[TonyU]

I tend to really like simplicity and ruggedness, along with the ability to maintain my own bows. BUT.........I also like variety, and high-tech stuff, thus the question about compound crossbows.

I just wondered what your experiences have been: Having to bring to a pro-shop to restring, downtime, duration of string/cables, etc. I realize the pluses as far as balance and width. Some of the Tenpoints are awfully tempting as well as fairly expensive. (but you normally get what you pay for). I do love what I've seen of their built in rope cocking system. Very nice.

 

[Moon]

Tony

I'd be a lost soul if I had to choose only one crossbow. There is no ONE best crossbow IMO because everyone has different needs and preferances depending on their age, strength, size, expertise for maintaining the crossbow and hunting conditions. Shoot them all then decide which features are the most impoortant to you and compremise on the other features.

 

[TonyU]

I agree...........

I have two Excaliburs: Phoenix and Point Blanc (target), and a Medieval will be coming from Wyvern. They're all recurves, and I like variety, so I was considering a compound. (though not any time soon $$$$!). Thanks for your input.

 

[Cossack]

I shoot one of each at the moment and another compound is on the way.
Purchased the Terminator first and it's been a great learning bow. Got me excited about bows again and into bow maintenance. Then a 225 lb Equinox but it proved to much bow to pull repeatedly for fun shooting. Downsized to Vortex, still a handful at 200 lbs, but fits like a glove. Really enjoy it's simplicity, ease of maintenance and accuracy. But it's a bit clumsy in the blind due to it's size. So, the Parker Cyclone called to me; should be here Monday.
I do all my own maintenance out of necessity. The local shop SELLS bows. They have some capability where verts are concerned but can't even serve a crossbow. (I found a red dot on BACKWARDS on one). Did considerable research and experimentation, now make my own strings, cables and arrow maintenance.
It's not that difficult if one has normal mechanical skills. The folks on this and other x bow forums have been very helpful.There are some very knowledgeable folks (Moon, Boo, etc) who are more than willing to share their expertise.
If I had to have just one, it would be the Excalibur; that thing is accurate, to a fault, and easy to maintain. .

 

[DaGriz]

I own both Recurve and compound. I like them both and both have their good points and bad. Compounds tend to shoot an arrow faster and they are a lot norrower than a recurve so they are easier to use in some hunting blinds. I don't see compounds as any noiser nor having maintianence problems. Using a "press" like Moon has, I can change a string and cables if I need to. With proper care and normal maintainence the string and cables last a really long time

Recurves are wider and are hard to use in certain hunting situations. They do not shoot arrows as fast as a compound. Set up right they are fairly quiet, but noise from any CB is a mute issue. At practical hunting ranges no deer or other critter is going to jump the string.
Changing a string on a recurve is simple.String maintainence and proper brace height is about all you need to be concerned with.
As far as accuracy, I haven't seen a bit of difference between a recurev or a compound. If it is a well made CB it is super accurate.

Bottom line is they are both good and owning one or the other does not hamper a person in any way!

 

[coyote170]

You said Griz,you da man!:cheers2:

 

[KodiakIslandArchery]

I actually have 2 recurves...I just like'm better...simplicity when it comes to maintenence.

 

[grndhntr]

I own a recurve crossbow but have shot/done maintainance on compound crossbows as well. The ease of working on my crossbow is a big deal to me. I shoot 1000+ shots before the season and reserving the string or switching strings is soooo much easier with recurve. I don't see the width being an issue at all with the hunting I do. I'm also into history and though my composite stock and fiberglass prod are not quite authentic materials, a recurve crossbow feels a bit more in line with keep with the history (and if I showed my crossbow to a crossbowman from 1500, he would know what to do with it...maybe not the case with some compound crossbows, he might pull on the wrong "string" :^) I'm going to stick with the recurve, but if you feel the need for a change and have the "change"($) to do it, go for it.

 

[Moon]

I like em all

 

[graveyard zombie]

Like a lot of us, I have owned both styles and still do. I started out with compound crossbows and then got an Excalibur. I would have to say that the 150 pound compound I owned did shoot faster than the Excalibur Vixen 150 that I now own. I've never been into speed on bows and even my older longbows, recurves and compounds were only pushing 2217's at about 178 fps. That's slow by a lot of other bows on the market but every deer I've shot (and I've shot quite a few) the arrow has gone through them so good penetration is more important to me than speed. I just have to compensate for lack of speed by being a little better at judging distance. I normally use an Excalibur Vixen at 150 pounds and it is throwing my arrows around 278 fps so that is considerably faster than my conventional bows and penetration is even better if that is possible. I have an Exocet 200 but just enjoy shooting the Vixen more due to it's easier cocking and better balance. I like the simplicity of the recurve and if I kept a compound I would probably end up buying a bow press because I just like being self-sufficient even though it would probably take around 15 years to equal out buying one or having to pay someone to change my strings. I've learned to cope with the long limbs but there have been a couple of situations that I missed out on shooting at a nice deer due to not being able to shoot around a tree trunk.

Being on a limited budget, I have to pick and choose owning a crossbow so I had to make a decision on which style to own. My decision was the Excalibur because all their models are pretty much the same in string size and width. The main difference between them is the rail length which gives them the extra power. I do still own one compound crossbow but my son uses it so I guess it is basically his. If you're on a limited budget, I guess you just need to try out both styles and weigh the pro's and con's between them for your own needs and style of hunting and adapt it to whatever situation you encounter. If you're like Moonkryket and can own more that one style then your only decision is which one to carry at any particular time.

 

[SPECIALIZED]

Can you picture this?

I can just picture Moon on a Deer hunt ,crossing a field with a Desert Stryker on one arm and a Phantom on the other,Crossbows blazing and the deer fainting in fear.

Sorry Moon ,could not help myself

 

[Moon]

Believe it or not, for deer hunting I've nailed it down to 2 crossbows depending on where I'm hunting. Pro Slider for wooded and thick brush where 30 yards or closer shots are all that's possble and the Desert Stryker for the bean field/food plot extended range shots. Physical weight is a big factor for me plus it's hot in Virginia during the first half of bowseason. I'm still playing with the GT Flex for a close range hunting bow but I still have not found an arrow/ 3 dot sight combination that will give me 20/30/40 yards on the 125 lb setting. The main reason I've decided on this weight setting is the big reduction in shot noise and recoil. I like this little bow but it does have some limitations as compared to the Pro Slider. I may put a Zeiss Z-Point single dot on it and sight it in at 30 yards and be done with it.

 

[SPECIALIZED]

Preference

I also have found the Zeiss z point to be my choice for close in kind of Deer hunting.

 

[Moon]

I like that crossbow

Cool pic:cheers2:

 

[WallyD]

Maybe someone could interview some deer and see which they prefer to be killed with ... LOL

 

[Moon]

We've already done that

but instead of using the word "killed", we used "shot at" and 9 out of 10 deer preferred us shooting at them with a medieval crossbow with NO sight The one deer out of ten that had been shot at several times by folks using cheap scopes with chicken wire reticles voted for them.

 

[urban legend]

Thanks for the pic of that Zeiss Z-Point. I thought they were a lot bigger than that. The pic puts things into perspective for me. I may need to check one out.

 

[Moon]

Urban

Here's a photo of the Z-Point on 2 of my Bowtech bows prior to destroying my right shoulder. I designed a mounting system similar to the HHA slider bracket for reflex sights but mine placed the Z-Point where it logically should be for a hunting bow....behind the sight window. This little sight kicks butt and is world class quality, unlike the stuff that's currently available for crossbows:ack2:

 

[Moon]

Desert Stryker

with Z-Point

 

[urban legend]

Did you have any eye relief problems shooting them on your compounds?