Best Crossbow Reviews

Best Crossbows Buyer's Guide

Buyer’s Guide

Alright, now that we’ve introduced you to our “best crossbow 2018” reviews, here’s the buying guide we promised. In this guide, we’ll include several points, and teach you about crossbow types, parts, the importance of bow and draw weight, size, power stroke, and we’ll tell you all about the average price of high-end and low-end crossbows and where to find them.

Crossbow Type

We’ll start with the crossbow type. There are, actually, two types of crossbows – recurve and compound. The difference between them is substantial, so it’s vital that you discern between them.

Recurve crossbows

Recurve crossbows are standard types of crossbows, mostly used for target shooting, though it’s not uncommon to see them on a hunt. They derive their name from the shape of the bow, which has limbs turned away from the shooter. Recurve bows are large and wide, yet light and very durable. They have few delicate parts and are usually more affordable than their compound counterparts.

Compound crossbows

Compound bows are the tools of the professional. They’re more powerful, with a faster bolt, but are heavier and more expensive. If you don’t get one of eBay’s promo codes, for instance, buying them can significantly damage your budget. Compound bows are usually used for hunting, due to their relatively narrow profile, allowing for better maneuverability, especially if you’re planning to scale a tree stand. These bows operate on a system of pulleys that store the potential energy, turning into kinetic energy in a flash. Often, compound bows are more potent than a recurve crossbow for the same draw weight. However, compound bows then to be on the heavy side, especially toward the front of the weapon (due to the pulley system) making it a little bit awkward to hold it at the ready. In addition to being heavy, the pulley system has many components that can break, and, if they do, they will require the attention of a professional.
So, based on this, which crossbow should you choose? Well, it depends on what you want to use it for, and what’s your budget. As we said, compound bows are used more frequently for hunting, while recurves for target practice. The power of the compound, as well as the speed of the bolt, make it an even better candidate for a hunting bow. Speed means accuracy as well as killing potential, and the recurve bow may not deliver. However, if your budget is limited, then a compound may not be the best choice as it will cost you when you’re buying it, and it will cost you some more to maintain it.

Crossbow Parts

As we said, compound bows are more complicated than the recurve bow, which means they’ve got fewer parts. Both types, of course, have limbs. The limbs form the traditional image of a bow mounted on the front and set horizontally. On a recurve bow, the limbs provide the most tensile strength and propel the bolt forward. Both types of crossbow have a flight groove (the groove where you put the bolt), the barrel, the string and the retention spring that keeps the bolt in place, and stocks (which can be made of wood or composite materials).

One thing that appears on the composite bow and not on the recurve bow is cams. Cams are, basically, wheels, and they sit on the tips of the limbs. There are two types – the outside-in and the inside-out cams. The outside-in cams rely more on the limb for power, while the inside-out rely more on the cables and pulleys for the same purpose. Therefore, if you’re adamant to buy a powerful bow, then you should consider one with inside-out spinning cams; however, this will cost you extra.

Both types of crossbows are usually outfitted with a cocking stirrup. As its name suggests, the stirrup is used as an aid when you’re cocking the crossbow. However, at higher draw weights, this might become a little difficult to do by hand, so cocking aids are also available for purchase.

Bow Weight

The weight of your crossbow can be a significant factor, depending on what you intend to use it for. If you want to use the crossbow for target practice, then the weight doesn’t matter that much, as you can rest it on a stand and then shoot. However, when hunting, the weight becomes a significant factor. If you intend to shoot from a tree stand, a heavy crossbow might be a little troublesome. Hunters that like to track their prey over long distances usually settle for lighter bows. While on the hunt, you must consider that you might be crossing great distances and carrying your crossbow or shouldering it (holding it at the ready) for a long time, which can be tiring, and you might miss due to fatigue at the critical moment. What you’re looking for in a hunting crossbow is a balance between weight and power, as you want your weapon to be light enough to be comfortable, and powerful enough to neutralize your intended target.

Draw Weight

Draw weight, and, by proxy, power stroke, is what determines the speed of the bolt and the overall power of the bow. It is measured in lbs. Draw weight is the weight required to pull the string and cock it. Power stroke, on the other hand, is the distance between the cocked position of the string and the resting, un-cocked, position. The greater the power stroke, the faster the arrow will fly. However, when looking at crossbows, these two are often traded for one another – draw weight means a larger crossbow with bigger limbs, while larger power stroke means a longer crossbow with more compact limbs.

Now, how much draw weight do you need on a hunting crossbow? Well, it depends on the game. If you’re planning on hunting rabbits, 150 lbs should be enough. For deer or elk, you’ll need 175 lbs, though you could go with a 150 lb crossbow against a deer if you’re a good shot. However, 175 lbs is a bit hard to pull so that you might need a cocking aid. Finally, for the massive game, like moose, bears or warthogs, you’ll need something in the area of 200 lbs, at which points, you’ll most probably need a cocking device.

Crossbow’s Size

The size of the crossbow is critical. Here, we’re discerning between the length and the width of the crossbow. A smaller crossbow ought to be lighter and more maneuverable, but also weaker, or, more reliant on draw power to accelerate the arrow, leading to you having to use a cocking aid. Longer and wider crossbows are certain to have a longer power stroke, but, in the forest and amongst the branches, it won’t be as maneuverable, as well as heavier. The best crossbow is both light and powerful, but something like that is extremely hard to find (or costs a lot of money. The important thing here is to pick a crossbow that’s fit for your stature, as a crossbow that’s too large or too small will be awkward to shoulder and will prove disastrous for your aim.

Velocity

The velocity of the bolt is the speed at which the crossbow fires the said bolt. Velocity depends both on draw power as well as power stroke, but it also depends on the weight of the bolt and the fletching. It’s measured in feet per second. The world’s fastest crossbow fires at 496 fps, but there are also rumors of crossbows hitting speeds of up to 600 fps, though these are prototypes and, most likely, for military use. However, all this is, more or less, overkill – to bring down a big game like the grizzly, your crossbow needn’t fire at speeds more than 400 fps, which is about the average speed for high-end crossbows.

However, speed doesn’t always equal power. We mentioned that the weight of the bolt influences the speed of the crossbow, but it also influences power. This is important to know if you’re hunting very big game because a crossbow firing light crossbow bolts at extreme speeds might not bring the game down. Basically, this balance can be explained using a slightly scary metaphor. If you were to get hit by a tennis ball at 100 fps, it’s going to hurt. However, if you were to get hit by a much heavier bowling ball at half the speed, you’re very likely to get killed, because of the size and weight of the bowling ball.

That being said, you need to pick bolts that are sufficiently heavy and sufficiently fast to deliver enough force and stopping power to bring down your prey. Not only that but if you plan on going hunting, you need to pick the best crossbow broadheads (“broadheads” are bolt tips explicitly made for hunting) for the job regarding shape and weight, because that too will impact the speed of the bolts.

Noise

Noise is an essential factor for hunting crossbows. The noise we’re referring to is the twang sound produced by the string when it fires the bolt. As we said, this is important to hunters, as the sound is sure to alert the game when you’re firing the crossbow, and it might flinch just enough to get out of the way of the bolt. This is especially important if you’re going to hunt rabbits, as they’re very fast and present a tiny target. If you’re going to use your crossbow for target shooting, noise isn’t as important, but a very loud crossbow might prove unpleasant to use.

Price

The price of crossbows can vary to some degree. Depending on the specifications of the crossbow, as well as the manufacturer and the brand, for the very best crossbow amongst an abundance of crossbows currently on the market, you might be looking at a price tag of above $1.000 or even $2.000. However, a good-enough specimen can also be found in the $400-$500 range.

The point here is to find a weapon that fits your needs. If you don’t plan on hunting great beasts of the forest, a 150-160-pound crossbow is more than enough, and these can be found as low as $300. Just look at some of our Barnett crossbows – Jackal and Lady Whitetail. They’re in a price range below $400, but they have excellent specifications. However, if you’re planning on hunting big game, and you like to hunt often, then you should consider Deathstalker, Ravin R15 or Barnett Ghost 410 crossbows.

Of course, the price can also depend on the vendor. If you’re shopping for a crossbow, Amazon promo codes will get you the best deal possible. You can also try going to the brand directly and buying the weapon from them, and you might get a discount of some kind, either through a coupon or a sale of sorts.

Where to Buy Crossbows

Usually, we’d recommend you got to a gun store and bought a crossbow there. Your local gun store is sure to have quite a few models so that you can pick and choose. There are also specialized stores that sell archery equipment, as well as crossbows and bows. Finally, you can buy a crossbow at Target or Walmart, though we doubt you’ll find one of the high-end Ravine models there.

Naturally, crossbows can be bought online. Buying online means that you can’t try your crossbow out, and that, if you don’t like the product and would like to return it, you’ll have to go through the trouble of replacing it, which may cause additional costs. Still, many people decide to buy their crossbows on eBay. If you’re going to buy crossbows online, it’s, perhaps, the best option to buy them at verified vendors and off-brand sites.

One Shot, One Kill

And, with that, we’re going to wrap up our list. As you’ve seen, the selection is quite vast, and there are lots of weapons to choose from. Some are more expensive, some are more affordable, but we believe you won’t have to do additional research to find a weapon that suits you! We’ll risk sounding poshy but our crossbow reviews should be the only source you’ll need to pick the right crossbow for your needs.