Planter

I waspretty indifferent about crossbows until my second back surgery and now use one when I can't pull the compound. You will not find any increase in the distances you can shoot responsibly and my max with the hoyt or the Xbow is 30 yards. They are however easier to become proficient with which may result in fewer wounded deer.

I also thought the fancy high tech muzzle loaders missed the spirit of the traditional .56 TC I have used for years. Range compensating scopes, pyrodex pellets, hot primersand Sabots have made themas popular as shotguns in the shotgun only state I live in.

Now we have compounds that have %80 let-offs that are as fast as any of the Xbows out there. I don't know what is right and maybe we should all go back to stick bows. They worked for Mr. Bear and Mr. Hill just fine.

I guess if Xbows bring more hunters into our fold we are better off. Maybe not personally, but as a community. We need as much new blood as we can get or our sport of choice will continue to wither in both the number of hunters and the public perception.

Schultzy

I agree with you partly Planter but not 100%. In your case shooting a crossbow is fine, i'd just assume you were going to gun hunt instead but oh well i guess! These things they call crossbows shouldn't be in the same category as a regular bow and arrow but then again like you said some of these compounds with having 80% let off ,where's the challenge in that? Technology in some cases in my opinion is hurting our sport and hunting heritage we call bow hunting!

OwnerITO

Hiya Bigtime: If you have the open country, like on the edge of a field, you can shoot out to 50 yds with a crossbow if you have practiced with it at that range and feel comfortable shooting out to that range as well. Same goes with a compound. I believe that PSE makes a compound that almost touches 350 fps and Excalibur makes a model (crossbow) that reaches 350 fps. Using either one and practicing out to that distance, you should be easily able to reach out to 50 yds shooting that much speed.

AF Hunter

I have a xbow that I used while recovering from shoulder reconstruction surgery. Maximum killing range for my barnett is 40 yards. Find a public hunting area and practice with your compound at longer distances during the off season. P.S. My xbow is now in storage because I canshoot my compound bow 6 times before my shoulder starts getting sore.

nodog

Shoot the bolts it will be more effective that way. Shooting the crossbow 25 yars is atill very impressive given it's size and weight.JK

SteveBNy

Its effective range is no more then a modern compound - many would say less. At 3d shoots where both are allowed, the compounds dominate the scores.

And you would still need to sight it in and practise to extend your range - find a place to shoot the bow you have.

Steve

GregH

I can shoot a crossbow out to about 177 yards with my 30-06.

Hotburn76

Every time I feel like we take a few steps forward people like you show up and stumble in front of us! Thanks for helping us out!

A CB for long range is worsethen a compound regardless of how fast the CB is. When you shoot a CB you may as well drop a pack of fire crackers on the ground, nothing quite about the bark of a CB. So with string jump a problem since your CB is screaming when shot,anything past 30 yards is pushing it IMO, 35 maybe on a calm relaxed deer not looking in my direction. CB's are fast, but with the short power strokes they have running out of gas real fast is what happens. I think all of my deer have been less then 20 yards, mostly within ten to fifteen yards. The CB magically makes me master the 20 yard game![&:]

muzzyshooter

Dang that some good gosh darn shootin there...

rrviper40

here is what i have concluded from shooting my fathers horton crossbow...

if my life depended on making a shot, i would choose this crossbow setup before my compound all day long. my 83 year old grandfather perfectly robinhooded a bolt on his 3rd shotwith it at 20 yards. many people on this forum can probably outshoot a crossbow, but for me, it is far more accurate, especially considering the amount of practice time needed. i have not shot past 50 with it, but at 50 its still dead on when you adjust the dial accordingly.

so, my answer to can you shoot farther more accurately would be: probably so if you are a good shot with a rifle

with that said however, can you shoot farther at game? probably not!the fact that i can shoot a 5 inch group at 50 yards with it means nothing in a hunting situation because the amount of noise it makes will put game in a different time zone by the time the arrow reaches them. i don't hunt with it but i have advised my father to not shoot it past 30 at a deer, and even that is stretching itin my opinion...

if you want to shoot further at a deer you need a quiet bow, a relaxed animal, and a steady arm.