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4 TIPS FOR BUYING THE BEST HUNTING CROSSBOW

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#1 · (Edited)
4 TIPS FOR BUYING THE BEST HUNTING CROSSBOW
- Friday April 30, 2021 - Bryan Zabitski

Just a few years ago, you could count the number of crossbow manufacturers on two hands. As more and more states have legalized the use of crossbows for hunting, the crossbow market has continued to grow at a staggering pace, with new players entering almost every year. Fast forward to today, and there are over 30 companies now manufacturing hunting crossbows. With so many different models available, how are you supposed to choose which one is the best hunting crossbow for you? Here are four tips to help you find the best crossbow for your budget and for your hunting needs.
Best Hunting Crossbow
Figure out how much you can realistically spend.
Because there are so many crossbow models on the market, figuring out how much you can spend should be the first step in narrowing down your options. Hunting crossbow package prices start at around $399.99, and, if you aren’t limited in your budget, can exceed $3,999.99 these days! Ironically, the less you can spend, the more hunting crossbow choices you have in the marketplace. The more you can spend, the fewer choices you have, but the technological advancement and performance of these crossbows will truly be “top-of-the-line.”

Best Hunting Crossbow

Do some research to find out where different crossbow brands are made.
Chances are good, if you fall on the side of not having much to spend on a new hunting crossbow, most of your options will not be made in the United States or Canada, but not all. Some people find it important to determine whether the crossbow they will buy is made by a company that is based in North America or overseas. If you prefer to buy crossbows that are only built in America, some quick internet research will help you to answer this question. The answer will also help you to narrow down the list of possible crossbows you will consider purchasing at the price point your budget allows.


Figure out what crossbow features are most important to you.
When buying a crossbow for hunting, what’s most important to you? Speed? Accuracy? Reliability? Perhaps a combination of all three? Once you have narrowed your choices down by considering cost and location of manufacture, you can begin to look at specific models and perform a side-by-side comparison to find the best one.

Speed is an important factor to consider because arrow speed and kinetic energy are directly related, however, making your decision based solely on speed may not help you choose the most accurate or the most reliable one. There are plenty of crossbows available today that are modestly priced and shoot at or above 400 feet-per-second, but are they built from parts that are strong enough to withstand countless shots and multiple years of shooting at such high speed?
Two other factors to consider are ease of use and safety, especially when you are looking at crossbows with different cocking options. The draw weights of modern hunting crossbows have increased greatly in recent years, with some draw-weights now exceeding 250 pounds. Gone are the days of cocking a crossbow by hand. This means that you will likely need a cocking device that gives you a mechanical advantage to make the crossbow easier and safer to cock. Also, pay close attention to the additional safety features offered on the crossbow, like whether it has an auto-engaging trigger safety mechanism, dry-fire prevention, effective arrow retention, and protection for your hands and fingers while shooting.
Best Hunting Crossbow

Don’t forget to research customer service and warranty.
Whether you decide to invest $399.99 or $3,999.99 in a crossbow package, you may have questions on how to set up or operate your crossbow. It’s best to purchase a hunting crossbow from a company that has a proven track record of providing great customer service to all customers at all levels. After all, your investment is not only in the crossbow itself, but also in the level of customer service you may receive. There’s nothing more frustrating than getting home with your new crossbow and encountering a question to which you cannot easily and conveniently find the answer.
“No questions asked” warranties do not exist in the crossbow market today, and every crossbow warranty has some limitations against user error, lack of proper maintenance, and misuse. When comparing warranty offerings on different crossbow models, pay close attention to what specific parts are covered by the warranty and for what timeframes, as this will help you choose the crossbow with the best warranty coverage saving you lots of time and money in the long run.
 
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#4 ·
Yeah, that's the problem. Everything and I mean Everything in our society today is directed towards brainwashing folks into believing they absolutely have to have the latest and greatest thing.
A classic example for me like many others is that I worked long hours in a very stressful job to get to retirement.
I always loved to hunt and fish so again like many others, one of my long term goals was to own my own place in the country where I could hunt and enjoy the good life with some friends and family.
Well I was very fortunate to be successful in obtaining that and as a result, I have a place where I have quite a few ladder stands and no worries about roaming deer hunting dogs like in the eastern part of my state.
For those who have used ladder stands, they haven't changed much over the years and are designed mainly for gun hunters. This means the shooting rails typically are farther out in front and work just fine for longer crossbows.
But guess what, they don't work as well for short crossbows because when you move them in as far as they will go, simple math shows that they have to be raised up higher to gain back the yardage you lost. Well I don't know about you guys but at my age, I'm not hunting a stand that doesn't have a shooting rail because it's safer.

The same goes for crossbow weight. You would think as crossbows get shorter, they would get lighter but actually that's not necessarily true. The new shorter crossbows can weigh even more than the older longer ones. Since I'm not getting younger and stronger as I age, that's a problem for me.

Anyway, as a result, I just ignore all of the BS and stick to what has worked in the past and I know will still work in the future. I have other things I can spend my hard earned money on but today's new shorter and more expensive crossbows ain't one of them.
 
#6 ·
The same goes for crossbow weight. You would think as crossbows get shorter, they would get lighter but actually that's not necessarily true. The new shorter crossbows can weigh even more than the older longer ones. Since I'm not getting younger and stronger as I age, that's a problem for me.
NO JOKE!

My wife just bought a siege 410 and it feels like it is full of lead. Probably gold, considering the price!
LOL
 
#5 ·
Must be just the Swat guy in me but I cringe every time I see how exposed those arrows are on the Tenpoint reverse limb bows. I am sure they are perfectly safe as long as you watch your P's and Q's but not my cup of tea.
 
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#7 ·
Must be just the Swat guy in me but I cringe every time I see how exposed those arrows are on the Tenpoint reverse limb bows. I am sure they are perfectly safe as long as you watch your P's and Q's but not my cup of tea.
Thats funny!
I cringe when I see those muzzel loading bows such as the Swat :D

I could address why but thats not the point. Point is that everyone has a point of view that leads to these different designs. The ones that dont work, dont last.
 
#9 ·
I believe Dynamo was just passing this along as it is good information for the beginners. The persons name associated with the info is a employee of Tenpoint. However, he does crossbow related articles independent from Tenpoint for different media sources, such as Deer & Deer Hunting, etc.. Even though it is loaded with pictures of Tenpoint, there is no specific mention of Tenpoint. So call it what you like, but still solid advice
P.S. Just before I was to hit the post reply tab, I did look at Deer & Deer hunting Website, That's where the article originated.
 
#11 ·
Just gotta read as much as you can...ask questions...make the company explain their comments...fastest bow in production...most powerful bow etc... But, all of the major companies: Ravin/Ten Point/Mission/others have spent a great deal of money advertising their products. They are the experts...lets just realize they are trying to sell their products and take with a grain of salt!
 
#12 ·
“The draw weights of modern hunting crossbows have increased greatly in recent years, with some draw-weights now exceeding 250 pounds. Gone are the days of cocking a crossbow by hand. This means that you will likely need a cocking device that gives you a mechanical advantage to make the crossbow easier and safer to cock.”

Not true of the 405’/sec SWAT X1. Rope cocking the X1 is still moderately easy for this 5’9” 74 year old.
 
#13 ·
Hmmm, 405 fps with a 390 grain arrow. Like Regohio said, take everything you read with a grain of salt because they all are just trying to sell their product. Most say theirs' are faster, more accurate and better than the others. My suggestion is read the fine print and do your homework. Compare for yourself and check to see who is having issues. Also decide if you value a 'Made in the USA' sticker.

Nevertheless as a sidelight, I will give Taiwan credit. As shown on 60 minutes Sunday night, they sure have kicked our butts in semiconductor R&D and manufacturing. It's actually embarrassing and downright disgraceful that we pioneered semiconductor manufacturing only to let Taiwan and Korea overwhelmingly clean our clock. TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.) will be providing 5nm chips to Apple this fall and Intel is still struggling to get below 10nm. In fact, a whole lot of US auto manufacturing is on hold right now because they are 100% dependent on TSMC chips. 50% of the world's semiconductors are made by TSMC and Intel is the last US manufacturer in the game with just 12% of the market.
 
#15 ·
Hmmm, 405 fps with a 390 grain arrow. Like Regohio said, take everything you read with a grain of salt because they all are just trying to sell their product. Most say theirs' are faster, more accurate and better than the others. My suggestion is read the fine print and do your homework. Compare for yourself and check to see who is having issues. Also decide if you value a 'Made in the USA' sticker.

Nevertheless as a sidelight, I will give Taiwan credit. As shown on 60 minutes Sunday night, they sure have kicked our butts in semiconductor R&D and manufacturing. It's actually embarrassing and downright disgraceful that we pioneered semiconductor manufacturing only to let Taiwan and Korea overwhelmingly clean our clock. TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.) will be providing 5nm chips to Apple this fall and Intel is still struggling to get below 10nm. In fact, a whole lot of US auto manufacturing is on hold right now because they are 100% dependent on TSMC chips. 50% of the world's semiconductors are made by TSMC and Intel is the last US manufacturer in the game with just 12% of the market.
i think there is allready factories made in to US soil for chips, also not moving to smaller line from intel is they own choice, be it for they road map or they long (now gone) dominate on effectines, could be troubles on design too. all manufacturers could of gone to 4nm long time ago, btw intel is not US owned, they dont pay taxes to US either as far as i know. last time i paid attention to chip performance was when intel reduced they performance by 10-14% with "security patch"

east germany was last country that build products to last, hence i think all crossbow manufacturers by design leaves flaws into they bows to sell more products and or spare parts, be it in taiwan US or canada, if you wanna be carefull crossbow buyer, you would want to know before hand what these flaws are and how easy they are to fix before you decide

think i located those flaws on my xbow, was latches and one missfit limb, also very bad material used on string dampener backplate inside barrel, yet to find more if there is any
 
#14 ·
When in my life it came time to replace the curves and look at compounds. I made a list of things i wanted in a bow. I then assigned gave points in a matter of importance to me. Key word here is To Me. I listened to advice on different bows. But stuck to my list and the points the bows won just because they earned them as a few examples.
1. They had to be able to be let down after hunting without shooting.
2. Easy to rope cock, but have a crank if ever needed. That was silent.
4. No need for a press.
5. Lifetime warranty.

I'm sure there a truck load full of guys that are thinking Don't care Don't care Don't care. And that's fine it's my list not yours. There was more to the list than those examples. I keep looking at bows no fanboyism what so ever. And the weedout begin.

I have been using that bow for 7 years or so. It satisfied me and i was happy with it and still am. Over that span of time my list hasn't changed. I still like what i like. Figure out what you like and want is the hard part. Then find as close to that as you can.
 
#16 ·
Maybe I'm a different kind of shopper, but last year when I set out to move from traditional to crossbow (I skipped compound), I came here and read everything I could. I read about Customer Service, about manufacturing origin, how much speed do you really need, etc. I got impressions from the back and forth ... beyond just the content given ... that lead me to figure out my first crossbow would be a set of compromises. Would not be the lightest, shortest, narrowest, fastest, with the best scope, trigger or factory arrows out of the chute ... but would probably be far more than I would appreciate initially. After a year with my first crossbow, I don't really know what I'm missing (if that makes sense). Took some work to get arrows I and the bow seem to agree on, and I am only now increasing BH weight from 100 to 125 (which many here recommended) to smooth it out a little. My one interaction with CP Customer Service was great, quick turnaround. And I'm not so deep $$ into this set up that I worry to much about it. (But then again I'm happy with my Turkish clone of a Benelli and the extra $1000 left over in my pocket.)

I guess all that to say, I could see this article being overwhelming and therefore misleading to a new bow buyer. Just my .02.
 
#17 ·
Certainly some value to the article, though as some have said, it’s leaning heavily toward infomercial. Also very clear that many members have clear preference to brand and crossbow. With years of practical experience, we each should know what works for us, and what features we want. I have 3 crossbows that meet my needs now, yet curiosity has spurred me to get another that will be, unnecessary fast for my needs (400 gr, high 390s), made by a relatively obscure company with an outstanding reputation. I’m definitely not a herd mentality person.
 
#19 ·
I'm just saying if you want to compare crossbows, look at the fine print. You stated 405 fps but the standard weight arrow is supposed to be 400 grains and Not 390 grains. At least TenPoint finally got that right this year.

Steve, I have No doubt that you are sincere in your thoughts on the SWAT. We all know you have been a fan for several years now. You also have the experience and knowledge to back that up.
I value your opinion very much like many others on CBN but like others have said, we each have our own needs and preferences. There is no perfect crossbow for everyone and probably never will be.

But with that said, I love your enthusiasm for the SWAT because it obviously works very well for you.
 
#20 ·
BB1, I appreciate your reply. You are correct, I did leave out the 390; but, that was not intentional as I try to include that aspect of non-std arrow weight.

I recognize that I am overly obsessed with accuracy, as I am often singularily focused much of the time. This “condition” drew me to the original SWAT. However, over time, safety and other design features began to become factors also In this draw also. The XP started badly, reliability-wise, but finished quite well. Rush to production.
Cooler heads than I, Boo, Moon, Brian M, Vaguru, Zakker, Tim, Joe, one eye’d archer, killer, others, also picked up on the many other design features other than just the parallex reducing barrel which has made the SWAT series a very unique xbow.
The X1 comes closer to having what most, not all, people want. The design compromises of the original SWAT and the rough edges (figuratively speaking) of the XP are virtually all gone in the X1. As far as I can tell, all gone!
I’m still in awe of my Aculeus 460. I was just in shock the first time I shot it, felt the smoothness and saw >400 on the chronograph, 441 actually, not 460, but for the first time >400 regardless! The X1 also produces a similiar feeling, at least in me and others who have shot the one I’m testing.
If the opportunity presents, give it a try. At least, it doesn’t need any semiconductor.
 
#21 ·
Thank you Steve. I really like the attention to detail that has gone into the SWAT design. KI has very much tried to cover ALL the bases. Unfortunately, I'm built like a dang orangutan with gangly long arms, long neck and very tall as well. Hence, I have to modify just about any crossbow to fit me.
I'm also very old school.
I personally like Ravins because they remind me of my old days of tuning compounds. I also love the crank system because I can cock and decock easily on my tree stand without ever standing up.
But as has been said so many times before, we are all different with different needs and styles of hunting.

I have never been more confident that when a big boy comes by, the chances are very high that I'll kill him quickly and cleanly. That's really all that matters to me.
I'm sure you feel the same way with your SWAT in hand and I hope you and all the other SWAT owners continue to enjoy them.
 
#22 ·
Yep! But missing was importance of researching online reviews. And in some cases like local shops one can test fire crossbows before buying.
Thanks for passing along the info.
 
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#25 ·
Went from my first crossbow which was a tad over $600 (ebay) to the $399 special and havent looked back! I dont foresee me EVER buying the $3999.99 outfit but just MAYBE one day I MIGHT spend $999.99.

I dont look at crossbows as the only "tool" for filling my freezer. I still rely on my hunting skills to get close. Heck! My little 305 fps crossbow can handle any shot I'll ever take cause they gonna be close.;)
 
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