Thoughts on Crossbows???

6mm06

Well-known member
I'm just curious about everyone's thoughts on crossbows - pertaining to accuracy, trajectory, weight of broadheads to use etc. Also, what do you think of Parker Crossbows?

Looks like for now my compound shooting has come to a screeching halt, this due to an elbow problem that doesn't allow me to pull my bow without significant pain. That has about broken my heart, but maybe all is not yet lost. So, I'm looking at the possibility of getting a crossbow to hunt deer with. Virginia has permitted hunting with a crossbow just this year.

I would appreciate any advice anyone has out there about this type of bow. Also, what about the red dot scopes and the 4 powers that are available with the elevation reticles? Are they indeed accurate as advertised, consistent and calibrated?

Thanks.
 
Link http://excaliburcrossbow.com/demo/m/content/article.php?content_id=1

6mm I got my crossbow last year. I hear the Parker is a great bow and you would be supporting a local family owned Virginia based company. I did a lot of reseach last year before purchasing mine, I got an Excalibur it's very accurate flat shooting bow with 100 grain Wasp brand broad heads and series 22 carbon bolts shoots about 330fps. The Excalibur is a recurve not a compound it has it's advantages over the compounds one is they tend to be a little more accurate. My buddy has a compound and it shoots fine. I liked my quiver better it attaches long ways with the bow insead of cross ways this makes a big difference when you move though the woods. I also like the safty on the Excalibur better. The Excalibur and Tenpoint both use flat nocks on their bolts, that tends to make them more accurate because half moons sometimes twist a little when you shoot. I have still been keeping my shots to 30 - 35 yards max you can shoot further if you want it will do it for sure. The area I practice is only about 35 yards so thats my comfort range. I use a single dot red dot scope sighted in at 20 yards 0 to 35 yards about 3 inchs of drop. I hear the Excalibur scope is very good but I haven't tried it the salesmen tried to talk me into one they also have the compensater adjustment. Watch their video you'll be impressed. My second pick would be either a Parker or a Tenpoint When I was looking for mine I asked my buddy he's been using a crossbow for years he said just dont go cheap or you won't be happy and or you'll have problems. Theres alot to learn about shooting a crossbow. I really like mine and cant wait for the season to come back in.

This is the company I purchased mine from they had the best price last year.
http://www.gandkarchery.com/
Cabelas and Bass Pro also carry all the brands


Notice How the quiver attaches
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Have you also looked at the Draw lock system? It allows you to use your normal compound, but with drawaing the bow in a tradional manner.

In Colorado Cross bows are not legal.
 
Hey 6mm06,
I agree with elks. The terminal effects of a compound over a crossbow are much better in my opinion. The added weight and length of arrow combined help the kinetic energy of the arrow, just add the draw lock to what you're already using. Most people are tempted by the longer shots not realizing that a bolt is similar to a 22-250 and an arrow a 308, it's a screamer up close, but by no means is it a good 300 yd deer caliber, where the 308 has the slow, predictable, and harder hitting performance at a distance. The thing that I would wonder about for both products is how do you uncock it without shooting? They could both be very dangerous and cause further injury to your elbow trying to let them down easy.
 
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Have you also looked at the Draw lock system? It allows you to use your normal compound, but with drawaing the bow in a tradional manner.

In Colorado Cross bows are not legal.



Actually, the crossbow is legal during regular rifle seasons. Not legal during archery seasons.

The draw lok is not legal in CO, last I looked.
 
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Have you also looked at the Draw lock system? It allows you to use your normal compound, but with drawaing the bow in a tradional manner.

In Colorado Cross bows are not legal.



Actually, the crossbow is legal during regular rifle seasons. Not legal during archery seasons.

The draw lok is not legal in CO, last I looked.



Yeah yeah I know that, but at the time I was not going to go into the specifics. Crossbows are legal during normal rifle seasons. It weill be interesting to see where the laws in Colorado will go in the Drawlock systems. There has been talk about allowing disabled hunters to use a drawlock with a permit. I still feel that the compound bow withthe drawlock is a better choice over a crossbow.
 
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Yeah yeah I know that, but at the time I was not going to go into the specifics.



Yeah, well, guess what? I knew you knew that! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I only responded for the benefit of some readers who didn't know!

Last equipment go around saw the CBA being pretty set against the draw lok and it was excluded on that basis at the last re-write of equipment rules. I've not followed any of those discussions for several years. Should drop by the Colorado Conference of the bow site and see what the current thoughts are.

Back when I was a member of the CBA, they sent out a post card surveying members on whether or not they would object to disabled hunter cross bow permits for archery season. I voted to go ahead and do it, but the membership in general was about 80% opposed. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

They see it as the camels nose. Heck, maybe they are right.
 
Thanks everyone for your input. As it looks now, shooting a compound is out of the question for me. Hope that will change. I love bowhunting. It's about likened to losing a dominate eye and trigger finger. But, maybe I can stay in the game with a crossbow, at least that's what I'm thinking now. I have essentially given my very new bow (Parker compound) that I've only had about three years, to my son. He in turn is considering getting a crossbow for me to use.

I'm not familar with the draw lock system. How does that work?

Thanks guys. Good hunting and shooting to all.
 
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I'm not familar with the draw lock system. How does that work?



Never saw on up close, but seeing it on a video, it apparently allows you to bring your bow to full draw and "lock" it in place. Release it later with a trigger mechanism. You still have to draw the bow to lock it, but you could probably do that with your foot or even have someone else lock it for you.

This may be way off base, but years ago I stopped bow hunting for a while because I never had time to practice. I took up muzzleloading as an alternative and continue to hunt with bow and ML.
 
That draw lock system is illegial here in Alaska. Crossbows are only legal during the rifle season not during the archery season. I would not be opposed to allowing disabled persons using a crossbow during the bow season. In fact I would not be opposed to anyone using a crossbow during the archery season, it's just that we have some fundamentalist archers that want to limit archery to the extreame. Unfortunately they have been a little more succesful than the muzzleloaders. The muzzleloaders tryed to limit their season to Black Powder only, with either Flint Lock or Side Lock percussion. They wanted to stop all inlines. The general public (muzzleloaders not a member of the orginazitions)managed to get that changed. The use of a crossbow during archery season by the handicapped would be a good one to propose for next game board meeting.
 
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The general public (muzzleloaders not a member of the orginazitions) managed to get that changed.



If that debate went anything like the same debate in CO, it wasn't the general public who got it changed, but representatives of the people who manufacture the in-lines. When debate failed they threatened lawsuit and the Colorado Division of Wildlife backed down.

At that time I owned an exposed hammer ml that had in-line ignition. Not one bit modern, but the definition of in line outlawed that rifle for one season. The next year it was legal again. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Not that it mattered much given the collection of ml guns I have stashed. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

It's interesting to see how the different states line up on these issues and where the regs land in the end. Makes it difficult for non res hunters to meet the equipment regs when their gun or projectile doesn't fit in with their destination state.
 
I've never shot a Parker crossbow, but I have shot their compounds and they are a good product, although I prefer Hoyt. I've never shot at deer with them, because I'm not disabled - yet, but I've shot hogs with them and IMO they work as well as a stick and string.

If you can test the Parker out and an Excalibur I'd say that's your best bet. As with any weapon shot placement is key. Kinetic energy has little to do with Archery equipment other than punching through hide, which is somewhat negated by the sharpness of the broadhead, there is no shock that kills like a bullet, it's collapsing the lungs and hemmorhaging that kills with archery equipment. Double lung is usually the safest bet.

I'm sorry to hear about your joint problems and hope you can at least get some therapy to reduce the discomfort and pain.
 
I believe kinetic energy has alot to do with archery, especially since the heart on a broadside shot is only about an inch or two from the elbow joint and the lungs are slightly back from the scapula. A small error in judgement or a slight left to right miss and that puny bolt won't have the energy to bust that bone. At a longer distance the ribs could prevent a pass through and we all know two holes are easier to trail than one. If you are willing to limit shots to say, 30 yards max, and only take broadside shots, I'd say a crossbow might be O.K. I rarely see those opportunities where I hunt. The draw lock system can be cocked using a foot and your kneestrength, not your elbows. They even make their own line of bows now, including a 24" version that has a built in footpeg on it. They can be seen on the Outdoor Channel on Knockout hunting adventures. Hey 6mm06, if you want, you can point'em out and I'll shoot'em for 'ya. I'll even let you use your tags /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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I believe kinetic energy has alot to do with archery



Wonder what those little bolts weigh? Suppose they could be made on the heavy side for better penetration. Could maybe get three out of a solid glass fish arrow?
 
Kenetic Energy is where it is at. I would wonder what the bolt out of a crossbow couls weigh and still be effective?

Out of curiosity what wheight arrow are you all throwing?
 
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Out of curiosity what wheight arrow are you all throwing?



I shoot from 540 to about 620, 23/64ths cedar 30 to 31 inches. Feather fletched with a bit of an oversize feather burned from a full length with a Young featherburner.

Most weight variations are based on the weight of the broadhead which could range from 125 to 190 usually 145 or 190.

Getting ready to make up a dozen for this years hunt using the above "ingrediats" but these will be hand tapered. The broadhead weight is often the final piece of the tuning scenario.

These are used in all my longbows and recurves from 42# up to 60# and shoot pretty well from a round wheel compound at 60 to 65#.
 
My 27.5" beman ICS carbon hunters with 100 gr broadhead and 4" vane and 7" crest wraps weigh between 410 and 425 gr. I've had complete pass throughs on every shot out of my 250 fps bow at ranges from 15 to 60 yds. on broadside and long angled quartering away shots with various makes of broadheads including mechanical and fixed. The worst I've ever seen was a steep down angle and slightly back shot through the liver at 21 yds with a Crimson Talon 100gr., the doe bounded forward one hop, sideways one hop and backwards one hop and dropped over dead in front of me near where she had been hit. When we gutted her the insides looked like they had been hit with a high power rifle, I've never seen a bow wound like it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif.
 
One thing with crossbows and compounds is whatever shoots the best out of it. Alabama has went to crossbows legal from beginning of bow season Oct 15 thru Jan 31 for everyone. As already stated the heavier the better on arrows for kinetic energy. Consider a 125grn broad head for added weight. If they are legal consider mechanicals as they shoot just as your field points and trouble free flight. I shoot Wasp Jak-hammers. Just my .02. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Ok guys heres the numbers for you

My crossbow has a 200 lb draw weight and shoots 325fps, the series 22 carbon bolts weigh 400 grains with a 100gr Wasp broadhead inserted.

425-Grain @ 250-fps = 58.96 ftlb kinetic energy Compound This is based on figures taken from one of the threads

400-Grain @ 325-fps = 93.79 ftlb kinetic energy Crossbow @ 50 yards = 77 ftlb kinetic energy

Heres the links where I got my information from if you would like to check them out for yourself, the kinetic energy calculator is cool it also gives gives the amount of energy needed to kill various game deer = 40 ftlbs the crossbow still has 77 ftlbs kinetic energy at 50 yard, the Compound ?


http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/demo/m/content/article.php?content_id=245

http://www.archeryexchange.com/information/info_pages/kinetic/kinteic-calculator.shtml

Crossbows are legal here in Virginia for everyone. I use both crossbow and compound I've been bowhunting since I was old enough to pull a bow back. I started out with a recurve 24 years ago learned how to hunt with it, then I started using compounds. I got a crossbow because it was another option just like rifles and muzzleloaders. Rifle are much more affective then muzzleloaders but most all us still hunt with them in the newer inline version even. Compounds crossbows ?? I have always thought crossbows were cool so for me it's been a whole new challenge learning to hunt with my crossbow. Their not as cut and dry as you might think theres a lot to learn to do it right.
 


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