Crossbow guidance...total noob

[outrider58]

When reading reviews, pay close attention to cable life(if mentioned). Some can be very short.



+1 for Excalibur(no cables) and extremely durable.

 

[teratos]

When reading reviews, pay close attention to cable life(if mentioned). Some can be very short.



+1 for Excalibur(no cables) and extremely durable.

I think the Excalibur is where I’m leaning. I appreciate the input, it narrowed down what to read up on.

Any input on the FPS? Is more better?

 

[Speed3]

I think the Excalibur is where I’m leaning. I appreciate the input, it narrowed down what to read up on.

Any input on the FPS? Is more better?

I have a matrix 380, if near frederick anytime you're welcome to shoot it.

They still make a micro 355 or something? Anything above 300 is enough. If you're going to hunt fields, faster equals more distance. I shoot 150gr broadheads others shoot 100gr.

EDIT...see slackdaddy post on fps

 

[gwchem]

What sort of distance are you looking? Even the $300 crossbows can be good to 50 yards anymore. The extra speed buys you out to 80-100 yards.

 

[teratos]

I will add that, what cross bow you "need",, should match your skill level as a hunter and hunting environment on a few levels.

How many deer have you taken with a compound (or any vertical bow).
Do you actively hunt? What type of stands do you hunt from, how high?
Public land? private?

A lot of variables, no need to over buy for your situation.

In my case, I am 20-30 up, close quarters shooting in thick cover. I am shooting an Excalibur Micro, very heavy bolts, "Bolt cutter" fixed blades.
I need something small, light and powerful, shooting a bolt that will go through "odd situations", but do not need any distance.

Let us know your situation and we can help you narrow it down.

Missed your post at first! Complete novice with bows. I hunt on strictly private lands, usually from ground blinds with a rifle. So, experience with rifle and shotgun. I’m not averse to building a stand on my MILs property.

 

[teratos]

What sort of distance are you looking? Even the $300 crossbows can be good to 50 yards anymore. The extra speed buys you out to 80-100 yards.

I’d imagine within 50 yards for most shots. 80-100 yard shots would be possible on some of the land I have access to, do the capability would be something I’m interested in, at least to practice those distances.

 

[gwchem]

Archery definitely requires confidence at the distance before taking a shot. I won't personally take a shot unless I'm confident that I've shot many 3 inch groups that far out.

Again, my vote is buy once, cry once. Treat yo self, doc.

 

[teratos]

Archery definitely requires confidence at the distance before taking a shot. I won't personally take a shot unless I'm confident that I've shot many 3 inch groups that far out.

Again, my vote is buy once, cry once. Treat yo self, doc.

I’m a member of the buy once, cry once club. I’ll get more than I need. The great thing about a crossbow is I can practice in the woods behind my townhouse. I’m an ethical hunter, and would never take an iffy shot. I can’t really do a compound bow, due to a bum shoulder. Archery will open up where I can hunt, too. I can hunt, technically, on my MILs property but guns may annoy the neighbors.

 

[gwchem]

I’m a member of the buy once, cry once club. I’ll get more than I need. The great thing about a crossbow is I can practice in the woods behind my townhouse. I’m an ethical hunter, and would never take an iffy shot. I can’t really do a compound bow, due to a bum shoulder. Archery will open up where I can hunt, too. I can hunt, technically, on my MILs property but guns may annoy the neighbors.

If your shoulder is a concern, make sure it can support a crank cocking system.

The tenpoint stealth looks pretty cool, but I've never seen it up close.

 

[teratos]

If your shoulder is a concern, make sure it can support a crank cocking system.

The tenpoint stealth looks pretty cool, but I've never seen it up close.

Shoulder is good if I don’t have to raise it too far. The crank system should not be an issue.

 

[aray]

I like the simplicity of an Excalibur recurve. Nice to be able to take it apart if you like for travel and to change your own string if you like.

+1 on the recurve. In the field, dragging it through the brush, etc. I don't need a damaged crossbow or busted string that I can't repair on the spot.

I too have an Excalibur. It shoots and feels much like a rifle. Mine is wicked accurate out to 50 yards.

 

[teratos]

+1 on the recurve. In the field, dragging it through the brush, etc. I don't need a damaged crossbow or busted string that I can't repair on the spot.

I too have an Excalibur. It shoots and feels much like a rifle. Mine is wicked accurate out to 50 yards.

Which model are you sporting, Ray?

 

[Antarctica]

On cross bows and compounds, buy the cheapest decent bow you can. They are so good now that they will all kill deer. For compound I picked up a PSE stinger cheap about years ago and its fantastic. For a crossbow I picked up a counterpoint sniper 370 for $240 and its a tack hammer out to 40, which is as far as I've ever tried to shoot it.

 

[Uncle Duke]

What sort of distance are you looking? Even the $300 crossbows can be good to 50 yards anymore. The extra speed buys you out to 80-100 yards.

I likewise have zero experience with crossbows, and have no real idea what they are capable of. But I am curious....are people actually killing deer at 80 and 100 yard ranges? Seems it would be a whole lot of fun to shoot at that range at targets, but unethical it seems to attempt on live game. But admittedly not knowing the capabilities of a modern crossbow in capable hands, where is the realistic line between "can" and "should" for most? I genuinely have no idea.

 

[mcbruzdzinski]

So...now that there is no bag limit on antlerless deer during bow season, I need a crossbow. What’s good? I have no clue.

If you are interested in a Ravlin, talk to Jeff Andrews. I think he won one at the Riviera Beach Gun Bash a few years ago. I do not think he uses it much.

 

[aray]

Which model are you sporting, Ray?

I bought mine years ago, and it's a discontinued model, the Axiom. Even then it was one of the larger models, but I picked it because I too wanted something easy to cock. In my case it wasn't my shoulder, but my back.

I considered a crank, but that turned out to be not at all necessary. Lift with your legs, not your arm or back, just like a box.

If I had to do it all over again, or I re-bought today, I would get a smaller model that's easier to drag through the brush, and with more power. Years later I tried I buddy's smaller / more power Excalibur model, and I had no problems cocking it. But of course you can still opt for the crank.

Even so, my Axiom still has tight groupings out to 50 yards. I imagine a more powerful model would do even better. I have no doubt I could consistently hit a deer beyond that, somewhere, but ethically I too won't take a shot unless I'm confident I can place the shot in the vital kill zone. Beyond 50 yards I wouldn't take the shot with my Axiom, because my groupings past that distance start to widen apart pretty quickly.

FYI I practice in my backyard, even in a subdivision. I have a backstop, and the crossbow doesn't have the crack of a firearm. It stays on the property, and my neighbors either don't notice or don't care.

 

[Archeryrob]

I likewise have zero experience with crossbows, and have no real idea what they are capable of. But I am curious....are people actually killing deer at 80 and 100 yard ranges? Seems it would be a whole lot of fun to shoot at that range at targets, but unethical it seems to attempt on live game. But admittedly not knowing the capabilities of a modern crossbow in capable hands, where is the realistic line between "can" and "should" for most? I genuinely have no idea.

IMO, it is highly unethical. Crossbows are very loud and I shoot one. I would doubt any shooting lane ina woods over 40 yards as sticks move anything else can affect arrow flight heavily.

Some guys talk they would do it if they hunted fields, BUT with evena Ravin the sound is traveling 3 times faster than the arrow. We have all seen the videos of deer jumping the string on 300fps compounds at 30 yards, but somehow 400fps fixed all that with a louder bow at 50 - 100 yards.

I think most guys know better and you only hear the hype from the manufacturers and few harry knucklers.

I got a buddy with an old excalibur recurve Xbow like a few guys referenced in here. He shot a buck a year back and shot through the buck and drove it 6" or more into a walnut tree. Clearly even this "old bow" has way more power than needed to do the job. The new ones are marketing to the archery itch to buy the newest and best. I am all for the flattest trajectory pitch, but marketing shots at 50 yards and more on live game with a bow of any kind is going to make a lot of crippled deer.

 

[Batt816]

IMO, it is highly unethical. Crossbows are very loud and I shoot one. I would doubt any shooting lane ina woods over 40 yards as sticks move anything else can affect arrow flight heavily.

Some guys talk they would do it if they hunted fields, BUT with evena Ravin the sound is traveling 3 times faster than the arrow. We have all seen the videos of deer jumping the string on 300fps compounds at 30 yards, but somehow 400fps fixed all that with a louder bow at 50 - 100 yards.

I think most guys know better and you only hear the hype from the manufacturers and few harry knucklers.

I got a buddy with an old excalibur recurve Xbow like a few guys referenced in here. He shot a buck a year back and shot through the buck and drove it 6" or more into a walnut tree. Clearly even this "old bow" has way more power than needed to do the job. The new ones are marketing to the archery itch to buy the newest and best. I am all for the flattest trajectory pitch, but marketing shots at 50 yards and more on live game with a bow of any kind is going to make a lot of crippled deer.

Makes sense. I am confident with my Tenpoint at 65 yards on a target, but I wouldn't try to take a deer at that range. 40 yards is about as far as I will go.

 

[Uncle Duke]

Makes sense. I am confident with my Tenpoint at 65 yards on a target, but I wouldn't try to take a deer at that range. 40 yards is about as far as I will go.

IMO, it is highly unethical. Crossbows are very loud and I shoot one. I would doubt any shooting lane ina woods over 40 yards as sticks move anything else can affect arrow flight heavily.

Some guys talk they would do it if they hunted fields, BUT with evena Ravin the sound is traveling 3 times faster than the arrow. We have all seen the videos of deer jumping the string on 300fps compounds at 30 yards, but somehow 400fps fixed all that with a louder bow at 50 - 100 yards.

I think most guys know better and you only hear the hype from the manufacturers and few harry knucklers.

I got a buddy with an old excalibur recurve Xbow like a few guys referenced in here. He shot a buck a year back and shot through the buck and drove it 6" or more into a walnut tree. Clearly even this "old bow" has way more power than needed to do the job. The new ones are marketing to the archery itch to buy the newest and best. I am all for the flattest trajectory pitch, but marketing shots at 50 yards and more on live game with a bow of any kind is going to make a lot of crippled deer.

Makes all kinds of sense to me. Thanks for the perspectives.

 

[bigmanindc]

Too bad you missed the 60 dollar amazon deal last fall. I found it posted on here bought one and it actually came. Should have been about a 400 dollar crossbow. It was a barnett whitetail hunter str. Got it for under 70 bucks.

Lol that's how I ended up with my Barnett. Had like 4 buddies get in on it too. Steal of the year.

I thought I got a deal when I purchased it in 2018 for $254
I'm jealous