Best Crossbow For The Money, I need advise.

[Yotekiller011]

Alright guys, Help me out. I know very little about Crossbows. I've been a archer since the early 70's and have fought the Crossbow craze since it started, But I've been looking and have read a lot about the history of the Crossbow and realized I've been missing out on another means of hunting with a primitive weapon. I got to be honest I was mad when they legalized the Crossbow for everyone a few years back and refused to try a "Cheater Bow" but I'm finding them very cool and can't wait to get started.
That being said I don't know anything about choosing/selecting the right one for me. I want a best top quality bow for hunting, for the money. What should I buy? I want the one that has the least problems and quality at a reasonable price that will reach out there accurately. I want your opinion before I go waste a lot of money and don't get what I should for what I want and need it to do, which is for hunting big game and turkey.

Thanks, Dave

 

[Roost 1]

I have a Tenpoint and my bud has a Wicked Ridge..... I would highly suggest the Wicked Ridge Raider CLS.. It is made by Tenpoint and after comparing ours side by side I can't see difference other than the price... The Raider CLS can prolly be bought on eBay south of $600.....Good luck with your decision. I really like my crossbow but it'll never replace my vertical bow.. Actually only reason I even have a crossbow is due to past shoulder injury.

 

[TNGRIZZLY_]

Excalibur crossbow is a great way to go, many to choose from. They got great speed, can change the string yourself while in the woods. And to my knowledge, it is the only crossbow to ever take down a wild Elephant.

The bad is it is wide and really noisy, but they say anything under 40 yards will never hear it anyway. The more expenses ones come with stuff to damping the noise already on them, as for the wide they do have a new one that is around 25 inches wide. All and all I love mine and would not go back to any other. and very light also.

 

[Grill-n-man]

Excalibur. They may be wider but they are also lighter, more simple design, only one string to take care of, can replace string yourself, and boy do they pack a punch.

 

[TnBob]

The new Excalibur Micro 335. Plenty fast, light, narrow limbs and tough as nails.

 

[THEdonkey0515]

I have the Barnett quad 400 Killed many deer with it. I've used it 3 years now drilled many deer with 0 problems. My dad has a very nice Excalibur we shoot in the yard together before every season. From 15 yards till about 60 yards out and I can match him shot for shot with a much cheaper xbow no problem. People say Excaliburs last longer but hey for $350 going on 4 years with the quad 400 Not to bad. I see no reason to upgrade

 

[dsa5455]

I bought the Excalibur from one of the members on this sight. The limbs are a little wide but shoots dead on and is simple to take the string off and replace. The newer ones as mentioned above are much more narrow. I enjoy shooting it. There is one thing I would consider for safety purposes though. If you ever get your thumb in that slide area where the arrow rest you will probably lose it. Some of the newer bows have a safety mechanism that prevents this from happening as I understand it. There was a picture posted on this sight that made me cringe that this happened. If you're careful not a problem the Excalibur is a wonderful bow.

 

[smokepolehall]

Depends on you n yer body. Length of arms, yrs old strength, do you want a recurve style or Compound style? How fast do want it to shoot how far do you plan on shooting yer game? How much weight can you tote n feel comfortable? Recurve Excal Compound Mission MXB.You choose the model thats apeals to you. Both have lifetime warranty both can be cocked with rope cocker or their cranks. Both can be taken down to replace strings n such without a press.

 

[Mackey]

Love my Parker Tornado!

 

[fairchaser]

Excalibur for simplicity, accuracy, ability to let down without shooting it. It's reliable and impossible to get your fingers in the string unless you have 8 inch fingers.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

I was able to squeek by the old law on crossbows when they were for handicap people.

I hunted with it quite a bit. Took me a while to figure out expandable blade broadheads were not satifactory due to its low FPS. Mine is a Horton 1990's vintage. 215 FPS with 125 grain heads.

Shoots lights out up to 40 yards and may bring it out of retirment with some slick tricks this season.

What I don't like about crossbows are

They are hard to chocolate chip cookie and loud to chocolate chip cookie. Getting a second shot off on a deer was near to impossible unless they were really young and dumb. Takes too much sound and too much movement to chocolate chip cookie for a second shot.

Of course we all know we should need no second shot but we all know in the real world that is not always the case.

Newer cross bows are alot faster and will give you some advantages in a tight ground blind.

With that said I prefer a compound bow. It takes a heck of a lot more practice to get as good with a compound as it does with a crossbow. But I can shoot a heavier arrow and load it much quicker and quiter.

Good luck with your search.

 

[buckhorn40]

The new Excalibur Micro 335. Plenty fast, light, narrow limbs and tough as nails.

x's 2

 

[TheLBLman]

The new Excalibur Micro 335. Plenty fast, light, narrow limbs and tough as nails.

x's 2

I just helped a friend "choose" the perfect crossbow for their applications (hunting both from tree stands and blinds) ----- that's what we chose. It's amazingly small in size (for a recurve), and I'm very impressed with it, although we swapped out the Excaliber brand scope for a Ten Point Rangemaster Pro. Put together a custom package per David Wilkins at Wyvern Creations.

I do believe the Excaliber line is the best lasting value, simpler to use, and ongoing will require much less maintenance. But like nearly all brands, their "proprietary" scopes are not up to the par of their crossbows.

Among the optics we had narrowed down as good final choices:

Ten Point Rangemaster Pro (went with this);
Nikon Bolt
Hawke SB30 Pro (what I would personally choose if for myself).

Among those 3 scopes, the Nikon Bolt probably represents the best "value" relative to its price, however, it does not have an illuminated reticle.
I personally liked the Hawke SB30 Pro best, but it is a very "busy" view, while that particular Ten Point seems less confusing regarding which aiming point is for which distance ----- but all these seemed better than most that come in the proprietary crossbow packages.

As with guns and most things, there is a typical correlation between initial price and the quality, lasting value of the product. Most of the less costly crossbows have very poor (not crisp, not smooth) "cheap" triggers. Many hunters are opting for "trigger jobs" on their crossbows just like their rifles. The trigger on the Excaliber Micro 335 is decent; the triggers on the lowest cost Excalibers are not very good by comparison.

 

[TheLBLman]

Bottom line: The simplicity, less ongoing maintenance, lasting value of the recurve design causes me to rule out any compound crossbow. Regardless of model, the Excaliber brand seems to have the best reputation (and choices) with recurve crossbows.

One other thing. Wyvern Creations can custom install the Ten Point crank into the stock of most crossbows. However, they cannot do this on the Excaliber Micro (can do on other Excaliber crossbows that don't have the skeleton stock).

 

[7mminatree]

I can't brag enough on my Excalibur Exocet, had for 10 years now. I've dropped it 3 times out of tree stands, fell on it, hunted in -21 below 0, the thing is just about bullet proof. It is wide, but it is also super light and that was what influenced me the most when I purchased it. I like the fact that I can remove two allen screws and separate the limb assembly and stock, which store and transport it in a hard rifle case. I've killed a bunch of deer, a few hogs and turkeys and a couple of yotes with it, I've never missed a shot with this bow it's a 100%.

 

[TheLBLman]

I can't brag enough on my Excalibur Exocet . . . . . It is wide, but it is also super light and that was what influenced me the most when I purchased it.

If you're ever looking for a new one, take a look at that Micro 335 . . . . . it is narrow, and much lighter than your Exocet . . . . . otherwise much the same.

 

[TNGRIZZLY_]

I can't brag enough on my Excalibur Exocet . . . . . It is wide, but it is also super light and that was what influenced me the most when I purchased it.

If you're ever looking for a new one, take a look at that Micro 335 . . . . . it is narrow, and much lighter than your Exocet . . . . . otherwise much the same.

You got me wanting to buy a new micro 335, And I love my Excalibur that I already have.

I bought mine for easy maintenance, very light and accurate. Plus the only crossbow to ever kill a big bull elephant.

 

[gun nut]

I just bought a Excalibur matrix 330 thing shoots amazing

 

[Snowwolfe]

Where is the best place to order an Excalibur?

 

[pb10point]

I have a Excaliber and love mine.I have busted nockes off my bolts at 50 yards.I bought my Excalibur on ebay.If you are looking to buy on line go to ,Excalibur Crossbow on Line Dealers, they have a whole list of dealers there.