[Spot-on-arrow]

You won the lottery with that bow for sure. Best Ripper they made.
I agree, it’s very seldom limbs “explode”. Usually splinter and fold. I would be much more concerned about a riser or cam anchor failing than a limb. I think most that snap off quickly had a sharp bump on something before that happened.

Thanks Joe Pa!

You must be right about the Ripper being a good one. I noticed on the KI website recently they still offer the Ripper probably because it was a primary reason for the intial company success. I bought mine early after the Ripper hit the market.

 

[Huntersthompson]

You can detune it some. Take a twist out of cables. Lose speed but less stress on limbs

 

[Spot-on-arrow]

You can detune it some. Take a twist out of cables. Lose speed but less stress on limbs

Yeah, that's probably a good means of prevention.
I actually went the opposite direction and increased my speed while tuning. When I achieved overall very fine results I left it alone.
And Bunnyrabbit helped me by the way. Thanks!

 

[Herc70]

I got up yesterday morning with my 415 killer instinct cross bow and it was shot 4 times to set the scope , I put the wax on the string kept it in a case after getting it at rural king at the end of last deer season while I was hunting in my stand with a friend with it pulled back sitting in front of him with the safety on the kind exploded barely missing us both . I took perfectly good care the bow was never dropped scratches or damaged in any form or fashion owning several crossbows there is no explanation other than these things are not reliable point blank ..

Same situation. Sitting there and hear what sounds like it was shot. Looked at it. The bolt is still in. So I explored a bit and saw something suspicious. So I decided to leave and go to camp. Decided it was safe??? to discharge and saw the lower right limb cracked down the center.

 

[Spot-on-arrow]

That's a first for me to see one splinter parallel to the limbs. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Robb250]

I got up yesterday morning with my 415 killer instinct cross bow and it was shot 4 times to set the scope , I put the wax on the string kept it in a case after getting it at rural king at the end of last deer season while I was hunting in my stand with a friend with it pulled back sitting in front of him with the safety on the kind exploded barely missing us both . I took perfectly good care the bow was never dropped scratches or damaged in any form or fashion owning several crossbows there is no explanation other than these things are not reliable point blank ..

Just had the same thing happened to me. With a bloody noise from it. I was told $100-200 for a new string.$100-200 for cams and the bolts for cams.$100-200 for the limb. Along with a 6 to 8 month wait. Just bought from Walmart end of August 2023. Shot about two dozen times in a target. I would expect better from any company as the bow only cost $289 in the store and would cost $300-600 for a fix that seems to be a problem with others. Great cross bow and cheaper for beginners but the most horrible customer service!

 

[bunnyrabbit]

These crossbows are manufactured overseas where labor is much cheaper.
Several crossbow brands come from over there and end up with poor quality
limbs. Whether it is poor material, poor curing or both?
Several importers selling these crossbows do not stock parts or do repair work.
Wishing you all the best.
Take care.

 

[One eyed archer]

Just had the same thing happened to me. With a bloody noise from it. I was told $100-200 for a new string.$100-200 for cams and the bolts for cams.$100-200 for the limb. Along with a 6 to 8 month wait. Just bought from Walmart end of August 2023. Shot about two dozen times in a target. I would expect better from any company as the bow only cost $289 in the store and would cost $300-600 for a fix that seems to be a problem with others. Great cross bow and cheaper for beginners but the most horrible customer service!

Welcome to CBN. KI bows have a lifetime warranty and all you are listing should be covered IF you registered the bow.

 

[michiganmikie]

I'm with you man mine did the same dam thing.

 

[Casey B]

JEEZUS man mine did the same dang thing... right side too

 

[Casey B]

The crossbow limbs on the right side!

jeezus man mine did too!! same side too !!!

 

[madwolfman8271]

Same thing happened to me shot 40 times and as I was putting the bolt in it snapped

 

[madwolfman8271]

 

[Casey B]

I only shot mine bout 12 times…

 

[Rocky1]

Same thing on my Ripper 415 first time, fortunately I had stepped out of the stand at the time. Opening weekend of the season... Less than 40 shots, new out of the box, not a scratch on it. Was not dry fired, was not misused, was not abused, was not dropped, dinged, or otherwise damaged. In fact, the only scratch on it when I parked it after 3 years use, was a result of changing limbs. No parts available the first round, order got misplaced, brand-new crossbow, and I missed the entire season, waiting on parts.

Reordered June of the following year, had my parts in 2 days. Replacement set was 425 limbs, got maybe 30 shots out of that set, and the left side split a limb straight down the middle from end to end, mid-stroke while cocking it. Third day of the second season. Took 28 days to get parts that round.

Meanwhile, the neighbor's KI had broken a limb sighting it in that season, he replaced limbs on his, sighted it in, first day on stand with it, cocked it, set in his rest, and 5 minutes in, heard a snap, and sat there and watched a new limb with less than 30 shots on his fold up. His was dumpster bound after he got off the phone with Customer Service, talked him out of it, robbed the surviving limb off it and made mine whole again. Backed a twist or two out of string and cables in the process, which I was later told does seem to help, and thus should have helped.

Made the remainder of that season, and all the next season without a hiccup, was actually beginning to think I had solved the problem, and was really beginning to like the thing.

Season 4 opening weekend, afternoon of the second day, hooked up the pull rope to cock it, and halfway through the pull, the left side just turned to jelly, no resistance there at all. Once again, delaminated limb in the process of pulling it back. Packed it in, came to the house, got on Amazon and ordered a Barnett XP380. Had replacement limbs in the shop for the KI, refuse to put the time and effort into rebuilding the POS. Failed 3 out of 4 years opening weekend, twice with less than 40 shots on the limbs.

Does shooting 450 grains help? --- NOPE!

I was shooting a 450 -455 grain combination on the last three sets that failed. Only time I ever shot the factory bolts, was when I sighted the bow in the first time. Bow was kept in a case, inside the house, never dropped or abused in any manner, strings and rails were waxed and lubed faithfully, never dry fired, bow sets on rest at eye level in the stand, always double checked when sighting it in, bolts were always properly seated. I've heard about every reason imaginable why it was my fault, and none of it held water.

Warranty was great, Customer Service was great in the off season; Customer Service was pretty much non-existent during season. Sat on hold 45 minutes, sat on hold 38 minutes, e-mails were ignored repeatedly. web forms submitted got the quickest response, but then they went to e-mails with questions in reply, and they got lost in the shuffle. Was promised on more than one occasion parts would go out ASAP, parts didn't go out ASAP. Required more web forms, more e-mails, more phone calls to get what I needed, every time I dealt with them during season.

NEVER AGAIN WILL I OWN A KILLER INSTINCT CROSSBOW!

 

[Spot-on-arrow]

 

[One eyed archer]

Same thing on my Ripper 415 first time, fortunately I had stepped out of the stand at the time. Opening weekend of the season... Less than 40 shots, new out of the box, not a scratch on it. Was not dry fired, was not misused, was not abused, was not dropped, dinged, or otherwise damaged. In fact, the only scratch on it when I parked it after 3 years use, was a result of changing limbs. No parts available the first round, order got misplaced, brand-new crossbow, and I missed the entire season, waiting on parts.

Reordered June of the following year, had my parts in 2 days. Replacement set was 425 limbs, got maybe 30 shots out of that set, and the left side split a limb straight down the middle from end to end, mid-stroke while cocking it. Third day of the second season. Took 28 days to get parts that round.

Meanwhile, the neighbor's KI had broken a limb sighting it in that season, he replaced limbs on his, sighted it in, first day on stand with it, cocked it, set in his rest, and 5 minutes in, heard a snap, and sat there and watched a new limb with less than 30 shots on his fold up. His was dumpster bound after he got off the phone with Customer Service, talked him out of it, robbed the surviving limb off it and made mine whole again. Backed a twist or two out of string and cables in the process, which I was later told does seem to help, and thus should have helped.

Made the remainder of that season, and all the next season without a hiccup, was actually beginning to think I had solved the problem, and was really beginning to like the thing.

Season 4 opening weekend, afternoon of the second day, hooked up the pull rope to cock it, and halfway through the pull, the left side just turned to jelly, no resistance there at all. Once again, delaminated limb in the process of pulling it back. Packed it in, came to the house, got on Amazon and ordered a Barnett XP380. Had replacement limbs in the shop for the KI, refuse to put the time and effort into rebuilding the POS. Failed 3 out of 4 years opening weekend, twice with less than 40 shots on the limbs.

Does shooting 450 grains help? --- NOPE!

I was shooting a 450 -455 grain combination on the last three sets that failed. Only time I ever shot the factory bolts, was when I sighted the bow in the first time. Bow was kept in a case, inside the house, never dropped or abused in any manner, strings and rails were waxed and lubed faithfully, never dry fired, bow sets on rest at eye level in the stand, always double checked when sighting it in, bolts were always properly seated. I've heard about every reason imaginable why it was my fault, and none of it held water.

Warranty was great, Customer Service was great in the off season; Customer Service was pretty much non-existent during season. Sat on hold 45 minutes, sat on hold 38 minutes, e-mails were ignored repeatedly. web forms submitted got the quickest response, but then they went to e-mails with questions in reply, and they got lost in the shuffle. Was promised on more than one occasion parts would go out ASAP, parts didn't go out ASAP. Required more web forms, more e-mails, more phone calls to get what I needed, every time I dealt with them during season.

NEVER AGAIN WILL I OWN A KILLER INSTINCT CROSSBOW!

Welcome to the Nation Rocky1! Tell us about yourself first then we can get into the nasty down and dirty crossbow problem stuff.