Seeking budget crossbow advice.

[paulgeorge]

Hello everyone. sorry for off-topic

Does anyone here have recent experience with the current crop of sub-$ $500 crossbows? Sub $400 would be even better, but I am looking for something capable of hunting whitetail deer.

I have zero crossbow experience. I’ve never even held one. I have hunted with a compound bow for about 10 years, but I’m starting to get some worsening shoulder problems.

I was looking at Bass Pro online and saw the PSE Coalition Frontier for $349. According to the specs it will do the job, but will it do it comfortably?

 

[Gonna Smoke]

I have hunted with a compound bow for about 10 years, but I’m starting to get some worsening shoulder problems.

No help whatsoever on a crossbow, but shoulder surgeries, 4 total, is what drove me away from bowhunting 10 years ago. Really haven't hunted since and do miss it...

 

[paulgeorge]

No help whatsoever on a compound, but shoulder surgeries blog, 4 total, is what drove me away from bowhunting 10 years ago. Really haven't hunted since and do miss it...

thank you so much for your suggestion

 

[BigW.]

I have also been thinking about getting one. But some are more money than a high end rifle. You pay for size and weight. I also want one that you can decock without firing. Hopefully one in the $4-500 range will work for hunting. Maybe Ishi indaswamp or Buckeyedude might have some knowledge of cross bows.

 

[mike243]

Been happy with my Barnett, any of them can be let off 1 way or the other, a crank cocker makes life easier, I shot Spitfire 100g mechanicals when I still used it, always a pass through and accurate to 50y even though never shot 1 past 30y or so

 

[indaswamp]

I am no help...

 

[Ishi]

I have also been thinking about getting one. But some are more money than a high end rifle. You pay for size and weight. I also want one that you can decock without firing. Hopefully one in the $4-500 range will work for hunting. Maybe Ishi indaswamp or Buckeyedude might have some knowledge of cross bows.

Sorry I have no knowledge on Xguns. I will only use one if I’m ever physically unable to shoot a vertical bow.

 

[Buckeyedude]

I bought a Barnett Ghost 350 years ago after tearing up my shoulder pretty bad. Ive since bought another Hoyt compound. There has been a lot of issues I hear with the Barnetts over the years, but I guess I was lucky and got a decent one. Currently in the below $500 crossbows I would lean towards the Wicked Ridge personally! Hope this helps!

 

[archeryrob]

I have a Killer instinct 350 and have for years and love it. To be honest I don't think you need more than a 350 fps and they have seem to hit a wall over 400 the last couple years.

The expensive bows mostly have the narrow width libs to be able to hunt out of a blind. If your in a tree this doesn't matter. The wider limbs will be fine and cost you less.

No matter what you buy go on to boards and read up about the triggers. My trigger failed and KI gave a different one to the shop to put on it and it is like a completely different xbow now.

Stay with the arrows they send with the bow. Spine matters in crossbows also. I tried carbon express pile drivers for the weight. Had terrible planing with broadheads and put them on a spine tester and found them to be super weak in spine.

I use Muzzy HBX broadheads and killed three deer with the same head and bolt. 1st put through the ribs of a doe and 12" in the ground. Resharpeded and spined a buck right under me. Glanced the spine and dropped him in his tracks. Resharpened and shot another doe this year and cleaned and again. Also like the Montec G5 as it is made to glide half of two blade across a soft stone. Great if you want a fixed head, but I like the HBX hybrid. I tried the rage knockoffs and lost a doe on a failed to open. Buddy the same and we quit using them.

 

[yankee2bbq]

Hello everyone. sorry for off-topic

Does anyone here have recent experience with the current crop of sub-$ $500 crossbows? Sub $400 would be even better, but I am looking for something capable of hunting whitetail deer.

I have zero crossbow experience. I’ve never even held one. I have hunted with a compound bow for about 10 years, but I’m starting to get some worsening shoulder problems.

I was looking at Bass Pro online and saw the PSE Coalition Frontier for $349. According to the specs it will do the job, but will it do it comfortably?

Here are a few pictures of what I use and love it:

Gets the job done!

 

[Buckeyedude]

Here are a few pictures of what I use and love it:
View attachment 685100View attachment 685101View attachment 685102View attachment 685103
Gets the job done!

Tis a shame that Horton went the way of the dinos! I always liked their stuff! When I was a kid, the Horton Hunter Supreme was the Cadillac of all crossbows until that Express Sl 175 came out! I was super stoked when I finally saved up enough and got one! I learned a whole bunch those following years hunting from the ground with it. Shot my first antlered buck with it at 5 ft away. So close I didnt even try to aim lol! I ended up selling it to a friend of mine a decade ago, so he could upgrade his "older" Horton with my 94\95 Hunter Supreme lol!
I also had one of those Hunter xress SL's that came in the matching Realtree stock, sling and scope combo. I never got to shoot it. It was one of those deals you come across knowing you can turn it into a profit kinda thing!

 

[yankee2bbq]

Tis a shame that Horton went the way of the dinos! I always liked their stuff! When I was a kid, the Horton Hunter Supreme was the Cadillac of all crossbows until that Express Sl 175 came out! I was super stoked when I finally saved up enough and got one! I learned a whole bunch those following years hunting from the ground with it. Shot my first antlered buck with it at 5 ft away. So close I didnt even try to aim lol! I ended up selling it to a friend of mine a decade ago, so he could upgrade his "older" Horton with my 94\95 Hunter Supreme lol!
I also had one of those Hunter xress SL's that came in the matching Realtree stock, sling and scope combo. I never got to shoot it. It was one of those deals you come across knowing you can turn it into a profit kinda thing!

I bought this crossbow used from a co-worker nearly ten years ago now. I think I paid 500 hundred for it. With arrows and a tackle box full of crossbow stuff. This is what I hunt with only!
Some avid deer hunters say that a crossbow is cheating. Whatever…some peoples kids. I want to say Missouri has a law only disabled people can use crossbows.

 

[Buckeyedude]

I bought this crossbow used from a co-worker nearly ten years ago now. I think I paid 500 hundred for it. With arrows and a tackle box full of crossbow stuff. This is what I hunt with only!
Some avid deer hunters say that a crossbow is cheating. Whatever…some peoples kids. I want to say Missouri has a law only disabled people can use crossbows.

Saying a crossbow is cheating.....but there are high powered rifle seasons......hmmm ok! LOL.
I would rather a guy that isnt going to put in the time to properly practice with a compound use a crossbow, than go out slinging arrows wounding animals. Not that you dont need to practice with a crossbow, it is just more forgiving than a compound or a recurve. As a kid, I grew up shooting a recurve and started my archery hunting with a crossbow knowing sports wouldnt allow me the time to shoot a compound as much as I need/should. I graduated into a compound and used it until I messed ujp my shoulder pretty bad at work. Ive since bought a new compound, but still keep and use my crossbow. Every oncce in awhile the crossbow goes out with me depending on the hunt set up or if my shoulder has been acting up( the last year this has been an issue). To each his own, what works for you is what matters, what works for me......is what matters! I hate to see sportsman attack each other for using different legal methods of harvesting game! Of all the groups in this country, sportsman and gun owners should be and need to be the tightest group there is to continue to enjoy our sports and rights!

 

[yankee2bbq]

I totally agree with your above statement!

 

[mosparky]

I want to say Missouri has a law only disabled people can use crossbows.

This used to be the case. Several years ago they dropped the disability requirement.

 

[yankee2bbq]

This used to be the case. Several years ago they dropped the disability requirement.

Thanks for the info!