joeyd50

Hi guys, tough trying to find info on crossbows, I just stumbled on to this site. I don't own a crossbow but I'm in the market for one, New Jersey is supposed the have a season starting 2008. I know this has been asked many times, but what should I look for? It will be used for deer hunting, been bow hunting over 25 years, and always wanted a crossbow. I like to stay under $400.00[/align]Thanks[/align] Joe[/align]

Hotburn76

One of the first things that people try to look for is a quite CB.That is something you will not find in any CB, FACT!Do a search on this forum for ear plugs, you find that alot of people that have been using CB's for a while recommend them when new people start talking about trying to quite their CB. My friend, it is not going to happen. A CB has alot of energy in those small limbs so that in it's self will make more sound then a normal long bow. Then you have the stock, in my opinion the stock is like a set of speakers and mic for the loud powerful limbs. If you ever find a CB that is half as quite as a regular bow, you let us know cause we would all like to know.

Second thing that gets asked about is the cranks, I can offer no help. I think all the CB makers offer some type of crank. Some are permanently mounted some slip on and such. A few offer a rope style cocker that have a pulley affect to greatly reduce pull weight and I think Excal has that and a few guys on here really like it. I say I can be of no help because I have never used one so my advise only comes from what I have read on here.

For a CB recommendation I can recommend my CB of choice which is Horton. You made a reference to price, I have realized in the last year that this is a statement you need to keep in mind when buying a Horton. Horton has evolved into a huge CB maker that has been on the seen from the get go since Ohio and Arkansas first opened up the hunting world to CB hunting. Horton and Barnett were first on base to harvest the new market and in time that has proved to be a draw back. Horton has been sucked into the makem cheap WAL-MART game! I have always had a Horton, Dad gave me my first when I was sixteen I think and I used that bow for fourteen years and it is still busting knocks if you aim for the same spot twice.My new CB which was bought last year is the Horton Supermax, another fine Horton product that will keep me happy and anyone else who lays hands on one. If you choose the Horton line you need to look for one thing in my opinion. It must have a machined aluminum barrel. The ones that they make for wal-mart and the other lower CB's they offer are a composite barrel of some sort. I think they are OK CB's but from what others say they lack in quality. But I also wonder when some only has a few bucks and make a last minute purchase from wal-mart with no knowledge is set to fail from the beginning IMO. So in short get one of the higher end ones and you will be set, cut cost and you could be taking a risk.

Lastly I will offer support for the Excal crowd. It's re-curve design is what lures me into it's seduction as time goes on. There is plenty ofgood guys on here that can offer hard facts about there products that I can say you can trust, some of them should post, and the crazy Canadian will chime in soon. Robert, Dan andMike are allfamiliarwiththem so they all can help youon this. I have never shot an Excal but them boys sure seem happy. They do not sell them and they have all killed deer with them so I think they are good sources. One thing I can add about the Excal that gets me is the independence you get with one. The re-curve design lets you do all your own work without a bow press. If you buy a wheel bow you will be at the mercy of a shop, which I deal with and dislike.

As for optics I like the Excal's custom adjustable speed scope called the V-ZONE. I have it on my Horton and love it. It has a adjustable speed ring on it that can be set to your CB's speed and then your 20, 30 and forty will be dead on. Some guys say the low light conditions are not the best with these, but I am happy with it. Some guys like a Red dot, but after switching to a scope I am much more happy. To each his own for a sight. Sorry so long, but thats my scoop and good luck! Keep us posted!

Rebel Hog

Joey, anyone you ask on the forum is going to tell you that theirs is the one to go with. I have been going to many shops, asking many questions, into every crossbow site on the Internet,noting everything said here and on other crossbow forums and been doing this for over a year now.

You mentioned under $400, well let your fingers do the walking and hit the Internet. Study their Advantages and Disadvantages. Decide what you are going to hunt the most or maybe you want to hunt bigger animals, I don't know. The biggest animal I will shoot is maybe a 250-300lb hog and our deer average about 155-165lbs, so 150lbX-bowis all I need.

I'm not going to mention Brandsto you, but there are Compounds and Recurve X-bows, wheels and no Wheels. No one here can decide for you.

GrumpyTom

Joed50 ...... what to look for in a crosbow is a very large ranging question. It will all depend on what you want in a crossbow. Here is what I demand in any archery equipment:
-Dependability
-Accurate
-Enough power to do the job
-Comfortable to shoot
-Safe

After all the above is met, then choose what is best in your opinion, after all it is you that will be shooting and hunting with it. Some people grew up with compounds (verticals) so they naturally were dirrected towards them in crossbows, but honestly in my opinion, the whels do not benifit you enough to put up with the downfalls to them.

Advantages of compouunds is basicly let off in poundage which crossbows do not need, you get a slightly narrow bow, compared to the recurve (2-3" difference). A downfall is you do not have the indepandance of repairs yourself. You need a shop to repair it most of the time, even to replace strings. With a recurve, a string can be repared or replaced in 5 minutes (usually in less time). No cables, pullies to have possible problems. Now most people will say that show needs to change strings, but with crossbows, you will need to reserve the string or replace it more then a vertical crossbow (just the nature of the beast).

Again, it will just come down to your preference and what you want in a bow. Just use the above list and you whould do ok in your choice no matter if you go compound or recurve.

BTW ........... Excalibur is dependable (over 25 years with mine) and you might be able to equal its accuracy, but you will not be able to beat it.

Good luck and do not feel afraid of asking questions,

txhoghunter

i looked at fps and energy when i bought mine 2 weeks ago, and im a first time owner, i got mine for jus a tad under 400, like 390 somethin, i got mine of ebay, and im sure i coulda got a cheaper deal,but for the condition, it was the best deal "i could afford".....and im happy with my quad 400

lemoyne

Well first off if you want to use a rope cocker which is the most used type I think then you have to either read up on them or tell us how tall you are the length of the draw and where you have the most leverage enters into it, if you are 6'2" or taller and well musceled you can handle any of them. I am 6' and 70 yearswith a bad shoulder and I can handle a 200# Exocet. If you need or want a crank type the 10 point is best I have had one of those for about 15 years. As far as brand goes I have had several different ones and would recomend either a Excaliber or a 10 point and since the Excaliber is in your price range I will includ a link where you can price them they are very simple very reliable and very low maimtaince.
http://www.bowhunterssuperstore.com/index.php?cPath=40_145
http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/

smokepolehall

Look, study, try out, pay attention to the trigger weight and comfort of its feel!

shewe

welcome to the forum. best advice is to shoot several types of xbows before you decide. my priorities were good trigger, ease of maintenance, customer service, did the bow just feel right. lots of great bows out there. i love my exocet.

Dnk

Oh my Gawd, the crazy Canadian! LOL!
Here's some biased advice for your requirements.
Horton if you are going to hunt and want a reasonably priced dependable bow.
Excalibur if you are going to be a little arrow junkie and shoot hundreds and hundreds of arrows a year.
Both have stellar reputations as illustrated on this forum.
I only know of one arrow addict that has a horton and he has problems most certainly related to the number of shots taken. All other horton owners are happy as a pig in poop.
Most excal owners are arrow addicts and have no noticeable number of failures.
If you want to up your dollar limit then go to a ten point or a faster excalibur.
Dollar for dollar its tough to beat an excalibur vixen. You can shoot all day without fatigue (its light and draw weight is not high). Nothing is likely to go wrong. If you screw up a string you wack one on in ten minutes and you back in the game. You can even make your own strings! It has plenty of power (enough for moose). Its fast enough (285 with the lightest arrow). Last but not least is that all good looking women will admire you!
Good luck in our quest for a bow and welcome to our family!

joeyd50

Thanks for thewelcome andall the help and suggestions, I got till Jan. 2008 till NJ opens a CB season, I got lots of reading to do and hope to be shooting a CB buy Sept. I know I'll have more questions for ya.
[/align]Thanks Again
[/align]Joe
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