My m330 came with the string aid. It does reduce the draw wieght but for me on a 440 the reduction would not be enough.I if that $200 crank mounts on the bow it’s a cheap price to pay to save your back and shoulders.

 

Are you pulling the stringing aid back with the rope cocker, or by hand?

 

Sounds to me like you are trying to use a stringing aid to cock a bow with. You need a long rope cocker to cock the bow. The stringing aid is used to change the string or set the brace height.

 

Yes, I was trying to pull the string cocker back by hand with the stringing aid. I found out quick that it was impossible! I was confused and thought it was for cocking the bow! I guess I need a string cocker with pulleys on it (my crossbow obviously didn't come with one). Has anyone had much trouble cocking a 440 with a string cocker? If it's a royal pain cocking it may be worth investing $200 in a crank. Does anyone have any experience with a 440? Thanks again!

 

I have the 405 and use the rope to cock it. It does take a pretty good tug but it's not all that bad really (and i'm no muscle bound spring chicken either). For me it's easier (faster) to use the rope than the crank.

 

There should have been a string cocker in the box if you bought it new. Call Excalibur and I bet they get one on the way to you. The stringing aid is usually an aftermarket accessory that you have to purchase.

 

I would go with the crank on that 440, I have the charger crank and yes its over 200 bucks but it's worth it. also watch some youtube videos, that really helps when starting out.

 

Thanks for the tips! I'm on a high learning curve but am quick to catch on! The youtube videos helped a lot. I found a decent deal on a c2 crank that was half the price of a charger crank. $220 for a charger seems a bit over priced to me? The c2 may take a minute longer to set up but it didn't seem like it wasn't worth another $100 for the charger? Hopefully the c2 works ok.

 

I have been using a C2 for years, It is a good crank.

 

Thanks Robrtyb….that's great news!

 

You may want to check out this video.

 

You may want to check out this video.

I'm not so sure that I agree with leaving the cocking rope attached, even with the safety "0N"; while you're standing in front of the bow.

It only takes a few seconds to reattach the cocking rope after making your adjustments.

 

The 440 comes with a Charger included in the price.
http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/crossbows/matrix-bulldog-440/

 

I take the plastic cover off my stringing aids so my rope cocker gets removed till I need it. He left his on because it is a tight fit on the plastic piece and will not come off while working on the bow. I do not stand in front of my bows when I am changing strings or setting brace height though.

 

The place I bought my 440 offered the option to take the $200 off the price without a crank. I thought $200 was a lot of $ for the Charger crank so decided to see how tough it was to crank the string with a string cocker. It ended up that my 440 had a stringing aid included with my kit (not a string cocker). I found out through the guys in this post that the stringing aid is worthless for trying to cock a 440 string! It is meant for de-stringing/stringing an Excalibur.

I found a string cocker (with small rollers) at a local store and found out quickly that I could cock a 440 but it took just about every ounce of power I had to cock a string 1 time. I also had to shorten the string/handles so they were dangerously close to the end of the line. I decided it wasn't worth injuring myself trying to cock a 440 string without a crank. I found a great deal on Ebay for a C2 crank that was $100 cheaper than the Charger. I still believe the Charger crank is over-priced! It likely is a little more compact and quicker to cock a string but is it worth it?

I finally plan on taking my 440 out tomorrow and testing it out! It would be nice if Excalibur mentioned on their website somewhere about how tough it is to cock a 440 string with a string cocker! Hopefully this post will answer the confusion to new Excalibur 440 buyers about string aids/string cockers/ and cranks!