Nice looking crossbow and has the speeds I like. Dont know the costs on one though and havent read many posts yet on here talking the Darton's. So???????

Played with it abit at the ATA show. Here is a review I did on another forum, remember, this is my opinion and your milage may vary, but I tend to be open minded and pretty honest.

OK, I will give them credit, their bows are well built, fast, and with the long power stroke, accurate. They are a tad off balance (nose heavy) but the stock locates very well. I tried the Storm (150 lbs 314fps 90.9db) and the Lightning (175lbs 362fps 93.1db). Now the "tech"(his word, not mine) there claimed that the Lighting is making 362fps with a 525gr bolt and "if we used a 425 gr bolt it would be faster than the Stryker". Ummmm....that is not what the catalog says (the 362fps is with a 475 gr bolt) and shooting it it is fast, but not Stryker fast. So, allowing for his "mistake" it still shoot a bolt very well, but the trigger has a TON of creep (to the point that the first time i went to shoot it I kept pulling and pulling and when nothing happened I let off of trigger to double check I was in "fire") but is crisp and light once you actually come onto the sear. The safety though it WAY forward and very hard to find (again, this is my opinion). In a well lit shooting lane I found it annoying. I would not want to try this 20 minutes after sunset in the cold with gloves on and pumped on adrenaline. They really need to move that safety. Other than that, these are a tad long (again, that long power stroke) and they have a new illuminated multiline scope that I personaly found a bit busy, but it is not a bad scope. All in all very well built and there is definitely some engineering there, but I would like to see some more work on the ergonomics. I will be taking a more serious look at them next month at another show and make a final decison on bringing in the line then

I have shot nothing but Dartons all my hunting life. Except an old Bear recurve way back yonder that don't count. LOL I am now a Ten Point man but I love the memories the Darton gave me. I'm not at all surprised they jumped onto the band wagon with their own crossbow. Just wait and see, Mathews and others will give in soon. Crossbows are here to stay and manufacturer can either like it or be in the rear with the old #11 cap black powder rifles. (and I think BP will have a repeater rifle before 2010) High tech and the public's craving for new stuff (like me, I love new stuff) will win out every time. Some die hard traditionalist will still hunt the old stuff, but that's OK, if that's what they want. To each his own I say. Me, I just appreciate the time I live in. The age of improving and sizing down the bulk of all hunting stuff. I'll take small and light and fast, over big, heavy and bulky hands down. But that's me.
BBO

I've had numerous brands and other than my fishing bows I've shot mostly darton bows all my life too, to me its more of a matter of fit/feel than what brand it is and the dartons have always been the best for me in that regaurd


I never shot it but I handled a darton crossbow in an archery shop quite a while back, I dont even remember what model it was but I do remember it was very well build and the quality was defenitely there, it also fit mevery well but it was kind of heavy and not very well balanced, and for me it just wasnt worth the money they were asking for it
if it would have been cheaper it may have been worth it but IMO theres muchbetter out therein that price range

I just started shooting a Darton Impact, which is basically a Lightining with 10# less draw weight and 1/2 inch less power stroke. I've only put about 360 shots through it but I am loving it.

According to my chrony, I'm shooting a 490grain arrow an even 340fps. It's also every bit as accurate as my exomax was. I have a homemade target made of folded newspaper and carpet remnants that only has one bullseye on it and if I don't go get my arrow after every shot at 30yds I will ruin arrows. Can't wait for the weather to get better so I can move outside to a longer range. It is heavier than my exomax was by about 1.5 pounds and a little more nose heavy, but I find that along with the shape of the stock helps me steady it better when shooting off-hand. I'm also very pleased with the way the string serving is holding up. I would have gone through several servings on the exomax by now.

The only thing I have a slight complaint about is the trigger. It is much longer than the exomax, but does break clean. It doesn't bother me alot since I have competed in IDPA withe a stock Glock so I seem to be getting a handle on it fairly quick. But , if you want a really crisp trigger like the Excaliburs, it just isn't there.

Overall however, for hunting here in Wyo where 50yd shots are far more common than 30yd shots, I think being able to shoot a heavier arrow well over 300fps will be just the ticket. Also, I don't know how tall you are; I'm 5'10 1/2" with my shoes on and it took some trial and error to learn to cock because it seems longer thn the exomax even though it isn't. But once I figured it out it, it is sooooo much easier to cock than 225# exomax was. Hope this helps some.

Interesting KLV, Seams their advertised speeds are at least near truthful. Thats what surprised me about the few crossbows I looked at last week. They were both a bit nose heavy but it seamed to actually help me hold it more steady. As i have learned in guns, lightweight ='s less fatigue but can hurt you in other ways, I wouldn't consider any crossbow i have seen so far as light so not worried I will find one to light LOL. I know some on here will scoff at this but i truly want to be able to effectively reach to 60 yards. I have heard of much firther shots being taken with a crossbow but I think that will be my absolute limit as i have also dug a many a arrow points out of critters. Did you buy your bow local?

Ohh and I am 6'3" 275#.

Actually my family bought this crossbow for me for Christmas after I sold my Excalibur. I shot one while I was in Tustin, California visiting my brother and was so impressed with it that he called the rest of the family and bought it the day I left for the airport. The closest dealer to me is 150 miles away n Miles City, Montana. Which, come on, I live in Wyoming; 150 miles is like going grocery shopping. There is also a darton dealer in Englewood Colorado which is probably closer to Evanston 303-781-8733. I called them to ask some questions but don't know what their inventory staus might be.

At 6'3", if you need to, you won't have any trouble at all reaching over that baby and cockig it.