What is the best xbow on the market?

[okieshooter44]

What is hands down the best xbow or at least the top of the line models? Seriously contemplating buying one for next year. Any ideas?

 

[dennishoddy]

Problem is, most folks on here have never owned or researched an Xbow. They are relying on hearsay.

due to surgery on a ruptured bicep tendon last year, I had to do the research.
This is my opinion only.
I went for speed, and easy maintenance.
Last year the Excaliber Equinox was king.
this season some new one have came out with a little more speed, but not easier maintenance.

The Excaliber line went with a recurve style that is wider than the compound style, BUT! In the maintenance line, it excells in my opinion.
Recurve style: if the string breaks in the field, you can put on a new string in about 5 minutes.
Compound style: try to find a bow shop open during bow season as your not going to change it in the field.

Excaliber tends to be a little more expensive, but in my opinion, that outweighs the lack of maintenance for the compound style.

 

[usmc1986]

What is hands down the best xbow or at least the top of the line models? Seriously contemplating buying one for next year. Any ideas?

Chevy, Ford, Dodge, really up to you and what your budget is.

There are good Xbows from Excalibur, Parker and Horton from upper 2oo's and up. Some Recurve style and reverse limb compounds here, some are pretty quiet in the Excalibur recurve line. Excalibur and Parker have pretty nice triggers. Haven't played with the Horton's yet.

If you want other features, closer to a rifle look/feel, really quiet great trigger and speed?
PSE, Scorpy'd, Ten Point - All have models costing within the range of a custom barreled rifle action or a nicely scoped factory hunting rifle. You probably won't touch one of these under $949 and they go up from there to almost $2k.

Been eyeing the Scorpy'd RDT 125. 125lb limbs, reverse limb design, cnc machined, 20" cocking for up to 380 FPS depending upon total arrow/point weight. But my Predator is working fine for me right now. I don't need a high dollar xbow, but it would be nice at some point.

 

[MarcusR]

Just purchased the Darton Serpant. I bought a Barnett DOA but returned due to not being able to sight it in. Tried two differant scope and arrows. The String was messed up and was pushing down on the arrows. Well i have my darton sighted in and it shoots real nice. Plus it is light and easy to carry and handle. Buddy bought the lightning and shot a real nice 8 point 30 minutes into opening morning. He likes his as well.

 

[bigcountryok]

I would have to go with what Dennis said and add the TenPoint bows in there as well.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I don't know if they're the best, but these PSEs seem pretty well made - fast and accurate too. Tac series.

 

[Buzzgun]

I've been shooting Excalibur crossbows for close to 15 years and I wouldn't buy anything else for all the reasons Dennis mentioned.

I'll mention one more: MANY Excalibur crossbows have been accidently dry fired with no damage to the bow. I'm not saying that all Excalibur models will survive being dry fired, but I don't know of any compound crossbows that have survived dry firing undamaged.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

How hard is it to string and unstring the excaliburs? Is it any harder on the recurves to leave them cocked for long periods of time, compared to compounds, or about the same? Are they quieter than compounds? More accurate? Why are they so much more popular / better?

 

[Buzzgun]

How hard is it to string and unstring the excaliburs? Is it any harder on the recurves to leave them cocked for long periods of time, compared to compounds, or about the same? Are they quieter than compounds? More accurate? Why are they so much more popular / better?

I string mine by hand and it's not easy, but there are stringers available that make it much easier. (reminds me, I need to order a stringer!)

I string my bow at the fist part of the season and leave it strung until the season closes.

I don't believe it is harder on recurves to leave them cocked.

In my experience, recurves are louder than compounds.

I think the accuracy is about the same.

I'm not sure recurves are more popular, at least as far as the numbers in use in the field.

I think they are better because they are simpler, nothing to get out of tune, easy to restring in the field, more durable limbs.

Right now, the fastest crossbows are compounds if that makes any difference to you.

 

[BigTexOK]

My first year to hunt with a xbow and I'm using my nephews 10 point Slider. Love it.