Muley Hunter

I'll be switching to a crossbow from muzzleloaders for a few medical reasons that won't let me take the recoil anymore. I won't bore you what the reasons are. My hunt from now on will just be for elk. I'm dropping deer and bear hunts.

I have two crossbows in mind and are quite different in price. The Wicked Ridge Invader G3 and the Tenpoint Turbo GT. Is the Tenpoint better enough to justify the extra money? They both get good reviews. I'll have to get the Accudraw die to an old lousy back, so how they c-ock is a non-issue.

Whatcha think?

vapahunter

The best thing to do is go to a sporting store and test fire the ones you are looking for. Also give Dave a call at Wyvern Creations and pick his brain for the details of each one. He was invaluable when I was making the choice several years ago. And they had good prices but he did not push to buy from him. Talk to everyone you can that uses a crossbow and read read read alot in order to get enough information t make your buy. Good Luck. I settled with the Parker Enforcer and have never regretted it.

Muley Hunter

Yes, that's what i'm doing and this thread is part of that.

mrbb

I think like all brand names, the top one's pull a price they do based on there name and NOT always any better
your not shooting for money here, your hunting
NO one really makes a BAD product due to legal liability reasons!
I personally went to a x bow for medical reasons too, and if I was to buy again, I would be looking at the reverse draw /limb models, they are way more balanced IMO than any traditional designed one
not to talk you out of any model you have in mind, but I would highly recommend shooting both types before deciding!
also pay attention to noise of bows, some are for sure louder than others, and also HOW they are cocked! having built in hand cracks tend to IMO be more repeat accurate as they tend to load the same(think better form here for a bow hunter) BUT many also make a LOT of noise while being cranked!
some reverse limb models are about ONLY able to be loaded with one or a sled they provide, and if NOT attached to the bow, I have known more than one guy that lost or forgot there's (left at truck) LOL )
so being able to have a spare in a pack(like an extra release for bow hunters) is a plus, but they be VERY pricey too!

Oldtimr

Muley, check out the Carbon Express 390. It comes complete with everything you need and is fast. I bought one a few months back and I really like it.

Muley Hunter

I'll check it out.

Thanks to everybody for your input.

Bocajnala

I've shot ten points, and they are definitely a quality crossbow.

No experience with the other.

My suggestion to you would be this.... instead of focusing on brand, go to a big store with lots of options and focus on what will carry the best for you.

Crossbows are mostly designed for the tree stand hunter in my opinion. They're bulky, heavy, hard to carry in tight brush. They're tough to still hunt with. My first deer with a bow from the ground was with a crossbow. I was still hunting up a field edge just inside the woods when some doe and an 8 point started heading my way. I was able to crouch down and wait for a good shot on the buck. But given the option when it comes to ground hunting with archery gear, the crossbow is the last of my choices.

They make some reverse limb crossbows now that are much narrower than a standard bow. But I have no experience with them. Might be worth looking in to.

I think if I were you I would narrow down my search by picking the lightest, narrowest bow that is still capable of penetrating elk at the distance you expect to be shooting. Hunting elk is much different than the style of hunting that most crossbows are typically used for. So weight and how it feels to carry would be important to me. There are some impressive crossbows on the market today if you're willing to spend the money. But there's good deals to be had for reasonable prices too. Good luck on your search.

-Jake

Muley Hunter

I should explain i'm not new to crossbows. I had a Barnett and did do one elk hunt with it. I came very close to getting an elk but was unsure of the shot. I had only practiced to 40yds and all my shots at elk were at 60 yds. I was sure of holdover, so never took the shot. I agree it was heavy and bulky, but no heavier than a sidelock muzzleloader. I went back to a muzzleloader after that hunt, but now i'm forced into using a weapon with no recoil. I wasn't before. So, i'll put more effort into it now because I have no other option. My back won't let me pull a regular bow or i'd be using a longbow.

I thought the Tenpoint Turbo GT would be a good choice. I believe it's only 13" wide when c-ocked if I remember right. Weight is around 6.5lbs. Accessaries probably add a couple of pounds to that. They have an Accudraw Pro that is dead silent to crank. The scope, arrows etc are a high enough quality that they don't need to be changed to hunt. I sure couldn't say that about the Barnett I had. I had to change everything to a better quality.

Wicked ridge is owned by Tenpoint and it's the only reason i'm considering it, but the more I think about it I feel i'd be happier with the Tenpoint Turbo GT. It's a $1000 with Accurdraw but may be worth spending that much.

The reverse limb bows are too much money for me. I'm also living in a small town in the Colorado Rockies. No big stores near me. After owning the Barnett I have a sense for how they feel. The Tenpoint will feel much better because it has a more adjustable stock.

Review

http://www.bestcrossbowsource.com/te...ound-crossbow/

mrbb

NOT pushing the reverse limb X bows, just stating they can be had for the same price of what your looking at, so budget is the same, and the horton brand is owned by ten point as well
but horton has been in the X bow game a LONG time, I have no issue's with the one's I have .
and again NOT pushing horton either, just saying the price for a reverse limb bow is not anymore than many other standard design X bows, but without all the nose heaviness!

https://www.cabelas.com/product/HORT...oFig&gclsrc=ds

Muley Hunter

Thanks for the link. It's a bow to consider. I thought they were all more money. I like the idea of better balance because I love shooting offhand.