Firstimer

Hello everyone. I'm not new here, but it has been a while since I've visited. I'm looking to purchase an Excalibur Xbow. Which one ? Still undecided. But haven't a clue what bolts, broad heads or scope I should get. Would it be in my best interest to get "the package" option with whichever xbow I decide to purchase, or shop around for the bolts, scope and broadheads. I've been reading a fair bit and am confused with all the terminology. Fletch and refletch. Vanes. Gold tips. 2022. I am lost as a goose. I dont know what any of this means.
I'd like to be able to read these posts and know what is being said. There are a lot of questions in this one post, but any help would be appreciated.

Hotburn76

What is your budget and what do you want to do? A few guys have been coming in here with limited budgets and are getting the Phoenix and seem to be happy. I have a Vortex and love it, but it is alot harder to cock then my 175# Horton, I need to use a cocking rope to insure it is centered. I like the thumb hole stock I can get with the vortex, I do not think they offer it with a Phoenix or Vixen. DNK and others will tell you that you will get a pass through with a Phoenix with no problem, my CB only gains me a few more yards to walk to find my arrow. But any of the Excal's will do, just how much speed and power do you desire? Stick with Gold Tip arrows and you will be fine. If you are totally green to the CB world then get the right stuff package and stick with Excal's arrows and the stuff in that package. I always tell newer people like yourself do not experiment with arrows and other stuff, just use what is sold with the CB to get your feet wet and learn with. Then as you learn and progress, play a little, but not at first. If you fiddle to much you can get discouraged and the come to dead ends in the road. Get a Excal, and get a right stuff package and watch the videos, watch them all and you will be ok. As far as a scope goes that is up to you weather not you want a scope or a peep that comes with the CB. I have the Varizone on my Horton and it is fine. I have The Lumizone on my Vortex and I love it, better low light and it has illuminated cross hairs so that is great. Keep asking and we will keep answering!

lemoyne

How tall you are will enter into which one if you are planning on using a rope cocker, Like I shoot the exocet and I am 6' + a little and I would say any shorter would make it difficult,the next shorter I believe is the one a lot of people like. Lee

shewe

welcome to the forum. you won't go wrong with any of the excals. i love my exocet. i'm 5'8'' and can use the rope cocker no problem. though i generally use the crankeroo due to a bad back. good luck.

smokepolehall

You don't need the Exomax unless you want the fastest and the hardest to cock. That goes fer its thumbhole counterpart. The Exocet 200 and its thumbhole twin are great. I just traded mine fer a Phoenix because of very bad left shoulder. Phoenix was the twin of Vixen with the forward riser, now they have different rail length again. Arrows The GTII with brass inserts are carbon and very good. Get them from Dan Miller. Eastons Powerbolts are very good also their alum. 2216 and 2219. Get the Excal Lumizone scope with mount. Get a stringer and rope cocker abit of wax fer string an extra string. You don't need the pkg. unless you want all that stuff some you may never use. Dan Miller always has good prices and will treat like family. Tell himMike Hall or Dan Flarety sent ya. Here is his ph.#740-483-2312

smokepolehall

In my opinion its hard to beat the Phoenix. It has lots of power and speed. That said i am an Excal fanatic i own a new Phoenix and an Older carved tip Miss Vixen. Looking fer a 3rd. Like i said i pick and choose what i want and didn't buy any pkg. I chose my own arrows and broadheads. Slick trick 100gr. Rocket Steelhead 100gr. Nap Spitfire 100gr. 3 blade are all great mechanicals. Muzzy 100gr. 3 & 4 blade small dia. B'Heads are very good. Ask more ?'s

Cossack

Don't be stuck on one brand, try to shoot several quality bows, like Excal, Parker and Ten Point, to decide which is best for you and which has the best trigger. The trigger has argueably the greatest impact on accuracy. The bow's size and balance may be important too. Excals tend to be bigger than compound bows for example, making them a bit less manuverable in a blind or tree stand. Get some quality carbon arrows in the size, weight, & type of nock recommended by the bow maker. Your arrows (bolts) should all match in weight and vanes size and your field tips should be the same weight as the broadheads. Carbon arrows are more forgiving when it comes to not bending. Onece an aluminum arrow is bent it's basically toast. Get the broadhead recommended by the bowmaker as well. Saller sized 4 bladed heads like Wasps, Slick Tricks, and Muzzy in 100 or 125 gr will do. A cocker rope is important to both make cocking easier and to load the string straight. The cocker rope should be shortened so that when one hook is on the string must be lifted 3-5" to fasten the other hook. That makes the cocking stroke shorter and less strenuous by decreasing the distance of pull with the elbows bent. It will also help you to cock a heavier pulling bows like the max, equinox or vortex much easier. Get a spare string, string wax and a quiver. I concur on the LumiZone scope. Best bow scope I've tried (they ride both my Terminator and Vortex). Then practice, practice, practice at various distances so you know the trajectory of you arrows. Surprising how many people think you can just pick up a bow and hunt. Estimating distance is critical to consistant hits. Ultimately you may want to invest in a ranging device to be sure how far it is to the target. Good luck.

Planter

I have The Pheonix and did go with the package. It really did have everything I needed except for more arrows.My local dealer only soldTen Point bows and only had Easton Power Bolts. Must be what 10pt wants you to use. At 4.99 each for the carbons it's still cheaper than having arrows cut ect.. for the compound. 20 arrows for a Benjamin is pretty good.
The only thing I would add now that I have a Boo string would be the lumizone. I would like a few more minutes of shooting time at both ends of the day.. Have fun.

Firstimer

Thanks for the quick responses and great answers to my questions. To answer some of your questions, I dont have a limited budget, but dont want to spend a fortune either. I am 6'4" tall and around 250 lbs. I'm in N. Alabama, so I am limited to white tail and possibly boar. Unless I travel out of state. I have been eying the Phoenix for some time. And considering the Exocent. Having never hunted with a bow, I have heard of deer, string-jumping. And just found out today what that meant. A coworker advises get something with lots of speed. I believe both the Phoenix and the Exocent will deliver that. I am amazed that a buck can jump quick enough to possibly cause a missed shot by the sound of a bow string projecting a bolt at 275 - 285 feet per second. The biggest reason of the need for speed. Makes sense to me. And I am a poor judge of distance. Would a range finder be a good investment ? I heard from another coworker a nifty idea for judging distance from a stand. Cut a length of rope 20 - 30 yards long. Tie one end to the base of the shooting house or stand. Stretch it out and mark out the radius on the ground or trees with scrapes or other markings. If your prize is within this radius, you should be good to go. Sounds good to me. Is 30 yards the maximum shot that should be taken ?

smokepolehall

Firstimer, easier is take several wooden stakes painted bright color you can see. Stake them out at yer killing range, if animal get inside pop'em!