I've been thinking about getting a crossbow for whitetail hunting. We are allowed to take 3 does in addition to 2 either sex here but the either sex days for firearm and ML are very restricted. Every day of deer season is either sex for archery so I am looking to expand my options, but have no experience with crossbows. The Ravin 10x and Excalibur Assassin 400 TD are two I am considering. I don't want something that I have to take to someone else to get tuned or that is fickle and easily put out of good working order. Something that is pretty quiet at the shot is important too. Recommendations would be appreciated.
Of the crossbows ive had, horton and tenpoint, ive never had them tuned. Just need to lube the rails and wax the strings. If they look dodgey at all replace them. Had one blow up before on once.
Definitely get one with the crank draw because trying load one the old fashioned way when you're in a tree doesnt work so well.
Whatever you decide on get one that has as short as limbs as you can. When that deer is on the back side of the tree you are in one with wide limbs will be harder to get around the tree to shoot and you may think your clear tell you shoot and the limbs straightened out hit the tree or part of your stand and you miss or wound one. Mor compact is also easier to get through the woods and brush.
Get one that will make it hard for you to get your thumb in the path of the string. If you get you thumb in the way of the string it will nearly cut it off.
My wife had dbl. rotator cuff surgery so she can no longer draw a bow. We bought her a Horton 6 years ago. She is happy with it killed several deer. Now we are looking to upgrade but at an affordable price for us. We both just retired. We have tried several, settled on a ten point with the easy cocking and decocking method. I encourage you to consider the ones with the decocking so as not having to mess with discharging all the time and finding your discharge bolt. Wicked ridge was next in line for us. Ravin's she just did not care for and of course the price on some of the different brands and models are crazy. We settled on a $1399.00 model of Ten Point. Similar weight for carry, speed 410ft per, cocking and decocking method are easy, narrow as well. Go try them out shoot them and figure out what is best for your and you can afford. Lot of good equiptment that does not need to break the bank.
Whatever you decide on get one that has as short as limbs as you can. When that deer is on the back side of the tree you are in one with wide limbs will be harder to get around the tree to shoot and you may think your clear tell you shoot and the limbs straightened out hit the tree or part of your stand and you miss or wound one. Mor compact is also easier to get through the woods and brush.
Get one that will make it hard for you to get your thumb in the path of the string. If you get you thumb in the way of the string it will nearly cut it off.
^^^^^this is good advice, and the very reason i would stay away from Excaliber crossbows. They are accurate and reliable, but unfortunately , they are also wide as a bus compared to the competition. TenPoints are pricey, but they are every bit as reliable and accurate as Excaliber with the benefit of being narrow. Customer service is also second to none.....pay once, cry once. Having said that, get in to a sporting goods store and get your hands on some different models and see what works for you....
Forgot to add mine is a mission made by Matthew's. Had it about 10 years so there are a lot faster and more narrow now. It's 18" axle to axle and 320 fps. My daughter and boys do very well with it. The boys are getting close to pull a deer legal poundage bow so the x bow may hav its days # but I don't think so when bothe my 9 and 12 year old can shoot 4" or less groups at 50 yards with it off a bipod.
You can also damage the xbow if the bow limbs smack the trunk whe you fire.
Side note... I would suggest hunting out of a saddle if you go up a tree. Crossbows can give you a lot of awkward shots you cant take with a bow and the saddle makes those awkward shots a lot safer and stabler.
Excalibur, I bought 2 used ones, limbs little wider than most but dead nuts accurate. I gout mine off Craigslist for bout $ 300.00 complete. You don’t need to spend over $500.00 for a good set up.
I have an Excalibur assassin and a ten point nitro xrt 470. Personally I like the ten point better for the speed. With my setup it is going 425 fps. I can keep my shots within a beer can at 100 yards with it. The assassin is great but the speed, with my set up, is only a touch over 300 fps. At 60 yards it will keep them close enough you wont shoot at the same dot. The report for both of them is about the same (yes, I checked it).
If you are only looking to shoot 30-40 yards then I would go with excaliber. If you want to extend your range go with the tenpoint. My boy shot a buck at 81 yards last year.
My first one was Excalibur, at the time it was their top model. Not sure why some like them, I hated it and dumped it within a short time. It was like sitting in a stand with an 4' 2"x2". By far the clumsiest x-bow that I ever tried to use out of a stand or blind.
I went with a ten point offering, again at the time, one of their upper end offerings, the "Carbon Elite" with acudraw. For the last almost 10 years it has been a machine. I did change the string and cables twice, but both times it was a 20 minute wait, hardly a hardship. I have taken 1-2 deer with it yearly along with 2 bear. Both my brother and sister each bought one after using mine and again never a problem as each have gathered a list of game taken with theirs.
These days many of the mid range Ten Point and wicked ridge crossbows are probably on par with my old bow. Have fun shooting as many as you can, good times for x-bow hunters.
I also went with the Wicked Ridge by Ten Point….. shot several at the sport shop. As soon as it hit my shoulder I knew I was buying it. Feels good, fits good and importantly-shoots good.
Whopper stopper. They like the Excalibur probably becuse they haven't experienced anything else. Excalibur look cool with the recurve limbs.
I had an sold a scorpyd, ten point, and wicked ridge. Never owned a ravin or mission but they look nice.
Downside to the ravin is you need to replace strings and cables every 12 months due to the high draw weight and extreme string tension. $100 for cables/strings + labor unless you have your own bow press. The scorpyd and mission allows you to change without a press
In 10 years I have never needed to restring my compound x bow or work on it. Never had to sight it in but once. If I had to work on it in the field I would not have a box of parts in the field with me anyway. So not a selling point for me. A x bow at 250 fps will shoot. Through a deer. But faster shoots flatter making range estimates les critical and further shots easier. Also the Excalibur are very wide. They look cool but for me a narrower more compact and much faster compound is the better choice.
Also my use is primarily for my kids so smaller, lighter and faster is more important than if it were just for me.
