horton steelforce 150?
 

does anyone know if a horton steelforce 150 is a quality xbow?
and is capable of taking a whitetail?

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

new crossbow user .

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

yes it is capatible of taking whitetail deer . i have one and i just got it but horton mfg told me that it would and it can take a hog.

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

Quality is realitive. Compared to a custom bow? No. Compared to a Chinese bow? Better.
It is truly an entry model. Not what I would call a serious deer hunting machine but assuming at least 250 ft/sec or there abouts and accuracy of 3 - 4 inches at 30 yards then I would call it good enough for deer. If you can attain the max speed which I believe is 240 then keep the distance under 25 and use cut on contact broadheads and you should be ok.

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

I posted earlier that this CB was junk! To be fair you would have to try each one and see if it held up, some were just thrown together and others were made right. Don't want to hurt anyone's feelings when i rag about different CB's. So with that i come forward and say i am sorry to any CB hunter who has one that is working well for them! Hope you take many more deer with it!

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

Asking that is like walking out of wal-mart with a 75 dollar composite stock 22 cal rim fire and asking if it can kill squirrels. The answer is yes, with out a doubt. Now ask if it is a good bow that will hold up to lots of shooting and be a tack driver year after year, and the answer is no IMO. That bow is made as bait IMO. It is designed to get the a undecided guy to buy it and "get his feet wet" in the CB world. I do not think that CB is one that is made to be put through years of service and hold up for a long time, maybe it is, but I just don't see it. If you were to say you got it and had plans to go out a hunt, then I would encourage you to have a good time and enjoy the hunt, and with practice you will be successful. But after time I think you will get the pushing a moped by a new car lot feeling, andafter a whilewant to upgrade.

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

dnk
my crossbow is 150 lb draw weight and it shoot's 240 fps. some of use poor people don't have the money to buy a cb that shoot's 300 or higher fps. when your on a fixed income you get what you can. also i just don't get why other hunter's put eachother down by what they hunt with. when you put your fellow hunter's down your just making peta happy. we all need to help eachother and gain ground on the anti's.

just my thought's of the hunting world. hope you don't take this wrong. i read my manuel and i believe horton would'nt sell these cb's if they would'nt do the job.

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

Indianahunter1 i am sorry that you feel that people were putting down the bow which you use. I did not see it that way and I am one that dos not like that happening at all. I also know all about being on a limited budget. The question asked was if the bow and the members tried to answer with thier personal opinions. They also said basicly that if it was all you could get to hunt, then go and enjoy the hunt, that it would be capible to taking deer. Actually a 150lb crossbow with 20" 2117 or 2216 arrows shooting in the 260-280 fps range has more then enough power (KE) to take moose.

But the truth is that if you purchase this bow and expect it to be as dependable as say an excalibur, you will be greatly disapointed. They can be sold cheaper because they use cheaper componants and does not have the fit and finish as the better bows.

I will always advise someone to purchase the bettter bows if they can, even if that means they have to wait longer to save the extra money that they would need. The reason is, the cheaper bows usually are not as plesant to shoot, therefore new shooters could have a distastefull first experiance to the world of crossbows. Also, bows like the Excalibur bows will hold their value for resale, just try to purchase a used model. The cheaper models will usually lose alot of their value after you buy it.

Good luck in what ever tool you choose to use.

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

grumpytom
i did'nt mean for it to sound like people was putting my cb down. i am very sorry i am still learning this cb stuff and thank's for telling me this info. i was just stating what the owner's manuel said in it. i was looking at the excal and they are sweet . i know how cheap stuff last and i guess that's why people buy them . i will keep learning. dnk i am sorry if it sounded like i was preaching and i thought you guy's were puting my cb down that is'nt the case . sorry if i made you guy's upset with me and i really did'nt mean to . you guy's has welcomed me with open arm's and i would like to keep it that way . your friend in the crossbow world james

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

Actually I think it might have been designed with certain things in mind,it is very tough and really excellant for fishing [bow fishing] when it comes to putting a really heavy arrow out accurately [like solid fiberglass] it is very good also if you hunt at shorter ranges and very big animals with heavy arrows its ok but it is not designed to shoot real flat as are some popular ones. Lee

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

Thank you GT. You are correct. I made no mention that this was a bad bow or shouldn't be used for deer hunging.
Indiana, what did I post that made you react like you did? Is it becaue I didn't say it was a super awsome bow? I did not bash your bow. I said you should be ok. The ad for the bow says it is an entry bow and thats what I said. I said it would be good enough for deer.
I am interested in why you said what you said to me. No I am not taking this wrong and I am sure no one else is. It is plain that you think I am putting you down so I'd like to know what I said. Again, lets hear it. If there is something I said that was disrespectful then I would like to appologize.
Don

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

dnk
you are right. you said nothing wrong and i am very sorry i wrote what i did . the only thing i see is that i have a horton and it's cheap. it just make's me feel that the horton product got put down that's all. i did'nt mean to cause a disagreement by no mean's . i just miss read what was asked . i thought he wanted to know if the steelforce was compatible to kill a deer . i am very sorry for my disrepect to you and anyone else i may have offended. i will just sit back and learn more about this cb stuff until then i will keep my thought's straight. please forgive me i did'nt really mean for none of this to happen. dnk you did welcome me with open arm's and i disrepected you and for that i am trully sorry.

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

James your doing nothing wrong except getting excited about your CB of choice and there is nothing wrong with that. Saying your sorry only shows that you want to be a part of a group that wants to learn and get along and be respected among each other, that shows alot. We all get excited at times and spout off, it's how you handle yourself after the spout is how you will be perceived and excepted, and it looks like your on the right track. It's guys that desire to work together like this that makes this place a great place to come and share. I will warn you that after a while you need to be ready though, cause once we get to know ya the ribbing will start soon!

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

thank's hotburn76

i will be on my p's and q's and wait till i start getting the joke's and getting to learn more about my cb.

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

thanx to everyone who has posted. it was alot of help.
i plan on buyin one sometime soon for next years archery season in PA.
thanx again, Ben

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

Any questions? I watched this medium-sized doe for about 30 minutes before she walked into range. It was not a perfect shot, but the bolt entered at toward the back of the ribcage and severed the artery that goes to the liver. She dropped within sight, trotting only about 30-40 yards before laying down. I was using an expanding head with about a 1.5 inch expanded width.

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

From a FL Cracka to a Ga Cracka, Welcome to the forum neightbor! Congrat's on the doe!

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

Welcome to the forum 34. Till what date can you hunt in Florida? What bow is that and what broadhead was it? Oh yeah, one more. How do you feel about weasels?

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

From archery to spring turkey season, opportunities abound for sportsmen who want to hunt in Florida.

Season dates listed below are only for hunting on private lands. Hunting seasons vary on wildlife management areas (WMA). Hunters should obtain specific WMA regulations and maps before going afield.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) recommends hunters peruse the 2004-05 Florida Hunting Regulations Handbook at MyFWC.com/hunting. This publication and WMA regulations and maps also are available from county tax collectors’ offices and licensed vendors.

* Archery season has started in the South Hunting Zone. The season will end Oct. 10. Archery season in the Central Hunting Zone is Sept. 25 – Oct. 24 and in the Northwest Hunting Zone Oct. 16 – Nov. 14.
* Muzzleloading gun season in the South Hunting Zone is Oct. 16-24, in the Central Hunting Zone Oct. 30 – Nov. 7 and in the Northwest Hunting Zone Nov. 19-21.
* Falconry season is Oct. 1 – March 31, statewide.
* Deer dog training season in the South and Central hunting zones is Oct. 2-21 and in the Northwest Hunting Zone Oct. 30 – Nov. 18.
* General gun season (deer and hog) in the South Hunting Zone is Oct. 30 – Jan. 9, in the Central Hunting Zone Nov. 13 – Jan. 23 and the Northwest Hunting Zone Nov. 25-28 and Dec. 11 – Feb. 16.
* Antlerless deer season in the South Hunting Zone is Nov. 6-12, in the Central Hunting Zone Nov. 20-26 and in the Northwest Hunting Zone Dec. 18-24.
* Fall turkey season in the South and Central hunting zones is Nov. 13 – Jan. 9 and in the Northwest Hunting Zone Nov. 25-28 and Dec. 11 – Jan. 16.
* Quail and gray squirrel season is Nov. 13 – March 6, statewide.

* Special post-season archery and muzzleloading gun season only in the Northwest Hunting Zone is Feb. 17-27.

* Spring turkey season in the South Hunting Zone is March 5 – April 10 and in the Central and Northwest hunting zones March 19 – April 24.

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

It's a Horton Steelforce 150, DNK. I cannot remember the correct name of the broadhead. It is a 3 vane expanding head with a hollow ground cutting tip. Opens out to about an inch and a half. The name might have been Spider or something like that. Unfortunately I threw away the packaging and did not use them in the field until the following year. I can hardly remember what I ate for breakfast, so... anyway.

I did like the broadhead I used, and unfortunately when I went looking for some more I could not find them.

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

OK, I figured it out. The broadhead was a Spitfire. I can't remember nuthin' but Google works real good. ;)

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

Thanks for the warm welcome, guys. I'll be around.

I hope I'll have something to say in the turkey forums a few weeks from now. It's scoutin' time!

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

hey Reb, u posted this ......* Deer dog training season in the South and Central hunting zones is Oct. 2-21 and in the Northwest Hunting Zone Oct. 30 – Nov. 18.
. and now i jus gotta ask ya, wth is deer dog training, yall take a deer an train him to be a dog, or take the dog an train him to be a deer?.......im so curious on this 1

RE: Horton steelforce 150?
 

Tex, if you're not aHemorrhoid, get off my Butt?:D:D

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

TX, yourself and Smoke all understand a completely different language. LOL!

RE: Horton steelforce 150?
 

That's too funny Reb. You and I have to go to a bar with a few others and have a laugh some day!

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

Ya gotstid that right, we from south are different culturally! Its hard to explain ya just have to have been raised down here to knowed what were talkin bout!:D

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

I have a Horton Stag Recurve! Not new but sure is fun shooting in the back yard,I'd take a deer with it if one gave me a shot.I figure it's like the Steel force,not a great trigger or many bells and whistles but with practice they would both work within reason.Horton limits mine to use with 17" arrows,feather vanes,and 100gr. heads and recommend only the aluminum shafts.I have some fiber shafts with plastic fletchings and they work fine for plinking.There is a difference in the fiber/aluminum shaft shooting,I have a cheat sheet to tell me how each hits different.I'm not handicaped so I'm limited to hunting deer in Texas with a CB only during general season.I'm a firm believer that bows are fun and can be hunted with but I mostly prefer firearms,if a bow was a great idea we would have native Americans on currency instead of dead presidents! LOL

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

RL, welcome to the forum. I love wacking things with my firearms too but hunting with a bow will make you a better hunter. Have you tried hunting with your crossbow?

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

Hunting with my CB was the best thing I ever did. It has been the most crucial tool for me in my life in teaching me patience. I used to think the only way to go was a 870 12 ga and five shells ready for the cracking. Now the 870 collects dust and its mainly the CB, the50 cal knight, and my little 22 magnum! If your game is only to shoot one animal per day like a deer, then being able to shoot more then one shot means you know in your heart that your first one will suck! This may be going of course, but that is the thing I find most rewarding about the CB, it thought me patience and shot placement!

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

I mostly plink with my CB but I am going to hunt with it next year.I have some good broadheads and shoot it regularly to prepare!This looks like it will be a helpful site to learn from!

RE: horton steelforce 150?
 

Welcome to the forum!! Lots of good people here, more every day!!

RE: Horton steelforce 150?
 

James my friend, I like the fact thatthe Horton "Steel Force" is a recurve, but what I don't like is the fact that the limbs are made of steel. It has been brought to my attention that the limbs will Expand and Contract with the Temperature.

If that is all I had to hunt with, it would be #1 in my book!!!:)Enjoy what you have in good health and safety my friend!

RE: Horton steelforce 150?
 

I have noticed a different sounds coming from my recurve cb shooting this time of year than when it was hot!The stringsounds more crisp and the arrow seems to get down range faster with great impact!