New to the forum, and relatively new to compound crossbows. Looking for guidance. Purchased a Killer Instinct burner 415. I have seen good/bad reviews, most bad mentioned limb failure. Most feedback is use 450+ grain weight, bolt + nock + broadhead to reduce stress (failures). Correct? Second question... KI states the extra $ warranty (bowshield) covers user error (everything including dry fire). Anyone have experience with value of bowshield extra warranty?
WolverineFordBronco
I would definitely suggest using a 400gr or heavier arrow...not necessarily 450gr. They usually ship those bows with a 370gr arrow and that is really too light of a setup and seems to cause issues with limb longevity. I don't know much about the bow shield warranty but I'm sure someone will chime in and answer your question. I've owned 3 different Killer Instinct bows and had 0 problems out of them. Good luck with your bow and welcome to the forums.
Do a search in the forums. About a week ago or so a guy had an issue, pertaining to BowShield. I believe he had a Killer Instinct bow as well . You can read his posts and replies and make your own judgment.
Having spent 4 years in more than one KI User group on Farcebook, and parking my KI last year, until I get around to ordering some Tannerite to produce a viral video on how to properly repair a KI bow, I can tell you that...
A.) The majority of KI's problems seems to be with limbs. Yes, the same limbs that are on the Burner 415.
Personally, I replaced mine twice, parked it when the third one broke. In 4 years! Opening weekend, each time. First limb broke at somewhere around 40 shots, fresh out of the box. No parts in stock, missed the entire season with a brand new $400 crossbow.
Order got lost, reordered in June of the following year. Replaced limbs, sighted it back in, didn't have 30 shots through it, and the second limb broke mid-stroke cocking it.
.
Neighbor had a KI, bragged on it repeatedly, hadn't had a bit of trouble out of it, it worked flawlessly since day one, was a fantastic bow. Two weeks later, he was sighting in for 3rd season, and broke a limb. Replaced limbs, sighted it in, first time on stand, cocked it, sat it in his rest, was roughly 5 minutes in, when he heard a loud snap, looked down, and watched his new limb fold. When he got off the phone with Customer Service, his was dumpster bound.
With 3 shooters frequenting my feed plot, a broken bow, and no response from KI Customer Service, I talked him out of his, to salvage the good limb. Took one of the 3 bucks with it the morning after overhauling it, made the remainder of that season, and all the next season without a hiccup.
Was actually beginning to like the POS, then the third limb broke, opening weekend of the 4th season, again while cocking it. Said that was enough, parked it, and ordered a Barnett. Have parts laying on the bench to repair it, it simply isn't worth the effort for the 30 shots.
Only scratch on the bow, when I parked it, was incurred while changing limbs. Was never dropped, banged, abused, left in a hot/cold vehicle, or dry fired; was properly maintained, kept in a case, in a closet, in the house.
B.) NO... Shooting a 450 grain bolt combination does NOT prevent limbs breaking.
The only time I ever shot the factory bolts, was initial sight-in. Having grown tired of retards insinuating my aftermarket bolts were too light, I ordered a scale off Amazon and weighed ALL of them, in every combination possible. Field points, broadheads, hunting bolts with lighted nocks, target bolts, you name it. Everything I shot was running 448 - 463 grains, the vast majority are in the 450 - 455 grain range, had a few outliers on the extremes.
There were folks on the KI groups that had limbs break shooting up to 550 grains, and on the flip side, we had one guy said he had shot nothing but the factory recommended bolts since day one, never had a bit of trouble, bow was 4-5 years old, with over a thousand shots through it.
We probably had more than a dozen people in the groups report breaking limbs, FIRST DRAW, having never fired a single bolt. Which, quite honestly, rules out ALL the usual reasons why folks tell you it is YOUR fault, that the bow failed, when it fails, because theirs never has. It's kinda difficult for it to be user error, if it breaks before the user gets it cocked the first time. But they'll tell you that you bolted the riser on incorrectly, or pulled the rope incorrectly, or some damned something, regardless, because they've never had an issue with their bow, so it has to be your, and 900 other people's fault, that all of your bows failed in the same exact manner.
The additional weight in a bolt certainly doesn't hurt anything, theoretically it is beneficial, and promotes longer limb life, slowing the release and reducing the shock on the end of limb travel, and it provides more kinetic energy on impact if you intend hunting with the bow. Bottom line is, however, they are pushing these things to the limit, and quality control isn't great in the Chinese factory where most limbs for the vast majority of crossbows are made.
C.) Don't recall which model it was, but KI was having a serious issue with composite stocks breaking at the point the riser attached to the stock. Saw a couple dozen pictures of those on the KI groups also. Most with not a lot of shots on them, several fresh out of the box. One or two were reported broken at that point, in the box, had not even attempted assembly.
D.) Seem to recall a few issues with triggers on one model, a hand crank failure or two, few other misc model specific glitches.
E.) KI's customer service was great off season, when it doesn't matter. During season, it absolutely sucked!! Yes, a lot of folks have good experiences, during season, so did I in June. September - January, more folks than not, however, report extensive waits on the phone (often hours on hold), e-mails go unanswered, web forms go unanswered, if they do answer the web form they reply in e-mail, then it goes unanswered. Numerous people reported delays in repairs, some of those, extensive. One guy reported having sent his bow in for repair, was told he'd have it back in a matter of days, 4 weeks later, still hadn't seen it, could not get gold of KI. Phone calls were not being answered, e-mails were ignored...
F.) Killer Instinct's US interests, are owned by an outdoor group, that is owned by an outdoor group. The bows are made in China, and drop-shipped in the US. Those who have attempted injury suits, and those who have attempted class action suits for failed product and lack of support, report they cannot find an attorney that will take the case because of corporate structure.
Shoot it, enjoy it, you may be one of the lucky ones that finds one that's indestructible. If not, they'll send you limbs forever as long as you pay a certified bow tech to put them on for you. Pay a certified bow tech to inspect the bow every 3 years, pay a certified bow tech to perform maintenance on it every 3 years. If you do it yourself, they'll send you limbs for 3 years anyhow.
All manufacturers have issues with limbs breaking, KI simply has a little higher rate of failure. Their problem is not fail rate, in my book, their problem is not addressing the lack of support during season. Customer Support on their end was the single biggest reason I will never own another KI.
A.) The majority of KI's problems seems to be with limbs. Yes, the same limbs that are on the Burner 415.
Personally, I replaced mine twice, parked it when the third one broke. In 4 years! Opening weekend, each time. First limb broke at somewhere around 40 shots, fresh out of the box. No parts in stock, missed the entire season with a brand new $400 crossbow.
Order got lost, reordered in June of the following year. Replaced limbs, sighted it back in, didn't have 30 shots through it, and the second limb broke mid-stroke cocking it.
.
Neighbor had a KI, bragged on it repeatedly, hadn't had a bit of trouble out of it, it worked flawlessly since day one, was a fantastic bow. Two weeks later, he was sighting in for 3rd season, and broke a limb. Replaced limbs, sighted it in, first time on stand, cocked it, sat it in his rest, was roughly 5 minutes in, when he heard a loud snap, looked down, and watched his new limb fold. When he got off the phone with Customer Service, his was dumpster bound.
With 3 shooters frequenting my feed plot, a broken bow, and no response from KI Customer Service, I talked him out of his, to salvage the good limb. Took one of the 3 bucks with it the morning after overhauling it, made the remainder of that season, and all the next season without a hiccup.
Was actually beginning to like the POS, then the third limb broke, opening weekend of the 4th season, again while cocking it. Said that was enough, parked it, and ordered a Barnett. Have parts laying on the bench to repair it, it simply isn't worth the effort for the 30 shots.
Only scratch on the bow, when I parked it, was incurred while changing limbs. Was never dropped, banged, abused, left in a hot/cold vehicle, or dry fired; was properly maintained, kept in a case, in a closet, in the house.
B.) NO... Shooting a 450 grain bolt combination does NOT prevent limbs breaking.
The only time I ever shot the factory bolts, was initial sight-in. Having grown tired of retards insinuating my aftermarket bolts were too light, I ordered a scale off Amazon and weighed ALL of them, in every combination possible. Field points, broadheads, hunting bolts with lighted nocks, target bolts, you name it. Everything I shot was running 448 - 463 grains, the vast majority are in the 450 - 455 grain range, had a few outliers on the extremes.
There were folks on the KI groups that had limbs break shooting up to 550 grains, and on the flip side, we had one guy said he had shot nothing but the factory recommended bolts since day one, never had a bit of trouble, bow was 4-5 years old, with over a thousand shots through it.
We probably had more than a dozen people in the groups report breaking limbs, FIRST DRAW, having never fired a single bolt. Which, quite honestly, rules out ALL the usual reasons why folks tell you it is YOUR fault, that the bow failed, when it fails, because theirs never has. It's kinda difficult for it to be user error, if it breaks before the user gets it cocked the first time. But they'll tell you that you bolted the riser on incorrectly, or pulled the rope incorrectly, or some damned something, regardless, because they've never had an issue with their bow, so it has to be your, and 900 other people's fault, that all of your bows failed in the same exact manner.
The additional weight in a bolt certainly doesn't hurt anything, theoretically it is beneficial, and promotes longer limb life, slowing the release and reducing the shock on the end of limb travel, and it provides more kinetic energy on impact if you intend hunting with the bow. Bottom line is, however, they are pushing these things to the limit, and quality control isn't great in the Chinese factory where most limbs for the vast majority of crossbows are made.
C.) Don't recall which model it was, but KI was having a serious issue with composite stocks breaking at the point the riser attached to the stock. Saw a couple dozen pictures of those on the KI groups also. Most with not a lot of shots on them, several fresh out of the box. One or two were reported broken at that point, in the box, had not even attempted assembly.
D.) Seem to recall a few issues with triggers on one model, a hand crank failure or two, few other misc model specific glitches.
E.) KI's customer service was great off season, when it doesn't matter. During season, it absolutely sucked!! Yes, a lot of folks have good experiences, during season, so did I in June. September - January, more folks than not, however, report extensive waits on the phone (often hours on hold), e-mails go unanswered, web forms go unanswered, if they do answer the web form they reply in e-mail, then it goes unanswered. Numerous people reported delays in repairs, some of those, extensive. One guy reported having sent his bow in for repair, was told he'd have it back in a matter of days, 4 weeks later, still hadn't seen it, could not get gold of KI. Phone calls were not being answered, e-mails were ignored...
F.) Killer Instinct's US interests, are owned by an outdoor group, that is owned by an outdoor group. The bows are made in China, and drop-shipped in the US. Those who have attempted injury suits, and those who have attempted class action suits for failed product and lack of support, report they cannot find an attorney that will take the case because of corporate structure.
Shoot it, enjoy it, you may be one of the lucky ones that finds one that's indestructible. If not, they'll send you limbs forever as long as you pay a certified bow tech to put them on for you. Pay a certified bow tech to inspect the bow every 3 years, pay a certified bow tech to perform maintenance on it every 3 years. If you do it yourself, they'll send you limbs for 3 years anyhow.
All manufacturers have issues with limbs breaking, KI simply has a little higher rate of failure. Their problem is not fail rate, in my book, their problem is not addressing the lack of support during season. Customer Support on their end was the single biggest reason I will never own another KI.
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