I am considering buying a crossbow for next season. I would like some input on which brands you guys like. Pros and cons of some different models and manufacturers. Thanks!
Everybody has their favorite. But you usually get what you pay for and that couldn't be more true than with a crossbow. One major question that needs to be answered is, how much do you wanna spend?
IMO, the 2 top major crossbow companies are excalibur and tenpoint. The cool thing is there bows are vastly different in that exacalibur only makes recurve bows and tenpoint's bread and butter is compounds. So really the next most import question is, do you want a recurve or a compound crossbow? I much prefer a compound for several reasons, but thats me. If you want a recurve, get an excalibur and be done with it, they literally have no competition. I don't think anybody on here will even argue that point with me. Recurve = Excalibur.
If you want a compound, well your choices up companies go up by about 27 fold. I think TenPoint is far and away the best, but people like others and I am sure they will chime in here. Honestly the only other major crossbow company I can personally reccomend trying is Parker. I don't trust the other companies for reasons I won't list here.
I will list the virtues of TenPoint/Wicked Ridge. This is why I like them. ALL their crossbows are US made and come with a lifetime warranty with customer service that is second to none. They are the only crossbow company to have a drawing mechanism built into the stock, not some cheasy after factory slap on. I feel there manufacturing and testing is far superior to any compound crossbow currently being made by a major manufacturer.
Undoubtedly there will be other opinions on this and thats fine, this is just my 2 cents.
I've never shot a crossbox so I'm not set on a recurve or compound. I will be using it for hunting deer in north central oklahoma. I have several tree stands on 160 acres. The majority of deer I have taken have been less than 100 yards but I have taken a couple at 150 with my black powder .50
I have an Excaliber Exomax and, given the fact that it is the only one I have ever owned, I like it really well.
I have hunted with it three seasons and killed a dozen deer with it, but my max range is 40 yards. I am sure some folks can and do shoot deer at much farther ranges, but for me, 40 is the max.
I knew the range wouldn't be as far as my rifles. I'm a newb when it comes to hunting with bows of any type. I am trying to educate myself so that I make a good decision before I purchase a crossbow.
If you can, go to a shop that will let you shoot a few different makes and models. There are several good ones on the market at all different price ranges.
I went with the Ten Point Turbo XLT soley because it's only a little over a foot wide at full draw, I wanted that because of hunting in a blind with my kids. Second reason was the crank handle to draw the bow. Speed...........I could care less, anything is faster than my longbow, and it shoots fast enough to kill deer. Lot's of good ones out there, some have advantages over others, and vise versa. Find which one fits your style.
There has been lots of pissing contests about recurve vs compound styles in this forum.
A search may let you see them.
In 99.999% of the conversations, you'll find its the only X bow they have ever owned,and they are trying to to justify their purchases.
There has been lots of pissing contests about recurve vs compound styles in this forum.
A search may let you see them.
In 99.999% of the conversations, you'll find its the only X bow they have ever owned,and they are trying to to justify their purchases.
Go to the mfg' s web site at the specs and make your decision.