Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Illuminated crossbow scope

I'm not unhappy with my crossbow scope, but better light transmission would have given me additional opportunities last year. Don't want a repeat this year with the 10-point who's teasing my trailcam.

The Excalibur Tact Zone is touted as an excellent illuminated scope, which is what I'm really looking for (unlighted crosshairs fade quickly at dusk). I also like the 44mm objective for max light gathering, but 3-6 variable magnification is a mystery to me. Who needs a magnified crossbow scope for <35yard shots??

What other crossbow illuminated scopes has anyone used with good dusk/low light performance?

The Excalibur Tact Zone is good scope - I have used two of them with good results.

The variable power is not for zooming on a target - it's to set the "dots" in the reticle to your bolt speed.

Instead being marked 2.5-6x on the ring - it's marked 275-300-325 etc in FPS.

Read the manual on the Excalibur website, but basically - you zero the crossbow at 20 yards on 2.5x power, then back off to 40 yards (IIRC) and shoot the same target using the 20 yard dot.

The second group of bolts will be lower on the target, you then adjust the power ring (zoom) until the 20 dot is on on the first group, and and the 40 dot is on second group.

This is now your "fixed" power setting for your current bolt weight and speed - all of the dots should now be "on" for 20-30-40 etc.

As far as clarity - the Tact Zone is good, it will let you shoot in dawn and dusk twilight - at least through legal time limits.

For Virginia - any visible antler above the hair line is a buck - I know several buddies that have had use an either sex tag on a "yearling doe" unexpectedly...not glassing, or zooming in - had a penalty.

Two complaints with the Tact Zone - the lens caps are cheap and pretty fragile, and the Excalibur factory scope rings are pretty rough in fit, finish, and sturdiness - they work, but I usually replace them.

I have an older Vortex crossbow scope - fixed 3x power - no way to adjust the reticle for the bolt speed, you have to make a "dope" card for your current set up.

The Hawke scopes are pretty popular in this area, the local bow shop sells them pretty regular as an upgrade - the few hunters I know with them are successful.

When I bought my Matrix Bulldog 380, the seller upgraded the package scope to the Twilight DLX. Heavy bugger, but works perfectly, and I like the reticle. If if ever goes South, I'll look at Hawkes, but don't know much about any other brands.

I upgraded the crappy OEM rings to Burris Signatures, though the others seemed to hold okay.

I am using a Hawke XB30....the lighting looks good. Still not sold on it though. I Like it even less now that it is made in China. I might try the Vortex Crossfire II when they become available.

That's how the VariZone scope on my Excalibur works with the "yardage" dial. Didn't understand why the Tact Zone scope is advertised Illuminated Scope, 2.5-6x32mm, yet the photos show the yardage adjustment dial. Thanks for clearing up the marketing mumbo jumbo.

I just went thru this, I wanted a simple, illuminated dot scope out to 40 yards or so. Seems easy enough requirement, but was not an easy decision based on what's out there.

After much research, comparisons, and himming and hawing, I went with the TenPoint Pro View 3. It is illuminated dots, both red and green, and illumination can be turned down very low for near dark conditions.

Not sure if a good or bad choice yet, so far so good at target, but will find out later this year under hunting conditions how good it is. Mounted on Excaliber 340.

I have the hawke xb30. I am pleased. No reason for me to upgrade

I bought one of these. https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-TenPoi...eticle-/264818431104?hash=item3da8689480
It's identical to the scope that came with my Wicked Ridge Invader except it has red and green illuminated dots. Take-offs from package deals. I don't have anything to compare it to but it seems like a good scope and for $50 you won't get burned too bad if it doesn't workout for you. These are normally $200 new.

I just bought a vortex crossfire crossbow scope from wyvern.

Take a look at that one

I’ve hade the Excalibur’s scopes, ten point scopes, and hawke

Cooper, how does the brightness of Vortex compare to the Excalibur (which one did you have - Tact Zone or Twilight)? I really like my Vortex 10x36 monocular and am looking forward to another Vortex product if they're all as bright & crisp.

But that reticle is probably a deal killer. If I'm ever in a pinch to get off a quick shot, that reticle uses 40 yards as the center of site, with 20 yards being above horizon. I'll never take a 40 yard shot, and many years of hunting have trained me to start at center and move site picture down (aim above target for longer distances), not up (aim below target for shorter distances from center). Old dog I guess.

They work well with a 400 FPS bow for sure.

That 10-Point reticle has way too much going on for me. I like simple: 20 yards at center crosshair, move up from there. And if 20 yards is not center of crosshair, at least put one yardage number on one of those three horizontal lines. Many hunters have more than a single firearm, so remembering which one I'm currently looking through versus all the others does present significant risk of poor shot placement due to wrong dot being used.

I've got a Vortex crossfire II. It's better than that junky Hawke 1.5-4.5 I had before. I sent that POS back. It was good enough optically alright but the fast focus turned so easy it would move and go out of focus if you brushed it against your shirt. It also wobbled around if not fully screwed in or fully extended and you could watch the crosshairs move several inches on the target when pushing it up and down or side to side. The Vortex is nice and tight and doesn't wobble at all.

That's odd. Hawke says they're calibrated for a 330 fps bow.

Speed dial on it goes to 450 fps. I set the dial to 400, and sighted it in at 20 and it so far has been on to 40 yards. 20 bolts shot thus far. Zero wobble and adjustments work as advertised. Too bad they are made in China just like the Vortex Crossfire II.

That's not the xb30 that's the xb1. The same POS I had with the loose focus ring. It is a shame that they all seem to be made in China.

I just looked online at the Ravin Crossbows Illuminated Crossbow Scope - 3.5-18x50mm. What the heck is going on with crossbows? Their reticle center is set for 50 yards!

These speed freak xbow manufacturers are going crazy.

Really, I guess like usual you don't know what the Fu-ck you are talking about. I have to put your very dumb azz back on ignore.

Ravin is a very nice shooting crossbow until they show their azz, I personally don't like them . The addition of that scope is more in line of their marketing which compares them to rifles. If I had to buy another crossbow it would be another Scorpyd. No bow press needed , I can replace cables and string in a snap and the best trigger out of all crossbows I have tried.

Why does every discussion devolve into ego spats & name calling?

Elkhunter, if you want to contribute something worthwhile, pls tell us which current crossbow scopes are NOT made in China to help those of us in the market for buying a scope.