Are cheaper crossbows any good?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- Here's a look at various low cost crossbow options...from WALMART!
I am not sponsored by anyone! But I do share what I like and what I don't like. And I like a good coupon code to save a few bucks as much as you do (see below). My "perfect" crossbow setup these days includes:
Killer Instinct SWAT X1 (starting 2023)
Burris Oracle X Scope (since 2022)
Dragon Claw arrows from Wyvern Creations (good outfit, been buying different gear there for years, these arrows are great in the SWAT)
All of our crossbows use the following, 100% of time:
Burt Coyote Lumenoks (since 2012 or so) (save 10% on lumenok.com with coupon code BUNJIE )
Swhacker #251 3" cutting diameter crossbow broadheads (for our last 20 or 30 deer) (save 10% off select broadheads including this "perfect" model using coupon code BUNJIE2324 on their website: swhacker.com/d... )
Bunjie (The Original Bunjie, The O.B.) is my 2010 Excalibur Axiom that got me hooked on crossbow hunting. This was my "one gun" for more than a decade and Bunjie's reliability is the reason I ONLY hunt with a crossbow. After killing dozens of deer, hogs, squirrels, woodchucks, and even a bear, Bunjie is now semi-retired, but still gets out every year and even killed two deer 2023--and a woodchuck at 81 yards!
Bunjie and I have written two books: The Death by Bunjie Crossbow Method ( amzn.to/3zJbAI0 ) and The Death by Bunjie Crossbow Story ( amzn.to/2Peq4aC ), both available on Amazon.com with those links.
Check out the Gear Page on our website, deathbybunjie.com. Again, I am not sponsored by anyone! But you can see what gear I like and don't like on that site. And if you buy from Amazon.com using one of those links, Death by Bunjie receives a small referral fee and you DO NOT pay more! How cool is that?
Check out the Death by Bunjie podcast, Talking with Bunjie! It's available on deathbybunjie.com or on the podcast app of your choice.
Facebook much? deathbybunjie
Bunjie, Jr., is my daughter Genevieve's crossbow, an Excalibur Micro Suppressor 355. This crossbow was also a much appreciated gift from a Friend of Bunjie, and it changed Death by Bunjie forever by inspiring Genevieve to become a part of our story as a second-generation crossbow hunter, and it also convinced me there is a benefit to a newer, faster crossbow back in 2020 when I began the Quest for a Successor to Bunjie. Enter Bunjie III (or Bunjie '21, Bunjie 3.0, The Slick Black Cadillac of Crossbows), a 2021 Scorpyd Deathstalker 420, the result of trying various models and looking at dozens of them online for characteristics I liked. It is, in fact, a gift from a Friend of Bunjie, which goes to show how important Friends of Bunjie are to this channel and what an impact they can have. Bunjie III is a testament to modern crossbows, producing over .7 slugs of momentum and almost 140 ft-lbs of kinetic energy with stock arrows--at around 400 fps! This crossbow helped expand the Kingdom fo Bunjie by introducing me to compound crossbows and showing me they're nothing to be feared, and also helped me get my first deer on public ground. This crossbow also inspired the "Rule of 400" that I talk about from time to time: a crossbow that can shoot a 400 grain arrow at 400 feet per second is the definition of a modern crossbow--producing over .7 slugs of momentum and over 140 foot pounds of kinetic energy, the envy of the archery world.
Again, I am not sponsored by these companies. I am sponsored by Friends of Bunjie! (I'm not asking for gifts whatsoever--please don't feel like you should send me stuff! But I do appreciate the support I've received over the years! I'm just trying to express my appreciation for that.)
This channel is the result of combining my interest in filming and hunting...and music, too! The soundtrack for this channel is provided by my band, Yankee Militia. The albums "Live Free or Kill" and "Zombies Gotta Eat, Too!" are available on Amazon.com and elsewhere. A third album is in the works.
If you've read this far, then there is only one thing left to say:
All Hail Bunjie!
--Rich Wilson
Death by Bunjie
Walmart sells some Barnetts that are excellent. Any of the XP models are very solid. You can usually get them in the $350 range. Definitely not all the bells and whistles of a Tenpoint but definitely more than adequate.
I agree the Barrett’s are solid machines
Very accurate bows with great triggers
I have an xp380 and it’s honestly pretty decent
I have the Barnet XP 370 and its a tack driver really nice crossbow for the money it's solid..
L
Cool video Rich. My buddies 80 year old dad killed his biggest buck ever this year with a Lethal 405. I'll send you a pic. Nice big 8.
Rich, I bought the Barnett XP 350 last year in an emergency from walmart. For $198, it's a very solid build, comparable to my previous $450 bow. They're running out of stock, but I saw one on the shelf for $170. It has since become my go-to due to its simplicity yet good performance.
Rich..I'm an archery tech at Bass Pro. We've sold dozens of Lethal 405s over the past holiday season. The problem we've had with some of those crossbows was limb failure...IE..cracking or splitting..My opinion is... the bolts that come with them are too light ( 370grs w/100grn tip). for those limbs to handle with continuous use. I suggest to people interested in buying one is to shoot a heavier bolt..either the carbon express pile drivers...442grs w/100gr tip or the Gold Tip Nitros...500grs w/100gr. tip...We've had zero issues with people shooting the heavier bolts in those crossbows.
I buy 20" Carbon Express Piledrivers by the case and run them whenever and wherever I can. They shoot well and are pretty inexpensive compared to many other offerings. Screw a 100 grain field point or broadhead in for best results and that is also what I use.
Just checked and I have over a hundred of them still new and many others used and shot. Lol
Could I go with a longer bolt and heavier point ?
Should I go with a longer bolt and heavier point ? I almost did buy longer bolts when I first got my bow but I stuck with the recommended 20" bolts , now I'm kinda wishing I hadn't .
Canes ?
I have followed your channel for a long time I take a brake for awhile then come back. You are the cross bow guru these supposed cross bow experts are here for maybe 1 or 2 videos and fade into the woodwork. I thank you for your dedication to the craft. Just because of your integrity I keep coming back. Thank you for taking care of the little guy we need someone like you. THANKS
Appreciate the support!
I bought the Killer Instinct Boss 405 (awfully similar to the Lethal you reviewed with an adjustable grip) from Bass Pro here in Anchorage for $300. My son and I shot it all summer and took two bucks with it a few months ago in Indiana. Heck I even dropped the darned thing out of my tree stand, but it's honestly really solid. Some reviewers said these cheaper bows might have their limbs break but we use heavier arrows and haven't had any issues. It came with the same hyperlite arrows as the Lethal, but I don't know if such a light arrow helps the limbs. It's probably heavier than the expensive ones and I replaced the scope, but for never owning a crossbow and being able to get into the sport for sub $500 with arrows, heads, etc. I'm mighty happy. Oh yeah, the Boss has AR 15 grips and I do believe you can change them up. They have the little storage in the bottom of the grip too. I actually have an adjustable stock off my actual AR 15 and planned to put them on my crossbow.
Plus the have cam alignment marks
Friend shot a buck at 60 yards with it the same day he bought it. Good bow!
I been shooting my boss 405 since it came out i did change scope right out the gate but no complaints on the bow
That's one thing that makes an Excalibur top shelf. Never have to worry about that or worn parts. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 @@reallife2849
I have the KI Fiery 400 which is basically the same as the 405. It’s a great Xbow for the price and I also use heavier bolts CE Piledrivers and replaced the stock scope with the Illuminix Speedring and it’s a TAC DRIVER. If you take care of the strings and lube the rail like your supposed to it will last for a good while. I agree I believe a lot of the reviews are from user error. The lifetime warranty is great and so is the customer service.
I love my Barnett xp 370
Shoots lights out and is very quiet with a 425gr arrow. Shooting 365fps bow is awesome. Has some down pressure on the rail but man it’s accurate. Aluminum rail and all for $239.00 upgraded the scope for 99.00 and for way less than a tenpoint it’s every bit as accurate.
If you place 1/8" shims between the front end and riser it will relieve the downward pressure on the string. If you will search on crossbow nation you'll find multiple threads on the process
@@jonathanyates5198
Sold it and went back to the best EXCALIBUR
Thanks for this info. I just bought this exact bow, today.
I bought a Barnett whitetail hunter from Walmart. Great crate crossbow. Been very happy with it!
2 seasons ago I got my first crossbow... a Barnett xp370 from sportsmans warehouse on sale for $250. I have had zero issues with it, and is incredibly accurate within 40 yards with cheap bloodsport 300 grain arrows, and 125 grain (2.25inch) schwacker broadheads. I don't shoot it like crazy but probably put almost hundred arrows through it. This past season I got a perfect pass through at 27 yards on my biggest buck ever. I was figuring to start cheap and work my way up with equipment. After 2 seasons I see zero need to upgrade. I'm actually considering just buying a 2nd (and maybe 3rd) of the same model and generation before they change things. Sure a ten point 515 sounds luxurious, I just can't justify it with how great this cheap Barnett XP370 has performed. Who would have thought? But dead is dead and either way I ethically should stay inside 40yards.
Can't beat it, good to hear
I'm new to this, why is it considered more ethical to be within 40 yards? To make sure it kills the animal straightaway instead of less arrow impact from a shot over 40 yards?
@markjackson3531 Great question! maximum range is open to interpretation and varies from individuals. My personal ethical range is within 40 yards with any crossbow setup because my lack of training to be fully honest. If I trained frequently and was able to maximize the advantages these new high powered crossbows provide, and confidently hit my mark at 55+ yards, then so be it. But with my crossbow only shooting at a max 375fps, at 40 yards I am already starting to fight arrow drop by the time it get to the target. This channel has some amazing videos about this from years back. Taking about point of impact compared to aim points, and how much the deer can react and move during the arrows flight at lower speeds (like the Original Bungee - cue music). I encourage you to go through some of the old library of vids. So much to learn out there!
@@ajbabineau007 thanks, i will!
I hit a doe at 40 yards with the xp370 using 400 grain 20 inch centerpoint bolts and centerpoint deadpoint 100grain broadheads. Looked like the doe was hit with a slug, the arrow passed right through going 10 to 15 more yards sticking into the ground. The arrow and broadhead was completely fine.
I've got deer with the cheapest legal crossbow and the popular cheap crossbows. The jaguar, the jackal, currently using a killer instinct I got from Walmart for like 200 bucks on sale a few yrs ago. It's more of how effective the person is at hunting rather than anything they are using to hunt.
Shopping around for a new crossbow, great video! Thanks for posting it!
Lethal 405 for only $220 and shoots 405 feet per second. That is a hell of deal for an entry level hunter or even an experienced one. Like you said, if it breaks buy a brand new one and still pay less then $500 for two. My daughter still uses the PSE Fang that shoots about 310(maybe) and took a doe this year. She doesn't shoot over 30 yards. It still does the job, but she will be getting a new one once she is done with graduate school. Thanks' for the video
You won't see many people tossing their Ravin crossbows into their truck or car trunk and riding around with them. I wouldn't be surprised many people would consider doing it or have done it with crossbows like these. Could be one you hang up in the basement, garage or barn for varmints that become a problem as well. Nobody is beating up their high dollar stuff or if they are they aren't the sharpest broadhead in the box. Some people have this mentality that everything is "a tool" and should be treated as such. They never had to pass a Military white glove inspection and NOBODY wants to buy their used stuff secondhand because it's all beat to ***t as well. You could destroy one of these and move into the next without losing too much sleep over it.
@JohnDoeEagle1 I'm a "it's a tool" guy, but even my mechanics tools are put away clean and care is taken to ensure they are maintained. My rifles, bows, knives etc are all tools. But they are maintaining and taken care of. Cheap $200 guns treated the same as my $2000 guns. Same with bows
I bought the barnett xp370 from Walmart 229. With tax 250. And I love it works great
That's a deal for sure! Good luck out there!
I got my granddaughter a Barnett 370 and I hunted with it before I let her use it and I took a deer with it at 34 yards I am going to let her hunt with it this year.
She didn't know if she would hunt or not I paid $ 254 for it I love it and it's lite
That first recurve crossbow you looked at was the first crossbow I got. Not counting pistol crossbows. Mine was the metal stock version and I went with the camo because it looked cool. Its 150 lb draw and shoots 300 grain bolt at about 210ish fps like it claimed on the box. Its actually a sweet Turkey slaying machine. Had it for 4 seasons and counting. Only ever need to replace string. I haven't ever used it for deer. Only way I can imagine that working is if I was very close to the deer.. Like 10 yards or less close. But for Turkey it works like a dream.
I spent $199.99 and I love my bear X trek 380 my gold tip ballistic arrow & 125 grain broadhead weighs 471 grains total and goes over the chronograph at 335 fps. I’ve probably fired it well over 500 times just shooting targets and it’s ready for its 3rd string lol.. lays the big hogs down here in SE Texas! The arrows it comes with are pretty light but they went over the chrony at 381 and are fun for longer range targets at 45 yards. It’s very accurate too. The only thing I’ve done is replace worn strings, buy good arrows and loctite the screws. Love it
I bought my first crossbow from Walmart. Ordered online a center point Snyper 370. They sent me a master pack meaning I got 2 crossbows sent to my house. I contacted Walmart and they told me to keep both. So I ended up with 2 for right around $250
Wow! nice
It never hurts to have a backup crossbow
Barnett TS370, TS380..... Centerpoint Sniper 370, Sniper Elite 385, Wrath 430/430X and Wicked Ridge M370. All of these cheaper crossbows are very hard to beat dollar for dollar. They punch way above their weight classes and give you premium features at budget friendly prices.
Nice video Rich. Happy with my Killer Instinct crossbows.
With the string breaking that is a ware item 😊great video for beginners. I wish that I had some one to show me around the crossbow world when I started out.
I purchased the Killer, Instinct, lethal 405 from Amazon this past summer. It shoots excellent in the backyard all way to 40 yards not had any problem with it at all. Haven’t hunted with her at this time. Had to have cataract surgery. Laugh out loud plan on doing it next year, well this season I mean anyway, I think Lehal 405 at least mines fine no problems yet. By the way, I watch all your TH-cam videos. Keep up the good work.
Good luck!
My lethal 405 list the driveway at 210 pound and my set up shoots an arrow at 372 ft./s because I have a Krono that’s worth a 415 grain arrow set up. I’m going right through target except for a brand new when I got which is called an Iron Man it doesn’t go through it, I really love this bowl considering it’s not very expensive. It’s my first crossbow I’ve killed three big deer they’re on my wall. I’ve got two turkey on my wall tailfeathers that is I haven’t had over 20 years but I’m retired now and I’m getting back into it this year, hopefully
Just bought another backup/loaner crossbow tonight direct from Barnett on super sale. I got a Whitetail Hunter STR (obsolete/discontinued) model for $299 and free shipping. I have co-worker friends that like to tag along with me but they don't own a crossbow yet. I look for these $200 - $450 crossbows in particular for that purpose. Sometimes lightly used second hand but not always or all the time. This one was brand new in the box with a warranty so that was a no brainer decision to make. I actually like the camo better on this Whitetail Hunter STR more than the replacement newer Whitetail Hunter PRO STR model. It looks cooler with the Mossy Oak Bottomland and black grip, butt-plate, cheek-weld anyway IMO. "I'd really like to come with ya, but I don't have anything to use!" Now you do bud!!👍
I picked up a Barnett XP350 bow for $180 at walmart 2-3years ago. It was my first crossbow.....It has not disapointed. Now my 3 sons are starting to hunt. I had $200 in amazon gift cards from doing surveys. Found the Killer Instinct Leathel 405 kit for $220 that you were looking at on Amazon after deer season closed. Ordered it and the thing looks & feels impressive......hopefully it holds up like the barnett XP350. Overall I'm feeling good only spending $380 on two very solid crossbows. Can't wait fo see you review/test them.
Right now everybody is running super sales and it's past season so they are moving excess inventory. It's the perfect time to buy right now for the next few months before warming up and people start going outside and shooting again. I know I have hit some really good deals the last month myself. -$200 off....-$300 off, usually free shipping and sometimes no sales tax (depending on the dealer and total volume of sales) etc etc.
Rich, another great and informative video, thanks for all the time and effort you put in, I really enjoy them as do others.
I bought a center point 370 about 3 yrs ago and was very satisfied even though on the first buck i shot i had a limb crack caled them immediately and they had new limbs in the mail within a week great customer service imo!! I would definitely purchase again!!
Sweet!
As stated by others, the Lethal 405 comes with super light bolts and you will break a limb if you keep shooting them. I bought it when it first came out (I resisted the crossbow vs. traditional til my body said otherwise). I think it was $350 then. Still a great value and my brother is using it now. For under $300, a great deal!! You have to do your research though and realize you need heavier bolts. You can absolutely change out the grips, BTW. Fun to watch video, thanks!
Centerpoint has some decent budget crossbows. I own a Wrath X 430, and a Wrath 430, so far they do what they're supposed to without a problem.
Just bought a Centerpoint Wrath 430X a few weeks ago for $429.99 and free shipping. You can't touch that X-Bow for at least another $300+ more with something else.
I have a wrath 430 for 2 seasons, put it through it's paces, made 2 detailed reviews on it, by far the best value, I like the 430x even better.@@JohnDoeEagle1
I bought killer instinct crossbow less then $300 and have harvest 12 deer , had an issue mail it them they repaired and mailed it back didn't cost me an extra penny. Love my crossbow it's amazing
New crossbow owner here...Great video!!
Hey man, love your channel I deal with KI and tenpoint everyday. Im actually a fan of KI and like the simplicity. I shoot the KI 400 and love it. Thanks for talking like a professional, love your outlook.
mike
Great overview! The first thing you need to learn when shopping online is weeding out the ridiculous reviews that are obviously brand fanboys or haters or 1* because the UPS driver left it at the wrong door and nothing about the product.
My focus for years has been air rifles so the crossbow is the next fascination for me.
Thanks again.
Purchased the Killer instinct Fiery 400 this past season from cabelas for $199. Reviews were a mixed bag and very few due to being a new model. Few stated cracked limbs after low number of shots. After reading a bit I decided to go with a heavier bolt before even firing with the hyperlite bolts provided. Product functioned great and harvested deer with it.
Sounds good to me!
I done the same thing! I got the CP amped 425 and done a lot of searching and read a lot of reviews before purchasing anything! Hardly anyone does research into anything before they buy and most the time they have zero experience and then wonder why they have issues and failures! That's why I don't always take reviews to heart because most of them are from people that are to lazy to learn anything! Everyone wants plug and play and for everything to go perfectly on a discount! Pisses me off to be honest how incompetent people are and how they can't see how incompetent they are and blame everyone for there stupidity! I ended up buying pile drivers with cheap lighted knocks and put brass inserts to increase FOC and went with 125g head and my arrow weights 494 and are very accurate and hit very hard! And I added the KI limonox speed ring! I done all that before ever shooting 1 arrow because I done a lot of research before buying anything! My money is hard earned and I'm not wasting it because incompetence! If people would slow down and inform themselves with the ( internet) they stay on constantly there would be mostly 5 star reviews on these budget bows! I'm going to do some more work on my arrows and go heavier most likely! My FOC is around 15 If I remember correctly and I want a few more percent and weight overall anyway cause I want it to last and be accurate while blowing through shoulder bones if need be!
My brother bought his son a Barrett 385 xp crossbow at Walmart. It shoots really good and it shoots 385fps with a 400 grain bolt. That center point wraith 430 shoots good. It shoots around 420 fps with a 400 grain. I bought a Barrett ts380 it’s an older model but designed to more like an ar and it’s grips and cheek surface is rubber so it feels very comfortable to hold. It shoots 385 fps 400 grain.
budget crossbow series would be awesome to see.
I started my crossbow experience with the first bow you mentioned ($139 made in Taiwan) over 40 years ago. When Crossbows became legal to hunt with, I managed to kill 4 deer with ti, all within 20 yards, all pass thru. I then bought another crossbow (MK 250 made in Taiwan) and killed many deer with it, all within 30 yards. After that, I bought a famous brand crossbow that cost me over $500 and one of the limbs started delaminating after 20 shots. I had them replaced under warranty but ended up paying a $50 service fee. I am 70 years old and will probably stay with what I have for now.
People would be surprised to find out how many crossbows are mare in Taiwan. I sell crossbows as a side business and even the big name brands gets made in Taiwan (I believe TenPoint and maybe one more brand are the only exceptions). They might be designed in USA, but the factory is based in Taiwan - guess it is just cheaper that way. BUT, that should never discourage anyone from buying these crossbows - they are amazing pieces of equipment that will serve the hunter for MANY years (at a fraction of the price)
I bought 3 Barnett XP 385 for $161.00 at Walmart. Great gift ideas.
Excellent video sir! Tons of great information!
My Tenpoint had to go in the shop during hunting season. I bought the KI Lethal 405. After a few shots in the back yard to sight it in I took it hunting. I got a doe the first time hunting and she dropped in sight. Now it's my backup bow, but I am very confident with it. It is really fast and accurate. I've updated the scope and shoot 500gr arrows with a 3" Swhacker. It's a great bow for the money!
I have a killer instinct lethal 405, have used it for 4 years and killed a deer with it every season since I bought it. I did go with the heavier KI bolts and use 125 grain broadheads both sh-wack-ers, lol and rage hypodermics with great success. I bought from Wyver creations a Excalibur speed ring type take-off scope. Being a reloader and having a speed ring type scope it was imperative I shoot it through a chronograph and to my surprise, even with the heavier bolts it still shot right at 387fps. I love this crossbow and for the money I have been pleasantly surprised with it. I honestly believe that with these so called faster bows and cheaper quality the heavy bolts and broadheads is the way to go to stem the problems of cracked limbs
I also use have your bolts on my lease of 405 are use 415 grain total bolts I believe the arrows 390 grain that I use not counting the 125 grain field tip but yeah I’m on shirts great with the scope that came with it. It’s seems like it’s matched with the reticles
Loving these reviews! As someone who bought a Killer Instinct 415 Burner in this range ($300 at the time on Amazon) a year an a half ago, really appreciate how you break down the benefits of these cheaper models. Would I have picked a different model if I had known more? Probably. It's a little bulky but not a bad unit for the price and I was able to kill two deer last year with it.. That's what counts. :)
I have that wooden mankung crossbow with 150lbs for 6 years , more than 50 burah deers hunted at max range of 55mts , realy good crossbow , i have never replace the limb , only strings and keeps shooting as new, and hade dryfire it many times by accident
Nice video my friend a lot of people don't understand I love to hunt I'm a beginner but at the same time I've been a busboy at IHOP for 13 years make decent money but it's not like I'm. Able to afford a 2000 crossbow I spent 200 I got the Killer Instinct Firey 400 for 2oo$ and it shoots great better than some more of the expensive ones love the video keep up the good work my friend Mikey Daytona Beach Florida
My 1st crossbow was a Lethal 405, took a buck with it in my 1st season. I do believe the grip is AR compatible. I sold it off for 2 reasons. I wanted a narrower cocked/uncocked bow. And it fell, and the cantilevered scope mount took the hit. Had scope alignment issues after that. Moved to a Centerpoint Wrath 430.
I just bought a barnett xp350 for $95 on sale out the door and honestly it punches way above its price. Not sure about the power on game but its pretty impressive so far.
Great to hear!
Barnett great trigger, true anti dryfire. The Barnetts I've had were plenty accurate. My experience with customer service (replacing scope) was positive. Yeah, Barnetts don't have the build quality of a high end crossbow, but your not looking for high end at Wally World...
I bought my Kill Instinct 405 last year. I wanted to try a crossbow as shooting a compound bow I was not vary good at. With being a first time crossbow owner, I had a hard time getting it put together, but I over came it. It didn't take me long and I got it sighted in and I was shooting consistent. On the 2nd day of bow season 2023 I took my vary first buck with this crossbow. Now granted it was within 3 yards (lol), I nonetheless got a kill shot and he only ran 80 yards maybe. I love this crossbow and would recommend it to anyone as a beginner crossbow. It's a great beginner crossbow at an affordable price which is what I was looking for.
That's great congratulations!
Cool video! Thank you for info, I’m a big compound hunter, and looking for something for my finance, and never knew people were so big into crossbows! Haha
@ she’s 5’2 110 pounds… she could never pull enough poundage… the we will stick with crossbow for her, but thanks for the input!
Thank you for supporting the thin blue line that protects our communities
Won my first jury trial today as a prosecutor, good stuff
Very informative video.
Thanks Rich!!!
I have a sniper 370 that I got as a back up and I love that bow . Great crossbow for the money .
Walmart and Dunhams near me usually have pretty good deals. I’m on my second year with my Barnett Assault 350, I’ve shot over a hundred arrows in my backyard and she’s still in great shape and shooting good. Keep the strings waxed and the rail lubed. 👍🏻
Love my little Recurve Wildcat. Great for rabbits, squirrels, and bullfrogs. I reckon it would work for deer if I kept the distance reasonable and did my part.
It’s a tack driver if you practice, learn the trigger, and add a little blue loctite to the bolt holding the nose piece
accuracy and shot placement is key. If people can hunt with low poundage recurve bows, then you should be able to get the job done as well..... maybe not on Cape Buffalo or Bison... but for white tail and medium sized game at 20yards and under, you should have no problems
afternoon Rich, i rarely comment but this ones a bit long. i am a traditional bow hunter, been shooting and hunting with a recurve since 1978. yep old. three years ago i tore a rotator cuff in three places, thought my trad days were over, it happened mid summer, no chance for recovery before archery season so rather than sit out i dove head firstdown the crossbow rabbit hole. i bought the centerpoint heat 410 from dunhams on a clearance, came with a crank. swapped out scopes and shoot it only enough to zero it. took two deer the first sit and another a week later. used it again last season. shot it three times, one for checking zero the other two were on does. shot it 5 times this year pre season, sitting in the dark last week in my stand, 2b, i always feel the limbs, yep the one is cracked and splintered, the bow has a total of less than 35 bolts fired thru it, never dry fired. min bolt weight per manufacture is 390, i shoot a 420 total bolt weight. bows junk. now back in 2005 i bought a ten points titan tl4 for my son for an upcoming hunt in africa in 2006, he took all his animals in africa with the ten points, a buddy used it after his bow broke on that trip. the bow is currently on loan, to a cousin that hunts archery season with it. the bow is 19 years old, strings and cables changed once and spits a 425 grain bolt at 280fps, price point on thr ten points was it was at the time the low end bow, cheapest model, and still going. i am totally convinced that this constant need for speed selling bows that are lower end bows at or above the 400 fps range is more of an issue than anything else, so much stored energy in such a small space has to go somewhere. a good solid built bow at the 300 to 350 range will last a long time when compared to the speed demons being built, reguardless of price. i am all healed up and have returned to my bent stick and string, but i belong to a deer management program, and for that i use a crossbow, current bow is an excalibur micro mag 340, little bugger spits a 400 grain over my chrno at 339/341 just this morning, havent fired the 350 setup its rated at. i believe this bow will out live me, simply because its built for realistic speeds that i can hunt anything on the planet with it with the correct set up. started watching your vids a bit ago, they are tasteful put together well and enjoyable to watch. keep making videos and posting, wishing you and your daughter a safe and successful deer season at home in pa. be safe and straight shoots and short blood trails to ya. i just might have to head out on one of your future meat and greets someday.
Great story thanks for this!
Great video review Rich and honestly you really can kill deer with cheaper slower crossbows! That said, I'm probably the only one in America who has not taken a deer with a Barnett crossbow! I've had two now, and their customer service is superb, perhaps even better than TenPoint. But thanks to you I do have three hogs with two Barnett crossbows! I personally think that they've all gotten too expensive and really one of the best values around is still Wicked Ridge, TenPoint's second label. In fact, the M-370 is still now only $499 at both Bass Pro and Cabelas! And the 370 FPS can't be attained with heavy arrows, as the best I've been able to hit is around 350 or so! That said at 15 yards, complete pass-throughs and five deer bagged this season! Thanks for sharing, as this is a great way to gift a new crossbow hunter and get them started!
I have a Barnett TS380 and a Wicked Ridge M370 and love them both!
great video Rich
4:26 Yep they got one of the XP’s on clearance for $211 on the way to go pick it up. It was a regular order at $400 so I’m excited.
Awesome 👌 !
Those prices man! You would FAINT at the prices here in Canada for even basic Crossbows like this. I got lucky and scored my Bear X Trek (complete kit) on clearance for 399.00+40 in tax. (In hindsight maybe I should've grabbed the Bear X Intense they had for 499 on clearance that came with the crank instead of shelling out flat 150 for a crank later on. (we all make mistakes)
I remember looking at the Killer Instinct Lethal crossbows but could never find any for less that 450 CND.
This video makes me feel better after watching some random dude do an unboxing and firing video for a Bear X Trek 380 crossbow and said it was crap. 💔 (after him standing at 40 yards and burying his bolt 5 inches deep into a solid wood stump! dude had to get an Ax to get the arrow out and he still chopped it off.)
Only thing I agreed with was the fletchings out of box are rather cheap as they crinkle after the first shot and need replacing. (not a problem for my local Archery shop setting me up with a Fletching Jig, replacement fletches and glue. One time purchase. Lifetime tool and replacement skills.
The killer instanct one you looked at is a great crossbow, i use it to hunt, very reliable.
I picked up a barnett xd350 from Walmart for $300 and love it.
Thanks for the video, I commented a while back asking for this. I am interested in crossbow hunting, but can’t justify $1000+ on something I’ll use 3or 4 times a year. Good info on the video
Now now we all hunt differently, no problems there
$263 for my Ki burner 415…. Love it. Bought on Amazon on sale
Just chiming back in to confirm the TruGlo 1X 30mm crossbow red dot is a solid performer and well worth the money if you are looking for a decent crossbow red dot for a good price. I have one on my William Tell 120# Mini Striker pistol crossbow and it is fantastic. They can be had for around $47 - $51 right now everywhere on sale and are worth every penny. They sell for $79.99 regularly if you don't catch a sale which is still reasonable for what you get. It takes a common 2032 battery so they are easy to find and not expensive which is another huge plus when it comes time to replace them. You can find those batteries anywhere and they don't cost a small fortune. The package also already comes with a good mount and spring loaded flip up lens covers included. No need to have to purchase them separately adding to the cost. For about 50 bucks you can't do any better...🙂
Walmart doesn't except any returns on any type of firearms and they tell you to contact the maker of the crossbow which is something to take into consideration. I now place like basspro don't have issues retuning, but for me warranty plays a big part when buying a crossbow.
I have the center point wrath 430 and people on TH-cam been saying it's only really 407-415 fps. At the crossbow/broad head range the other day that thing was ripping through the 12x12 foam blocks targets at 20 and almost through the blocks at 30. Very accurate crossbow, brand new never sighted but was hitting the bullseye. Not bad for the price and is good bow under 1000.00
Gotta start somewhere ! Many of these are really solid equipment for the price. Not all of us can afford the high end screamers, for sure. Barnett bows for the middle end to lower end are fine for the most part.
Had a buddy buy the killer instinct lethal 405. Tried to return it. Walmart said because it was a weapon, they could not take it back. That being said he brought it to me to assemble. It turned out to be a very nice and accurate bow. Unfortunately we only hunter together twice this year. I had a stupid but serious hunting accident that ended my season .
Sorry to hear that!
Nice video. Im a new subscriber. Getting ready for another N.C. bow season now.
The safety release jamming is usually from getting rail wax in there and it just needs cleaned out
Bought the center point 325 for $211 amber love it!!!!!
Wow 👌
I actually liked this video but i do have a minor complaint. Several times in the video you mentioned that the people were not crossbow people and pointed to the fact that they didn't know the vernacular of the parts. Yet several times during the video you refer to the bolts or a crossbow as arrows. If you are going to nitpick other people and their verbiage then i suggest you make sure yours is correct as well. Crossbows do not fire arrows they fire bolts. But in all seriousness this was an excellent video and gave a ton of good information about more than just crossbows. It also touched on how to separate the wheat from chaff with online reviews. Definite thumbs up from me.
I appreciate your shows good information
I found a killer I stint 385 fps fore $159 and I love it. It is bad ass!!!
Hey Rich, I love the idea of you getting the cheaper Killer Instinct, I think the average Pennsylvania hunter or most hunters in general probably use these due to the price point and the difficult economic times.
I think it has come to a point many of these more expensive crossbows are grossly overpriced in comparison to their firearm and knives siblings/competitors. Once you get much over 1k you could buy a whole lot of super high quality guns and knives and still have change left over afterwards. GLOCK, Sig Sauer, Beretta, HK, CZ, Colt, S&W, FNH etc etc. When you think about how much a Remington, Browning, Benelli, Beretta shotgun costs vs these ultra expensive crossbows it starts to make a lot more sense. Someone is cutting a fat hog on them and making a killing. $3,500 - $5,000.....are you out of your minds?! You know.......
A Geissele Super Duty AR and a Busse Combat Team Gemini Light Brigade in INFI steel doesn't even cost 3k........SMH
I started with a Carbon express, intercept Supercoil. It was a rope cocker with aluminum rail and a scope that wasn’t bad actually. I was using 414 grain total arrow weight at 350-355 fps. At 390 grain arrow weight, it was at 365-370 fps.
Shot numerous deer with it. My first crossbow experience! Very accurate as well!
It was around $5-600 when I bought it. Unfortunately, the company was bought out or something went down. You can no longer get this bow in the same quality category or the same model.
Great vid Rick, interesting. Another idea for a vid. Context: 72 and fighting cancer. Had to skip last fall. Looking to 2024 I think I need to look to a smaller light more compact crossbow for easier carrying. I love my Excalibur Micro 335 and Matrix 380 but they are big and heavy. How about a vid on light weight compact crossbows. Us older infirmed guys still want to hunt. Thanks for all you do. Been watching from your beginning.
Thank you for this and I wish you the absolute best!
Affordable crossbows great video sir, Killer Instinct good affordable crossbows IMHO, I've got two of them a Ripper 415 then a Ripper 425 both of them great deer killing machines for me. -W. Liggett
I have a killer instinct 405, its a great crossbow. Bought it after Christmas last year, started hunting with it this year and its been great. Haven't killed a deer with it yet but thats not the crossbows fault.
Lol good stuff, good luck
My daughter and I were hunting this year and shot my biggest buck today with killer instincts, 405
Awesome congratulations!
KI speed scope is sweet
I have a Bear apocalypse. its been solid so far. I have had it for about 6 years.
I have a Ravin R10 with an ATN thermal ($3500 setup) and a cheap $150 Barnett Recurve with a Vortex Crossfire ($120) on top.
I hunt with both and love both. The Barnett limb comes loose periodically so you have to retighten it every so many shots.
Excellent accuracy, I have no problem taking deer at 30 yards with it. Definitely with fixed broadheads but overall very capable.
The Ravin comes with me on treks shorter than a mile or lighter terrain.
Long treks or hard terrain it's hard to beat such a light instrument with the Barnett.
The Barnett is also great for my kids due to the light weight.
Right now 8/18/24 Ten Point has a Cross Bow for $399. Pre Owned Certified with a 3 year Warranty. It's the M370. 370 Ft. per second. Nice looking and nice Cross Bow for someone just starting out. I'm thinking about it myself because my Ten Point is as old as Bungie.
Sweet deal that's cool.
The one where it said it "jammed up" I'll bet was user error. Probably didn't have the arrow seated all the way back and the anti dry-fire engaged. Which is an easy fix, but if you don't know crossbows you'll probably figure it's broken.
I picked up a crossbow on clearance a few years back for 150 bucks. It's a Wildgame XB 370, that I'm pretty sure was made by Barnett. Didn't care for the scope so I swapped it out for a Truglo. Got two deer with it so far and expect I'll get another this year. It's been pretty solid and no complaints. Probably should have bought two of them so I'd have a backup.
At the end of the day, you gotta keep it real. You get what you pay for.
I bought the Barnett XP 350 and I have it sighted it out to 30 yards and also harvested 2 doe last crossbow season and I would highly recommend it and I also bought it from Walmart and liked it much I bought a 2nd one and paid 225 shipped to my house
What a great deal!
@@Deathbybunjie thanks I appreciate that
Great video for me, just looking into it now, after air guns.
The main issue with compound crossbows is the need for a bow press for basic string maintenance. The strings stretch . Recurves can be maintained by the owner.
I have a press. It's pretty easy lol
I love the Barnett crossbows. But I also have carbon xpress pile driver and another carbon express advantex I think I'm spelling it right. Took a lot of deer with these crossbows. No problems with them. Then I went out and started use the center point crossbows. Sniper 370 awesome took a lot of deer with it and went and bought another one the Patriot 425 love it no problems with it took plenty of deer with it already. Now Im hunting with the killer instinct ripper 415 3 doe's this year with it, still no problems and no complaints. I shot my friends killer instinct fuel 405 and I'm impressed with it he also got 3 doe's this year with it one doe was at 73 yards she didn't run more then 30 yards after getting hit with the rage 100 GR. Broadhead. We use the killer instinct lumex speed ring scopes awesome scopes and they're all sighted in to 100 yards these bows shoot out to 100 yards and still sink those bolts in the block target and 3d deer target. I love the lower price crossbows nothing wrong with them and they do what they were made to do kill. But I wouldn't really go to far under 300 feet per second. I sold a pse viper copper head crossbow compound it also took a lot of deer over the years at 150 lb draw and 265 fps. So that would probably be the lowest I would go. And I did take deer with it out to 75 yards with 100 GR. Broadheads. I'm a long range shooter but I do like to try to get my kill with in 30 and under if I can. My faster bows it doesn't matter the distance as much but the slower bows you better know what your doing those deer will jump the string and your either going to miss or wound a deer and that's not good. I've been messing with archery bows of all kinds since I was young. I gave up firearms at 15 years old and went all archery and I'm not turning back silent but deadly bows. I even tried inline muzzleloaders and flintlock I'm not sold on it, I'll stay with my crossbows. I love to push my bows to the limit and see what the can and will do if I needed it to. And with the right set up with the 405, the 370, and the 425 they will shoot over a 100 yards and pop balloons filled with baby powder. The 425 I have is really awesome and you really don't need anything over this poundage and speed of any one of these 3 bows. Really you don't. I love the AR-15 stocks and I put the pistol for grip with TRI pod inside of it. All I can say these low end bows work with out spending a lot of money.
I’m not new to crossbows or hunting and I had a Killer Instinct Lethal 405 and I have to say the last review isn’t wrong. I bought one with a bent rail and the bolts would have a gap from the rail. It’s not user error, however killer instinct did make it right so I proudly use killer instinct because they will back up their products.
My first and second deer were killed killed with a 125 lb draw Astro daco hornet. Those deer stayed dead
What was the usable hunting range at 125 draw?
I never shot one past 20 yards but that was a good spot, the deer got close@@kdavis269
@@kdavis269 I never killed a deer past 20 yards
I have the 405 killer instinct
I would recommend this crossbow.
It very accuratel hard hitting crossbow
I'm a beginner looking to buy a crossbow.
Here in West Virginia, firearms deer season is only from mid-November to early December, while archery season is from September to New Year's Eve. By the time gun season comes in, the weather is bad and the rut is over.
That's cool good luck!
Man I would love if you did some videos like "in the $xxx price range I would buy THIS model"
There are so many options out there I have a hard time keeping up and I'm a die hard x-bow hunter that generally stays up to date on them. When it comes time for me to pull the trigger again on a new one its a loooong pull. 😂
Long pull indeed there's tons of options!
Shot my cheap center point for 3 years with no issues
Same! I’ve harvested four deer with mine so far using the optic it came with. It does great for what I need!
I was in Walmart today and saw a virtual compound bow that looks like the real thing but appears to have exercise bands for strings and I think the draw weight is adjustable from 10 lbs and up . I know this video isn't about compound bows but figured I would tell everyone about it .
Ha ha , I think you stumbled upon that compound Bow at 11:25 !
Notice you don't need stuff like that for crossbows. Just sayin' 😆
I bought the lethal 405 a bit over 3 years ago. For a budget entry setup, it is great. Now as many have commented, the base arrows are too light in my opinion for this setup, has I had limb delaminate this past season. Even with that, I will still continue to use KI brand. The warranty hands down was the best for this situation, but I will be upping my bolt weight to something around 550 grain. To answer your question, that is an AR-15 style grip that has the bolt up inside the center.
Awesome, thanks, and good luck out there!
There’s a lot of good things about budget friendly. It’s an essential element that makes the world go around.
Finding a good deal an investing your money wisely is important.
When it comes to hunting, crossbows and such I am influenced by some other things.
My focus with buying a crossbow is not really finding the lowest price or the best deal.
Does this make me eccentric? Opinions vary. But I don’t have to hunt! I choose to. I really appreciate a fine instrument. There are great value deal crossbows out there. A number of budget minded crossbows out there are great and will take deer all day long. It just depends what you like.
Eccentric? Nahhhhhh!
Why is the bear behind you happy and smiling. You would think he'd look angry
That's a Maine bear! All that Jazz Cabbage keeps em pretty happy.
Thank you for sharing this excellent video six stars
Yeah you can change the 405 grip. I got one and love it