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#5831962 11/20/11
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Kcoyboy Offline OP
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Would like to purchase a crossbow. wondering whats the best accuracy that can be achieved at say 75 yds? 100yds? Im looking for accuracy and decent trigger pull. I saw a barnett black crossbow yesterday I think it was a wildcat 220 fps. Would this be an accurate bow? with decent trigger pull? Can you benchrest shoot a crossbow like a rifle? I just dont know much about them. Trin to find out. Most are camo design and I tend ot like black. Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks

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I honestly do not know much about x bows but I think 75 yards should produce 9 out of 10 bolts on a paper plate. I may be wrong like I said.

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Effective range of crossbow isn't any more than that of a regular bow. Just because you hold it like a rifle, and shoot it like a rifle doesn't make it a rifle. Those crossbow bolts start fast but really lose their speed fast. Don't try to make a long range weapon out of a short range, (still primitive) weapon. Most crossbows start out at 300+ fps. Some are shooting close to 400 fps.
Generally I'd consider 40 yards the max for any bow, crossbow or regular bow. Actually, I like my shots at 20 yards or under.

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Originally Posted by hunter01
Effective range of crossbow isn't any more than that of a regular bow. Just because you hold it like a rifle, and shoot it like a rifle doesn't make it a rifle. Those crossbow bolts start fast but really lose their speed fast. Don't try to make a long range weapon out of a short range, (still primitive) weapon. Most crossbows start out at 300+ fps. Some are shooting close to 400 fps.
Generally I'd consider 40 yards the max for any bow, crossbow or regular bow. Actually, I like my shots at 20 yards or under.


That's some good advice right there.


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realize a crossbow isnt a rifle but again am looking for 5 shots in 2 inches at 50 yds. can you benchrest them to determine true accuracy? They have diff graduations on the scopes what could be done at say 75 yds with a good bow? pie plates arent good enough for me. it would seem that some of those $ 2000 plus jobs would have decent accuracy ( do they) ??? one of them has a recocker powered by compressed air and go 400 fps with graphite limbs I believe. I would like one for coyote hunting out to say 80 yds is this possible?

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I'd say 4" at 50 yards on a good day off of a bench. Shooting at game at 80 yards with any bow, I think, is just asking for trouble. You're going to wound lots of animals. Especially something as small as a yote. You may be setting yourself up for failure. To many variables to shoot something at 80 yards with a bow under hunting conditions. 1: Know the range. 2: Knowing exactly where your bow is hitting at a known range. 3: Wind 4: Drop Past 40 yards bolt would really start to drop fast. Drop every 5 yards past 40 yards would start to be huge. I'm just afraid you're trying to make a race horse out of a mule. You're asking a crossbow to do things at ranges that it really isn't made to do. 40 yards and under................Good luck...

Last edited by hunter01; 11/21/11.
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Originally Posted by Kcoyboy
realize a crossbow isnt a rifle but again am looking for 5 shots in 2 inches at 50 yds. can you benchrest them to determine true accuracy? They have diff graduations on the scopes what could be done at say 75 yds with a good bow? pie plates arent good enough for me. it would seem that some of those $ 2000 plus jobs would have decent accuracy ( do they) ??? one of them has a recocker powered by compressed air and go 400 fps with graphite limbs I believe. I would like one for coyote hunting out to say 80 yds is this possible?


2 inch groups at 50 yards are possible but not the norm. It is possible when rested at a bench but not when shooting freehand.

1 - Yes you can shoot from a bench to determine accuracy

2 - Yes you could sight in your Xbow to have one of the hashes in the scope set at 75 yards

3 - Every Xbow has good accuracy just as every bow has good accuracy. Some people have more skill than others so they shoot better. Also some people try to shoot further than the weapon is meant to shoot and that changes the entire game. A crossbow is not meant to shoot any further than a compound bow.

4 - Yes it is possible to hit a Coyote at 80 yards with a bolt from a crossbow. Is it recommended or would it be easy or even likely.......No it is not recommended nor would not be easy or likely to shoot a coyote at 80 yards with a crossbow.

Last edited by MarkFed; 11/21/11.

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hey im not trying to ask bad questions I used to bow hunt as a teen even made my own longbows in kits from Herters . I shot squirrels out of trees missed a few foxes and bowfished. that was before compound bows. Then i went into guns and never looked back. Ive reloaded for 32 years and dont have a rifle that wont do more than i inch at 100 yds. i keep lookin at these new cross bows and would like to hunt with them. Im not belittling you longbow hunters I think yall are great. Im just more of a rifleman and scope man. take no offence I wonder how much more accurate some of these expensive ones at say 400fps are than say a Barrett for $350? Are any of them capable of making accurate shots at say 75 yds consistantly? Are some bolts more accurate than others. Is the future of crossbows 500fps with 2 inch groups at 80 Yds? thanks everyone for their reply

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IMO you're stretching it to be shooting at 75 yards consistently. I'm comfortable to 50 max with my SZ380.


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A friend of mine went with a Barnett and the crossbow would shoot without the trigger pulled with the safety ON. That is not a good defect to have.


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Ouch...


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I bought a Parker cross bow this year because my shoulders are worn out and I love the thing but like others posted,Their usable range is not that much better than a regular compound bow.

I've spent a lot of time with mine and 40 yards is my maximum distance for hunting and then only if I have a perfect shot lined up. Otherwise, I'd really prefer to keep hunting shots at 20-25 yards just like I did with my compound bow. X-bows are louder than a standard compound and I think jumping the string at longer distances is still a real concern. At the distances I limit myself to I have more confidence in my crossbow than I did in my compound,The damn thing is seriously accurate. smile

Check out the forums a Crossbow Nation for everything you need to know about X bow hunting and the pros and cons of different brands.

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I hunted with a very good 10 point cross bow 390 fps it was awsome. BUT the range is the same as any BOW you are shooting bolts they are heavy and don't have any longer range maby less. they drop very bad and it is difficult to get the sights set. 30 yds would be a good expetation for one. don't listen to the hotdogs that tell you they kill good because of the bolt weight.

I prefer long bows they are smoother shoot further and are more accurate, an good arrow that has settled in flight will penetrate more than you would beleive..once you learn instinct shooting it is like riding a bicycle ,it will stay with you for a lifetime. I have killed everything from chipmonks to deer with a long bow. a good friend killed a very large moose in canada with one. its horns would of made a rifleman proud. grin


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You mentioned that you're much more of a rifleman than a bowhunter these days. I can relate to that. I still occasionally hunt with one of my recurves or longbows but am mostly a rifleman. I shot competetively for a number of years in BPCR, gong and buffalo matches with one of two Shiloh Sharps. Now what, pray tell does that have to do with a crosbow, a weapon I have precious little experience with. Well, ballistically, quite a bit I believe. You're starting with a projectile at a considerably reduced velocity from a modern high intensity rifle/cartridge combination. Projectile drop, in my case a bullet, in yours a crossbow bolt, is considerable. Can I and those of us who shoot BPC rifles his quite small targets at considerable distances? Of course we can. Could you do it with a crossbow? I expect so, given time and practice. Just think of how artillery hits targets at great distance. Should either of us be shooting game at those distances which we can hit targets? I think not for a variety of reason. First is that a minor mistake in range estimation on either of our parts can make for huge errors at distance. Wind has been mentioned and at longer ranges with slow moving projectiles it is a very large consideration. Energy on target at great ranges, relatively, is reduced by a large percentage. Those are a few of the technical aspects. Throw in bad light, the excitement of the hunt, less than ideal shooting position, wind differences, that is coming from different angles, between shooting point and target and probably another dozen other things if I'd take time to think of them. Can it be done? Sure, you betcha. Should it be done? I believe that's where ones personal ethics come in to play. My 40-70 Sharps has on several occasions held MOA out to 600 yards given ideal conditions and me having a very good day. I've also had days where I had trouble holding 2 MOA at 300 yards. I wouldn't shoot at any animal with that iron sighted rifle at either distance given the same conditions. Cut the distance to 200 yards and it's almost a sure bet I'm taking game home.

Do as you will with encouragement and good wishes from me. Just think about in earnest as you do.


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Thanks for all the replies good conversation! Just saw the Barnett Predator in action out to 100 yds shooting balloons on u tube. Very impressive for sure! Consistant hits at 100 yds. Of course benchrest i believe. But that would be a dead coyote for sure. hey i dont care about coyotes they are bad guys for sure! if I shave off some of it and it runs away i really dont care. More fawns will live next year! or sheep ok! It also gets 5 stars on various reviews from many threads. Only thing I dont like is the camo frame like black may have to paint it! I dont think a longbow could do that consistantly at 100 yds unless you bring back Howard Hill or that other trick shooter cant rem his name! Crossbow definitely have the advantage ! However i can remember the hours of practicing with a longbow when i was a kid. Hats off to you longbow hunters even with all the gismos that werent avail when i was a kid It takes skill to hunt deer with a bow. rifle hunting is a piece of cake compared to deer hunting with a bow for sure. But I can still remember freezing my ___ off and not getting a deer years ago with a gun! thanks again for all the input ! and good hunting to yall from Kentucky KC

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I've toppled many deer with my crossbow. Longest shot was approx 35 yards or so.

I feel that shots beyond 40 yards should be restricted to targets and not living animals. Anyone is allowed to disagree.

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Originally Posted by Kcoyboy
Thanks for all the replies good conversation! Just saw the Barnett Predator in action out to 100 yds shooting balloons on u tube. Very impressive for sure! Consistant hits at 100 yds. Of course benchrest i believe. But that would be a dead coyote for sure. hey i dont care about coyotes they are bad guys for sure! if I shave off some of it and it runs away i really dont care. More fawns will live next year! or sheep ok! It also gets 5 stars on various reviews from many threads. Only thing I dont like is the camo frame like black may have to paint it! I dont think a longbow could do that consistantly at 100 yds unless you bring back Howard Hill or that other trick shooter cant rem his name! Crossbow definitely have the advantage ! However i can remember the hours of practicing with a longbow when i was a kid. Hats off to you longbow hunters even with all the gismos that werent avail when i was a kid It takes skill to hunt deer with a bow. rifle hunting is a piece of cake compared to deer hunting with a bow for sure. But I can still remember freezing my ___ off and not getting a deer years ago with a gun! thanks again for all the input ! and good hunting to yall from Kentucky KC


Balloons aren't coyotes, let alone deer. Don't let U-tube get you screwed up.


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i try to limit my shots to 35-40yds on game . my 10pt shoots great at longer ranges,but its just easy for game to jump the string at longer ranges. crossbows are just way to noisy.


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