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Ill be joining the X Bow crowd this year


WNYBuckHunter
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So I acquired a crossbow today, Ill be picking it up next week. Its a new in the box Barnett Raptor. Not what I really wanted but it should be a decent one to get going with. 6 1/2 lbs, 330fps with 97ft/lb ke. It ought to do the trick. It has a 4x scope on it and a few bolts. Im looking forward to picking it up and seeing how it shoots.

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I too bought the Barnett Raptor last fall. Definitely not top of the line but is very functional and accurate. The scope that comes with it is not so great and I'll be upgrading it with a Nikon very soon. Came with the cocking device also, but I just use the rope, as it's quicker and quieter. All in all, it's a good crossbow for the money. Hope you enjoy yours as much as I have mine. Good luck using it this season!

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My son bought the same one last year,lots of fun to shoot your gonna have a blast...We have his set dead on at 50 yards and i sure we could even stretch that out a bit more.bolts are a pain to pull out of the block We use a bag type target with the block behind it....Good luck ..have fun...

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Thanks for the info guys. I figure if I dont like the scope, Ill get a new one for it. The price I got this for was unbeatable. I know it isnt high end, Ill just keep my shots within my personal comfort zone, probably 40 or so.

 

Nope Larry, I wasnt gonna get one this year either, it fell in my lap.

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You'll love a Xbow. Just don't get caught up in all the hype & bragging about 60-80yrd shots. Once you shoot one at 50+yrds you'll see why.

 

Last I knew, Hawke set the standard for Xbow scopes. Worth a look!?!

 

Oh yeah, you won't be sorry if you invest in a decent sling. Damned things are pretty cumbersome to carry around like a shotgun or rifle.

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Good call. I sold mine over this summer. Good tool, but it's not the end all be all for archery. Where I REALLY liked it was being able to use it when hunting from a blind or on the ground. The times I used it in the tree - I felt like a vertical bow was more fitting. Because my hunting is heavily weighted to stand hunting in bow season, it wasn't worth keeping around.

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Good call. I sold mine over this summer. Good tool, but it's not the end all be all for archery. Where I REALLY liked it was being able to use it when hunting from a blind or on the ground. The times I used it in the tree - I felt like a vertical bow was more fitting. Because my hunting is heavily weighted to stand hunting in bow season, it wasn't worth keeping around.

 

My choice had nothing to do with vertical vs crossbow. I want a crossbow at some point, I just dont want one that feels cheap and chinsey. I tried the low end route when I got into vertical bows, and it cost me a bunch of unnecessary money and frustration. I wont do that again. Ill just pony up for a Ten Point or Scorpyd at some point.

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I too learned the hard way! Bought a mediocre Excalibur several years ago when I dreamed of an Ohio Xbow hunt. Wasn't happy with its' feel "out of the box"! Scope was crappy! String broke after 7-8 shots, launching a bolt who knows where! Fortunately I got it from Cabelas & was able to get my $$ back. Other than the reminder of how much I spent on my 10pt every time I see it, it's been a good investment.

 

IMHO, wouldn't suggest a Xbow to any vertical bow enthusiasts that isn't struggling with vision, draw wgt or hold time issues. That is, not until NYS cleans up the legislation regarding the current Xbow FUBAR.

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My son bought the same one last year,lots of fun to shoot your gonna have a blast...We have his set dead on at 50 yards and i sure we could even stretch that out a bit more.bolts are a pain to pull out of the block We use a bag type target with the block behind it....Good luck ..have fun...

 

take some of the rail lube and rub it on the bolts .. makes for easy pull out , you just have to repete every

5 to 10 shots ...

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I too learned the hard way! Bought a mediocre Excalibur several years ago when I dreamed of an Ohio Xbow hunt. Wasn't happy with its' feel "out of the box"! Scope was crappy! String broke after 7-8 shots, launching a bolt who knows where! Fortunately I got it from Cabelas & was able to get my $$ back. Other than the reminder of how much I spent on my 10pt every time I see it, it's been a good investment.

IMHO, wouldn't suggest a Xbow to any vertical bow enthusiasts that isn't struggling with vision, draw wgt or hold time issues. That is, not until NYS cleans up the legislation regarding the current Xbow FUBAR.

a mediocre Excalibur, really? String broke after 8 shots?
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Sure other Excalibur crossbow owners have had much better luck than I did, so my review or comment could be tainted. Shooting a Xbow was new to me, so I was super diligent to the point of being OCD about following mfger's instructions for assembly & proper use. Yes, was still sighting in the scope when string broke & launched a bolt through the trees. Afterwards, inspected Xbow for any obvious problem or issue I might have caused, nothing. Possibly a rare "straight from the factory" defect, but that experience did sour me on that brand of Xbow.

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I've had a Excal Vortex since 2010 and no issues at all. Probably could still be on my first string but since it was 4 years I decided to swap it out last year. Changing the string took me under 3 minutes. My Dad has the Ibex, and he frayed a string once but it was his fault since he got it caught in some thorns

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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