Xbow?

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landman

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I don't know how bow hunting going to go this
year, only about 15% left in right eye

So what cross bow rigged out for $6-700?

Thanks
 
I have a Barnett that has been good for 1/2 that since they legalized them for every body.hope you have a full & speedy recovery
 
landman said:
I don't know how bow hunting going to go this
year, only about 15% left in right eye

So what cross bow rigged out for $6-700?
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Sounds like what you're needing most is an optical sight, and it's just much more practical to mount quality optics on a crossbow.

The crossbow itself is overall about as much disadvantage as advantage (compared to a vertical compound bow). IMO, the big advantage (to those with poorer eyes) can come from quality optics.

I think recurve crossbows (such as Excalibur) are the better way to go.
http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/
For that price range, I'd consider one of the lower-cost Excaliburs. If you get it as a "package" deal with their scope, consider replacing that scope with a better one.

IMO, most crossbow scopes have too much magnification, as having a 4x (or more) magnification can be a handicap at under 30 yards. But you do want a "traditional" type scope (adjustable to your eyes) rather than a red-dot type scope. The Nikon crossbow scope is a fixed 3x, unlike most of the scopes that come with the factory "package" deals.

Personally, I've recently gone to a crossbow mainly over the aging eyes issue, and the ability to easily use a traditional scope on a crossbow. I'm using a Nikon Monarch 1.5x shotgun scope. Among the "crossbow" scopes available, Hawke Optics seems to have the best selection of decent glass.
http://www.hawkeoptics.com/hawke-crossbow-scopes.html
I particularly like their XB30 1.25-4x24 as well as their XB 1x32. Again, you really don't need much if any magnification for under 30 yards, and anything over 2 to 3x can be mostly a handicap. For you (and me) the big advantage may be more the focus feature of the optics, along with just a little magnification.

My bottom line is I believe your sight selection may be more important than the make or speed of the crossbow. I'd rather have an entry-level slow-speed Excalibur with a better close-range scope than a more expensive high-speed anything with a cheap sight.
 
I got a tenpoint turbo xlt II for $750 out the door from bow viper a few weeks back. Excalibers are loud and cumbersome. Id have to recommend tenpoint.
 
cecil30-30 said:
Excalibers are loud and cumbersome.
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Which Excalibur are you referring to that is loud?
Mine "sounds" about the same as any compound I've heard.

I've heard the Excalibur 405 and 380 (both of which are approaching the limits of physics) are loud, as are I believe the compounds crossbows that shoot bolts over 380 fps?

Compared to a vertical bow, all crossbows are "cumbersome", and the recurve crossbows are slightly more cumbersome than compound crossbows. However, the newer Excaliburs are lighter than most compounds, and not as cumbersome as their older models.

I particularly like their new Matrix 330, weighing only 5.1 lbs, and I've heard it is "quiet" (for a crossbow). And a speed of 330 fps is faster than what most crossbow hunters are currently carrying afield.
http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/catalo ... matrix_330

What I like most about the recurve crossbow is the same thing I like about the recurve vertical bow: Simplicity. Not only is there less to go wrong, there is almost nothing to go wrong.

If you accidently cut your string afield, takes all of 5 minutes to replace it (and I don't even have to go back to the truck). Even BSK could do it. What typically happens when a string breaks afield on a compound crossbow?
 
I have never even shot one
Trying to get setup up for season
Bows and Guns
And wondering about all my stands in the woods setup for right handed shooting
 
Roost 1 said:
Wicked Ridge by Tenpoint, Invader, Warrior, or Raider.
Click to expand...

I have an Invader and like it. I killed a few with it last year. 315ft/sec and won't break the bank
 
TenPoint is top of the line and priced accordingly. However, in that price range there are many that are quality. I might suggest a Horton. I shot one for a couple years and was well pleased. However, their scope just flat sucks. Get a top of the line scope that can be used with or without batteries. My scope came from TenPoint, has three distance lines and is just as clear with the light turned off as it is with the light on. I sighted it in five years ago and have never had to touch it since. I have no idea what "make" it actually is. I also suggest no more than 2X.
 
You have several good options well within your price range. I personally like the Excalibur first and Barnett second. Both come with good optics, ain't no need to spend $400 just to be able to see a tick on a deer at 40 yards. As for them being loud, yes they are louder than most compounds, but there are sound dampners out for them just like compounds. Yes the latest ones pushing the speed up to 380 fps and beyond are loud but not much louder than a compound stripped of all the sound dampners. Speed has its price. They are no more cumbersome than a compound. It just seems that way as the limbs are horizontal. Crossbow s need horizontal space as compounds need vertical space. And when choosing a crossbow two more things to look at are maintenance, a recurve crossbow you can change the string yourself and less mechanical items to maintain/fail. Compound crossbows are just the opposite. It really boils down to this, look at several and see which one fits you and your needs best.
 
Do not worry for one minute about loud. All crossbows are loud. Mine seems to be louder than most. In the last four years, I have killed somewhere around 30-deer with it. I have yet to have one jump the string. I don't even mess with the silencers that do not work for the most part.

I have been forced to shoot a crossbow for the last eight years. I hate them...all of them. But it beats staying home. One item that for me is a must is the Steady-Rest. With my bad shoulders, I must have a rest. Mine attaches to the crossbow and folds out of the way when not in use. I also have to have an EZ-Cocker. Not only does it make cocking easy, it insures an even chocolate chip cookie every time.

As I said, once I got mine sighted in, four years ago, I have not had to touch it. I sighted in for 0-25, dead on at 25 and the second dot, dead on at 35. I never even bothered to see where the third dot hits. With just those two dots, I am good to 40-yards. However, since you are switching eyes, I strongly suggest you put in a lot of practice.
 
I love my Excalibur. That thing is scary accurate out to 50 yards, although I won't shoot a deer past 40. I have the Excalibur scope on mine. Sight in at 20 and you are done.

I mainly compound bow hunt. This is just my toy that I do turkey hunt and deer hunt with occasionally.
 
bowriter said:
Get a top of the line scope that can be used with or without batteries. . . . . . I also suggest no more than 2X.
Click to expand...
As you know, I agree, but any idea why most scope & crossbow manufacturers are steering new crossbow users towards, imo, too much magnification?

For example, most of the touted better "crossbow" scopes (such as per Excalibur) are basically just 2-7x variable magnification rifle scopes with their parallax set at 40 to 50 yards instead of the typical 100 yards (makes little difference). They then put some additional aiming points below the standard crosshair.

These variable magnification rifle scopes are then promoted as "crossbow" scopes whereby one adjusts the magnification (merely relabeled as speed in fps) to fit the velocity of his crossbow set-up. But with this way of doing it, many users are ending up with [size]a 2-7x variable scope[/size] [size]locked in at 5x magnification[/size] (more or less) for shooting at deer with a 30-yard weapon.

How much sense does that make sense?
To add insult to injury, you cannot take advantage of the multiple aim points in a "crossbow" scope if you also were to take advantage of a variable magnification. If your variable magnification crossbow scope is sighted in as you're instructed, it typically ends up being locked in at about 5x magnification ---- meaning you're actually hunting with a 5x fixed magnification scope all for the idea of having multiple aiming points.

As Bowriter has pointed out, he's just using a couple aim points, which takes him to 40 yards. Similar can be done with a single aim point with your crossbow simply sighted in at either 25 or 30 yards.

Better low-magnification optics are widely available, just generally not "marketed" as "crossbow" scopes. A low-magnification "shotgun" scope (say set at 2x) is much more practical for most of my hunting where I typically cannot even see a deer much beyond 30 yards.

Last but not least, too many multiple aiming points can be more confusing than beneficial. That's true with vertical bows as well. Ever used the wrong pin and missed a deer for that and no other reason?
 
I have a Excalibur Vortex,very good shooting bow and if I need another crossbow,it will be another Excalibur
 
I bought a used Excalibur last year, after shooting a few times realized limb was cracked. Contacted them they replaced the limbs free of charge, on a used bow. WOW!! Customer service, shall I say Excal is the only Xbow I will ever have. And It is a tack driver, basic easy to string, unstring, no cams, no pulleys. Change a string in the woods in less than 2 minutes.
 
To answer your magnification on scopes, the answer is simple. We hunters/shooters are why. Crossbow scopes are just like anything else out there, we can not be satisfied with the simple thing. We are always wanting more bells and whistles. As a manufacturer if you don't give the consumer what they want you will not make it. Look at trail cameras for example, its not good enough to be just to be able to hang a camera on a tree just to take pictures but we need em now to be able to send the pics directly to a phone or computer. Just like crossbows themselves, its is no longer good enough just to be able to take an animal with one but it has to be fast, look tacticle, have moving/adjustable this and that and so on. People have forgotten that its only shooting not rocket science.
 
I have yet to put it in action but I am now the proud owner of a Wicked Ridge Warrior. This is my first crossbow and I made the rookie mistake of shooting at the same target. After I hit and damaged three arrows, I quickly learned of the accuracy that is obtainable with that thing. It is very well priced and will double my deer season. I am one happy dude.
 

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