Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting What crossbow do you use?

I know some traditionalists turn their nose up at crossbow hunting, but I enjoy it a lot. Due to physical restrictions, I'm unable to use a traditional bow anymore, so I'm thankful that I can still use a crossbow.

Anyway, I'm just curious what you are using? And the approximate distance you generally hunt and fps you're getting?

Myself, I'm using a Barnett Recruit, which is marketed more as a youth xbow, but I added some 1/4" aluminum extensions to the butt pad of mine to extend the length of pull out better.

So far, it's 2 for 2. With neither going more than about 20 feet.

I checked over the chrony with aluminum arrows and 100 gr Rage points and mine is doing right around 307 fps.

My first was a Barnett Wildcat, but it was wide and heavy, and almost identical performance with velocity, I sold it and took the money and bought the recruit and am much happier with it. I don't recall the width of the bow when cocked, but it's substantially less than the old wildcat bow.

Excalibur Exocet 200. Tried and true, tough as hell, no press needed to service. Pluses outweigh minuses of front heaviness and width.

Excalibur Matrix Bulldog 380, now discontinued. Don’t know the speed and don’t care. Center of the reticle is 30, next circle 40, next one 50. Wouldn’t try 50 unless I had plenty of time, a good ranging, and no wind on an unaware deer.

I used a red dot for a while, and zeroed at 30 I could do 40 with no trouble with a little holdover, but never got to try it on game. The current scope is a Nikon fixed 3x and very light, so it stays until it craps.

Ten Point.

-Ken

Ravin x-bow its loud when shot , but the Ravin x-bow loads and unloads easier than the rest for a handi-cap person

Raven R29. Stupidly expensive but actually worth it. Have owned 10 point, Excaliber and Parker. Good bows all and killed a lot of deer with them The Raven is like going to a Ferrari from an old Ford tractor. Everything is just faster and easier and the results are amazing. NOTE: I limit myself to 35 yards shots. Limit was 25 with the others. Does not sound like much but you are actually doubling the area covered. This is based on 20+ years of crossbow hunting. FINAL NOTE: If I was physically able, I would still prefer a compound.

Haven't used it for hunting yet, still using my vertical bows, I have a Ravin R26. Very nice, compact, crossbow. As pete53 said, they are loud when shot, no doubt. The trigger in it is nicer than some rifles I've shot, very nice trigger system. I also went with Ravin's heavier arrows/bolts and 125gr expandable broadheads. I went with expandibles because the broadhead does stick out past the end of the crossbow and wasn't interested in exposed razor edges. I've shot it enough at targets that I'm now on its second set of cables and string. The R26 is my only crossbow experience and I am enjoying it, more than I thought I would. It's very accurate and very easy to shoot. I just might end up taking it for a walk through the woods this fall!

Went to a Ravin R10 last year! Dam Fine shooter!

Currently have an older Tenpoint I set up for my father years ago, loud and heavy, and three Excaliburs.......... a 340 Axe, 360 Assassin and an older wide limb Exocet. Of them I prefer the Axe......light, compact, accurate and simple. So far it's 3 for 3 on deer

i should mention this also my Excalibur is harder to load and for safety sake should be shot with an arrow to unload. but the ready Ravin x-bow loads and unloads so much easier than the other brands and like has been mention Ravin x-bows have a better trigger system too. 46 states allow handi -cap people to use a x-bow during the archery season . Montana does not allow handi-cap people to use a x-bow during the archery . there is a lot of Federal land in Montana why should the state of Montana not follow the Federal handi-cap guidelines so the handi-cap can hunt during the warmer archery season that `s just wrong !

What Excalibur is it that requires that? I can uncock mine in seconds using the rope. I used to bring it home cocked, then shoot a field point into a target, but no more.

I load it at my car using the crank, but carry the rope for follow-up shots. Been thinking about packing the crank so I can reload in a tree. Pretty sure trying that with a rope would be my undoing…..

I just shoot a decocker arrow.

I had an old warped worn out aluminum bolt and glued a piece of 38 special brass onto the front of it where the field point arrowhead would have been and shoot it into the ground.

The Barnett doesn't have a decocking button to push. But with or without that feature, works really easily with a decocker arrow.

Mines a Centerpoint Sniper 370. I think I paid 215.00 for it brand new. It's accurate enough you could head shoot squirrels with it from 40 yards. I'm getting 355 fps with a 425 grain bolt. It's considerably quieter and faster than my brothers Parker and my buddies Barnett. I killed a buck and a doe with it last season and don't see how anything could have worked any better. You can easily decock it with the rope cocker.

Yeah, I have came to the same conclusion with mine. I've been fortunate and have gotten a few and they never go more than a couple of yards at the most. I cannot say the same for shooting rifles. I lost a deer year before last and I know it was a good shot. After it crossed the property line to the state forest, that was far as I could legally track it since it's an animal preservation area.

But with a crossbow, it's over very quickly.

I’m shooting an Excalibur micro 335 with a trigger tech trigger. It’s a great little set up.

Scorpyd Death Stalker 6.2 lbs. All Carbon construction, all titanium components , it has 150 lb limbs and shoots a 465 grain arrow at 385. It does not sound like a gun doing off, it might be the quietest X-bow on the market. I cannot shoot groups with it because I will destroy very expensive arrows . On top of that it has the finest X-bow trigger on the market. Today I shot it and it was dead-on at 20 and 40 yards.POI has not changed in 3 years. You can change strings and cables yourself without any expensive presses or tools.

I'm shooting a Ravin R-29. It's shooting 425gr firenock bolts with 3 blade Grim Reaper mechanical broadheads approx. 420fps. This combination works really well for me. I killed my biggest Buck to date with it last year. He went about 30yds at a dead run and fell over within site of the shot. I shot a Big doe with it opening weekend this year so far, same results. I got a Good buck on the trail cam. Looking forward to getting back out there in a week or so.

Still using my old Barnett C5 Wildcat! Heavy…yes! Wide…yes! Slower than some…yes! Deadly, repeatably accurate from 0-65 yards…YES!!! It shoots so good, and cost me so little, I just can’t bear the thought of spending a ton of money on a newer one until this one craps the bed.

Doc_Holidude

Been using a Excalibur Exocet since 2008 when I injured my shoulder....I've shot at least 1 buck every year....

When and looked at one of the new Excalibur bows before hunting season but my Exocet will do just fine.....my bow is on its second string put on it last season.....

I bought mine several years ago for $189. I used it for several years and killed several deer and turkeys with it but didn’t like the trigger. Payed a guy on Crossbow Nation $90 to work it over and that was money well spent. I can shoot it offhand now with the good trigger.

I have a Skorpyd I bought years ago when he was still making them in his garage. No idea of speed, but plenty fast. I've taken probably 7-8 Deer with it so far. There was a good buck in a group of deer feeding about 34 yards from my blind. He was in the back of the herd, and only raised his head to look around before continuing feeding. After 3 or 4 times, I got ready, and put an arrow through his neck at 45 yards the next time he raised his head. This thing will shoot 4" groups at 50 yards off the back of my quad.

Black Widow PSA X @ 53

I'm still shooting an old Excalibur Exomax. Heavy, wide, and goes THUNK, but it still kills deer. It's accurate and I practice out to 40 yds, but I limit my hunting to about 25 yds.

I still use a bow but my wife uses my dads center point sniper when she wants to bowhunt. This one was 40 yards and it blew right through this heavy old deer.

Scorpyd Deathstalker & Ravin R10

Excalibur Matrix 380

I have a Carbon Express 390. Took several deer with it. Last season's buck here

I bought my Ten Point second hand in 2008 for a very fair price. 16 deer have been downed with this amazing crossbow and none got away. Accuracy is superb! - Sherwood

Excalibur. It's a good one.

I have 2 Excaliburs, an axiom and a mag340. Both have never disappointed me. I usually limit my shots to 30 or 35 yards. I shot recurve and longbows for 40 years and prefer the simplicity of recurve limbs.

Rotator cuff issue led me to a center point sniper. Glad to have it and likely keep using it going forward.

I have an Excalibur 340 Axe. Quiet compared to others I've shot. I'll shoot out to 40 yards with it. Where I hunt it's too thick to shoot any further. A little hard to cock in a stand but no problem on the ground or uncocking after a hunt.

I just picked up a Ravin R5X after shooting a friends R10. Never used one before that but was very impressed.

Always wanted to shoot a crossbow

No it does not. You have to also per the factory not keep it loaded for more then 8 hours.

I have an excalibur matrix 405... love the simplicity. can restring it easily and don't have to worry about cam timing etc..
easy to unload with the one hand rope technique shown above.

I have a Skorpyd too, shoots really fast and shoots well.. just don't use it, so will likely sell it soon.

Ravin R26. It's expensive but I can't really put into words how much I like this thing. It's about as good as design gets.

i use a Ravin because the Ravin loads and unloads easy , i also have a Excalibur x-bow its very quiet but sucks to load and unload ,if Excalibur would have the same Ravin system to load and unload the Excalibur x-bow i would buy another Excalibur x-bow and use it.

Tenpoint, Excaliber and Ravin are easy to crank up. Only issue I have with Ravin,Tenpoint and excalibur is overstressed limbs which leads to short string life, cracked limbs

Excalibur Phoenix.

Beautiful Picture and a great shot!

Congratulations :o)

Cross bow, what is a cross bow? Guess my bow has a number of crosses in its structure, My hunting bow of choices a carbon defiant. My DL is 30" in my late 50's I am pulling 65lbs. The bow is slinging a 650 grain TAW at roughly 220 fps. did just fine this fall on this stud.

https://www.archerytalk.com/threads...r-equipment-this-archery-season.6146781/

I bought my second hand Ten Point in 2008 and this crossbow has performed amazingly well for me. Limbs and safety device upgraded by the factory in 2011. Otherwise no repair work has been performed. - Sherwood

PSE Fang 350. Low cost, accurate, dead deer results!

I chimed in earlier but dang these Ravins are awesome. No buyers remorse here.

*they drive a bolt almost up to the fletching in a block target so might keep that in mind

My Centerpoint Sniper accounted for another 7 point buck back on Nov. 11. 20 yard broadside shot through the lungs with a NAP 3 blade Shockwave and he only went 15 yards.

Report back in when you hit 70😜

I’m getting bored with my xbow, and tired of dragging it around, will probably sell it in the Spring and spend the early Fall hunting small game, turkeys, or birds, maybe even fishing. I have a 40lb recurve I can dig out to play with, maybe rabbit or squirrel hunt. We have enough early doe days to make meat before the regular rifle season. If there were really nice bucks on my WMA or I had access to private land, I’d keep it in hopes of whacking a big one, but neither applies.

Ravin R29. Expensive as hades and worth every penny. Limit myself to 35 yard shots.

71 years old, I shoot a Ravin R-10. Managed to take a decent 8pt with it this year.

For the past 10 years I've been using an old Wicked Ridge with the old school limbs. It's almost 30" wide uncocked. I killed a lot of deer with that thing. I'm not getting any younger though, so this year I decided to do an upgrade and bought a 10 Point Titan De-cock. It's got a crank to cock and de-cock. It's only 14" uncocked and 9" wide cocked. Supposedly, it shoots 370fps with a 400gr arrow. I haven't killed anything with it yet, but I like it.

Good thread and advice.

I've been considering a crossbow for a bit now and reading everything I can find on the subject. A wrecked shoulder was the end of my compound bow hunting and I miss getting to enjoy the long archery season here and the AGFC allows the use of crossbows so I think there will be one in my future.

Ten Point. I have only shot one doe with it but it was impressive. Bolt blew right through her shoulder and she went about 20 yards. I added Ten Points sound dampening kit and shoot 150 grain Slick Tricks, it is noticeably quieter than my buddy's, who has the exact same crossbow without the heavy broadheads or dampening kit.

I wound up ordering an Excalibur Micro Mag 340 and it should be here this week. The season runs through the end of February so I'm hoping to send a couple of does to freezer camp with it.

I have a vintage raven. R9 I believe.

I have koda bow with a custom Excalibur’s micro front.

I use the $350-400 Barnett bows usually around 380 fps.

Work just fine out to 50 yards. Far as I need to go.

I picked up a Wicked Ridge Ten Point 5 years ago on sale for a lot less than I expected from "Dicks". Tackdriver! As for hunting with it I really find them unhandy to carry. Pros are you can shoot it easily from a ground blind without movement and from prone. I set it up with a better scope and a scope mounted light for hog hunting. The only snivel is the hogs always run a ways and I don't like looking for them in the dark carrying only a crossbow.

We just got blackhawk360. It's an introductory tenpoint model. Easy to shoot. We're using it for nocturnal coyotes in suburbia.

Ravin R10. I shot it yesterday out to 40 yards. Need a little fine tuning but very impressed with it.