Hey Rich just posting a reminder for the viewers if anyone is planning on purchasing an Excalibur with their ceasefire system. I own a micro 380 with this system. when you get your crossbow it will come with their rhino nocks, which is a flat nock with a groove around the side that interfaces with a button under the scope rail of the bow. that is how the ceasefire system works. if that button is not depressed by your arrow nock, it will not fire. Now we all like our lighted nocks here, and you DO NOT have to use those grooved rhino nocks. It will shoot standard flat nocks, lumenoks, ignitors, and the like. I don't know why they bothered with the rhino nocks when you can slap on your lumenoks and call it good.
Excalibur... the 1987 F150 with a straight 6 and 4 speed manual of the crossbow world. 😃 Solid, dependable, no bells and whistles but gets the job done... just slower. 😊👍
I have been binge watching your videos for the past couple months and yesterday harvested my first deer ever with a crossbow. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and keep up the good work. Spring turkey season can't get here fast enough.
@ people are still using trad and primitive styles bows, not everyone likes compounds of any style also most archers are survivalists mentality, if SHTF should happen and things stop will this contraption still work? Can I make my own limbs will this scope work with the much lower speed ect ect ect and for this reason older tech will forever exist.
Rich , Great Video ! Spoken Like a Attorney! In 2018 , I was in Lancaster Archery to get a crossbow and they had every manufacturered crossbows ! I told the salesman that Excalibur is 2000 year old Technology . And all these new high tech crossbows something will go wrong sooner then later ! He Just Laughed ! You shold have been at ATA show , this past weekend as a Sales Rep. for Excalibur ! Keep the Great Videos Coming ! Stay Safe & Healthy ! God Bless !
The average speed of a compound bow is around 270 to 320 feet per second (fps), with most hunting setups falling within the 270-285 fps range. One would achieve similar with either the mag 340 or mag max. The simplicity of the Excalibur crossbows keeps me buying more of them.
@Scott I totally get why you like them. But compound crossbows of today do not suffer the problems they did in the past and they a much more serviceable even on your trip since we now have a press.
Excalibur has established a good reputation over time. My question is how far can you go into the future offering new products if all your doing is recurve? Yes, they have always made great crossbows. There a lot of great Excalibur crossbows that have been put out and we all know they have a very dedicated following. I get that and it’s not a surprise. There are many companies that are going to pass them by more and more every passing year.
Excalibur simpler, user servicable crossbows meets a market need. Where I live, the nearest pro shop is an hour and a half away. Furthermore, when you do go for service, it takes too long. The speed of 350 fps is more than enough for the style of hunting I do. I own a Matrix 355 and it does not fail when a 150 grain swhacker as part of a 500 grain arrow. My son has a Matrix bulldog 330 and has had equal success. In terms of performance the old Bunjie is equivalent of my Matthew's Conquest 3 and I took about 60 to 80 whitetail deer with that over 20 years. Modern compound xbows are high maintenance and require a proshop, they do have advantages but are not practical for me.
That kinda makes sense! But I will add this, I bought a press and it's not that hard. Actually kinda easy. I was surprised. But it's not for everyone, I get it.
@Deathbybunjie Yes, agreed a bowpress could make the compound xbow user servicable but that thing takes up a fair amount of space. As you found out, its not as simple to change a string and cables as it is to put a string on the recurve technology. Furthermore, the wheels can get bent, bushings can wear out, strings and cables can stretch unevenly... In short, I think simpler is better. The added speed and range are not compelling enough for me to accept the complexity of compounds.
@donfinley The are a number of presses out there that are fairly compact. The compound crossbows of 10,12 or 15 years ago could encounter more problems. Especially the faster they were. Nowadays, it’s not the same. They are relatively easy. Major work, like perhaps triggers and such are dealt with by the factory. But that would be the same for Excalibur.
My new mag 340 with stock bolt and 150 mechanical rage , I had 4 pass throughs and no deer went further than 50 yards and buckets of blood. My Phoenix Excalibur 305 never had passthrough killed plenty but broke lots bolts, still using same 4 passthrough bolts this past season. No limb problem, can manually cock it and for my $ and not shooting basically over 30/40 yards I think it's great. Keep pushing those speeds up and limbs will break.
Many love them, but I could never get excited about recurve boat anchor (shape) or reverse draw crossbows. On the other hand, I wish I had a dollar for every crossbow Excaliber has sold!
To me Excalibur crossbows offer 30-30 style performance at reasonable crossbow hunting ranges. Totally acceptable with great reliability and accuracy. The guy that wants the fastest snowmobile on the lake probably will never buy one but the guy that appreciates a tool that consistently gets the job done will love it. They’re great in my opinion. I’m not spending thousands on a crossbow. You don’t need to.
@Ladtune Excalibur makes a great crossbow and very good looking for what that’s worth. Still I’m worried about them into the future. As Rich pointed out, you can get performance from Walmart that matches or surpasses some or many of the crossbows they are putting out. How far into the future will the technology take them? Is there a ceiling? Does the market get smaller for them? That would mean less money. I think the market is better with them in it. Shouldn’t they expand their products and technology to compete?
@@douglasborgaro6801 I get what your saying. I was a compound bow hunter since the early eighties. Due to shoulder issues I can’t consistently draw a bow anymore. When I wanted to get my feet wet with trying a crossbow I bought a couple of those inexpensive options and was disappointed. I was at a friends garage and he just bought a bunjie jr 355 when they came out and I was sold. When I was a compound guy back in the eighties and nineties was whenmanufacturers were going for more speed I experienced the issues pushing the speed envelope could cause. Cams would give out, limbs splinter and accuracy compromised. Granted they’ve come a long way since then but I learned speed isn’t always your friend. I’ll gladly sacrifice some speed for accuracy and equipment longevity. I just like the simple recurve design and minimal maintenance. I’m shooting a Micro 380 now and extremely happy. 360-400 fps has gotten the job done for me so far. Will the market diminish? You may be right, time will tell. I hope not but most of my hunting buddies don’t think like me and are on the Ravin bandwagon so you make a great point.
Man I’m glad ya getting some videos in. Wish ya had more hunting videos this last season but as you said “times are (and have) changing”. I missed have the season with knee surgery. Any way can’t wait to see your thoughts on KI and a certain discontinued series. 😂
This video brings up a bunch of thoughts on what I have found with the TenPoint Nitro 505. When it came out, I was focused on getting one no matter what! It has not disappointed for me. It has stupid amounts of energy and speed. My 505 was speed checked at that factory doing 521 fps with a 400 grain arrow. With that in mind, it’s not a 505, it’s a 521! I’ve chrono tested it at 520-522 fps with the 400 grain. With a 470 grain hunting arrow, it’s giving me 507 fps! There are a lot of 505’s out there doing speeds just like that. My “505” beats the TRX 515 going away! To date, I have taken numerous deer with it and I have had zero problems! I’m also happy to say that i have not lost a single arrow. So far my shots have been 20 yards, 21 yards, 35 yards, 8 yards, 6 yards, 8 yards, 15 yards and 12 yards. Not a single one of those deer lasted beyond 7 seconds after the hit! Not one. I think the power and speed has contributed greatly. I have no doubt that I could have an excited deer staring me down from 45-50 yards, stomping their foot and ready to launch away from the shot. It wouldn’t matter! I’ll blow through both those shoulders without a second thought. The crossbow has been dependable and reliable. For me, the accuracy has been fantastic! You can achieve Robin Hood bullseye shots at further than you’d be willing to shoot a deer at. When I check the Bunjie calculators, it shows me at an even 500 fps for a 500 grain arrow! I’ve never seen anything like it! I know that the issue is “to each his own.” But technology has grown to mind stretching limits. It’s an amazing experience! Not sorry!
Rich you have kind of missed the point on why Excalibur owners are so loyal to the brand they have 400 fps bows if that is so important to you. Smaller Denser, lighter cheaper , faster in not the only thing to judge a bow by but Excalibur's check many of these boxes, the most important thing to me is can I keep my bow up and running at all times from home under heavy use with no pro shop. Recurves are so easy to work on and are way more forgiving of user error and if a problem does arrive Excalibur is famous for getting you what you need to fix the rare problem in a few days. Blow up a "Modern "wonder cam bow and see if you are hunting in 3 days with it with an Excalibur you will be. My First Excalibur was an Equinox 350 Fps rated I dry fired it at a 3D shoot the string came off after checking the limbs over I used my string changer to put the string back on and finished the shoot the bow was fine. I did replace the string as an after thought when I got home but hunted with it for years after . Your daughter's bow is ten years old and going strong and in ten more years it will still be going strong with an occasional string twist to keep brace height proper a five minute job and on occasion a new string also a five minute job at home. Rich what is most important to you it not a universal criteria to all hunters , Speed is good but comes at a cost in price and gear reliability. Archery has its roots in being an up close and very personnel way to participate in nature ware skills such as getting , being close to your game and having skills like judging yardage reading deer sign are something to have pride in. To me shooting a deer with a a blazing fast bow over a bait pile with a range finding scope has no charm or a lot of skill involved. I get more satisfaction without bait reading bedding areas, scrapes, rubs , travel lanes taking game at close range gets my blood going , so what works for one person may not be top priority for the next guy but as hunters we need to respect the other guys and be united to promote the old values. My mag 340 has taken many deer a bear and several turkeys and I have never felt under bowed but I also keep shots under 40 yards and I am fine with that it is a trade off I like for the ease , dependability and peace of mind and the pleasure of maintaining my bow from home or field. So the new Excalibur max 350 is meant for me not you and that's fine.
@@Deathbybunjie I agree speed is a good thing but it always comes with a price , things tend to be more prone to failure, arrows can get picky and fly erratic. bow life can be reduced strings , cables mounting systems all can be impacted as speed and vibration go up on any bow , your example of the Burris scope not being well made enough for longevity on recurves case in point. Also remember the bow you reviewed is a budget bow pay more get more but do you need more? I doubt I will buy the Max 350 any time soon I just love the bottomland camo but not really enough to spend the money the Mag 340 is getting things done.
@geerald But what’s missing is that the compound crossbows of today are not the same as 5-10 years ago. They don’t have the problems they used to. In addition, they are easily serviceable today. The power and speed just beats a slower crossbow. If you haven’t hunted with one, you have to try it. It’s undeniable! The truth is what it is.speed is not the only thing, but it sure is a thing! A thing that makes a difference. You can love your Excalibur because it is a great crossbow. There’s no need to justify that. But it’s understood that the recurve technology falls within certain limits and that doesn’t change. Just for perspective, I’ve never had a single problem with any compound crossbow I’ve had.
With crossbow speeds there needs to be a standard established, much like the AMO standard that use with compound bows. Nearly all the crossbow companies are really using deceptive advertising with their advertised speeds. The arrow weights they are using to obtain the advertised speeds are really impractical and potentially hazardous to the crossbow over time
Rich, luv your channel! Great job on keeping us up to date! I recently got into watching the Ranch Fairy channel Ed Ashby interviews. Ashby has killed more big game animals than maybe anybody else and is the only one I know of that has scientifically studied arrow penetration based on arrow flight, speed, and weight. What literally surprised me the most was using a compound bow he proved above 70# NO improved penetration was noticed and actually became counter productive. He explained speed does not always equal penetration based on medium resistance. For instance the faster you go in a car with your hand out the window the more resistance is felt and the harder it is to hold your hand out. He also explained bone and muscle tissue are quite different than air. Also, it was found that past a 650 grain arrow with high FOC there was 100% bone breach in testing but under 650 it dropped to 50%. I know I’m not doing the interviews justice here but go watch em when you have time and let us know what you think?? Gotta say it really changed the way I think
I love that stuff! Big fan. Done lots of videos on heavier arrows. That's why I spend so much time talking about momentum! Weight is half of momentum, but speed is the other half. I like .7 slugs of momentum or more. That's what the 650 grains is seeking, really. There's lots of factors, and weight is a constant whereas speed slows with arrows, but speed...is...huge.
Rich, help me out here… my question is this if a 70# compound shooting a high foc 650 gr arrow is the sweet spot as Ashby claims, what would be the equivalent in shooting a 650 gr arrow in a Crossbow?…What FPS crossbow what would match up???😅
You make a good point, it was a heck of a crossbow and it's day. But that's 15 years ago. I really like some of the modern offerings. Nothing wrong with hunting with older stuff but when it's time to upgrade we should look toward the newer stuff and evaluate it appropriately.
@ have you looked at the Striker pistol crossbows. I see a few videos on them and thought those were kind of cool. Now sure about speeds and range on them though, but I’ve seen a few videos where hogs and deer were taken with them.
I have a 400fps bow. I use those rage xbow heads and 460 grain arrows so its coming in around 375 and is nasty on deer. My mag 340is just perfect for the woods 320 fps at 400 grains. I use fixed heads with it as it shoots them perfect. I honestly perfer it to my wicked ridge. I dont like the idea of trying to get a recurve xbow shooting 400fps. Thats why they make compounds. I say get both as they have their own awesomeness
I agree with you for the most part about speed on the modern crossbow.I just ordered the mag max last week for these reasons. First and foremost Excalibur customer service and how they stand behind there product and warranty. Second is I don’t have to wait on anybody to restring my bow or change the limbs if I have to do it quick. Modern day service has taught me well onservice on my previous crossbow. My previous crossbow is 410 fps with a 9 inch width 6 inch cocked. I really liked that crossbow till It had a mishap that shouldn’t of happened. I tried. Calling customer service and texting customer service andI I’m still trying to contact them with very minimal response from this company. 2 months and my bow is still sitting at home waiting for an RA label and response to ship it to their service department.😢
I bought an Excalibur, not for its technology, but for its practicality. Just being able to change strings in the field is huge. Not to mention, less moving parts to break
@musthavefaith That’s quite a statement. Can’t agree with you on that. It’s a statement that appears to be compensatory. Just like you there are many good hunters out there and it behooves us to respect differences. There are no shortcuts to a successful hunt. But I’m sure you already know that.
Well done. My wife took her first crossbow, killed deer🦌 this past year shooting around 410 feet per second, we watched the arrow with a mechanical broadhead pass through the deer at 40 yards and stick in the ground on the other side. The exit wound was huge. We were able to see the deer fall after running only a short distance. Crossbow perfection indeed.
Question: is there a way to change the string on an Excalibur Bulldog 440 without a press? What about the models producing 400 fps with 350 grain arrows?
They quit making the 440 but I think the string can be changed same way, and without a press. The 400 with a 350 like the RevX (I like that one for sure) is probably 380 to 390? with a 400, 360 to 370 with a 450? but those are guesses.
My old Bulldog Excalibur crossbow is still works like the day I got it. I change the string every couple years and a couple of the rubber silencers I will probably replace…but still pure poison that just works every time…
When I got my Barnett TS380, someone said "Now you can shoot a 380gn arrow" and I said na, I don't believe in shooting arrows below 400gn from any crossbow. I shoot 427gn arrows from my Wildcat CRX280 and it's plenty fast enough at 20-30yards.
I have a Barnett TS380 as well and it was a good price/value for the money. They seem to go forever and last too. I've read about people who have thousands of shots on one and it's still together with minimal maintenance and parts replacements.
@JohnDoeEagle1 awesome man. Two seasons ago I paid around $650 for my TS380 after taxes. I shot it about five times to get it sighted in and put it in the closet so I can keep it in new condition. I have six other crossbows and I want to keep my TS380 fresh. So, I don't use it. Barnett makes really good crossbows. I have four Barnetts. The XP400, XP380, WILDCAT CRX280, and of course the TS380.
Rich the brace height of your daughter's bow appears to be very very close to the REDDS...i know her limbs broke one time...i cant imagine her bow would have an improper brace height...i have mine set nearly a 1/2 inch on my old Matrix 380... HNY we made it to another year...i started following when you had that crazy intro 😅
Thank you..'i've a question, I usually de-cock my compound 185 lbs with my hand with big glove (a little hard for my back, but it's rare) I wonder if it's could be bad for the crossbow mechanism? Thanks
@Deathbybunjie thanks for your lightspeed response. Ok, I follow your advice, I will don't that anymore...thank you, sorry for my bad English and hello from Belgium (My X-Bow is an "guillotine M" from EK archery)
I enjoy your channel thank you very much for what you do I have a question I am getting into crossbow hunting trying to Find a budget-friendly crossbow That I can work on myself I live 2 hours from a big town Which crossbow would you recommend thank you and keep up the good work.
There’s a number of devout Excalibur owners out there that make up a unique group. They don’t need to defend their choice of crossbows, Excalibur has always put out impressive products. In this day and age in an apparent tech boom for crossbows, it makes one question how far Excalibur can go with living in a world of only recurve. Some hold tight to the idea that simplicity and avoiding cams is intrinsically superior. The issue with this is that times have changed! What was true 10-15 years ago is not the same today. Compound crossbows do not have the problems they used to and having a press makes them easily serviceable today. Personal preference matters. Everyone has the right to what they like. Let’s not confuse things by looking through the lense of a decade ago. Excalibur is a great company.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THE STING ON A CROSSBOW WHEN FIRED GOES FORWARD OF IT'S NATURAL RESTING UNFIRED) POSITION AND IF SO BY HOW MUCH??? MIGHT NEED SLOW MO TO SEE IT. THX
th-cam.com/video/rM6FmNJAU4Y/w-d-xo.htmlsi=92XAq6HwayfFc5TL That video shows a lot of slow motion examples but I did another one earlier than that That also showed some shots from above
Rich I have center point 390 digger and I got it the way I want it and it hit right on my buddy's keep telling me to get new one what do u think I should do
So your bungee shooting slower and that’s the bow you love and your ragging on the 350 mad max? I have a Excalibur equinox one of the older bows that shot 350. I use the arrows that was supplied in 100 grain spitfire, mechanical and never had a problem.
I'm still rocking a Matrix Sapphire - easy to rope cock (200# draw > 100# rope), medium matrix sized limbs that are not overstressed. I had a 308 Short which was super compact and a tad tougher to cock, but the Sapphire definitely fit me better with a slightly larger stock. The problem with Excalibur is they last forever lol
Of all your collection of crossbows that you hunt with, which is the best modern style (slim and trim) bow excluding Excalibur. I already have the Assassin 360 from 2018 and love it, however, with that said it is bulky and not the ideal saddle hunter's crossbow.
He seems to use that Killer Instinct SWAT X1 the most if you follow the channel for a long time. I have one also that I bought after watching him use his. It's now discontinued I think and may be harder to find a new one in the box these days.
@ that sounds good 👍🏻 didn’t consider that. that’s a problem with the excalibur I changed from a 360 to a 400 suppressor and the tension is insane u can hear the serving getting ripped apart. I do my own strings about 3€/$ each so no problem for me BUT advantage compound I would say
Simple, light, CHEAP, rope cocker compatible, and velocity that gives me adequate arrow trajectory to 30 yards if I aim center of the kill zone with a 20 yard reticle. Example: If my arrow drops 5 inches at 30 yards and I aim center with the 20 yard zero reticle, if the deer stands still and the arrow drops 5 inches, the arrow impacts at the bottom of the kill zone, it's dead. If the deer drops up to 10 inches before impact at 30 yards, the arrow will impact 5 inches high at the top of the kill zone, it is still dead. The last 4 deer I shot at all dropped about 4 inches before the arrow arrived. Shot distances were from 17 to 39 yards. Surprisingly, they all dropped about 4 inches before the arrow arrived regardless of the shot distance per slow motion video. It appears that at longer distances, the deer tend to take slightly longer to react to the sound of the shot, AND possibly are reacting to the sight of the approaching arrow. Some will scoff at the idea that deer can see the arrow coming at longer distances, but deer eyes do not see motion like human eyes. Their eyes see motion BETTER than human eyes. That is how they can run thru the forest at high speed and dodge limbs and brush, even in the dark. Their vision has been studied by biologists to confirm this and this is not just speculation. One biologist stated that in effect, a deer's vision is almost like they can see moving objects in slow motion based on the design of their retina. I just recently saw information on this, but I have suspected for a long time, that deer at longer distances where actually detecting the arrow in flight, instead of reacting to the arrow launch sound alone. Keep the interesting videos coming. Deer season ends this weekend here. May try to tag one more doe. Three deer down and one turkey so far this year. Been a good one.
@@Deathbybunjie I am content with the simplicity of a recurve crossbow and its limitations. Have seen a lot of comments on wheeled crossbows having premature cable wear. Friend had that issue on his WickedRidge. I like to shoot a lot and a crank is just extremely annoying to use. I experiment with a lot of different arrow shafts and broadhead setups as well. I absolutely agree to reduce the limitations of a slower recurve type crossbow, higher speed reduces the guess work. They shoot flatter and the arrow gets there quicker. Animals can be shot at farther distances and have less time to react before arrow impact. I don't like spending a lot of money on targets because I shoot so much. Another friend has the crossbow that shoots 450ish. I think his target was $150 bucks. Mine costs $25. Ha.
Wide cutting broadheads simply do more tissue damage. More tissue damage is more bleeding, quicker oxygen loss and thus, death comes quicker. Modern mechanical broadheads shine in modern crossbows.
Less maintenance and wear and tear that is for sure. There is a sweet spot in FPS on crossbows and when you exceed that speed they start self destructing when used. IMO you don't want a crossbow that shoots faster than 425 FPS and you don't want one that shoots slower than say 325 FPS.
Rich just loves the next new bling thing. I wonder if he knew that he was going to bash Excalibur before he considered what he was going to say in this video?? it sure seems like it.
@stevehess I don’t think you’re being fair. Rich started with an Excalibur and this is what brought him into crossbow hunting. Excalibur has contributed a great deal to crossbow hunting. But as good as they are, they are not the be all, end all that you wish they were. Especially in changing times and booming technology. There is technology out there that beats your crossbow going away! That doesn’t mean that your crossbow is irrelevant. The numbers tell the truth. Rich is not the type that would engage in spiteful bashing. If you can’t handle the facts, that’s unfortunate.
This is kind of a little disappointing. I am a brand new hunter and never owned a crossbow before, but took my first deer in December with a friends crossbow, a dead center heart shot! My budget was so extremely limited to buy my own, that even the cheaper crossbows at $280 were just too much. I scoured different retailers and sales for a month trying to find a good deal (I missed the Black Friday sales... 😒). Finally, Cabela's had their year-end clearance sale. I was looking through the crossbows within the first hour the sale started and saw one pop up for $40! I thought, "No way, surely that's a mistake, and they will cancel the order!" But I put it in my cart anyway and anxiously waited that week for word on cancelation or if the order was ready for pick up. Well, I am now the proud owner of an Excalibur Grz2 for $40, with a savings of $500! 🤯 Granted, this is an older crossbow, and it was a display model so it was the last one... but still, what a great deal! So into the disappointment. this isn't a very fast crossbow, and definitely not up to your standards, but i was told it will still kill a deer. My shooting range will be 30 yards max, but averaing 20 yards. Is there still a concern about the fps at that range? It runs a 200lb draw weight and a sad 305 fps arrow speed... I already have 400 grain arrows. Is there anything else that can be done to speed it up? Sorry for the monolog 😅 thanks!
No, you can't speed it up. I would say 25 yd max, but that's the way that I hunt and the way that I aim. Remember, this video is about looking at new stuff, and how it compares to other crossbows on the market today. It's not intended to look at older models compared to today if that makes any sense.
305 fps is fine to kill a deer at 30 yards. My Hoyt Rx7 compound bow will kill a deer just fine at 30-40 yards and only shoots 294fps with a 440 grain arrow (pretty fast for a compound bow). I picked up the excalibur RevX last season and love the speed, but don't think that 30 yards is too far if you're only at 305fps. 30 should be fine with good shot placement.
@Deathbybunjie that does make sense. Thank you very much for your reply! As for Excalibur sticking with their design, I wonder if there are people that just prefer the recurve crossbow due to its simplicity, with its single string and no cams. I know I appreciate it until i get into crossbows more seriously!
@@jwscheuermanthank you, i appreciate that information! I never knew compounds were on the lower end of fps, but they are definitely just as deadly per the videos i have seen. I can't use a compound bow with my jacked up wrist, just rope cocking this crossbow starts aggravating it. I get to use that as an excuse, because there are a lot of bow hunters that give flack to crossbow users saying 'crossbows are cheating and shouldn't be included in archery season.' 🥴
@@Biomess1 As someone who switched to crossbow hunting from compound bows, I definitely agree with the idea that the Excalibur is great for its simplicity and reliability. The last thing I want is to gear up for the season and then have an issue that requires my crossbow to be in a shop for days or weeks without a back-up. I'm considering getting a compound crossbow for next season (just for fun), but I'm more confident knowing that I always have my trusty Excalibur as a back-up if anything goes wrong. Totally disagree with the upright bow snobbery towards crossbow hunting. People just need to belong to a "tribe" I guess. Happy hunting! Hope you have great success with your new acquisition!
Ever since going to tenpoint seige 425 I'll never buy a slower bow.... my buddie bought the seige 425 im saving up i wanna buy a tenpoint nitro 505 or 515
Say what you will about Excalibur bows and not being speedy enough but the one thing I know is it is the ONLY brand I have seen that almost every bow will sale years later for almost retail price! That should tell you something about Excalibur’s following!
Like my excalibur crossbows...and stir up ..rested on blind.. keeps limbs away .. yet speed is an issue .. change a string out and you dont need a proshop.. yet everything u shoot..anythimg goes wrong proshop...im gonna stick to excalibur .. i enjoy them.
I would beg to differ... my compound shooting a heavier set up ... shoots 230- 250 fps! There is nothing about a crossbow that is archery... other than a broadhead! U have every advantage over a compound user. And I know it's my choice to use a compound, but with so many advantages, similar to a firearm advantage. Not as severe but still advantages .. other than health issues as a reason or not capable for whatever reason to draw a compound bow! You should have a separate season..... let archers be archers, and crossbows be crossbows! I would gladly step aside a few weeks a season for traditional users... and actually I would use one and perfect the craft to extend my season if needed be... gun hunters have a Certain "season". I just feel xbow should as well Cheers
I don't like the ceasefire technology makes decocking alot harder than prior models really turned me away from them unless you get the Rev models which are 500 more and you are required to use a crank
Yes,you are correct. But l am just too cheap to change. My crossbow is about 24 years old. Today's crossbows are like the 6 million dollar man 👨 faster stronger, we can rebuild it. 😊
@jeffhays I can honestly, say that I couldn’t care less about noise. Crossbow will never be quiet. It’s just not going to happen. In the meantime, using crossbow, I take deer far more regularly than I ever have. From that standpoint, I’m not too concerned about the amount of noise or wasting the money to try to quiet down crossbows.
@ I would not call it wasting money on the part of the company. It would be a huge selling point to trump competitors and I can say for a fact sound reduction is 100% on their research radar.
Excalibur!! Love them and in the middle of nowhere hunting.. I'll take my Micro 355 over anything on the market. Now, near a town hunting local MN woods.. I'll take my Tenpoint Venom X. The "1400 technology" is proven and from your 2010... has come a long way in speed, size, trigger, stock, ect.. as for speed, the deer can't tell anyways. 305.. agree it's to slow but anything 340 to 380 and above works for most people. I have ZERO interest in 500 fps.. no point except bragging rights
Heavy arrows do not penetrate further. That is a false myth. Use the same 2 arrows out of the same crossbow but use a 100 gn insert in one arrow and you will see they penetrate the same. One arrow is just slower
your off a little on guessing speed....i have a mag 340 shooting 402 grains with brass tip weights and 123 gr. sevrs.....it shoots 330 fps thru the caldwell chrony.....95 ft lbs..............>>>>>.58 momentum.........i get complete pass thru at 35 yards with the arrow landing 20 yards past the deer.....just sayin...THE RIXTER......over kill....you should pass that info along to your viewers
rich, give a few numbers out of my 340 mag, over my caldwell chrony, 350 gr bolt setup gets me 352 avg, 396 gr bolt setup gets me 343 avg. both are using the 16.5 quill bolts. the draw weight is advertised at 270 for my bow. i am 63 and only use a rope cocker, its a bit of a pain to cock in a climber stand but doable. i am getting higher than advertised speeds so i contacted excalibur thinking a my have 355 limbs, i was told that the speeds are an avg and just got lucky on mine, but my bow is less than 8 months old and dose have the hp limbs. my go to bow is a black widow recurve thats 52 pd at 27 inch draw, spits a 505 gr arrow at a whoppin 180 fps, i have taken critters as small as grey fox up to african eland with trad bows, but i would have to agree 100 percent speed is king. slower bows require you to set up differently and i have had to pass shots a crossbow would have been a slam dunk with. i have also made shots with the recurve that i could not have had with a compound or crossbow, deer just appear and seconds to shot, its all a matter of perspective and how you plan to hunt/shoot critters. but at the end of the day there is no other bow as efficent as a properly tuned crossbow set up. love the videos, keep making them. be safe
I want you to consider hearing yourself talk to yourself in 2010 when you started crossbow hunting with bungee. To the people starting crossbow hunting you are beginning to sound like an elitist. Go back to your roots man. I started watching you and listening to you, because of your openness and vulnerability regarding your being a novice. You seem to have lost touch with that.
Hey Rich just posting a reminder for the viewers if anyone is planning on purchasing an Excalibur with their ceasefire system. I own a micro 380 with this system. when you get your crossbow it will come with their rhino nocks, which is a flat nock with a groove around the side that interfaces with a button under the scope rail of the bow. that is how the ceasefire system works. if that button is not depressed by your arrow nock, it will not fire. Now we all like our lighted nocks here, and you DO NOT have to use those grooved rhino nocks. It will shoot standard flat nocks, lumenoks, ignitors, and the like. I don't know why they bothered with the rhino nocks when you can slap on your lumenoks and call it good.
Excalibur... the 1987 F150 with a straight 6 and 4 speed manual of the crossbow world. 😃 Solid, dependable, no bells and whistles but gets the job done... just slower. 😊👍
1987 F150 with a straight 6 an and a rusted out cherry bomb muffler. I hate wearing earplugs to shoot a crossbow!😂😂
@brianmiller1149 😂😂😂
And priced at 2025 king ranch prices...
@hunterdan
That’s pride, that’s heritage, that’s 1980’s technology and we’re going to charge you extra for it.
😂
I have been binge watching your videos for the past couple months and yesterday harvested my first deer ever with a crossbow.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and keep up the good work. Spring turkey season can't get here fast enough.
Well that's fantastic!!
You don’t buy a recurve for speed. You buy it for reliability and simplicity. Recurves will never disappear.
Thought the same
@ people are still using trad and primitive styles bows, not everyone likes compounds of any style also most archers are survivalists mentality, if SHTF should happen and things stop will this contraption still work? Can I make my own limbs will this scope work with the much lower speed ect ect ect and for this reason older tech will forever exist.
Rich ,
Great Video !
Spoken Like a Attorney!
In 2018 , I was in Lancaster Archery to get a crossbow and they had every manufacturered crossbows ! I told the salesman that Excalibur is 2000 year old Technology . And all these new high tech crossbows something will go wrong sooner then later !
He Just Laughed !
You shold have been at ATA show , this past weekend as a Sales Rep. for Excalibur !
Keep the Great Videos Coming !
Stay Safe & Healthy !
God Bless !
Thanks for what you do on this channel. Entertaining and funny.
Thank you Rich you are the authority on modern crossbows on the Internet. Thank you for posting.
The average speed of a compound bow is around 270 to 320 feet per second (fps), with most hunting setups falling within the 270-285 fps range. One would achieve similar with either the mag 340 or mag max. The simplicity of the Excalibur crossbows keeps me buying more of them.
@Scott
I totally get why you like them. But compound crossbows of today do not suffer the problems they did in the past and they a much more serviceable even on your trip since we now have a press.
@ I can’t argue with that. I was just pointing out the comparison in speeds.
Excalibur offers other models that aren't limited to vertical bow speeds though.
@@douglasborgaro6801people don’t want a press😅
Bulldog 400 with a 430grn arrow does 360fps
Excalibur has established a good reputation over time. My question is how far can you go into the future offering new products if all your doing is recurve? Yes, they have always made great crossbows. There a lot of great Excalibur crossbows that have been put out and we all know they have a very dedicated following. I get that and it’s not a surprise. There are many companies that are going to pass them by more and more every passing year.
An Excalibur is like a classic car.
Excalibur simpler, user servicable crossbows meets a market need. Where I live, the nearest pro shop is an hour and a half away. Furthermore, when you do go for service, it takes too long. The speed of 350 fps is more than enough for the style of hunting I do. I own a Matrix 355 and it does not fail when a 150 grain swhacker as part of a 500 grain arrow. My son has a Matrix bulldog 330 and has had equal success. In terms of performance the old Bunjie is equivalent of my Matthew's Conquest 3 and I took about 60 to 80 whitetail deer with that over 20 years. Modern compound xbows are high maintenance and require a proshop, they do have advantages but are not practical for me.
That kinda makes sense! But I will add this, I bought a press and it's not that hard. Actually kinda easy. I was surprised. But it's not for everyone, I get it.
@@Deathbybunjienot everyone wants to play around with a press. 😅
@Deathbybunjie Yes, agreed a bowpress could make the compound xbow user servicable but that thing takes up a fair amount of space. As you found out, its not as simple to change a string and cables as it is to put a string on the recurve technology. Furthermore, the wheels can get bent, bushings can wear out, strings and cables can stretch unevenly... In short, I think simpler is better. The added speed and range are not compelling enough for me to accept the complexity of compounds.
agree
@donfinley
The are a number of presses out there that are fairly compact. The compound crossbows of 10,12 or 15 years ago could encounter more problems. Especially the faster they were. Nowadays, it’s not the same. They are relatively easy. Major work, like perhaps triggers and such are dealt with by the factory. But that would be the same for Excalibur.
Love your videos and the info you share. Keep on keeping on!
My new mag 340 with stock bolt and 150 mechanical rage , I had 4 pass throughs and no deer went further than 50 yards and buckets of blood. My Phoenix Excalibur 305 never had passthrough killed plenty but broke lots bolts, still using same 4 passthrough bolts this past season. No limb problem, can manually cock it and for my $ and not shooting basically over 30/40 yards I think it's great. Keep pushing those speeds up and limbs will break.
That's a good example, however, of how speed matters. Moving up just that 40 or so feet per second. Good stuff.
Many love them, but I could never get excited about recurve boat anchor (shape) or reverse draw crossbows. On the other hand, I wish I had a dollar for every crossbow Excaliber has sold!
To me Excalibur crossbows offer 30-30 style performance at reasonable crossbow hunting ranges. Totally acceptable with great reliability and accuracy. The guy that wants the fastest snowmobile on the lake probably will never buy one but the guy that appreciates a tool that consistently gets the job done will love it. They’re great in my opinion. I’m not spending thousands on a crossbow. You don’t need to.
You can get modern speeds at walmart for 300 bucks though lol
@@Deathbybunjieyet you think nothing of raving on and on about $ 2000.00 + . Then there’s the bow press you tell everyone to buy 😅
Couldn’t agree more
@Ladtune
Excalibur makes a great crossbow and very good looking for what that’s worth. Still I’m worried about them into the future. As Rich pointed out, you can get performance from Walmart that matches or surpasses some or many of the crossbows they are putting out. How far into the future will the technology take them? Is there a ceiling?
Does the market get smaller for them? That would mean less money. I think the market is better with them in it. Shouldn’t they expand their products and technology to compete?
@@douglasborgaro6801 I get what your saying. I was a compound bow hunter since the early eighties. Due to shoulder issues I can’t consistently draw a bow anymore. When I wanted to get my feet wet with trying a crossbow I bought a couple of those inexpensive options and was disappointed. I was at a friends garage and he just bought a bunjie jr 355 when they came out and I was sold. When I was a compound guy back in the eighties and nineties was whenmanufacturers were going for more speed I experienced the issues pushing the speed envelope could cause. Cams would give out, limbs splinter and accuracy compromised. Granted they’ve come a long way since then but I learned speed isn’t always your friend. I’ll gladly sacrifice some speed for accuracy and equipment longevity. I just like the simple recurve design and minimal maintenance. I’m shooting a Micro 380 now and extremely happy. 360-400 fps has gotten the job done for me so far. Will the market diminish? You may be right, time will tell. I hope not but most of my hunting buddies don’t think like me and are on the Ravin bandwagon so you make a great point.
Man I’m glad ya getting some videos in. Wish ya had more hunting videos this last season but as you said “times are (and have) changing”. I missed have the season with knee surgery. Any way can’t wait to see your thoughts on KI and a certain discontinued series. 😂
RIP SWAT X1? LOL
@ 🤣🤣🤣 wait…😢. Lol
My micro 340 is really a 330 with a 400gr arrow. Taken 2 deer in the 2 yrs I've owned it.
Besides your videos being very informative, there are times when they are a hoot! Rich, you are a master when it comes to creative editing! lol
😆
This video brings up a bunch of thoughts on what I have found with the TenPoint Nitro 505. When it came out, I was focused on getting one no matter what!
It has not disappointed for me. It has stupid amounts of energy and speed. My 505 was speed checked at that factory doing 521 fps with a 400 grain arrow. With that in mind, it’s not a 505, it’s a 521!
I’ve chrono tested it at 520-522 fps with the 400 grain. With a 470 grain hunting arrow, it’s giving me 507 fps!
There are a lot of 505’s out there doing speeds just like that. My “505” beats the TRX 515 going away!
To date, I have taken numerous deer with it and I have had zero problems! I’m also happy to say that i have not lost a single arrow. So far my shots have been 20 yards, 21 yards, 35 yards, 8 yards, 6 yards, 8 yards, 15 yards and 12 yards. Not a single one of those deer lasted beyond 7 seconds after the hit! Not one.
I think the power and speed has contributed greatly.
I have no doubt that I could have an excited deer staring me down from 45-50 yards, stomping their foot and ready to launch away from the shot. It wouldn’t matter! I’ll blow through both those shoulders without a second thought.
The crossbow has been dependable and reliable. For me, the accuracy has been fantastic! You can achieve Robin Hood bullseye shots at further than you’d be willing to shoot a deer at.
When I check the Bunjie calculators, it shows me at an even 500 fps for a 500 grain arrow! I’ve never seen anything like it! I know that the issue is “to each his own.” But technology has grown to mind stretching limits.
It’s an amazing experience!
Not sorry!
What a crossbow!
I can’t believe it!
Rich you have kind of missed the point on why Excalibur owners are so loyal to the brand they have 400 fps bows if that is so important to you.
Smaller Denser, lighter cheaper , faster in not the only thing to judge a bow by but Excalibur's check many of these boxes, the most important thing to me is can I keep my bow up and running at all times from home under heavy use with no pro shop.
Recurves are so easy to work on and are way more forgiving of user error and if a problem does arrive Excalibur is famous for getting you what you need to fix the rare problem in a few days.
Blow up a "Modern "wonder cam bow and see if you are hunting in 3 days with it with an Excalibur you will be.
My First Excalibur was an Equinox 350 Fps rated I dry fired it at a 3D shoot the string came off after checking the limbs over I used my string changer to put the string back on and finished the shoot the bow was fine.
I did replace the string as an after thought when I got home but hunted with it for years after .
Your daughter's bow is ten years old and going strong and in ten more years it will still be going strong with an occasional string twist to keep brace height proper a five minute job and on occasion a new string also a five minute job at home.
Rich what is most important to you it not a universal criteria to all hunters , Speed is good but comes at a cost in price and gear reliability.
Archery has its roots in being an up close and very personnel way to participate in nature ware skills such as getting , being close to your game and having skills like judging yardage reading deer sign are something to have pride in.
To me shooting a deer with a a blazing fast bow over a bait pile with a range finding scope has no charm or a lot of skill involved.
I get more satisfaction without bait reading bedding areas, scrapes, rubs , travel lanes taking game at close range gets my blood going , so what works for one person may not be top priority for the next guy but as hunters we need to respect the other guys and be united to promote the old values.
My mag 340 has taken many deer a bear and several turkeys and I have never felt under bowed but I also keep shots under 40 yards and I am fine with that it is a trade off I like for the ease , dependability and peace of mind and the pleasure of maintaining my bow from home or field.
So the new Excalibur max 350 is meant for me not you and that's fine.
If the 340 is "enough," why make a 350?
@@Deathbybunjie I agree speed is a good thing but it always comes with a price , things tend to be more prone to failure, arrows can get picky and fly erratic. bow life can be reduced strings , cables mounting systems all can be impacted as speed and vibration go up on any bow , your example of the Burris scope not being well made enough for longevity on recurves case in point.
Also remember the bow you reviewed is a budget bow pay more get more but do you need more?
I doubt I will buy the Max 350 any time soon I just love the bottomland camo but not really enough to spend the money the Mag 340 is getting things done.
@geraldstrine7888 my SWATs are pretty cool though
Great performing bows.
@geerald
But what’s missing is that the compound crossbows of today are not the same as 5-10 years ago. They don’t have the problems they used to. In addition, they are easily serviceable today.
The power and speed just beats a slower crossbow. If you haven’t hunted with one, you have to try it. It’s undeniable!
The truth is what it is.speed is not the only thing, but it sure is a thing! A thing that makes a difference.
You can love your Excalibur because it is a great crossbow. There’s no need to justify that. But it’s understood that the recurve technology falls within certain limits and that doesn’t change.
Just for perspective, I’ve never had a single problem with any compound crossbow I’ve had.
With crossbow speeds there needs to be a standard established, much like the AMO standard that use with compound bows. Nearly all the crossbow companies are really using deceptive advertising with their advertised speeds. The arrow weights they are using to obtain the advertised speeds are really impractical and potentially hazardous to the crossbow over time
🎯👍 todays even budget priced crossbows 400ish FPS with around a 400 grain arrow, speed vs. deer reaction time, it matters, it matters a lot.
Rich, luv your channel! Great job on keeping us up to date! I recently got into watching the Ranch Fairy channel Ed Ashby interviews. Ashby has killed more big game animals than maybe anybody else and is the only one I know of that has scientifically studied arrow penetration based on arrow flight, speed, and weight. What literally surprised me the most was using a compound bow he proved above 70# NO improved penetration was noticed and actually became counter productive. He explained speed does not always equal penetration based on medium resistance. For instance the faster you go in a car with your hand out the window the more resistance is felt and the harder it is to hold your hand out. He also explained bone and muscle tissue are quite different than air. Also, it was found that past a 650 grain arrow with high FOC there was 100% bone breach in testing but under 650 it dropped to 50%. I know I’m not doing the interviews justice here but go watch em when you have time and let us know what you think?? Gotta say it really changed the way I think
I love that stuff! Big fan. Done lots of videos on heavier arrows. That's why I spend so much time talking about momentum! Weight is half of momentum, but speed is the other half. I like .7 slugs of momentum or more. That's what the 650 grains is seeking, really. There's lots of factors, and weight is a constant whereas speed slows with arrows, but speed...is...huge.
Rich, help me out here… my question is this if a 70# compound shooting a high foc 650 gr arrow is the sweet spot as Ashby claims, what would be the equivalent in shooting a 650 gr arrow in a Crossbow?…What FPS crossbow what would match up???😅
I have an Axiom. I loved it but it is loud. It’s a wall hanger now, as I prefer my recurves and longbows.
You make a good point, it was a heck of a crossbow and it's day. But that's 15 years ago. I really like some of the modern offerings. Nothing wrong with hunting with older stuff but when it's time to upgrade we should look toward the newer stuff and evaluate it appropriately.
@ have you looked at the Striker pistol crossbows. I see a few videos on them and thought those were kind of cool. Now sure about speeds and range on them though, but I’ve seen a few videos where hogs and deer were taken with them.
I have a 400fps bow. I use those rage xbow heads and 460 grain arrows so its coming in around 375 and is nasty on deer.
My mag 340is just perfect for the woods 320 fps at 400 grains. I use fixed heads with it as it shoots them perfect. I honestly perfer it to my wicked ridge.
I dont like the idea of trying to get a recurve xbow shooting 400fps. Thats why they make compounds.
I say get both as they have their own awesomeness
I agree with you for the most part about speed on the modern crossbow.I just ordered the mag max last week for these reasons. First and foremost Excalibur customer service and how they stand behind there product and warranty. Second is I don’t have to wait on anybody to restring my bow or change the limbs if I have to do it quick. Modern day service has taught me well onservice on my previous crossbow. My previous crossbow is 410 fps with a 9 inch width 6 inch cocked. I really liked that crossbow till It had a mishap that shouldn’t of happened. I tried. Calling customer service and texting customer service andI I’m still trying to contact them with very minimal response from this company. 2 months and my bow is still sitting at home waiting for an RA label and response to ship it to their service department.😢
Man that sucks, good luck!
Customer service is everything to me !!
@@Deathbybunjie Thanks
I bought an Excalibur, not for its technology, but for its practicality.
Just being able to change strings in the field is huge. Not to mention, less moving parts to break
I've never needed to change a string in the field 😆
@Deathbybunjie it could happen someday, and on a once in a lifetime hunt
Speed makes up for lack of time spent in the field, like doing your homework before the hunt.
@musthavefaith8142 lots of things COULD happen i suppose.
@musthavefaith
That’s quite a statement. Can’t agree with you on that. It’s a statement that appears to be compensatory. Just like you there are many good hunters out there and it behooves us to respect differences. There are no shortcuts to a successful hunt. But I’m sure you already know that.
Well done. My wife took her first crossbow, killed deer🦌 this past year shooting around 410 feet per second, we watched the arrow with a mechanical broadhead pass through the deer at 40 yards and stick in the ground on the other side. The exit wound was huge. We were able to see the deer fall after running only a short distance. Crossbow perfection indeed.
100% and congratulations
Thanks!
Question: is there a way to change the string on an Excalibur Bulldog 440 without a press? What about the models producing 400 fps with 350 grain arrows?
They quit making the 440 but I think the string can be changed same way, and without a press. The 400 with a 350 like the RevX (I like that one for sure) is probably 380 to 390? with a 400, 360 to 370 with a 450? but those are guesses.
My old Bulldog Excalibur crossbow is still works like the day I got it. I change the string every couple years and a couple of the rubber silencers I will probably replace…but still pure poison that just works every time…
To me it’s just personal preference. No right wrong good or bad. I enjoy my Swat and my slow Excaliburs for different reasons.
I was waiting for you to make this video 👍🏾
We have already sold two of the Mag Max, and both have reported back saying they love it so far.
When I got my Barnett TS380, someone said "Now you can shoot a 380gn arrow" and I said na, I don't believe in shooting arrows below 400gn from any crossbow. I shoot 427gn arrows from my Wildcat CRX280 and it's plenty fast enough at 20-30yards.
I have a Barnett TS380 as well and it was a good price/value for the money. They seem to go forever and last too. I've read about people who have thousands of shots on one and it's still together with minimal maintenance and parts replacements.
@JohnDoeEagle1 awesome man. Two seasons ago I paid around $650 for my TS380 after taxes. I shot it about five times to get it sighted in and put it in the closet so I can keep it in new condition. I have six other crossbows and I want to keep my TS380 fresh. So, I don't use it. Barnett makes really good crossbows. I have four Barnetts. The XP400, XP380, WILDCAT CRX280, and of course the TS380.
Rich the brace height of your daughter's bow appears to be very very close to the REDDS...i know her limbs broke one time...i cant imagine her bow would have an improper brace height...i have mine set nearly a 1/2 inch on my old Matrix 380...
HNY we made it to another year...i started following when you had that crazy intro 😅
I like to stay at least an eighth an inch, and it probably does need to be pulled back some before we use it again.
Thank you..'i've a question, I usually de-cock my compound 185 lbs with my hand with big glove (a little hard for my back, but it's rare) I wonder if it's could be bad for the crossbow mechanism? Thanks
It depends on the model but yes a lot of them do not like that, it can affect timing. I would reach out to the manufacturer on that one.
@Deathbybunjie thanks for your lightspeed response. Ok, I follow your advice, I will don't that anymore...thank you, sorry for my bad English and hello from Belgium
(My X-Bow is an "guillotine M" from EK archery)
I enjoy your channel thank you very much for what you do I have a question I am getting into crossbow hunting trying to Find a budget-friendly crossbow That I can work on myself I live 2 hours from a big town Which crossbow would you recommend thank you and keep up the good work.
Watch next video later this week for starters
talk about v trak knocks,how we get them? lighted?
Brand new we'll have to see!
There’s a number of devout Excalibur owners out there that make up a unique group. They don’t need to defend their choice of crossbows, Excalibur has always put out impressive products. In this day and age in an apparent tech boom for crossbows, it makes one question how far Excalibur can go with living in a world of only recurve. Some hold tight to the idea that simplicity and avoiding cams is intrinsically superior. The issue with this is that times have changed!
What was true 10-15 years ago is not the same today. Compound crossbows do not have the problems they used to and having a press makes them easily serviceable today.
Personal preference matters. Everyone has the right to what they like. Let’s not confuse things by looking through the lense of a decade ago.
Excalibur is a great company.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THE STING ON A CROSSBOW WHEN FIRED GOES FORWARD OF IT'S NATURAL RESTING UNFIRED) POSITION AND IF SO BY HOW MUCH??? MIGHT NEED SLOW MO TO SEE IT. THX
th-cam.com/video/rM6FmNJAU4Y/w-d-xo.htmlsi=92XAq6HwayfFc5TL
That video shows a lot of slow motion examples but I did another one earlier than that That also showed some shots from above
Rich I have center point 390 digger and I got it the way I want it and it hit right on my buddy's keep telling me to get new one what do u think I should do
If you're happy with that crossbow I definitely think it's a killer.
@Deathbybunjie thx u I watch u all the time u are great
So your bungee shooting slower and that’s the bow you love and your ragging on the 350 mad max? I have a Excalibur equinox one of the older bows that shot 350. I use the arrows that was supplied in 100 grain spitfire, mechanical and never had a problem.
I don't hunt with it anymore though...
I have the axe and love mine.
Rich, great video, thanks for sharing.
My favorite channel 👍🏻👍🏻
The rubber suppressor on the limbs can be easily switched more to the front of the limbs to get more speed
And then it does less good also
@@Deathbybunjie it’s about 1-3 fps
@EiNgAbEf2 take them off, it's even more.
@@Deathbybunjie no it’s only 1-2 decibel but it changes the sound from very sharp to more duller.
@EiNgAbEf2 heavier arrows same effect. Did lots of videos on that with decibel meters etc
I'm still rocking a Matrix Sapphire - easy to rope cock (200# draw > 100# rope), medium matrix sized limbs that are not overstressed. I had a 308 Short which was super compact and a tad tougher to cock, but the Sapphire definitely fit me better with a slightly larger stock. The problem with Excalibur is they last forever lol
Tell me about it, I have a 15 year old one LOL
Of all your collection of crossbows that you hunt with, which is the best modern style (slim and trim) bow excluding Excalibur. I already have the Assassin 360 from 2018 and love it, however, with that said it is bulky and not the ideal saddle hunter's crossbow.
He seems to use that Killer Instinct SWAT X1 the most if you follow the channel for a long time. I have one also that I bought after watching him use his. It's now discontinued I think and may be harder to find a new one in the box these days.
The SWAT X1 is my current go to. Is your Excal and Matrix limb, 20 ins wide?
Thanks Rich
Recurve technology is limited in speed.
But it’s ok for me, because you get so much advantages in form of easy maintenance.
I can see that but frankly I don't see my compound crossbows being in need of very much maintenance. I really don't.
@ if you only use them for hunting yes but if you shoot every day it eats the strings and cables
@EiNgAbEf2 i shoot quite a lot, the cams actually make it way better on strings given that it's at rest and only holding back 50% of the weight
@ that sounds good 👍🏻 didn’t consider that.
that’s a problem with the excalibur I changed from a 360 to a 400 suppressor and the tension is insane u can hear the serving getting ripped apart.
I do my own strings about 3€/$ each so no problem for me BUT advantage compound I would say
Simple, light, CHEAP, rope cocker compatible, and velocity that gives me adequate arrow trajectory to 30 yards if I aim center of the kill zone with a 20 yard reticle. Example: If my arrow drops 5 inches at 30 yards and I aim center with the 20 yard zero reticle, if the deer stands still and the arrow drops 5 inches, the arrow impacts at the bottom of the kill zone, it's dead. If the deer drops up to 10 inches before impact at 30 yards, the arrow will impact 5 inches high at the top of the kill zone, it is still dead. The last 4 deer I shot at all dropped about 4 inches before the arrow arrived. Shot distances were from 17 to 39 yards. Surprisingly, they all dropped about 4 inches before the arrow arrived regardless of the shot distance per slow motion video. It appears that at longer distances, the deer tend to take slightly longer to react to the sound of the shot, AND possibly are reacting to the sight of the approaching arrow. Some will scoff at the idea that deer can see the arrow coming at longer distances, but deer eyes do not see motion like human eyes. Their eyes see motion BETTER than human eyes. That is how they can run thru the forest at high speed and dodge limbs and brush, even in the dark. Their vision has been studied by biologists to confirm this and this is not just speculation. One biologist stated that in effect, a deer's vision is almost like they can see moving objects in slow motion based on the design of their retina. I just recently saw information on this, but I have suspected for a long time, that deer at longer distances where actually detecting the arrow in flight, instead of reacting to the arrow launch sound alone. Keep the interesting videos coming. Deer season ends this weekend here. May try to tag one more doe. Three deer down and one turkey so far this year. Been a good one.
I don't like playing games with aiming though, I realize not everybody agrees with me
@@Deathbybunjie I am content with the simplicity of a recurve crossbow and its limitations. Have seen a lot of comments on wheeled crossbows having premature cable wear. Friend had that issue on his WickedRidge. I like to shoot a lot and a crank is just extremely annoying to use. I experiment with a lot of different arrow shafts and broadhead setups as well. I absolutely agree to reduce the limitations of a slower recurve type crossbow, higher speed reduces the guess work. They shoot flatter and the arrow gets there quicker. Animals can be shot at farther distances and have less time to react before arrow impact. I don't like spending a lot of money on targets because I shoot so much. Another friend has the crossbow that shoots 450ish. I think his target was $150 bucks. Mine costs $25. Ha.
Wide cutting broadheads simply do more tissue damage. More tissue damage is more bleeding, quicker oxygen loss and thus, death comes quicker. Modern mechanical broadheads shine in modern crossbows.
Yep 💯 agree
I think sub 350 fps for a crossbow is definitely cave man speed. I think entry level people can buy 380-420 and feel confident that stuff won’t break
This is better than any Ravin.
Less maintenance and wear and tear that is for sure. There is a sweet spot in FPS on crossbows and when you exceed that speed they start self destructing when used. IMO you don't want a crossbow that shoots faster than 425 FPS and you don't want one that shoots slower than say 325 FPS.
Sounds like brand loyalty to me 😆
Rich just loves the next new bling thing. I wonder if he knew that he was going to bash Excalibur before he considered what he was going to say in this video?? it sure seems like it.
No intent to "bash"...just is what it is.
@stevehess
I don’t think you’re being fair. Rich started with an Excalibur and this is what brought him into crossbow hunting. Excalibur has contributed a great deal to crossbow hunting. But as good as they are, they are not the be all, end all that you wish they were. Especially in changing times and booming technology. There is technology out there that beats your crossbow going away! That doesn’t mean that your crossbow is irrelevant. The numbers tell the truth. Rich is not the type that would engage in spiteful bashing. If you can’t handle the facts, that’s unfortunate.
This is kind of a little disappointing. I am a brand new hunter and never owned a crossbow before, but took my first deer in December with a friends crossbow, a dead center heart shot!
My budget was so extremely limited to buy my own, that even the cheaper crossbows at $280 were just too much.
I scoured different retailers and sales for a month trying to find a good deal (I missed the Black Friday sales... 😒). Finally, Cabela's had their year-end clearance sale. I was looking through the crossbows within the first hour the sale started and saw one pop up for $40! I thought, "No way, surely that's a mistake, and they will cancel the order!" But I put it in my cart anyway and anxiously waited that week for word on cancelation or if the order was ready for pick up.
Well, I am now the proud owner of an Excalibur Grz2 for $40, with a savings of $500! 🤯
Granted, this is an older crossbow, and it was a display model so it was the last one... but still, what a great deal!
So into the disappointment. this isn't a very fast crossbow, and definitely not up to your standards, but i was told it will still kill a deer.
My shooting range will be 30 yards max, but averaing 20 yards.
Is there still a concern about the fps at that range?
It runs a 200lb draw weight and a sad 305 fps arrow speed...
I already have 400 grain arrows. Is there anything else that can be done to speed it up?
Sorry for the monolog 😅 thanks!
No, you can't speed it up. I would say 25 yd max, but that's the way that I hunt and the way that I aim. Remember, this video is about looking at new stuff, and how it compares to other crossbows on the market today. It's not intended to look at older models compared to today if that makes any sense.
305 fps is fine to kill a deer at 30 yards. My Hoyt Rx7 compound bow will kill a deer just fine at 30-40 yards and only shoots 294fps with a 440 grain arrow (pretty fast for a compound bow). I picked up the excalibur RevX last season and love the speed, but don't think that 30 yards is too far if you're only at 305fps. 30 should be fine with good shot placement.
@Deathbybunjie that does make sense. Thank you very much for your reply!
As for Excalibur sticking with their design, I wonder if there are people that just prefer the recurve crossbow due to its simplicity, with its single string and no cams. I know I appreciate it until i get into crossbows more seriously!
@@jwscheuermanthank you, i appreciate that information!
I never knew compounds were on the lower end of fps, but they are definitely just as deadly per the videos i have seen.
I can't use a compound bow with my jacked up wrist, just rope cocking this crossbow starts aggravating it. I get to use that as an excuse, because there are a lot of bow hunters that give flack to crossbow users saying 'crossbows are cheating and shouldn't be included in archery season.' 🥴
@@Biomess1 As someone who switched to crossbow hunting from compound bows, I definitely agree with the idea that the Excalibur is great for its simplicity and reliability. The last thing I want is to gear up for the season and then have an issue that requires my crossbow to be in a shop for days or weeks without a back-up. I'm considering getting a compound crossbow for next season (just for fun), but I'm more confident knowing that I always have my trusty Excalibur as a back-up if anything goes wrong.
Totally disagree with the upright bow snobbery towards crossbow hunting. People just need to belong to a "tribe" I guess.
Happy hunting! Hope you have great success with your new acquisition!
Excalibur needs to make a 450 fps monster of a bow. Would sell like hotcakes 🥞, but no, we get a twin strike, and more slow artifacts.
@AtTheHelm
I can’t find fascination with the Twin Strike.
Agreed
I am surprised we didn't get a 455 yet
why should it matter what type of nock you have on the bolt for the anti-dryfire to work? There would not be a bolt loaded on the crossbow.
Without the proper nock it won't fire is what I meant
Ever since going to tenpoint seige 425 I'll never buy a slower bow.... my buddie bought the seige 425 im saving up i wanna buy a tenpoint nitro 505 or 515
Say what you will about Excalibur bows and not being speedy enough but the one thing I know is it is the ONLY brand I have seen that almost every bow will sale years later for almost retail price! That should tell you something about Excalibur’s following!
A good point but begs the question why would anyone ever buy a new one if they aren't smaller, faster, lighter, cheaper, etc...
@
Simplicity and reliability and durability. More folks than not could not care any less about 400 plus feet per second. That’s the Excalibur crowd.
By the way, I have heard many great things about the Swat X1 trigger.
It would appear that we’ve entered into a crossbow tech boom starting 8-10 years ago. It’s still going.
Like my excalibur crossbows...and stir up ..rested on blind.. keeps limbs away .. yet speed is an issue .. change a string out and you dont need a proshop.. yet everything u shoot..anythimg goes wrong proshop...im gonna stick to excalibur .. i enjoy them.
I have a press now and haven't needed a pro shop but I get what you're saying. Will do some videos in that soon!
Some hunters need every single advantage to have even the slightest chance of a successful harvest. Glad there are crossbows for you folks lol
😆
Watching Death by bungee is why I purchased a Excalibur 340 TD. I liked the simplicity of Excalibur. Now you crap on the brand every chance you get.😂
I like the RevX, that counts for something! And the OB is without any peers! 😆
Somebody is a Nightmare On Elm Street fan from back in the day 1:04......Lol Oh. and I have a Micro MAG 340 too and love it by the way. 🙂👍
😆👍
You forgot one thing Rich, a crossbow that is paid for is better than one you can’t afford!
My next video shows a bunch of crossbows that are not all that expensive and clearly outperformed this one LOL
Ive never been big in Excalibur crossbows.
Ya got allot of company in that room....does it get noisy at dinner time???
😆
I would beg to differ... my compound shooting a heavier set up ... shoots 230- 250 fps! There is nothing about a crossbow that is archery... other than a broadhead! U have every advantage over a compound user. And I know it's my choice to use a compound, but with so many advantages, similar to a firearm advantage. Not as severe but still advantages .. other than health issues as a reason or not capable for whatever reason to draw a compound bow! You should have a separate season..... let archers be archers, and crossbows be crossbows! I would gladly step aside a few weeks a season for traditional users... and actually I would use one and perfect the craft to extend my season if needed be... gun hunters have a Certain "season". I just feel xbow should as well
Cheers
Yes, crossbows are better 👍
I don't like the ceasefire technology makes decocking alot harder than prior models really turned me away from them unless you get the Rev models which are 500 more and you are required to use a crank
How do you figure that Excalibur selling so many crossbows that they can't keep up with orders is the sign of a bad economy 😂
Labor shortages are not good
Yes,you are correct. But l am just too cheap to change. My crossbow is about 24 years old. Today's crossbows are like the 6 million dollar man 👨 faster stronger, we can rebuild it. 😊
24 years that's awesome!
As I’m still hunting with a 308 short.😂
I hunted with a "305 long" for over a decade. 😆 It can be done but try 400fps for a season or two.
@ I would but $ stops me. I got the 308 shot as a hand me down & I don’t have $ for something different.
Now that everyone has cracked the 400 fps egg, lets work on getting the noise down!
Correction Price first then sound.
@jeffhays
I can honestly, say that I couldn’t care less about noise. Crossbow will never be quiet. It’s just not going to happen.
In the meantime, using crossbow, I take deer far more regularly than I ever have.
From that standpoint, I’m not too concerned about the amount of noise or wasting the money to try to quiet down crossbows.
@@Hackmo72 Ya, well. 3 and 4 grand is too much for top tier bows, so I'll go along with that, price then sound.
@ I would not call it wasting money on the part of the company. It would be a huge selling point to trump competitors and I can say for a fact sound reduction is 100% on their research radar.
Yessir 💪
Excalibur!! Love them and in the middle of nowhere hunting.. I'll take my Micro 355 over anything on the market. Now, near a town hunting local MN woods.. I'll take my Tenpoint Venom X. The "1400 technology" is proven and from your 2010... has come a long way in speed, size, trigger, stock, ect.. as for speed, the deer can't tell anyways. 305.. agree it's to slow but anything 340 to 380 and above works for most people. I have ZERO interest in 500 fps.. no point except bragging rights
I'm not a fan of 4:50 and above yet either but the day will come I bet
All hail Bunjie
Dang Rich, finally got a first thumb up and comment
Woohoo!
Heavy arrows do not penetrate further. That is a false myth. Use the same 2 arrows out of the same crossbow but use a 100 gn insert in one arrow and you will see they penetrate the same. One arrow is just slower
You're talking about foam targets, not shoulder blades, I bet.
All Haail Bungie :))
your off a little on guessing speed....i have a mag 340 shooting 402 grains with brass tip weights and 123 gr. sevrs.....it shoots 330 fps thru the caldwell chrony.....95 ft lbs..............>>>>>.58 momentum.........i get complete pass thru at 35 yards with the arrow landing 20 yards past the deer.....just sayin...THE RIXTER......over kill....you should pass that info along to your viewers
That's good to hear BUT still lower numbers than what pretty much every modern crossbow offers. Video on this soon.
rich, give a few numbers out of my 340 mag, over my caldwell chrony, 350 gr bolt setup gets me 352 avg, 396 gr bolt setup gets me 343 avg. both are using the 16.5 quill bolts. the draw weight is advertised at 270 for my bow. i am 63 and only use a rope cocker, its a bit of a pain to cock in a climber stand but doable. i am getting higher than advertised speeds so i contacted excalibur thinking a my have 355 limbs, i was told that the speeds are an avg and just got lucky on mine, but my bow is less than 8 months old and dose have the hp limbs. my go to bow is a black widow recurve thats 52 pd at 27 inch draw, spits a 505 gr arrow at a whoppin 180 fps, i have taken critters as small as grey fox up to african eland with trad bows, but i would have to agree 100 percent speed is king. slower bows require you to set up differently and i have had to pass shots a crossbow would have been a slam dunk with. i have also made shots with the recurve that i could not have had with a compound or crossbow, deer just appear and seconds to shot, its all a matter of perspective and how you plan to hunt/shoot critters. but at the end of the day there is no other bow as efficent as a properly tuned crossbow set up. love the videos, keep making them. be safe
Sounds like you already have the mag max! Lol good deal
@@Deathbybunjie 340 micro on the grip. but i will take it.
Who even buys an excaliber
Well, I did LOL
I want you to consider hearing yourself talk to yourself in 2010 when you started crossbow hunting with bungee. To the people starting crossbow hunting you are beginning to sound like an elitist. Go back to your roots man. I started watching you and listening to you, because of your openness and vulnerability regarding your being a novice. You seem to have lost touch with that.
ps love you man
Well, it's been quite a while lol I appreciate it though
“Speed matters.”
Why can this be a controversial statement?
That’s not to say it’s everything, but it is a lot!
You are speed guy.. And you talk too much..
400 fps is not really "speed" in 2025 lol
bla bla bla bla ain't nobody gives a f**k about the old bows. why didn't you just talk about the new bow?
I did...