Crossbows for hunting?????

[Code54]

Also thanks for the info on Wyverncreations - I needed a few things and ordered it from them.
I also noticed Cabelas has their "Tactical Crossbow case" on sale for $40 (I ordered one) if anyone is interested

 

[bullbreaker]

Congrats on new purchase ! :thumbsup:
If it didn't bring it remember to buy string wax and wax only string not flecthin. Try to post a pic of it when you can . Also don't forget your barehand cocking workout's . My first EXCAL must have it now going on 12 years plus (don't remember)still looks brand new and with the other EXCAL I own a Vortex at 55 I doubt if I will ever buy another one. They seem to last forever with proper care .
I do best with 100 grain broadheads .

 

[Code54]

Thanks Bullbreaker! Just ordered a 3 pack of sting wax and am waiting for the bow to come in. Hope to have it later next week along with the new target I ordered (figured that may come in handy)

 

[The Deerslayer]

You'll want to pick up some rail oil as well. Which target did you order?

 

[Code54]

They had a Cabelas branded bag target on sale for $30 and I'm told it is real nice for the money and will stop 400 fps bolts. I figured I would get one and see what it is like then decide on a "good" 3D target sometime down the road. Would like to get a nice deer one for my son to practice on.
As for rail lube - I will put that on the list! Thanks

 

[wolc123]

At this point, the crossbow seems a true "wonder-weapon" to me. Here in NY, they only gave us the last couple weeks of archery season so I just bought a cheap, "entry-level" model ($250 Barnett Recruit). I was very impressed with the way this compact x-bow handled. It is only about 12" wide when drawn, and not at all front-heavy. It actually handles as good as my Ruger 10/22 carbine rifle. I was even more impressed with how accurate and how flat it shot, right after I put it together. It hit only about 3" lower at 40 yards than it did at 10, and all 3-shot groups, taken from a rest at those ranges could be covered with a quarter (definitely don't shoot at the same spot with 2 arrows however, or you will be buying new ones).

I only shot it once at a deer (6 point buck), which I judged to be 50 yards away. I aimed high-lung using the middle dot on the red-dot sight (all my 40 yard and under practice had been using the top dot). The range turned out to be 59 yards when I paced the distance to the part part of the shaft the buck snapped off with his front leg, taking the expanding 125 gr broadhead and the other 7" of the shaft thru the heart. He folded up and died after a 30 yard sprint.

My "baby" x-bow delivers 300 fps speed and has a 135 lb draw. That combo only gave about 8" penetration on a deer at 59 yards., so I would limit it to 50 yard shots in the future. When and if our state loosens up and gives us the rest of archery season, I would probably spring for a little more speed and draw weight. 330 fps / 150 -175 lb draw would probably be enough to make it a legit 60 yard weapon with enough remaining energy for a "pass-thru".

There is lots of bs out there saying that x-bows are not that much more effective than conventional vertical compound bows. Nothing could be further from the truth. In my hands anyhow, the crossbow, fired from a rest, and using telescopic sights is about 5x more effective on fixed targets, and 10x more effective on live targets. I will likely never pick up a vertical bow again. The white man should be thankful the Native Americans were not armed with such effective weapons, these things are scary lethal.

 

[hutchman]

That reminds me ... do get a good quality target! I remember when I bought mine the guy was trying to sell me a Rinehart target for $90. Inside I reasoned that my Matthews shoots 300fps and my targets stop it so I said "No thanks". He was like are you sure ... OK (in a I told you so kind of way).

So when I went to shoot it in my back yard (not a sub division but a neighborhood that I needed to consider) I remembered how the guy was so just for good measure I put my Morrell pillow up first with one of those wallmart foam blocks (not the cheap one but the better one they sold at the time) behind it with a big oak in line with that a few feet away.

Let the first bolt fly and it disappeared into the Morrell pillow and I about panicked. It went straight through the pillow and almost all the way through the foam block ... the fletching of the carbon bolt were barley sticking out ... not enough to get a good grip on. I couldn't pull the arrow out and ended up crushing it and destroying it trying to pull it out. So the next day I went back and asked if the deal on the Rinehart target was still good and happily paid the $90 and everything after that was fine!

I put it in the back of my truck so after I hunt I just shoot it point blank into the Rienhart ball with a field point bolt to decock it.

I never imagined a lighter arrow going 50fps faster than my Matthews could have that much MORE power but it sure did! Moral of the story is get a good quality target that will properly stop field points & broadheads.

 

[Code54]

Funny you mentioned the Recruit - my 14 year old son really wanted to get into Crossbows and when we were looking at them he seen the Recruit, shot it, and LOVED it. So he told me he had $250 saved up in his spending money (He puts 50% of everything he gets in the bank, and keeps half for spending money) but did not want to spend all his spending money so I made him a deal where I would pay $100 so he could keep some cash and still get his bow. Found it online for $250 shipped so we ordered it in. I was so happy he was getting something that will get him outdoors and he is still keeping something back I figured why not. I let him choose the bow he wanted and the Recruit was the one. He said he liked the weight of the bow and how easy it was to maneuver compared to some other bows he tried. It just came in and I assembled it but we are waiting for our new target to arrive - we (I) forked up for a good target because I was concerned the Xbows would blast through everything we had here at the house. In our case it is not a safety issue as there is 100 empty acres behind our target but at the cost of good bolts I would sure hate to lose or damage them.
We both can't wait until next weekend when everything should be in and we can start practicing!

 

[Code54]

That reminds me ... do get a good quality target! I remember when I bought mine the guy was trying to sell me a Rinehart target for $90. Inside I reasoned that my Matthews shoots 300fps and my targets stop it so I said "No thanks". He was like are you sure ... OK (in a I told you so kind of way).

So when I went to shoot it in my back yard (not a sub division but a neighborhood that I needed to consider) I remembered how the guy was so just for good measure I put my Morrell pillow up first with one of those wallmart foam blocks (not the cheap one but the better one they sold at the time) behind it with a big oak in line with that a few feet away.

Let the first bolt fly and it disappeared into the Morrell pillow and I about panicked. It went straight through the pillow and almost all the way through the foam block ... the fletching of the carbon bolt were barley sticking out ... not enough to get a good grip on. I couldn't pull the arrow out and ended up crushing it and destroying it trying to pull it out. So the next day I went back and asked if the deal on the Rinehart target was still good and happily paid the $90 and everything after that was fine!

I put it in the back of my truck so after I hunt I just shoot it point blank into the Rienhart ball with a field point bolt to decock it.

I never imagined a lighter arrow going 50fps faster than my Matthews could have that much MORE power but it sure did! Moral of the story is get a good quality target that will properly stop field points & broadheads.

Seeing you are in WV - where did you end up getting your target and gear from?

 

[wolc123]

Glad to hear your son got a Recruit. I am certain he will love it. My daughters are 11 and 12 now (need to be 14 to use one on deer in NY), so they will probably get mine when/if I upgrade. I will probably go with the Barnett Raptor for about a hundred more bucks, which is basically an upgraded 330 fps bow in the same compact size. That should give me the legit 60 yard range I would like. The compact size and light weight of these models is very handy when hunting deer. I still have two of the bolts that came with my Recruit and they are pretty good quality. I did go with heavier field tips (125 gr) to match the broad-heads I had. I am really looking forward to using it again this fall. Luckily, my in-laws have a place up in the Northern zone where I can use it earlier than down here in the Southern zone where we live. That gives me a whole month to use it on deer in NY starting in mid October. We are on pace to run out of venison right about then. Crossbows are very good at providing that, with accuracy and range almost as good as a modern in-line ML, with the huge advantages of no ruined meat, and no noise.