I need crossbow recommendations and advice.

[teddy12b]

Years ago I go on this forum and asked advice about a crossbow and was pointed towards a wicked ridge crossbow that was amazing. I hunted with it one season, missed the next season, and sold it the following year because need formula and diaper money. I don't remember the model I had but looking at what's out there it seems like it'd either be the ranger or the invader.

The thing I loved about the old one was that it had a low fixed power scope with BDC that was dead on accurate at every distance. In addition to that, it would shoot nearly into the same bolt if I shot at the same spot. Honestly, that's all I need. I don't need fancy gizmo's I'm a big guy so I don't really even care about any aides in cocking the bow. What I really do need is guidance on where I can get my hands on one before season and how to package it all together. Most of what I've seen has been packages of crossbows & bolts, but I know there's some trick to getting the right broadhead weights that I don't remember.

Any advice on this would be incredibly awesome and I'd be forever grateful. I've got trail camera pictures of an absolute hog so this has got to happen, even if it means I go grab something from budk, I'm getting a crossbow.

 

[dprimm]

There are several for sale in the INGO classifieds. None are mine. I find this subject (like many others) easy to overthink. Get something, know how it behaves, and use the heck out of it

 

[eric001]

Last year I got the Wicked Ridge RDX400, but didn't get to take it out into the field until it was almost too late--never got to drop a deer with it. I can say that 1) it's my first crossbow, and 2) I spent a LONG time looking at and getting hands on many, many different makes and models. The RDX400 has the same kind of scope you mentioned, seems easier to carry than traditionals, and is just as accurate as you remember. I also have to be very careful with the field points on my big target--it's powerful enough to punch clean through if I hit a spot too often--where my 72# draw compound bow barely sinks an arrow over 4" in the same spot. It's a real pain when I use broadheads on my broadhead target, as I end up digging them out the hard way... VERY powerful.

 

[Willie]

Last year I got the Wicked Ridge RDX400, but didn't get to take it out into the field until it was almost too late--never got to drop a deer with it. I can say that 1) it's my first crossbow, and 2) I spent a LONG time looking at and getting hands on many, many different makes and models. The RDX400 has the same kind of scope you mentioned, seems easier to carry than traditionals, and is just as accurate as you remember. I also have to be very careful with the field points on my big target--it's powerful enough to punch clean through if I hit a spot too often--where my 72# draw compound bow barely sinks an arrow over 4" in the same spot. It's a real pain when I use broadheads on my broadhead target, as I end up digging them out the hard way... VERY powerful.

IF I was buying a new crossbow this year this bow would be it. The bows I have now will last me the rest of my life - I'm 81.

 

[d.kaufman]

Been using a center point sniper the last 3 years. Great bow and under $300. Only thing you need to buy to hunt with it is some broadheads. Centerpoint has a newer offering to that's either 400fps or a little more than that. The sniper is 370fps I believe and will go thru a deer at 25 yards easily

 

[deanald2pt0]

I bought an Excalibur Assassin 360 this past winter to replace a cheaper Barnett I bought 3 years ago that was do to have the strings and cables replaced.

I looked at several different models from Tenpoint, Wicked Ridge, Mission, and Excalibur. What I noticed when I was looking was that no really talked favorably about the lower priced options. By lower priced, I mean the 500-$600 and below. A lot of the cheaper bows used imported parts, which might be hard to find replacements for, and were considered throw away bows. At least that was my impression.

I was in Gas City one day and stopped in Walnut Creek Outdoors to look at what they had. Before then I had only seeing a specific model here or there, and handled a couple at Cabelas. They had bows from most of the major brands, in just about every price range and they even let me test fire some.

I ended up choosing the Excalibur because I like the idea of a simple low maintenance bow, I can change strings myself, and don't have to worry about timing issues. The downside to the Excaliburs are they are wider than a lot of the higher end compounds, louder, and hard to cock. I was originally interested in the Excaibur Axe 340, but I got a super deal on the Assassin, it may have been a discontinued model IDK.

I tried to sell my old crossbow with a case, arrows and other accessories for what I though was a reasonable price considering it needed strings and cables ($100-150) in the classified sections, but all I got were people asking what's the least I'd take for it. What I learned is there is not of an aftermarket for cheap crossbows.

 

[two70]

How do you plan to hunt, blind or treestand? Wide crossbows are a pain to haul through the woods and a pain to handle in a treestand, not to mention can limit shot opportunities. Also, you may not care about cocking aides but manually cocking a crossbow isn't much fun in many treestands.

 

[teddy12b]

The area I hunt, I'll only have one shooting lane, and really one type of shot to make. I can dial the crossbow to right where the critter will be standing. Trail cameras show right where this guy walks by, and I plan to just sit on a stool with a tripod. Maybe I'll toss up a ground blind, but I won't be in a stand. There just aren't any trees nearby to support a stand.

 

[teddy12b]

I was starting to lean towards this one: https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/centerpoint-dagger-390-crossbow-package?a=2208020

 

[teddy12b]

How many FPS does it take to know you're at an adequate power level for taking a deer? Seems like 300FPS + is the minimum? Maybe I'm wrong, all this crossbow stuff is new to me.

 

[deanald2pt0]

How many FPS does it take to know you're at an adequate power level for taking a deer? Seems like 300FPS + is the minimum? Maybe I'm wrong, all this crossbow stuff is new to me.

300 FPS is always the rule of thumb I heard. But you have to remember slower vertical bows have been taking deer for many years. You also have to consider arrow weight and broadheads.

A lot of companies market their crossbows and higher velocities than you are going to achieve in real life. It's typically in the fine print somewhere that the advertised speed was achieved with X weight arrow, but the manual will say to never use anything less than Y. Using to light of an arrow can lead to premature fail of the limbs, strings, and/or cables.

 

[Sniper 79]

See them hanging in pawn shops. I'd start there and work a deal on a used one. I been thinking of getting one too. Always see deer out squirrel hunting. Love to stick one of them for the freezer.

 

[rhslover]

I just got a killer instinct burner 415. It's my first one, but for three bills I'm super happy with it. All you'd need is broadheads to hunt everything else is there.

 

[teddy12b]

The wicked Ridge Invader 400 should be in tomorrow. I'm hoping it's a plug and play type setup that's easy to run.

 

[Mattroth54]

I started out with a Tenpoint. Soon after, my son wanted in on crossbow action, so I bought him a Barnett Recruit. It wasn’t the highest end Barnett by any means, came w decent scope. I’ve been shocked, it shoots just as good as my Tenpoint, for about half the price. They’re both 40ish yard bows, in our hands. They’ll both put bolts in the same hole at 20y without much effort. I love my Tenpoint, but if I had to do it again, I’d strongly consider the Barnett.

 

[Lee11b]

I love Excalibur products. Nothing but "a twig and a string" to just about kill all North American game. You can get a string changer and as they say "change the string in your treestand". I wouldn't recommend that!!! I got a killer deal on a Micro with the suppressor and go hunt package a few years ago (used, shot 4 times.... guy had to buy the latest and greatest Skorpyd for around 2k)

 

[teddy12b]

I got my crossbow out, and the first time I used the assist to cock the crossbow the line blew up on the assist thing. I was about half drawn back and stuff was bouncing all over my kitchen. I was very lucky I didn't get a window knocked out. I ran paracord through the handles of the pullers and was still able to use them to cock the bow albeit completely manually now. So far, the crossbow shoots as far as I'm going to need it to.

 

[Bigtanker]

Been using a center point sniper the last 3 years. Great bow and under $300. Only thing you need to buy to hunt with it is some broadheads. Centerpoint has a newer offering to that's either 400fps or a little more than that. The sniper is 370fps I believe and will go thru a deer at 25 yards easily

I received one of these from my dad this holiday season. Took it out today for my first ever shots with a crossbow. I think I'm going to like it. My first three shots at 10 yards. This thing will be fun.

I have an old friend that lives in the city limits. The new Casino they put in a few years ago pushed the deer out of that land and on to his. They have been pretty destructive and he wants as many as possible taken out. I will be able to help now!

 

[BigMatt]

I like the thought of a used recurve.

I am a gun guy, so a crossbow is just to lengthen my deer season. I want in as cheap as possible and I also like the thought of being able to string my own and take it down after the season is over.

They are pretty accurate and I never shoot past 30 yards anyway.

 

[d.kaufman]

I received one of these from my dad this holiday season. Took it out today for my first ever shots with a crossbow. I think I'm going to like it. My first three shots at 10 yards. This thing will be fun.

I have an old friend that lives in the city limits. The new Casino they put in a few years ago pushed the deer out of that land and on to his. They have been pretty destructive and he wants as many as possible taken out. I will be able to help now!
View attachment 119675

This was at 30 yards. Have done it at 50 too Easily splits bolts. When ever I take it out for target practice I have to aim at different points or it will split bolts everytime.

Great package for the money