# What is the best Crossbow?



## RevWC

I am thinking about picking up a crossbow so when SHTF and the bullets run out I can still bring home the bacon…looked at crossbows with 180lb pull for $80.00…Compounds are $300.00 plus…I use to hunt with re-curves and used an 80lb draw…Will I be well served buying the lesser cost bow and 200 arrows or? Also not sure of the bow strings life span? Does the compound string have a longer life span?


----------



## urbanprepper

I wonder about this too. 

Never been a bow hunter at all, but I've been looking into some crossbow combos (crossbow, bolts, etc) seems that here in Canada I can get a decent combo for around $4-500. 

Anyone have any of the above info?


----------



## RevWC

Any info on this one?

http://www.amazon.com/Arrow-Precisi...&sr=1-1&keywords=arrow+precision+inferno+fury

http://pikimal.com/crossbow


----------



## Nor777

Don't go cheap. My local archery pro shop is full of broken "cheap" crossbows.
Get you a good takedown recurve with a couple of extra strings. Catch the box stores after the season is over to pickup arrows and broadheads. I got a half dozen arrows for $20the full price was $60 and 8 broadheads $16 and the normal price would have been $80.


----------



## Tweto

I have also considered a crossbow. Went to a local Cabelas to look at them and there are why to many to decide. The prices for crossbows are between $300- $800. Don't know which way to go.


----------



## Magus

Barret makes several good ones.


----------



## CrackbottomLouis

I am not the biggest fan of crossbows. Limilted range, too long to reload another bolt, and awkward to carry. I prefer a regular bow even when you consider the extra movement before release that can sometimes give away position. Just my opinion ofcourse. They are pretty effective for one shot close range hunting but just like a regular bow better.


----------



## Sentry18

I don't have a Crossbow, but my oldest son does (or did). It's very cool but very impractical. I watched him and his buddy target practicing once and like CBL said, the crossbow loaded at like 1/3 the speed of the compound bow the other kid had. You could also tell just by watching that the compound provided for a much faster delivery to the target (arrow FPS). Eventually my son sold his crossbow and got a compound bow as well. It was an entry level model but it is still a very capable unit. I believe it is made by Bear Archery and cost less than $300 with accessories.


----------



## Resto

CrackbottomLouis said:


> I am not the biggest fan of crossbows. Limilted range, too long to reload another bolt, and awkward to carry. I prefer a regular bow even when you consider the extra movement before release that can sometimes give away position. Just my opinion ofcourse. They are pretty effective for one shot close range hunting but just like a regular bow better.


DITTO..I like the older Carrols like the Maruader, its shorter. Crossbows are a pain IMO. My Carrol has PSE limbs to eliminate the half rounds which cracked. I use an over draw to shorten the arrows. I wouldnt want to haul around a cumbersome crossbow in the bush all day.


----------



## Freyadog

Have a question..

When you get a bow(hoping again Thumper reads this thread) do you have to have your arm measured to make sure that you get the correct arrow length? Thumper said yes.


----------



## Sentry18

FWIW: My son's bow has an adjustable length of pull.


----------



## SlobberToofTigger

I own a number of crossbows. I enjoy shooting them for fun and would use one to take small game if I felt the need. I own some expensive ones and some really cheap ones. The cheap ones are China specials off of Amazon and I would have no issues taking a rabbit with one of them. The expensive ones are made by Barnett and I would have no issues taking small game up to deer. I used to hunt deer with my oldest one which is a Barnett Commando. 

They are not much for defense for the reasons mentioned but if you like shooting but don't always like the noise then grab a cheap one and enjoy it for what it is.


----------



## Magus

I use a crappy bear takedown recurve with a scope.LOL


----------



## -JohnD-

Freyadog said:


> Have a question..
> When you get a bow(hoping again Thumper reads this thread) do you have to have your arm measured to make sure that you get the correct arrow length? Thumper said yes.


It is to set the draw length on adjustable bows, iirc!



Sentry18 said:


> FWIW: My son's bow has an adjustable length of pull.


Most newer ones are unless they are cheap/older models.



SlobberToofTigger said:


> I own a number of crossbows. I enjoy shooting them for fun and would use one to take small game if I felt the need. I own some expensive ones and some really cheap ones. The cheap ones are China specials off of Amazon and I would have no issues taking a rabbit with one of them. The expensive ones are made by Barnett and I would have no issues taking small game up to deer. I used to hunt deer with my oldest one which is a Barnett Commando.
> 
> They are not much for defense for the reasons mentioned but if you like shooting but don't always like the noise then grab a cheap one and enjoy it for what it is.


They have their place and some have a lot higher draw weight than bows. Also a crossbow takes a lot less practice than a bow to hit what you are aiming at.


----------



## hiwall

I would prefer to take the money the crossbow and bolts and extra strings cost and put it toward additional ammo for my rifle. You can easily get 2500 rounds of 22 ammo for $100.


----------



## SlobberToofTigger

hiwall said:


> I would prefer to take the money the crossbow and bolts and extra strings cost and put it toward additional ammo for my rifle. You can easily get 2500 rounds of 22 ammo for $100.


I cannot argue with your logic. But at some point you have enough real preps and it is time to buy some toys.


----------



## CrackbottomLouis

Gotta love the toys. Makes everything else worthwhile.


----------



## Marcus

I too have been looking at crossbows to hunt silently. I already have a decent pellet gun, but for bigger game, I want either a bow or crossbow.


----------



## Nor777

The archery shop I go to has a small bow set up just for measuring your draw lenght.
You can also do it by putting your back against the wall and measuring your arms tip to tip kinda like your wing span. Take that number and half it that sould be your draw length.


----------



## JustCliff

I have an Excalibur Pheonix. Yes. It was a bit pricey but, it is simple. It is not a compound, it is a recurve. They are pretty easy to restring if needed, something that is difficult with any compound bow. I'm not sure what you consider short range for shooting but, I know for a fact I can put bolts into a 4" circle all day long at 40 yds. 
I looked at a lot of different bows and all the claims they make. Excalibure makes a very good argument for their bows. go to their web site and take a look.
Maybe something you have not considered. Yer gonna get old and yer gonna break. I have compound bows,recurve bows long bows and crossbows. 
For most of this year I have had a back issue, really a rib out of place on my right side. I couldn't pull my recurve, long or compond bow and hold it for any time. The cross bow I could cock it and let it be. The older you get the more you will need to worry about those rotator cuff injuries and the like.


----------



## RevWC

Thanks to all for the information you have provided I think I will veer towards a more traditional bow..perhaps compound, recurve, or long...this might be a good barter!


----------



## Nor777

You might also look at getting a bow setup for fishing.


----------



## SlobberToofTigger

If you had said you had the PSE TAC 15 I would have been very jealous!!!
http://pse-archery.com/products/pro...er=01142/445.5.1.1.87663.1003538.0.0.0?pp=12&


----------



## Tribal Warlord Thug

mine will put a 16' bolt thru 3/4" ply @30 yards........plain ol' simple recurve with aircraft cable and spring steel alloy limb. plus i could bash a skull in easily with its solid wooden stock k.i.s.s. 

















sometimes simpler is better.....


----------



## jsriley5

I have a Barnett Commando from way back when, I too have back and shoulder issues NO way can I draw my 75Lb grizzly recurve or even my 40lb take down recurve. But I can manage to cock the crossbow and it stays ready to go so if I get a shot I don'[t have to move althe way through a long draw before I can let fly. I also lean towards recurves and traditional crossbos rather than the compounds as I can hand make Bolts and arrows for the recurves and the bows won't shatter them. Properly tempered aluminum shafts or carbon fiberglass etc shafts are often a requirement of the compounds as the launch speed can shatter if you are lucky and split them sending a shard through the forward hand arm or wrist if you are unlucky. ONly think I don't like about the Barnett is that it seems to eat strings if anyone knows a fix for that I"d love to hear it. LIke to get more than 50 or so shots before the strings start to give out. Is that common ir is there somthing wrong that I can fix?


----------



## Nor777

I had one just about like that when I was a kid. The cable would wack the stock real hard when it was shot and it chewed the stock up like a beaver.


rabidcoyote666 said:


> mine will put a 16' bolt thru 3/4" ply @30 yards........plain ol' simple recurve with aircraft cable and spring steel alloy limb. plus i could bash a skull in easily with its solid wooden stock k.i.s.s.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> sometimes simpler is better.....


----------



## daisydog75

Think yourselves lucky,a lot of you are equating these as toys.
For the majority of us here in the UK a bow is the only real source of defence we have at the moment(of course only if shtf)
For us choosing the right bow would be akin to you choosing the right rifle or hand gun for defence.
I personally have a couple of Barnett crossbows and have yet not had any problems just make sure you do buy spare parts.


----------



## VUnder

Our shop teacher had us building cross bows and climbing deer stands in jr. high school. The crossbow was simple, just a spring, a wood stock, and a trigger mechanism. It did have a couple of grooves cut long ways down it, beside the bolt, that had some aluminum flat bar inset down into the stock for the string to travel on. That way, the string didn't mess up your wood. As far as the cable lasting, well, it was shot thousands of times that I know of, and the cable never messed up. I also had a fiberglass bow of some sort, just a youth bow. Both were a lot of fun. I went in the service, and when I was home for good, the bows were gone, but I left a younger brother at home..... That was it for the bows until a few weeks ago. I was in a new flea market in Texarkana, and a compound bow had just been put out. It was in excellent shape, and was marked ten bucks. I am tight with my money, but that is spending good money. It is a Bear WhiteTail Hunter. I had a few arrows in my shop, and I shot one at the tree line, a hundred yards away, and it went right where I was aiming. I was very impressed with the speed and accuracy. I was mostly interested in the bowfishing idea. I had bought some of the fishing tips. I think that fishing with bows, ability to make nets, able to hunt, able to defend, are all good things that must be passed down.


----------



## ONEOLDCHIEF

RevWC, I too am thinking about a crossbow, Horton Brotherhood $299. My thoughts on why a crossbow;

1. I am getting older, and I realize that one day I may not be able to draw that compound bow.
2. While the crossbow is heavier, you do not have to spent days or even weeks shooting it to get proficient, a scope on zero is a dead shot, does not matter if you have not shot in a year, still on zero, whereas a bow you have to practice more to get back into the groove.
3. Where we live you can use crossbow or regular bow to deer hunt during archery season.
4. The Horton Brotherhood is shooting 320fps... not bad... I maybe wrong, but I think with pratice, I could shoot further with a crossbow than a compound bow...
Good Luck,
Just my 2 cents..


----------



## VUnder

jsriley5 said:


> I have a Barnett Commando from way back when, I too have back and shoulder issues NO way can I draw my 75Lb grizzly recurve or even my 40lb take down recurve. But I can manage to cock the crossbow and it stays ready to go so if I get a shot I don'[t have to move althe way through a long draw before I can let fly. I also lean towards recurves and traditional crossbos rather than the compounds as I can hand make Bolts and arrows for the recurves and the bows won't shatter them. Properly tempered aluminum shafts or carbon fiberglass etc shafts are often a requirement of the compounds as the launch speed can shatter if you are lucky and split them sending a shard through the forward hand arm or wrist if you are unlucky. ONly think I don't like about the Barnett is that it seems to eat strings if anyone knows a fix for that I"d love to hear it. LIke to get more than 50 or so shots before the strings start to give out. Is that common ir is there somthing wrong that I can fix?


Maybe your string is riding your stock too hard. Look down the string from one side of the bow to the other. Is is straight? Or, does it have a bend in it where it crosses the stock? Somebody may have strung it incorrectly. Usually strings last a long time. My brother has a compound crossbow that still has the same string for years now. If it is riding the stock, you may can loosen the bow and shim the top out a little with some aluminum can shims or something to tilt it up a little to get the string away from the friction. But, that may not be your problem at all.


----------



## SlobberToofTigger

jsriley5 said:


> I have a Barnett Commando from way back when,... ONly think I don't like about the Barnett is that it seems to eat strings if anyone knows a fix for that I"d love to hear it. LIke to get more than 50 or so shots before the strings start to give out. Is that common ir is there somthing wrong that I can fix?


Mine never eats strings. But I grease the living you know what out of the entire area where the string slides down the stock. I use chap stick rather than bow wax.


----------



## zombieresponder

Nor777 said:


> You might also look at getting a bow setup for fishing.


Every year there are a couple of people around here that kill themselves with a bowfishing rig.


----------



## SlobberToofTigger

zombieresponder said:


> Every year there are a couple of people around here that kill themselves with a bowfishing rig.


I love stories of human stupidity. How do they pull this brilliant act off? Grin.


----------



## fondini

Ten point.


----------



## Nor777

zombieresponder said:


> Every year there are a couple of people around here that kill themselves with a bowfishing rig.


Just a little chlorine in the gene pool.


----------



## musketjim

I own a Barnett Commando I've used a lot for target practice. I have a bow shop that makes extra strings for it. I also have a PSE recurve bow and an old Oneida compound bow that I hunt with. I use a lot of muzzleloaders also, just primitive I guess. Ted Nugent uses a lot of the new Excalibur crossbows. Check them all out also a lot of archery shops carry them now and can really help you out.


----------



## CrackbottomLouis

The best way to eliminate stupid is take warning labels off everything and let people take their chances without threat of lawsuit.


----------



## Magus

Nor777 said:


> I had one just about like that when I was a kid. The cable would wack the stock real hard when it was shot and it chewed the stock up like a beaver.


I had one of those once.
good rabbit getter/dog remover.:2thumb:


----------



## OleSarge

My recommendation is to get a recurve or longbow. The reason being is crossbow and modern compound bows shoot to fast if you run out of arrows or bolts. With a traditional string bow arrows and be made from straight sticks and feathers or duct tape for the fletching. There are some good quality2 blade broad heads out that can be had for very reasonable prices. If a person were to fire a wooden arrow through a bow like my compound which is rated at 330 fps chances are it is going to sharer.


----------



## Viking

There was a time I could draw a 100# long bow but a few years ago while lifting a 4'X10' sheet of thick plywood I pulled the bicep of my dominate arm so I doubt that I could pull a bow with enough energy for hunting but I can reset the crossbow I have. The crossbow makes a good last resort weapon and they are quiet and accurate.


----------

