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Good crossbows?

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RDM17353 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RDM17353 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Good crossbows?
    Posted: April/04/2011 at 00:14
I recently had shoulder surgery and will no longer be bow hunting.  What are some good crossbow brands out there.  I can decipher the difference between a Hoyt, Bear, Williams, so I am trying to understand where they fall from the cadillacs to the mid-range crossbows.  Any suggestions?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2011 at 00:42
http://www.barnettcrossbows.com/product/quad-400
Barnett Crossbows seem to be good quality and the quad 400 seems to be reasonably priced. The best most expensive are the ones made by TEN POINT but I dont think they will do anything more than the Barnett ones will.  When you are looking at them pay close attention to how the scope base is attached and how solid it is.  I had a PSE crossbow that gave me lots of trouble because the base always came loose plus it had a adjutable part that was really stupid.  I'd suggest you zero it for either 20 or 30 yds and use an Aimpoint red dot scope on it.  I know this scope is probably way more than a lot of crossbow scopes but no matter where your head position is if the dot is on the target that is where the projectile will hit, I also suggest you measure known distances 20  30  40 yds from your stand and mark them with flagging tape.  
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RDM17353 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RDM17353 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2011 at 00:49
Okay.  What about Horton?

Ricky
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2011 at 11:59
My dad actually just got a Barnett crossbow and he loves it! It works really well and we are about to take it turkey hunting. I've handled a few of the Horton crossbows and they felt really nice as far as the weight. Although I have not shot any of the hortons.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RDM17353 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/11/2011 at 00:08
Do you know which Barnett he got?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/11/2011 at 08:04
It was the Barnett Revolution
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sgt. D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/11/2011 at 13:15

Barnett covers the mid and low end budget crossbows. Like anything you can spend as much as you can stand. My customers who have used crossbows for many years prefer the Horton Legacy and the Excabiler lines. The recurve style offers lighter more reliable, low maintainence and durability than most compound styles. Thats their take on recurve v/s compound. My personal comparison of Barnett, Horton and Excaliber shows that the Barnett is a good low budget compound but their string and optics quality are low end. And most do not include the cocking ropes. All the Horton and Excaliber so far have included everything you need. If you want to try to stay under 400.00 Barnett is your best option based on what I've had hands on. I can't speak for other brands. Just keep in mind that you will have low end optics unless you buy your own and you will likely have to buy the cocking rope. Plus your resell or trade value will not be so great. My store manager is putting together a excaliber (700.00ish) with an IOR red dot (200.00+) with target turrets. He will probably end up with 900.00 +/- in it. He will probably be able to shoot out to 80yds (doesn't mean he will) and his resale value will stay fairly strong.

Not many people are willing to spend so much on a crossbow but I wanted to give you some idea of the spending range.
If you can find any archery shops with demos on the rack you will be able to get a feel for what your money will buy.
 
Good luck. Let us know what you get and maybe a review after you've had some trigger time.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cyborg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/15/2011 at 08:34
I started out crossbow hunting using a Horton. After a couple of hunts, I started to notice a problem with the limbs. Cracking was begining to show up, and actually delaminating. I got a replacement for the bow. That was a TenPoint Stealth X2. Talk about night and day between the two. The Ten Point is quieter, and you don't feel as much recoil, or vibration. Horton did replace the parts, but I immediately sold that one as soon as they returned it to me.
 
A friend of mine has a PSE, and it is also a nice shooting crossbow.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/15/2011 at 10:34
I bought a PSE  a few years back and had problems with it due to the design It worked but not as well as I thought it should. Had a friend who hurt his shoulder and couldnt draw a bow so I let him have it.  The  Ten Point is the top of the line but they are spendy.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cyborg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/15/2011 at 10:45
That Horton was the top of line model they offered that year. I spent an extra 150.00 over the cost of the Horton for the Ten Point, but it's also the top of the line for it's year model. There was a Ten Point that would have cost me 50.00 dollars less than the cost of the Horton, and I almost got that one.  I think that the money spent was well worth it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hatari Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/28/2011 at 15:08
I've been out looking and really like the Parker stuff, particularly the cyclone.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Txhillbilly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/02/2011 at 17:20
I bought a Horton Vision 175 last year.It has been a great crossbow.
It is very balanced,and very quiet when fired.
 
I tried out quite a few different brands and styles before I decided on the Horton.Some were very front heavy,some were very loud when fired,others were just too expensive for what you get.
 
My advice is go to an archery shop that carries several brands/styles,and shoot all the different ones.
 
I really wanted a PSE Tac15,since I have several AR15's,but they cost too much,and you have to buy special bolts that cost $100 for 6 bolts
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sammie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/02/2011 at 16:38
I bought the Parker Bushwacker for my  10yr daughter who has arthritis.  She has done well with that bow but the speed is a tad slow for anything over 50yds.  I got the Pinpoint scope that has a distance dial on the top and you just dial the distance and aim center dot.  My daughter really liked that feature, no guessing or compensation required.
 
Recently she went hunting with Robert Arrington of Respect Outdoors and got to use his Horton 175 reverse limb crossbow with a multi reticle scope.  She shot that bow just as good as the Parker with the different scope.  It was definetly faster than the Parker but it costs more as well.   The nice feature with the Horton was how narrow it was.  With the Parker when I sling it over the shoulder I always hit things with the limbs unless I'm extra careful.  The Horton is much more narrow.
 
We have been happy with the Parker though and the price was right along with the lifetime warranty. 
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