Kraton

Hi, in order to keep my Dad in the woods a little longer I would like to get him a crossbow, he is 66 and I think it will get him excited again to go out in the fall with me.

Do not know much at all and would like a little info before I go to the local pro shop and ask.

Now , can he cut down the same arrows he has now? Or is it a grains per pound thing too?? Or different all together?

Is there a recommended name brand that I should be looking at?
Do they allneed a scope on them that I would need to buy too?

He shoots left handed and I want something real simple.

thanks

kevin1

Crossbows come in a variety of styles , sizes , and price ranges , just as vert bows do . I would reccomend the simpler construction and maintenence of the Excalibur line , dollar for dollar you can't find a better design . They are as powerful as any of the compound styles , and are much easier to tune and maintain . He will probably need a cocking aid for any model much over 150# draw weight , I have one that's 180# and I grunt when I draw it .

Crossbow bolts are the same shafts as regular arrows , but the nocks are different and the bolt is considerably shorter . The longest ones I use are 20" . You can use any broadhead that you would normally use , I use Thunderheads in 100 grains . A scope is not essential if the sights on the crossbow are reasonably true , but it doesn't hurt . Both of mine came with red dot sights , which seems to be common .

Here's where you can find some to try out or buy:
Crossbow choices

Several of the major manufacturers are represented there , along with some cheapo brands if you just need something to start out with . The prices are fairly representative of pro shop prices , though slightly lower in some cases .

htoler

The top three brands of crossbows are Hortons,, TenPoints/SixPoints,, Excaliburs,, your best bet would be to take your father to a proshop that carries all three and see which one he likes the best,, for me personally I like the TenPoints I fell there is no better crossbow and I have shot both them and the Excaliburs I Liked the TenPoints so much that I got my dad who is 77 one.. and he loves it, dont buy into the hooplaa about tuning your own bow and changing your own string in the field ,, ask how many have had to change a sting in the field , and ask the experts about tuning it is not as big an isshue as you will hear it made out to be, it is reccomended you have a TenPoint tuned when you have a string changed which is reccomended every 3 years.. and tenpoint has the best cocking aid and scope on the market.. with the Accudraw and accudraw 50 and their new 3X ProView scope.. go to each manufactures website and do some reserch with your father then go to a proshop that offers the crossbows your father is interested in let him handle them and shoot them ,, then you will know which one to get.. JMO

htoler

also TenPoints can be set up for left handed shooters.. as I believer most can, and you could cut down old arrows but I would reccomend shooting the reccomended arrows for the crossbow you end uo getting.. and they do not have to have a scope but I bet your father would love a scope on one once he shot one with a scope..

Hotburn76

Glad to hear your getting your dad back into it. I am from Ohio and the bow used mostly here is the Horton. I shot my first Horton super mag for twelve years with only one string change. My new Horton from last year is the supper max 175 and I love it just as much. Horton is the main bow around here but it has had a long hold in Ohio since Ohio has had the CB since the late seventys. Alot of us on here shoot the horton and the Excaliburs and all seem to be happy. The Excalibur would be my second option right after my Horton. I would recomend though that you take your dad to a proshop and let him shoot all the top brands like Tenpoint, Horton and Excalibur before you make your choice. As far as arrows go it would all depend on your old ones. I know the diameter is important as to keep the arrow in the barrel corectly as you shot it, a small shaft would be to low in it and a fat one would sit up to high in it. Also Horton advises against I believe anything less than 430 grains, you get to light of an arrow and you can damage the powerfull limbs. In CB you dont have the relation like you do with arrows and bow weight and draw weight like you do with a long bow. I think most of us on here just use the bows brand of arrows. I have always used the horton line myself, that I think they were 2219 but for the past couple of years I have used the horton carbons. Good luck!!

tschaef

Heres another vote for Excalibur, they are strong and accurate, and simple. Thats the biggest advantage to them, simple, maybe ppl don't change their strings in the field very often, but less moving parts means less stuff to break.If the season ends and I don't think I'll be shooting it for a while I remove the string to relieve the tension from the limbs, even if it is only once every three years, I don't need a pro shop at all.
I once questioned why any x-bow would be a compound since its not the shooter thats holding back the weight, the answer was that it was easier for manfacturers to make a compound than to build a strong trigger like xcal uses, to me that says alot right there. As for your dad being a lefty, I just took a look at my bow and besides what side you mount your quiver on it shouldn't matter at all with a recurve x-bow.

smokepolehall

I am left handed and i shoot the Excalibur Phoenix without any problems and the Vixen is a tad lighter and easier to cock with rope cocker also abit cheaper but top quality and same trigger as the other Excals!