Crossbow help...

[Gwynne86]

Good evening all, I am looking for a crossbow to hunt with next year.

Looking for suggestions to look through Amazon, or bass pro.

Brands I should stay away from or go with?

 

[DEEREHUNTER]

I have a Ravin 29X . Expensive but Badass. Very easy to learn how to shoot.

 

[Afrikeber]

Thinking of this one this season

https://a.co/d/bfaxTeO

 

[Inigoes]

Anything 375 FPS or faster will suffice.

If you get into the faster bows, be sure to purchase targets with sufficient stopping power. Also check your local range for any advertised limitations.

The inexpensive ready to hunt packages will kill a deer as good as the multithousand dollar bows. Whatever you purchase, become proficient using it.

Centerpoint is a inexpensive line:

CenterPoint AXCM175CK Tactical Adjustable Compound Crossbow for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for CenterPoint AXCM175CK Tactical Adjustable Compound Crossbow at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Tenpoint, Wicked Ridge, and Ravin crossbows are top notch.

 

[outrider58]

You pretty much get what you pay for. Don't cheap out.

 

[Vic]

How much do you want to spend. I have a Darton, great bow and not stupid expensive. Ravin and 10 pt are good bows but very expensive. Wicked Ridge is a less expensive version of 10 pt. Mission is a good bow too.
V

 

[pre64hunter]

I had a Barnett, lousy customer service.
Had a Killer Instinct, fast, fair price, very accurate, made in Tiawan, OK customer service. I loved the xbow but it was always in the shop getting fixed, they had it more than me. Killer instinct finally gave me a new xbow, was very good about it. I sold the xbow new in the box and bought an Excaliber, really happy with it.
Most guys don't know that the strings and cables stretch and you need a special bow press to change anything and keep it in tune. The cams get out of time, one will be turned a little more than the other.
The Excaliber is a recurve, it's simple, you can use a bow stringer and change the string yourself, not much to go wrong. You lose a few feet per second but you don't have cams, bearing, cables and strings to fool with. Good strings and cables cost over $100 plus pay someone to put them on.
One last thing, this goes for anything you might need customer service for, when you call Excaliber they answer the phone, the longest I was on hold was a couple minutes. The shortest I was on hold with some of the others was a couple hours!

You'll need a good target. I had a Bulldog, needed two hands and stand on the target to get the arrow out. I had a Spiderweb, pull the arrow out with two fingers, very nice but was very expensive.
Now I have the Morrell Yellow Jacket 425, stops a fast arrow and very easy removal.

Morrell Yellow Jacket Crossbow Field Point Bag Archery Target

A target specifically designed for crossbow field point practice. This target will take a serious pounding from the heaviest weight and fastest...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[mauser58]

My son uses an Excalibur. The bolts are shorter than the typical 20-22". They are hard to cock so must use the crank assist on his. He has taken at least six deer in past two years. I have a few other brands. Dont go cheap or you wont be happy with it.

 

[possumman]

You need not spend $1000 or more on a crossbow--if you are just getting started a "ready to hunt package" for $500 or less will kill deer as well as a $2500 Ravin. I have a Barnett Whitetail Hunter (Amazon) currently and an older Excalibur I bought used--both shoot accurately -- Once the scope is sighted in you are pretty much good to go--I started out with a $200 Horton with a peep sight and 2 pins--killed a bunch of deer with it. If you can find a used Excalibur that would be great. Also they are not very sensitive to arrow or broadhead weight --the $6 carbon fiber arrows from Walmart work perfectly well, as do the Rage knock-offs sold on Ebay! When I look at the current offerings in the archery magazines I can't believe some of the prices-but hey its your money

 

[Archeryrob]

Maybe your older excaliber is not sensitive to what arrows are on it. My buddy had one and his could shoot CE Pile drivers. He shot a buck with that and went through the buck and burred 6" to 8" in a walnut tree still. So the older excalibers seemed to be stable and plenty fast.

My Killer Instinct 350 could not shoot just any arrows. They would place all over the place from the broadheads catching air on the flexing of the shaft on release. It drove me crazy until I spine tested different arrows and found stiffer arrows fixed that problem with broadheads. So the faster the Crossbow the better, or stiffer, arrows you might need. Although they don't really talk about spine when buying bolts for crossbows, but it seemed damn important from what I noticed.

 

[lazarus]

Also whatever you get, mechanical or fixed broadheads, ensure you shoot two or three into you target. Don’t just rely on the practice tips. They do NOT always shoot to the same point of aim. Figure out the deviation, if any. Just suck it up that you may use up a package of heads testing that.

 

[lazarus]

You need not spend $1000 or more on a crossbow--if you are just getting started a "ready to hunt package" for $500 or less will kill deer as well as a $2500 Ravin. I have a Barnett Whitetail Hunter (Amazon) currently and an older Excalibur I bought used--both shoot accurately -- Once the scope is sighted in you are pretty much good to go--I started out with a $200 Horton with a peep sight and 2 pins--killed a bunch of deer with it. If you can find a used Excalibur that would be great. Also they are not very sensitive to arrow or broadhead weight --the $6 carbon fiber arrows from Walmart work perfectly well, as do the Rage knock-offs sold on Ebay! When I look at the current offerings in the archery magazines I can't believe some of the prices-but hey its your money

I have the same Barnett whitetail hunter. It’s killed a lot of deer for me. If I was hunting at longer distances, sure. My shots are almost universally under 30yds. You need to get a LOT faster to extend ranges to eliminate string jump.

I can hit a deer vital sized target at 60yds in calm weather. Maybe even 70. But 30-60yds I am 99% sure going to get string jump on a whitetail. I’ve never met a crossbow quiet enough not to cause it.

Something in the higher 300fps range can be fine to 40yds because it’s going fast enough to likely arrive before they can move much. But I personally prefer to keep it closer to or under 30yds. I’ve had deer string jump and noticeably change point of impact on shots in the 35yd range. I had a 5-pt I shot from a rest string jump at 42yds. Aimed for the vitals, but hit him in the hind quarters. Fortunately he collapsed, got up and trotted off slowly like nothing happened and laid down 50yds away and bled out in 20 minutes from the bolt going through both kidneys. Something in the mid to upper 400s could maybe push it an extra 10yds.

 

[Inigoes]

Also whatever you get, mechanical or fixed broadheads, ensure you shoot two or three into you target. Don’t just rely on the practice tips. They do NOT always shoot to the same point of aim. Figure out the deviation, if any. Just suck it up that you may use up a package of heads testing that.

On that note, stay away from replaceable razor blade broadheads. The razors tend to remain in the target when you try to retrieve the bolt and broad head core.

 

[lazarus]

On that note, stay away from replaceable razor blade broadheads. The razors tend to remain in the target when you try to retrieve the bolt and broad head core.

Mechanicals don’t seem to suffer that issue from what I’ve seen. But yes I know what you are talking about. Not cool for sure!

 

[mauser58]

You need not spend $1000 or more on a crossbow--if you are just getting started a "ready to hunt package" for $500 or less will kill deer as well as a $2500 Ravin. I have a Barnett Whitetail Hunter (Amazon) currently and an older Excalibur I bought used--both shoot accurately -- Once the scope is sighted in you are pretty much good to go--I started out with a $200 Horton with a peep sight and 2 pins--killed a bunch of deer with it. If you can find a used Excalibur that would be great. Also they are not very sensitive to arrow or broadhead weight --the $6 carbon fiber arrows from Walmart work perfectly well, as do the Rage knock-offs sold on Ebay! When I look at the current offerings in the archery magazines I can't believe some of the prices-but hey its your money

Yeah I have hunted with crossbows for awhile. Had a handicap permit before they legalized them for everyone. I have a Bear/ Jennings Devastator still and an old Horton Hunter. That had pins and I converted it with a rail and scope. Bought three others since.

 

[mauser58]

Also whatever you get, mechanical or fixed broadheads, ensure you shoot two or three into you target. Don’t just rely on the practice tips. They do NOT always shoot to the same point of aim. Figure out the deviation, if any. Just suck it up that you may use up a package of heads testing that.

You are exactly right on that. Broadheads and practice tips shoot different point of impact. No matter if same grain. I think the resistance of the blades maybe does that

 

[possumman]

I have the same Barnett whitetail hunter. It’s killed a lot of deer for me. If I was hunting at longer distances, sure. My shots are almost universally under 30yds. You need to get a LOT faster to extend ranges to eliminate string jump.

I can hit a deer vital sized target at 60yds in calm weather. Maybe even 70. But 30-60yds I am 99% sure going to get string jump on a whitetail. I’ve never met a crossbow quiet enough not to cause it.

Something in the higher 300fps range can be fine to 40yds because it’s going fast enough to likely arrive before they can move much. But I personally prefer to keep it closer to or under 30yds. I’ve had deer string jump and noticeably change point of impact on shots in the 35yd range. I had a 5-pt I shot from a rest string jump at 42yds. Aimed for the vitals, but hit him in the hind quarters. Fortunately he collapsed, got up and trotted off slowly like nothing happened and laid down 50yds away and bled out in 20 minutes from the bolt going through both kidneys. Something in the mid to upper 400s could maybe push it an extra 10yds.

For me 40 yards is about the limit that I will shoot--won't push it farther than that--too much chance of a bad hit and seem to get enough opportunity at that limit. And that is much further than I would have ever shot with my traditional bows.

 

[DaveP]

Good evening all, I am looking for a crossbow to hunt with next year.

Looking for suggestions to look through Amazon, or bass pro.

Brands I should stay away from or go with?

Bought my wife a used Excalibur Vixen off eBay about 10 years ago, for $175.
Simple recurve X bow.

I've killed a lot of deer with it.
Funny thing, kills them just as dead as my buddy's $1500 X bow, but he does take much longer shots/ high fps/ flatter trajectory.

 

[gwchem]

I've shot a bunch of deer with a killer instinct 415. I think it was $250. It does need better bolts, and with rage mechanical broadheads, they hit exactly where the field tips do. I use the Black Eagle Executioner bolts.

 

[possumman]

40 yards. Thru and thru. Ran maybe 2o yards. Mechanical head. Rage knockoff