Thinking about getting my son one for Christmas but saying I know nothing about them is an understatement. What’s the big difference in one that’s $300.00 versus one that’s $1,500.00? Seems like price is all over the board.

Speed, actual weight of the crossbow, size of the crossbow (smaller is better) and trigger. I’ve got a scorpyd deathstalker. If i remember correctly, it was $850 or so but it is super light, really compact, shoots 380 fps which isn’t blazing fast but is still faster than most, and has a trigger better than any rifle i own.

From what I have seen the price and the name is really the only difference. I bought my wife a Center Point Sniper 370 for $200
and it came with everything you need other than broadheads. It has an adjustable stock and good trigger.
My Bil and Nephew both spent over $1000 each on different cross bows that are no more accurate, quiet or fast.
We have shot it a good bit and it has performed very well out to 50 yds.

4" groups at 100 yards with the Ravin R20.

I have a Barnett reverse draw I really like. It was around 500. Shoots well. I can get 2" grouping at 50 yards with it so it is pretty accurate. I don't really like to hunt with it out past that because, like every crossbow, it is loud when shot and can affect the deer when you shot at them (a lot of stories of deer moving during a long shot). It is light to me and the reverse limbs make it more balanced so it may state that it is 7 pounds but it doesn't feel like that. I agree the name has a lot to do with it as well.

Don't know much about it, but Wal-Mart had the Barnett Jackal package for $198.

I got an inferno wildfire II it's loud but it hits HARD. It's a tackdriver but it's a recurve with a 225 lb draw.
You can get the kit with 4 bolts and a scope for around 200 new

mission mxb360 hands down quietest crossbow ive ever shot i use gold tip 425 ballistic arrows trimmed to 23.5 inxhes to use fixed blade at a total weight on 465g counting 100g broadhead pinpoint out to 60yards

Bought my son one last Christmas and it has worked flawless. Only thing I changed was the scope and I bought the Nike Bolt XR to put on it.

I couldn't be happier with it to this point, especially for a cheaper/beginners bow.

I bought a Ravin R10 to take to Illinois. Can’t say enough good things about this crossbow. Made a pass through shot on a big body 8 point at 81 yards. Best part is the deer ran up hill about 200 yards and jumped the fence and died 5 yards from the road.

81 yards? Good gracious. Congrats.

Did a little research for you and centerpoint 370 and killer instinct ripper 415 look like great options. Each have pro and cons but both look solid to kill deer out to 50.

What broadheads are you all shooting?

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact...;ca=0b3850ab-8ca5-4784-a351-5ed3bbda8b95

Made in American and great service dept.

Best deal in the business. I own a wicked ridge invader and a horton reverse limb. My BIL has this xbox and it shots just as good as my wicked ridge. NAP spitfires are the broadhead I use.

I BOUGHT THE BARNETT RECRUIT A FEW YEARS BACK. Zero complaints from me

Let me start by saying I don't own one, but I have shot one a few times. The Ravin Crossbows are the best overall crossbows on the market, IMHO. Here are my thoughts:

Pros:
1) They shoot faster than their listed speed with the standard hunting arrow.
2) There is no string to rail contact, so no string friction (to wear out your string faster) and no need to keep the rail waxed
3) The crank is built in
4) It uses a thick ribbon and not the little ropes to draw the string
5) Once cocked, you don't have to remove anything from the string
6) You cannot over-crank it on the draw
7) You can de-cock it without having to fire it
8) Extremely accurate
9) Narrow profile, even before it is drawn
10) One of the fastest crossbows on the market

Cons:
1) Price
2) You have to use Ravin Arrows

I know a guy that works at Cabela's and was talking with him. He says the only reason they come back in is because people put the arrows in wrong and have the front of the arrow on the rail and not up on the rollers and when they shoot it, it basically dry fires and shatters the arrow, sometimes messing up the strings and cams.

Here is a heck of a deal

https://www.ebay.com/p/Bear-Archery.../20009639443?iid=283258921831&chn=ps

Make sure he keeps his hands below the string track when releasing a bolt. You don't wanna get Buck fever with your fingers above the rail track. The strings and cables have no mercy for fingers once you squeeze that trigger.

Everyone I’ve seen post reviews says the string needs to be replaced at somewhere around 200 shots and when that time comes the Ravin crossbows can only be pressed in a Ravin press which all pro shops probably don’t have.

Crossbows are louder than compound bows and a lot of them are heavier than compound bows. You are still limited in range, if you plan on making a ethical shot. IMO crossbows are faster off the rail but compound bows are better at 40 yard or more ranges due to the longer power stroke of compound bows. You can change your own string on a Excalibur crossbow and with no cam or pulleys it has less things to worry about. You can spend as much or as little as you want with a crossbow, same as a compound bow.

With all due respect, if you think a vertical bow can do 40 plus what a Ravin can then you obviously have never shot a Ravin

I'm a little confused by this because of the one sentence about Excalibur Crossbows. Are you talking about vertical compound bows, or recurve style crossbows (no cams or pulleys)?

On normal crossbows, 200 shots is what is usually recommended. I think it has to do with the string/rail friction. Since the Ravin doesn't have any string/rail friction, they will last longer. According to the Ravin website, they need to be changed every 400 shots or 2 years. It is true that you have to use a Ravin press. I do know that Cabela's in Huntsville has one and they replace strings. I happened to see a set of strings and cables in there today for around $100. I think if you purchase the set from them, they will install it at no additional charge, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

That makes no sense. The speed of the arrow is a product of the amount of potential energy stored in a bow a full draw. A longer power stroke results in more area under the curve, therefore, more potential energy but so will the amount of force required to draw the bow. So, while most modern crossbows have a much shorter powerstroke, they require much more force to draw and as a result have much more potential energy with is converted to kinetic energy. That is why the bolts/arrows are faster from a crossbow than from a compound.

The Ravin easily exceeds 400 fps, even with the supplied bolts. You won't come anywhere close to that with a standard compound.

I keep it at 300fps on a recurve with 100gr heads, very quiet and will pass through a 450lb Hog shield and put a Bull Elk down with a double lung pass through. 300fps matches the Nikon Crossbow scope exactly. For me, I’ll never own anything but an Excalibur Matrix series at 330fps and under. My setup is sub 1 1/2” accurate at 70 yards and I don’t tune arrows & heads.

There are no “Pro’s” to anything more than that in my opinion but to each his own.

A deer can sometimes duck or jump string past 40 yards with any speed. The quieter and simpler the crossbow is to cock has enabled me to recock and keep killing until I run out of bolts on hogs and I’ve even taken two deer on occasion.

I’m just guessing I’ve killed a broad variety upwards of 300 animals with crossbows

“Energy” doesn’t mean very much to me in this rehlm, except extra noise most times.

How many animals have you killed with your bare hands
image uploader

We had a thread about that a few months ago and some folks got to crying about giving PETA ammunition.

My first deer was a 230lb ten point that I drowned in the Alabama river in 1976 in the Campbell town Lower Peach Tree area. Back when it still got cold, ground was frozen and crunchy, and I was colder than a well digger’s butt in Alaska in my wet cotton thermals and Archie sweatshirt. Back when an Outlaw named John Champion roamed the area. I was dang proud though.

I guess I was a Veteran water killer by the time I arrived in Mogadishu (before) Oct 1993.

Bluetick?