OT - Crossbows Advice

[deerwhacker444]

What do you folks know about crossbows?

Dad had shoulder surgery this summer and it looks like he's not going to be able to pick up bowhunting again. He asked me to look into crossbows since he could legally hunt with one here in OK.

So,..any opinions? I'm looking for the most bang for the buck. I've seen some of them nearing the $2000 range, those are definitely out.! Something comparable to a good bow set-up that has some features without going crazy.

Anybody have any experience.?

[RKrodle]

I don't know anything about them but I'm interested also.

[Hobie]

We sell Parker crossbows. I like 'em but am not a big crossbow hunter. The Parker bows are built right down the road from us.

[piller]

I have heard about some with various types of devices to pull the string back for those with limited mobility or strenght. They might be an option.

[Nath]

Check out the accesories too.

http://www.barnettcrossbows.com/recurve ... zer_v.html

Allways been tempted my self!

Nath.

[Rusty]

The Barnett's are built here in the Tampa Bay area. I bought my wife one once because she said she wanted it. After it say here unused for a year or more I gave it to a cousin who has taken quite a few deer out of his garden with it.

[Nath]

The Barnett's are built here in the Tampa Bay area. I bought my wife one once because she said she wanted it. After it say here unused for a year or more I gave it to a cousin who has taken quite a few deer out of his garden with it.

Is that the recurve one and is it quiet? What does he use to cock it?

Thanks.

Nath.

[Rusty]

The one we had was a recurve and it was pretty quiet... not as quiet as my long bow, but there was no loud TWANG like some I've seen.

I'm really not sure they even make the same model any more but the principals should still apply.

[86er]

Check out the recurve model that Sportsmans Guide sells for $179. It is accurate, reasonably quiet and easy to use. Comes with 4 bolts and a red dot sight - ready to shoot. I recommend Limbsavers on the inside of the limbs about 1" from the string grooves on each side. If you want to get something very technical and more complex the Ten-Point crossbows are the top of the line. I entertain a lot of crossbow hunters and I have seen great to junk. What may be a surprise to some folks is that the range is not really increased over a compound bow. 30 yds is about it - maybe 40. The reason is that crossbows are noisier and vibrate more than pull-draw bows. The deer are much more likely to "duck-the-string" with a crossbow than with any other kind of bow - hence the 30 yds range. Let me know what else you want to know.

[madman4570]

Couple weeks ago went over to see my brother-in laws 175lb Horton(has a redot sight on it!
He let me try it.We were shooting at the block target that has the 6 little bulls on the block (@ 20yards.)
He was kneeling and shot a couple times at the upper right bull.(about 2 inches low/left each time).
He said here, you try it.(One thing I notice is you need to pull it up quick/otherwise it pulls hard)
I said how is the trigger pull?He said smooth and crisp.He said go ahead and kneel,I said na,I prefer to stand.
Pulled er up let out some breath, shot and it went dead center bull.He just looked at me?????????????
He said try another/I said nope I am good,its right on! I left him like that thinking ????????
He uses it in Pa/its legal now! They are nice units.

[PaperPatch]

http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/

This company manufactures a quality product. They also have a helpful forum on their webpage, with many hunters who post there.

Being a recurve design, I found mine to be simple and straightforward to assemble and shoot. A simple rope cocking aid, makes preparation easy.

3 days after arriving on my doorstep....I zapped a huge Doe with it. I'm a happy customer!

[dr walker]

My buddy had a Ten Point it was one of the less expensive models, still probably 600 or so. This thing was very accurate. We had a little shooting contest, seeing which one of us could hit the butt of a cigarette shoved into a black foam target. The distance was just over 35 yards. Within one or two shots one of us would hit it. I was amazed by that thing. There was a fairly loud twang and it was tough to pull the string back, but it was fast and seriously accurate.

[Ysabel Kid]

Check out the recurve model that Sportsmans Guide sells for $179. It is accurate, reasonably quiet and easy to use. Comes with 4 bolts and a red dot sight - ready to shoot. I recommend Limbsavers on the inside of the limbs about 1" from the string grooves on each side. If you want to get something very technical and more complex the Ten-Point crossbows are the top of the line. I entertain a lot of crossbow hunters and I have seen great to junk. What may be a surprise to some folks is that the range is not really increased over a compound bow. 30 yds is about it - maybe 40. The reason is that crossbows are noisier and vibrate more than pull-draw bows. The deer are much more likely to "duck-the-string" with a crossbow than with any other kind of bow - hence the 30 yds range. Let me know what else you want to know.

Quick question. Should a crossbow bolt be short, or should it be longer like an arrow for a bow? Long enough to stick slightly beyond the rail when the crossbow is fully drawn? I've seen both types and always wondered.

[Haycock]

http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/

This company manufactures a quality product. They also have a helpful forum on their webpage, with many hunters who post there.

Being a recurve design, I found mine to be simple and straightforward to assemble and shoot. A simple rope cocking aid, makes preparation easy.

3 days after arriving on my doorstep....I zapped a huge Doe with it. I'm a happy customer!

+1 for Excalibur recurve x-bows!!!

Haycock

[madman4570]

It seemed what he had with the Horton it protruded slightly past(about 2")

[Paladin]

I have used 3 or 4 different crossbows about 20 years ago before suppressors were as good as they are now.
They have improved greatly but are still a little louder than we liked. Accuracy is as good or better than some rifles if you pay attention to the little things (bolt type, weight, broad heads, ETC)
With the compound models it is unbelievable the speeds the bolt can obtain. If your father has strength problems look for a self cocking model.

[Lastmohecken]

I have used a Horton Supreme Hunter, for many years. It's a compound crossbow. I drilled and tapped it, and put a williams recevier sight on the back, just pins up front. I have lost count of the deer I have killed with it, and I also have a large bobcat mounted that I took with it. I have also killed foxes, and ferrle cats with it.

I only shoot if very close, with the average range being 10 to 15 yds. At that range I don't have to worry about trajectory, and nothing has ever jumped the string. I live in Madison County, here in Arkansas, and if you come through here, you will see pictures and other stuff, in certain businesses, that might say something like Land of the Crossbow. We have a long history of the Crossbow, and for many years, Madison Co, and Franklin Co, were the only countys in Arkansas that had a crossbow season, and I believe Arkansas was one of the very few states, that even had a crossbow season for many years.

There is even a Restraunt, called the Crossbow. If you can legally hunt with a crossbow, then you probably owe a debt of gratitude to some of the older crossbow enthusists, of Madison and Franklin Co, most long gone, that worked hard to get crossbow seasons made legal.

[bigbore442001]

I have some experience with crossbows so I will give you the information that I have learned. My father obtained a permit in both Massachusetts and Connecticut to hunt during the whitetailed deer and wild turkey seasons. Although he has not been successful we did go through two crossbows and learned a few things.

One is don't skimp on quality. A cheap crossbow is what it is, cheap.Parker or Excalibur are at the top for accuracy. Accuracy is paramount.
My Dad owned an Excalibur Phoenix and now owns a Parker Cyclone. The Excalibur had a recurve prod but was very noisy. The Parker is very quiet and is a compound type of crossbow.

Crossbows are heavy and more bulky. When you walk through the woods it seems that the prod catches all kinds of twigs and branches.

You have a limited range of movement. When you sit in a stand you will notice that the horizontal prod gets in the way and limits your arc of movement. If you are right eye dominant you notice that you can shoot well to your left and to your right at about a 2 O'clock position.

They can be dangerous. You must always be cognizant of where your support arm is. My dad almost lost his thumbnail with the Excalibur. He was using a shooting stick and it collapses. He compensated by pushing up. As he pushed up his thumb went above the decking at the shot. Needless to say he will never do that. The Cyclone has a handgrip which minimizes that tendency.

I outlined the negatives but the big positive is that they are very accurate. I would say that they have a maximum practical range for hunting at 40 yards so they are on par with a modern compound bow.

[Lastmohecken]

I use my crossbow when I know where I am going, exactly, and have tree stand or blind set up. If I am just wandering around, or not really sure where I will end up, I usually just take my standard recurve bow. The cross bow is deadly, but heaiver and too bulky to enjoy packing for long distances.

I have though about getting one of the really light recurve type crossbows for still hunting, but those bows usually have really short bolts, and are not as powerful or even as accurate as I would like, and the short bolt bows are finikey, to get them to shoot well. At least that's been my experience.