Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Solid crossbow under 500$??

Looking to purchase my first crossbow.

Do I have to spend a fortune or is something in the 500 level solid enough?

Will only use it for early bow season the primarily harvest does. The property owner is saying he wants 30 does off the place this year.

I used a cheap Barnett for probably 8 years and killed a lot of deer with it. I recently wanted to upgrade a little but did not want to pay $1000 +. After much searching I got a reconditioned Wicked Ridge directly from Ten Point for under $500. I've been doing a lot of shooting with it and I'm very satisfied. Its accurate, great trigger, and fast. You might check them out.

https://www.tenpointcrossbows.com/product/rampage-360-certified-pre-owned/

Centerpoint, Wicked Ridge, Killer Instinct and a used Excalibur are all decent lower end xbows.

Of the four, I'd look for an Excalibur first - the Matrix G340 is usually under your price point, but a good condition used Excalibur wouldn't be a bad choice either.

I've shot Wicked Ridge - either the Invader 4X, or the Rampage 360 - the Invader 4X and the Rampage have a crank with it, but the Rampage may be just over your price point.

Centerpoint and Killer Instinct in the $300 range are good starters.

What are you giving up under $500? YMMV - but generally:

- Cocking the majority of these will by hand rope, the Wicked Ridge crank works, but it may be a bit clunky and adds weight to the overall package.

- Optics- the base scopes are pretty weak in clarity, adjustment, and focus.

- String / Cable durability - if you're going to shoot this xbow a bunch, I'd go with the Excalibur and change your own string - cheap and easier DYI than any of the others.

- Most budget xbows will get you sighted in, and out to the woods, and not much more if you plan to shoot a bunch - you're going to want extra bolts - most only come with three.

- The factory strings and cables on the budget compound designs tend to stretch, wear, and unravel faster than you probably want - and they need replaced.

Lubing and waxing routinely will help, but not eliminate the rapid wear.

I bought a Centerpoint Sniper 370 4 years ago for a little over 200.00 new. Got a dozen better quality bolts and upgraded the scope. Have a total of about 450.00 in it now. Have shot the piss out of it and filled all of my archery tags each season. Still on the original strings/cables and they're still in good shape. It's accurate enough I could literally head shoot squirrels with it from 40 yards. Fast, accurate and relatively quiet as crossbows go, I have no complaints and fully intend to fill my archery tags with it again this season. Honestly, my brother has a Horton and my buddy a Barnett that both cost alot more than my Centerpoint yet neither will outshoot it and both are considerably louder.

A lot of imported crossbows come in well under your budget. Some work well enough. If you're not akin to imported stuff Cabeas has a US made Wicked Ridge M-370 with crank cocking on sale for $300 off, plus there's another $75 off coupon available that'll put it under your budget. A couple guys in our group have them and they seem to be solid.
I'm kinda partial to the Excalibur re-curve simplicity myself, but they don't offer much close to your price range unless you shop used or find a clearance somewhere. I bought a couple Excallibur Assassins ($1500 msrp) off ebay a couple years ago that a dealer was liquidating for cheap. Pays to shop around

I bought one of the Wicked Ridge crossbows a couple years ago. It is a tackdriver. I even put a regular scope on it and a red light to shoot hogs at night with it. About the bolts. I have yet to find one after shooting a deer or a hog with it. The last deer I shot with it I could hear the bolt zipping through the palmettos on the far side. The minus is that to me this crossbow is not all that handy to lug around, and a bit heavy it is. As for longevity I can't really say. I bet I have shot it less than 100 times total. Sight it in, shoot it a couple time before the season and you are good for a long time.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/barnett-explorer-recruit-xp-crossbow-package


https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bear-X-Trek-380/463977976

two options to get you started