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I played with two Excaliburs yesterday. They were only a little wider than the compounds next to them. The ease of maintenance and fewer parts to break is a consideration. They are just as fast and more accurate too. I'm just concerned about reliability.

If you get a ten point go for the scope upgrade so you can tune it for your arrow speed.

Crossbows are like rifles and calibers, everyone has their favorite. If you come to the internet remember you are getting opinions not facts. Every bow/crossbow manufacturer usually has several models to choose from. Opinions will vary greatly. Find one you have heard good things about, do some homework and if possible shoot one. I think several manufacturers put out some good crossbows with excellent warranty. It's really a matter of what style of hunting you will be doing. Some crossbows are quite heavy but if shooting from a stand or blind not a big deal. P.S. there is no such thing as a quiet crossbow. Tom

My bud's Excalibur is over 30.5" uncocked. New model. And 25.5"+ cocked.

My bow is 17.5" and 13.5" respectively. That is WAY more than a little bit. Nearly double and seems like triple in a treestand.

For myself anyway, width is a MAJOR consideration. Less is so much more.

Just something I learned the hard way and something to think about.......

I just got a Excalibur Matrix 355. The Excalibur negatives are that they are wider and louder. I primarily am in a treestand so this is NO issue to me. Stalking through thick woods/brush may be a problem but no crossbow is as easy to pack as a rifle. Deer will jump the string on a quiet vertical bow (been there) if alarmed so an increase in string noise isn�t really going to make a difference in a hunting situation if you use good sense � keep your shots under 30 yds, under 25 is better.

Reliability: A recurve is much simpler and new strings (which can be changed in the field in moments with a $20 tool btw) are about $20. Get an estimate on what a string/cable change costs on ____ brand crossbow and btw you are out of commission during this time!

Weight: most Xbows are going to be pushing 10 lbs ready to hunt. My bow is under 7 w/ scope (I went with a 1-4 Leup shotgun scope btw) and actually has a decent balance.

Accuracy/speed: All quality crossbows will be adequate to sane hunting ranges.

Trigger: Excalibur is one of the better and can be upgraded.

I came down to Ten Point and Excalibur and the ruggedness, weight, reliability steered me toward the Excalibur. You really need to go shoot both to make a decision, but since your title said �reliable�, Excalibur would be a no-brainer IMHO.

Excalibur does make a nice bow. I just can't get over the width........

The suggestion to go handle and shoot the Tenpoint and Excalibur (and others if you can) is a good one. We all have our priorities in terms of weight and design. I have shot a Tenpoint for several years and like it's compactness and reliability. I also like the lighter weight of the Excalibur but not the wide design because I have limbs and tree trunks to shoot around in my stands. Pick the one that handles best for you in your hunting situation and you won't make a mistake. Both TP and ExC have good customer service.

calling a tenpoint the toyota of crossbows makes me want to sell mine. you couldn't give me a toyota.they are no more reliable then anything else if you use them.

I have a new Ford and a really nice Mercedes Benz and I dive my Toyota daily because it never ever lets me down. It sits outside in zero degree weather and not one drop of trouble. Maintenance consist of an oil change every 5000 miles. I'll never buy another brand if I can help it.....just sayin'. My buddy has 2 Corollas with about 300,000 miles on them.....zero issues.

Oh and I have to put gas in it every 500 miles.

"Japanese automakers continue to produce the most reliable cars in America. Lexus, Toyota and Acura took the top three spots in an annual automotive reliability survey compiled by Consumer Reports."

Bring your Toyota up here. You won't have to worry about gas anymore. We will supply it for free. Matches too.........

Nothing personal but at least Toyota didn't have to be shored up by our pathetic government at a huge loss to we the taxpayers. Union labor killed the American auto industry not Toyota. But at least Toyota is now American made and provides work for people in the South that want to work.

No, in the 70's Toyota (along with Honda) was being subsidised by the Japanese government in order to undercut domestic makers and gain market share in the US. Also, "we the taxpayers" in several Southern states have subsidised foriegn automakers to the tune of billions to get them to build there. The jobs they created were bought and paid for by "we the taxpayers". But we continue to spit on domestic automakers and Union labor while getting fudgepacked by foriegn companies and their bought-and-paid-for political buddies here.
Subsidies include:
Honda, Marysville, Ohio, 1980, $27 million
Nissan, Smyrna, Tenn., 1980, $233 million
Toyota, Georgetown, Ky., 1985, $147 million
Honda, Anna, Ohio, 1985, $27 million
Subaru, Lafayette, Ind., 1986, $94 million
Honda, East Liberty, Ohio, 1987, $27 million
BMW, Spartanburg, S.C., 1992, $150 million
Mercedes-Benz, Vance, Ala., 1993, $258 million
Toyota, Princeton, Ind., 1995, $30 million
Nissan, Decherd, Tenn., 1995, $200 million
Toyota, Buffalo, W.Va., 1996, more than $15 million
Honda, Lincoln, Ala., 1999, $248 million
Nissan, Canton, Miss., 2000, $295 million
Toyota, Huntsville, Ala., 2001, $30 million
Hyundai, Montgomery, Ala., 2002, $252 million
Toyota, San Antonio, Texas, 2003, $133 million
Kia, West Point, Ga., 2006, $400 million
Honda, Greensburg, Ind., 2006, $141 million
Toyota, Blue Springs, Miss., 2007, $300 million
Volkswagen, Chattanooga, Tenn., 2008, $577 million

Union labor killed nothing. Management/supervision did.

GREED. The same "supervisors", who after the gov't stepped in, had the balls to still ask for a raise.

I'm union, but I ain't UAW. I see it every day and work alongside UAW employees in UAW plants. It wasn't Joe and Susie working on the assembly line that [bleep] up. Nor was it the skilled trades guys.

Anyway, enough on the Toyota $hit. Thought we were talking crossbows?

Wow. Somebody that actually GETS IT

Bravo...................

Never the less they still start, continue to run, and pieces don't start falling off the day you get them. $75.00 an hour for labor and paying people that sit in a room reading all day was just more than anyone could afford to pay. I have a Ford and I think it's ok. I would be embarrassed (and worried) if I drove a GM or a Chrysler product. I have to spend my money wisely and I need to get to work on time. GM has a plant here in town. I'd work there but I wouldn't own one. I can't afford to be without something to drive.

I guess we are all entitled to our own opinions. I hunted with my Excaliber out of tree stands, ground blinds and still hunting numerous days the past two seasons and have never had it's width be an issue. Don't know if I would like to spot and stalk in heavy brush with any of them but I would. I just think that the Excaliber is much easier to maintain and use. Other opinions vary but I am just going off my experience.

2muchgun has removed himself from this topic.

Crossbows?

Barnett Predator has been a great crossbow for 3 years and going. Deadly accurate, but was loud till limbsavers.