 yards. The Koda had a non magnified hawke scope....the Raven scope is magnified and imo almost fool proof to use.

Ravens are expensive because


They are worth it.

For recurves, Kodabows are built like tanks. They are heavy though (IMO). I currently shoot two compounds... a Camx and a Scorpyd Deathstalker. The Scorpyd is light, fast, easy to work on and accurate. For me, it's the winner.

kudu3,

IF I could offer some advice, look for & buy a HORTON XL used & see if you actually ENJOY the sport of crossbow hunting.
(The Horton XL is 150# pull & will successfully take any North American game out to 50M.)

I paid 250.oo for mine in EXCELLENT used condition with a dozen broadheads & a Horton scope.

WHEN/IF you decide that you want something faster/more "modern" and/or more expensive, you can easily resell your Horton XB if you don't decide to keep it for a spare XB.

Yours, TMN78247

That's good advice. I have both a Barnett Demon, and a Horten crossbow. They both work great, but work differently. Taken several deer with the Barnett, but still need to bloody the Horten. (It was my Dad's and he can no longer hunt)

kellory,

Fyi, I've never shot a BARNETT but I figure that you are correct, as you DO hunt with one.

Fwiw, my old YUKON XL has taken MANY feral hogs & it does "pass throughs" on each one.

Btw, I'm currently "window shopping for" a nice/used EXCALIBUR. - And YEP, I'll keep my Horton if I buy another XB.



yours, tex

I'm on my third crossbow now. Started with a Barnett RX-280, then the demon, traded the RX-280 for a 12ga sxs Sterlingworth. Kept the demon and now the Horten. And yes, a clean pass through is standard procedure with just about any crossbow.

kellory,

ONE reason that I'm "window shopping" for another XB is that I want a suitable XB for hunting REALLY BIG game, including a Cape Buffalo.
(An old college chum has also suggested that I join his annual hunt in Canada next Fall for MOOSE and/or BEAR.)

yours, tex

Then good luck to you sir, and enjoy every minute. That's not something I'm likely to ever get the chance to try.

satx you will not be disappointed with a Excal I shoot mine 1500/ 2000 times a year I don't think you can do that with a compound x bow been shooting it for 6 years with just changing the serving 1 time

44mc,

THANKS for you KNOWLEDGEABLE input.

yours, satx

glade to help

For my dollars, a high end or low end crossbow has zero appeal to me. But there are many mid-level priced crossbows that retail for less than $450. that are well built, accurate, and sturdy. I suggest SA Sports Beowulf. BEAR has a couple new models for 2019. Speed is often over-emphasized in my opinion. Any crossbow that achieves 325 f.p.s. shoots flat enough to nail a big game animal at 35 yards or so.

My cousin and his son both shoot the Beowulf crossbow and have downed several Ohio deer between them. These bows were purchased from Sportsman's Guide.

My own crossbow is a Ten Point that I bought second hand for a very good price. I paid $250. in 2008 for this bow. It was sent to the factory in Ohio to have the safety/trigger device worked on and while it was there, I asked to have the limbs upgraded. The only work that has been performed since is to have the string replaced once and the serving redone 6 times. So I have less than $500. in to it and very pleased with accuracy and speed. But a new model is way out of my salary range. My older model is heavier and a bit out-of-style but I'm keeping it for as long as I can keep it going with factory parts.

Sherwood

Thoughts on this?

https://www.tenpointcrossbows.com/shop/horton-vortec-rdx-crossbow-package/

That looks like a good bow. I am trying not to buy one now and want to upgrade in a year or two. I would rather buy a little better bow now that could last me maybe 5 years. I really appreciate the feedback from all of you. Was it really an $1100 bow originally?

Dean

Not sure about original price, just saw the post on another forum and wanted to get opinion here.

I'm having shoulder a little shoulder problem - Dr last week told me torn rotator cuff. I got shots and hoping that I am able to pull bow later this summer and hunt in the fall.

This thread piqued my interest as I may have to look at an Xbow or possibly the Draw-Loc.

Lots of great info here. Thanks posters

When I bought my Excalibur Matrix 330 I went to a number of shops and shot everything they had. That is most important in choosing which one you think you want. I specifically said "think you want" because your chances of getting everything you want and getting it right the first time are not good.

I did not find a lot of difference in triggers six years ago.

I did not find enough difference in noise level six years ago in the crossbows.

I did not find much difference in accuracy that would affect whether I could kill Bambi at 25-30 yards.

The biggest difference I found was the simplicity of maintenance For Excalibur bows over the compounds.

My opinion is that until velocity gets to be about twice what I can get out of the Excalibur with light/very light arrows the speed won't make much difference. We do have the ability to drive an arrow that fast now, but the noise level and the stress on the arrow at launch will be a lot harder to deal with/mitigate.

At 20 yards using a known good arrow and shooting it repeatedly I have the accuracy to stay in one hole in the target. I can easily keep my arrows in a 4 inch bullseye at 60 yards barring gusty winds. I have killed deer with light arrows, very light arrows and heavy arrows with the Excalibur. Only three did not make two holes, Two of those hit enough bone to stop them. One, a small fawn, I never did figure out why it didn't make two holes. When the big 4 blade heads I use only have to cut a couple ribs on each side they zip through like there was no bone involved. I accidentally centered a big 3 blade head on the ball of the opposite shoulder on one large doe. It severed the ball into three nearly equal pieces and exited. I have taken boned out legs and pinned them to a bale target and then shot them in various places from 20 yards. Aluminum ferrules (like Rage) will make it through a scapula undamaged but for the blades, but the tip will fold up and bend the ferrule on the very hard leg bones and joints. My preference is to use as much blade to cut as I can find. Even the Excalibur has well more than enough power to drive anything I have found through a deer's chest.

I had a new string fail one evening while hunting deer. In my 6x6x2 inch pack that goes with me everywhere the bow goes was the destringing tool and a new string. I replaced it in minutes while I was out hunting.

I have shot what I have come across for new bows, including both Ravins, and have yet to find one that I would consider buying. I would much rather have a head with two sets of decently sturdy 2 1/2 inch or maybe 3 inch blades.

I do very strongly advise lighted nocks. Seeing that light go into Bambi and exit Bambi is important to knowing how well you hit Bambi. Combined with the the evidence found with the arrow, the blood trail or lack thereof and Bambi's behavior can be very useful in helping decide when to take up the trail. I will say though that I have never believed in waiting to follow the trail.I have had precisely two deer go down and get back up again. Both were double lung shots with excellent blood trails. One was the deer that made it just over a mile. The other I walked up on after 200 yards. Both deer were easily recovered without needing a second shot. That's less than 10% of the deer I've killed with arrows. For those odds, I will stay with going to get my deer as soon as possible after I shoot it.

I personally cannot abide poor low light performance from a scope and more so from a bow mounted scope. I hunt under red oaks which hold full canopy way late into deer season. Beneath the oak are buckthorn which makes a double canopy. Well before the end of legal shooting time which is 1/2 hour after sunset here The original scope from Excalibur was completely worthless. 9 out of 10 deer that I shoot are in the last 5-10 minutes of legal shooting time. I tested as many scopes as I could when I bought my replacement scope. I went to the ranges and turned off the lights to see what the scopes would do. I gave up on everything made for crossbows and grabbed a Zeiss 2-8 Duralyt out of my safe that was waiting for a rifle. It was one o the best decisions I made for bow hunting. A second focal plane scope is the same internally as virtually all crossbow scopes. My Zeiss has a German #4 and I just set the magnification so that the top of the post is dead on at 50 yards. The cross hairs are on at 20. 30 and 40 yards are easy to extrapolate. Never had to shoot one past 20 though. Remember that not only do you have to see Bambi, but you need to see very accurately what angle Bambi is standing to you to put the arrow through the internal target you need to hit. You cannot see them too well.

Soup,

Check your mail, please.

yours, tex

So has anyone used the Horton Vortec RDX xbow advertised above. It seems like a good deal. I wonder if it really sold for $1100 though. Any experience would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dean

Dean - it did sell for that when new to the market.

Bear has a model like that, as does Barnett. They offer a small profile width wise, but the big cams are prone to lean with the thin limbs over time. Some are worse than others, in my opinion from seeing these locally, Horton was one of them. There’s a reason it’s being blown out at 50% off.

For high end crossbows Aka “expensive”, Raven is making a good inroad into the x-bow market. Ten Point used to hold the top of line, but they are loosing some ground. Not from quality, but pricing.

If you’re going to drop $1k on an x-bow, it better offer as many positives as possible.

Thanks for the info. I just have trouble paying over $1000 for a xbow. The ravens look really tempting. I may look for a used one.

Dean

Agreed, I had / still have the same reservations - I've had vehicles that didn't cost that much...

Reality today - there are several good performing x-bows starting around $300 and up that will kill deer all year long. Wicked Ridge G-3, Centerpoint, etc.

I've become partial to the Excalibers, but only since they have become much more compact, and have managed to lower the noise level some.

You're still early enough in the year that the used market is still slow, and the rush hasn't started for the Fall season.

I tend to put a number of arrows and bolts through my bows and x-bows year round - if the x-bow won't stand up to at least a couple hundred shots before season, I won't keep it.

In my opinion for stand sitting it ain't how they shoot so much as how easy are they to cock!

How quiet, how much movement required and how accurately do they cock so the bow is exactly cocked like it was before?

How is the trigger?

Then weight, bulk,etc etc.

My late doggie's ice cream man bought one at the pawn shop for peanuts and proceeded to whack the first deer he saw with it. I dropped a bundle on my Excalibur and did the same thing. More than one method to this madness it seems.

I didn't want to be a "crossbow guy", just get in a bunch of extra time afield before the deer get too jumpy. That worked out as I saw more bucks last season on the public land I hunt than I've seen there in literally years. I got the Excalibur because it was simple and easy to maintain, like me. It's a lifetime investment, I think.

I waz at cabelas yesterday, the raven now has a " backpack" sling, so that should help hiking with it.

The missions looked pretty cool, the centerpoints for the cost seemed very fair.

And the new raven is soooooo small.

I also had sticker shock when shopping for a crossbow. After comparing features that I really wanted, like cocking procedure, trigger, accuracy, scope, the Ravins looked good even though expensive. I then searched online and found a new one a couple hundred cheaper than other places. After only a few shots, it was sighted in and ready.

Another vote for Excalibur. I have a Micro 355 and love it. It is a simple design and scary accurate. It's a hand full to cock without a crank, but other than that I like everything about it.

Mike

i have spent many hours reading , looking at videos and even shooting some x-bows the best x-bow out there with the best accuracy and very little recoil is a Mission Sub-1 pro kit or a Mayhews x-bow its the same bow,BUT THEY ARE NOT CHEAP

I'm shooting a Excaliber ExoMax. 225 draw weight and using stock strings it shoots about 325 fps. Reason I got the Excaliber was the simplicity. I got to admit that's its big and bulky. I know Excaliber makes smaller crossbows and probably all the compounds are smaller, but until it breaks, I'll keep it. It's accurate and paid for.

I have the Ravin R29 and love it easy to carry and super accurate , I chronographed it at 412 with a 400G arrow and bench tested it every 10 yards at to 100 I was able to hold a 1 1/2 three shot group at 100.