24hourcampfire.com
24hourcampfire.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Hop To
Page 3 of 3 1 2 3
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 971
S
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
S
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 971
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


FIRE UP THE GRILL - is NOT catch and release!
BP-B2

Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 269
D
Campfire Member
Offline
Campfire Member
D
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 269

Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 731
K
kudu3 Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
K
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 731
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

Last edited by kudu3; 06/11/19.
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 269
D
Campfire Member
Offline
Campfire Member
D
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 269
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.

Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,208
C
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
C
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,208
Lots of great info here. Thanks posters


"Put none but Americans on guard tonight."
-George Washington
IC B2

Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,730
M
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
M
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,730
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.

Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 2,987
S
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
S
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 2,987
Soup,

Check your mail, please.

yours, tex


"VICTORY OR DEATH"

William Barrett Travis, Lt.Col., comdt.
Fortress of The Alamo, Bejar
F'by 24, 1836
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 731
K
kudu3 Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
K
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 731
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

Joined: May 2009
Posts: 4,592
A
Campfire Tracker
Online Content
Campfire Tracker
A
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 4,592
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.

Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 731
K
kudu3 Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
K
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 731
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

IC B3

Joined: May 2009
Posts: 4,592
A
Campfire Tracker
Online Content
Campfire Tracker
A
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 4,592
Agreed, I had / still have the same reservations - I've had vehicles that didn't cost that much... eek

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.


Last edited by AH64guy; 06/16/19.
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 7,709
Campfire Outfitter
Online Content
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 7,709
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.


"Shoot low sheriff, I think he's riding a shetland!" B. Wills












Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,521
Campfire Ranger
Online Content
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,521
Originally Posted by AH64guy
Agreed, I had / still have the same reservations - I've had vehicles that didn't cost that much... eek

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.



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.


What fresh Hell is this?
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 7,709
Campfire Outfitter
Online Content
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 7,709
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.


"Shoot low sheriff, I think he's riding a shetland!" B. Wills












Joined: May 2009
Posts: 590
L
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
L
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 590
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.


NRA Benefactor Life Member
NAHC Life Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 5,750
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 5,750
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


Know fat, know flavor. No fat, no flavor.

I tried going vegan, but then realized it was a big missed steak.
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,179
P
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
P
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,179
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


LIFE NRA , we vote Red up here, Norseman
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 15,852
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 15,852
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.


Old Turd- Deplorable- Unrepentant Murderer- Domestic Violent Extremist

Just "Campfire Riffraff and Trash"

This will be my last post! Flave 1/3/21
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,425
K
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
K
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,425
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.


Proud to be an American
United States Marine


Page 3 of 3 1 2 3

Moderated by  RickBin 

Link Copied to Clipboard
YB23

Who's Online Now
665 members (1234, 163bc, 06hunter59, 17Fan, 09wingates, 75 invisible), 2,682 guests, and 1,214 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums81
Topics1,187,608
Posts18,398,386
Members73,817
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023


 







Fish & Game Departments | Solunar Tables | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA
Hunting | Fishing | Camping | Backpacking | Reloading | Campfire Forums | Gear Shop
Copyright © 2000-2024 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.160s Queries: 15 (0.006s) Memory: 0.8957 MB (Peak: 1.0519 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 13:58:54 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS