I am agonizing over a decision here, and would greatly appreciate your advice for a newbie who is about to switch from compound to crossbow! The primary use will be hunting from climbers and lock on stands, and dont intend to target shoot at all. I primarily want higher velocity to increase range and decrease chances of deer jumping the string. I am a public land hunter who may get one or two shots a year at a deer, and I want to maximize the chance of bringing home meat because I got burned twice last year with my compound. I hunt from dawn until dusk, so the crossbow would need to remain cocked all this time (which I understand from these forums may be a problem?), and I want reliability because I need the bow to work in the field with minimal down time and maintenance during the season. Midway has the Vapor RS470 package on a super sale now for $2,000 flat but I am concerned about reliability/longevity and maintenance. Would it be worse off then the R20? Appreciate any feedback here from the experts! There is a used R20 on ebay now for $1200 that I am eyeing up..
PublicLandHunterMan
Both will serve you well. More string wear and maintenance on the Ravin. Personally I prefer the crank system of the Ten Point.
I recently bought a Vapor RS470 and absolutely love it. The bow is shooting over 450 FPS with a 460 gn arrow. Flat shooting for sure! I only have roughly 100 shots on it so far but no signs of string and cable wear yet. I personally don't worry about the reliability with a TP bow. They are built like tanks. If something does happen TP has excellent customer service. The only issue with the TP is if you forget to load an arrow and pull the trigger it will catch on the DFI pins and could cause damage. To me the risk is worth the reward because the accuslide is just that damn good IMO. All I have to do is remember to load an arrow...it's on me if I don't. I have never shot a Ravin so can't comment on them.
Good luck with your choice and if you can get out and handle both bows it may make your decision easier!
Good luck with your choice and if you can get out and handle both bows it may make your decision easier!
Tenpoint all day IMO much better string wear better cocking system better customer service. And the Vapor will he much faster and also quieter at the same time. upside to The Ravin it is lighter
Being a Ravin nut😊 after owning and shooting a boatload of various brands and models. I prefer the badazzed little R26. If you want a super reliable version that shoots a 405 grain arrow 352 fps, simply put a set of Archery Shack R29 string and cables on it. If you prefer 403 fps, leave it as it came out the box👍🏻.
Have fun deciding!!
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BTW, “ain’t no flies” on the Ravin crank cocking system
Buy it from Dave at Wyvern Creations and you are good to go.
Have fun deciding!!
BTW, “ain’t no flies” on the Ravin crank cocking system
Buy it from Dave at Wyvern Creations and you are good to go.
My R20 has been problem free for 2 years and is easily cocked and decocked (silently) in my Summit Viper, Ladder Stand or blind. Fairly light weight which I like being 72 and shoots lights out.
i had both. Just sold the R20.
If you can scoop up a Vapor 470 for 2000.00 as a package From Scottie or Midway Usa
this is waht i would do. Getting a vapor for 2000 is a really good buy.
Nothing wrong with the R20 at all. I often felt like it was the most accurate of all my bows off the bench anyway.
My gripe with Ravin bows is they slack on limb deflection matching on some bows in the past.
If drop 2000.00 on bow those limbs should have no measurable difference ever.
R20 lighter, better trigger, cant fire if you forget to load arrow
longer, easier to tip bow on the shot.
Vapor 470 heavier, faster, 2 stage trigger, shoulders much better, absorbs the shot better because of weight. Safer decocking, silent decocking, could damage bow on drifire.
If you can scoop up a Vapor 470 for 2000.00 as a package From Scottie or Midway Usa
this is waht i would do. Getting a vapor for 2000 is a really good buy.
Nothing wrong with the R20 at all. I often felt like it was the most accurate of all my bows off the bench anyway.
My gripe with Ravin bows is they slack on limb deflection matching on some bows in the past.
If drop 2000.00 on bow those limbs should have no measurable difference ever.
R20 lighter, better trigger, cant fire if you forget to load arrow
longer, easier to tip bow on the shot.
Vapor 470 heavier, faster, 2 stage trigger, shoulders much better, absorbs the shot better because of weight. Safer decocking, silent decocking, could damage bow on drifire.
Ten Point ... better company and to get a comparable bow you'd have to get a Ravin R29X. Supposedly the R29X string is only good for around 200 shots. I own an R29X and love it, but like you I just kill deer with it, I'm not a target guy. I wouldn't worry one iota about a crossbow being cocked all day. I used to unload my crossbow at home because I had to shoot it and didn't want to carry a target. Forgot to shoot when I got home and left the bow cocked over a week... more than once. I can't remember ever reading about a bow splintering a limb because it was cocked too long. A broken limb is just an act of God...lol Feel free to ask any questions that pop into your mind; pretty good group of guys around here.
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Inside 40yrds and above 400+fps noise becomes a pretty minor thing. I shoot the R20 and can not comment on the ten point as I have never shot one. Taking deer beyond 40 I have never had a problem at all with shot noise. Very happy with the R20 all around . I have accidentally left it cocked for 2 weeks with no adverse consequences. Timing remained true and limbs are fine. I hunt almost every day from September through January. My bow does see alot of time cocked . The R20 now shares blind time with the Centerpoint Wrath due to the Wraths compactness. Over all I've owned the R20 about 4 years now and could not be happier.
Deer are amazing animals and adapt to their surroundings so well.
I've actually watched a herd of deer continue to graze while rapid fire gun rounds are going off probably less than 300 to 500 yards away. They know when to be concerned about noise and when to ignore it.
I hear these stories about folks having deer jump the string from a crossbow shot and really have no reason to doubt it.
But my experience has been totally different. I'm 19 for 19 with 1 shot kills with crossbows and never once witnessed a deer jumping the string. However, I tend to pay attention to a nervous deer and avoid shooting until the animal calms back down. As a result, my observations agree with Robert's experience. Crossbow noise at the shot is not a concern for me especially when using a 400fps or faster crossbow.
I've actually watched a herd of deer continue to graze while rapid fire gun rounds are going off probably less than 300 to 500 yards away. They know when to be concerned about noise and when to ignore it.
I hear these stories about folks having deer jump the string from a crossbow shot and really have no reason to doubt it.
But my experience has been totally different. I'm 19 for 19 with 1 shot kills with crossbows and never once witnessed a deer jumping the string. However, I tend to pay attention to a nervous deer and avoid shooting until the animal calms back down. As a result, my observations agree with Robert's experience. Crossbow noise at the shot is not a concern for me especially when using a 400fps or faster crossbow.
Shoot both and you decide. A deer will hear both. I’ve bowhunted since 1963. Never had a deer jump the string(shot) because if he’s aware of my presence looking at me…….I don’t shoot.
my first 2 deer with arrows when shot consecutively back to back same run……. Let me paint the picture for you……
giant Field, we were right at the edge in a 2 man blind with little acrylic drop down windows. we were sitting in steel chairs I had my scorpyd and my buddy had his Ruger 1022. A coyote popped out and he let that whole 30 banger sing… I watch this thing go on a dead run at least a mile it was incredible (buddy is a shit shot and didn’t hit it once I seen every impact feet off of this thing) then hooked in to a patch of woods that not 20 minutes earlier at least two dozen deer ran into when we got into our blind because we spooked them out of the field so they knew we were in there….
well…….. not five minutes after that coyote hit those words all them deer came running back up…….. before I continue mind you that these deer just seen 2 Gumba‘s climbing a stand and took off…then heard a 30 banger ….then got spooked by a coyote…..all within 20 min….. they literally could not have been more sketched out and high alert 🚨.
There was a big ol doe at the head of the pack…. we were about 40 yards in from a wood line that was directly left then strait (we were in the corner)…… The big girl got just about dead center of that little acrylic window ….I literally leaned out my head , put my hand up to my mouth and screamed out a bleet, she stopped in her tracks and looked right at my face….. I leaned back in ….grabbed my aculeus and put it out that little acrylic window because it’s the size of a freaking Buick…….and rested my rangefinder right next to my scope……. clicked it twice for double confirmation and sent my arrow…….. she was looking at me the entire time…… she didn’t move so much is an inch until my arrow gets ripped through her and hit the ground… my rangefinder. said 101 2x…. She went down within sight she didn’t run 50 yards my three inch swhacker damn near cut her heart into 2 pieces…… i’m watching deer run across this little acrylic window I’m looking out and I looked over at my buddy and he said go for it…….. I literally CockEd the crossbow again ….threw an arrow in there….. rested outside of the window again and had my rangefinder lined up with the back of my scope with finger on the button….. screamed out another bleet….. three stopped dead in their tracks……. Got a beat on him clicked my button adjusted appropriately took the shot…… I walked out with two deer that day…….That second shot was at 75 yards.…. that deer was looking at my face as well……Both deer were taken in under 30 seconds……
take it however you want but it’s a thing
giant Field, we were right at the edge in a 2 man blind with little acrylic drop down windows. we were sitting in steel chairs I had my scorpyd and my buddy had his Ruger 1022. A coyote popped out and he let that whole 30 banger sing… I watch this thing go on a dead run at least a mile it was incredible (buddy is a shit shot and didn’t hit it once I seen every impact feet off of this thing) then hooked in to a patch of woods that not 20 minutes earlier at least two dozen deer ran into when we got into our blind because we spooked them out of the field so they knew we were in there….
well…….. not five minutes after that coyote hit those words all them deer came running back up…….. before I continue mind you that these deer just seen 2 Gumba‘s climbing a stand and took off…then heard a 30 banger ….then got spooked by a coyote…..all within 20 min….. they literally could not have been more sketched out and high alert 🚨.
There was a big ol doe at the head of the pack…. we were about 40 yards in from a wood line that was directly left then strait (we were in the corner)…… The big girl got just about dead center of that little acrylic window ….I literally leaned out my head , put my hand up to my mouth and screamed out a bleet, she stopped in her tracks and looked right at my face….. I leaned back in ….grabbed my aculeus and put it out that little acrylic window because it’s the size of a freaking Buick…….and rested my rangefinder right next to my scope……. clicked it twice for double confirmation and sent my arrow…….. she was looking at me the entire time…… she didn’t move so much is an inch until my arrow gets ripped through her and hit the ground… my rangefinder. said 101 2x…. She went down within sight she didn’t run 50 yards my three inch swhacker damn near cut her heart into 2 pieces…… i’m watching deer run across this little acrylic window I’m looking out and I looked over at my buddy and he said go for it…….. I literally CockEd the crossbow again ….threw an arrow in there….. rested outside of the window again and had my rangefinder lined up with the back of my scope with finger on the button….. screamed out another bleet….. three stopped dead in their tracks……. Got a beat on him clicked my button adjusted appropriately took the shot…… I walked out with two deer that day…….That second shot was at 75 yards.…. that deer was looking at my face as well……Both deer were taken in under 30 seconds……
take it however you want but it’s a thing
I own both. The Ravin R20 is my go-to hunting bow.
Don't be concerned with noise from any bow shooting these speeds under 45 yards. I've never had a deer jump the string .
Don't be concerned with noise from any bow shooting these speeds under 45 yards. I've never had a deer jump the string .
I don't care how quiet a crossbow is, because it will never be quiet enough for a deer not to hear it. So I wouldn't worry too much about the sound. Just shoot at a reasonable distance you are comfortable with and then go find your deer.
I have an RS470 and a 29x.
I'd personally go for the 470, because of the length of pull, the more natural cheek weld(I'm assuming the R20 will be similar).
The strings and cables last notably longer on the 470 despite the TP having a rail. The servings are very tough for an off the shelf set. You get an indent at the nock point, but then they just stay like that for ages before needing to be replaced.
The TP will come with a better scope, if you can get one with an Evo X marksman Elite scope, it's about the best out there.
The TP is a little more accurate with evo X centre punch vs ravin with ravin .001 arrows, though I did have to buy 2 dozen exo x to get a handful of good groupers. Factory arrows from both are so so, 2-3" groups @40 can be expected without cherry picking the groupers from a larger batch.
The TP has a much better trigger, the 2 stage on the 470 breaks cleanly, the ravin's is mushy, I'm again going to say this would be the same for the R20.
The ravin is a bit lighter and more compact, but too compact for me to shoot comfortably.
The cam timing on my RS470 went off by a hair after about 200 shots, the ravin is still spot on after almost as many.
I'd personally go for the 470, because of the length of pull, the more natural cheek weld(I'm assuming the R20 will be similar).
The strings and cables last notably longer on the 470 despite the TP having a rail. The servings are very tough for an off the shelf set. You get an indent at the nock point, but then they just stay like that for ages before needing to be replaced.
The TP will come with a better scope, if you can get one with an Evo X marksman Elite scope, it's about the best out there.
The TP is a little more accurate with evo X centre punch vs ravin with ravin .001 arrows, though I did have to buy 2 dozen exo x to get a handful of good groupers. Factory arrows from both are so so, 2-3" groups @40 can be expected without cherry picking the groupers from a larger batch.
The TP has a much better trigger, the 2 stage on the 470 breaks cleanly, the ravin's is mushy, I'm again going to say this would be the same for the R20.
The ravin is a bit lighter and more compact, but too compact for me to shoot comfortably.
The cam timing on my RS470 went off by a hair after about 200 shots, the ravin is still spot on after almost as many.
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