I really want a new crossbow....but.....

[ApexerER]

I would really like a new "good" crossbow. Is it necessary? No, so it isn't like I have to buy one. I currently have a Barnett Gamecrusher with a Nikon scope. It has killed a couple deer but I really dislike it. I bought it because it was cheap and I didn't want to spend a lot of money for a two week season which for me meant hunting twice. (usually just Sundays) Well with my daughter still laid up from her ankle surgery I didn't have to worry about soccer this season and I have also used some vacation time the week before the gun opener the last two seasons and I plan on doing that again next year. 

I feel like all I have done since crossbow season has ended is read about crossbows and I still have no idea what direction I should go in...I have spoken to two different Encon officers including one that hunts on our lease with us that they aren't bothering people with crossbows that are narrower than the min width. That doesn't mean that I wouldn't run into one that wouldn't give me a ticket for it. 

I also can't decide what my budget should be on a crossbow. It seams crazy to me that you can spend so much more money on a crossbow than what I spent on my Browning BAR with optics. I am fortunate that I can afford an expensive crossbow if I so choose but that doesn't mean I have money to throw away on a crossbow that is more than I need. 

Scorpyd crossbows really intrigue me. I like the idea of the reverse draw being more balanced, I haven't ready anything bad about them and they are wide enough that they are NY legal. 

Tenpoint crossbows are also very highly regarded in all the reviews I have read. Any of the Tenpoint models that I would consider are significantly narrower than the NY min but if we didn't have the NY minimum this is probably the direction I would go. 

Ravin crossbows seem nice but again, they are way too narrow and from everything I have read if you don't use Ravin bolts and accessories it voids any warranty. I don't like that....

Wicked Ridge RDX 400 is the bow I am really thinking about although it is a half inch narrow of the mind width limb to limb. I emailed Tenpoint to get the width since all the specs are axle to axle. All the reviews on this crossbow seem great and it seems like a bow I would be happy with for some time at a price point that won't make me cry to purchase one. 

CenterPoint, everyone seems very happy with their centerpoint crossbows and I am not sure how you can beat the price and there are several models to choose from. It seems like centerpoint would be a no brainer if this is a bow I would be happy with long term but I am just not sure about that. 

I also don't want to buy something then have the laws change eliminating the min width and have that making me wish I purchased something different. I keep telling myself to hold off and use the Barnett and see what the laws do but I am hunting with an implement I dislike for the best part of the season. 

Anyone have a NY legal crossbow that they absolutely love and will have no desire to change if the laws change?

[moog5050]

Who am I to discourage someone from spending money on unnecessary items for hunting.  lol

I spent $165 on my crossbow with bolts.  It killed two deer.  If I don't want to hunt trad, I actually find a compound way easier to lug around and move around in the stand.  But crossbow is nice in a blind.  If I were to upgrade my xbow (I won't) I would want something a bit faster that had a cocking mechanism and the ability to decock without shooting a bolt.  Otherwise, they all seem pretty similar.  Good luck on your search.

Edited December 6, 2019 by moog5050

[Four Season Whitetail's]

I would really like a new "good" crossbow. Is it necessary? No, so it isn't like I have to buy one. I currently have a Barnett Gamecrusher with a Nikon scope. It has killed a couple deer but I really dislike it. I bought it because it was cheap and I didn't want to spend a lot of money for a two week season which for me meant hunting twice. (usually just Sundays) Well with my daughter still laid up from her ankle surgery I didn't have to worry about soccer this season and I have also used some vacation time the week before the gun opener the last two seasons and I plan on doing that again next year. 
I feel like all I have done since crossbow season has ended is read about crossbows and I still have no idea what direction I should go in...I have spoken to two different Encon officers including one that hunts on our lease with us that they aren't bothering people with crossbows that are narrower than the min width. That doesn't mean that I wouldn't run into one that wouldn't give me a ticket for it. 
I also can't decide what my budget should be on a crossbow. It seams crazy to me that you can spend so much more money on a crossbow than what I spent on my Browning BAR with optics. I am fortunate that I can afford an expensive crossbow if I so choose but that doesn't mean I have money to throw away on a crossbow that is more than I need. 
Scorpyd crossbows really intrigue me. I like the idea of the reverse draw being more balanced, I haven't ready anything bad about them and they are wide enough that they are NY legal. 
Tenpoint crossbows are also very highly regarded in all the reviews I have read. Any of the Tenpoint models that I would consider are significantly narrower than the NY min but if we didn't have the NY minimum this is probably the direction I would go. 
Ravin crossbows seem nice but again, they are way too narrow and from everything I have read if you don't use Ravin bolts and accessories it voids any warranty. I don't like that....
Wicked Ridge RDX 400 is the bow I am really thinking about although it is a half inch narrow of the mind width limb to limb. I emailed Tenpoint to get the width since all the specs are axle to axle. All the reviews on this crossbow seem great and it seems like a bow I would be happy with for some time at a price point that won't make me cry to purchase one. 
CenterPoint, everyone seems very happy with their centerpoint crossbows and I am not sure how you can beat the price and there are several models to choose from. It seems like centerpoint would be a no brainer if this is a bow I would be happy with long term but I am just not sure about that. 
I also don't want to buy something then have the laws change eliminating the min width and have that making me wish I purchased something different. I keep telling myself to hold off and use the Barnett and see what the laws do but I am hunting with an implement I dislike for the best part of the season. 
Anyone have a NY legal crossbow that they absolutely love and will have no desire to change if the laws change?

I will be doing the same. Sold my Wicked Ridge after the season to a Buddy and now am watching the market. They will make Xbow full inclusion soon I believe so it can be used all season and that would help the xtra cash it will cost. Truth is the best part of the season is the two weeks we have now with the bigger bucks being the most active. Scorypd is a beast at 480fps possible and crazy 100yd shots. That would be all a Hunter would ever need for sure.


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[moog5050]

5 minutes ago, Four Season Whitetail's said:

I will be doing the same. Sold my Wicked Ridge after the season to a Buddy and now am watching the market. They will make Xbow full inclusion soon I believe so it can be used all season and that would help the xtra cash it will cost. Truth is the best part of the season is the two weeks we have now with the bigger bucks being the most active. Scorypd is a beast at 480fps possible and crazy 100yd shots. That would be all a Hunter would ever need for sure.


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That thing is wicked.  If it comes near that speed, you probably have the same aiming point from 0-50yds.  Interesting xbow.

[BizCT]

I like Excalibur recurves. You can change strings yourself. Mine (Vortex) is old from 2010, but deadly. I bet the new ones are insane


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[ApexerER]

1 hour ago, moog5050 said:

Who am I to discourage someone from spending money on unnecessary items for hunting.  lol

I spent $165 on my crossbow with bolts.  It killed two deer.  If I don't want to hunt trad, I actually find a compound way easier to lug around and move around in the stand.  But crossbow is nice in a blind.  If I were to upgrade my xbow (I won't) I would want something a bit faster that had a cocking mechanism and the ability to decock without shooting a bolt.  Otherwise, they all seem pretty similar.  Good luck on your search.

Thanks, I don't mind toting the crossbow, just throw it over my shoulder with a sling like  a rifle and haul it up. It isn't any big deal in the stand either. I just rest it on the shooting rail. I like hunting with it better than my compound. I am not comfortable in a treestand without the shooting rail down (and we have camo burlap wrap around all out stands) and I always feel like the rail is in the way when I am trying to get a shot with my compound. I know there are some that are against crossbows but if it ever gets full inclusion I would probably never hunt with my compound again. 

[Hock3y24]

If crossbow becomes legal for the whole season, I’m going to buy a “nicer one” with a decocking option. My correct one kills deer just fine but if I’d use it more I’d like more options. 

[ApexerER]

1 hour ago, Four Season Whitetail's said:

I will be doing the same. Sold my Wicked Ridge after the season to a Buddy and now am watching the market. They will make Xbow full inclusion soon I believe so it can be used all season and that would help the xtra cash it will cost. Truth is the best part of the season is the two weeks we have now with the bigger bucks being the most active. Scorypd is a beast at 480fps possible and crazy 100yd shots. That would be all a Hunter would ever need for sure.


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There are a lot of things I like reading about the Scorpyd. I have never handled one which I would like too. I really like that you can buy it as a bare bow and from everything I have read the quality is second to none and it is hard to ignore that speed. Bare bow costs more than my BAR with optics which I am having a hard time swallowing. But it does sound like something I would be happy with for a very long time.

[ApexerER]

57 minutes ago, Biz-R-OWorld said:

I like Excalibur recurves. You can change strings yourself. Mine (Vortex) is old from 2010, but deadly. I bet the new ones are insane


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You can change strings and cables on any bow....There are lots of videos on how to do it without a press. I have shot and handled a few of the excalibers and didn't care for them. I can't remember what models....I know they are a very well built bow...

[Four Season Whitetail's]

There are a lot of things I like reading about the Scorpyd. I have never handled one which I would like too. I really like that you can buy it as a bare bow and from everything I have read the quality is second to none and it is hard to ignore that speed. Bare bow costs more than my BAR with optics which I am having a hard time swallowing. But it does sound like something I would be happy with for a very long time.

Shoot one at 60 yards without even remotely seeing the bolt and as quiet as it gets and you will be sold. Beast Mode at its finest.


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[ApexerER]

2 minutes ago, Hock3y24 said:

If crossbow becomes legal for the whole season, I’m going to buy a “nicer one” with a decocking option. My correct one kills deer just fine but if I’d use it more I’d like more options. 

Ive been telling myself the same thing....Just wait, but the way NYS is I am thinking we will hear about it every year and then it will just never happen. I don't feel like my Rifle is a POS and I don't feel like my compound is a POS but when I hunt with my cheapo crossbow, even though it has killed deer and I am sure will keep killing deer, I feel like I am hunting with a POS. Especially when I handle my hunting buddies that have much nicer ones.....A lot of my buddies have the older tenpoint turbo XLT. It is very nice but now that model is much more narrow.

[Bolt action]

I have a carbon express xbow. It's not top of the line, but it gets the job done. I think there are two things to consider here.. how much do you dislike your current model, and how much would you pay to not have to deal with these pain points? And also keep in mind that there is always the aftermarket where your can sell the unit and recoup some of your money.

[dbHunterNY]

crossbows can get really heavy. there's some nice ones out that aren't NYS legal. the new Ravin R26 is really nice with the bull pup design. i've been waiting for a while now to buy a nice crossbow. hate to buy a lesser one and then have restrictions lifted. you wouldn't be able to give it away.

[ApexerER]

36 minutes ago, Bolt action said:

I have a carbon express xbow. It's not top of the line, but it gets the job done. I think there are two things to consider here.. how much do you dislike your current model, and how much would you pay to not have to deal with these pain points? And also keep in mind that there is always the aftermarket where your can sell the unit and recoup some of your money.

I believe my crossbow was $249 when I got it whenever crossbows became legal. 4 or 5 seasons ago. I can't imagine it is worth much to anybody. My plan was to give it to one of my hunting buddies kids when I upgrade....

[ApexerER]

33 minutes ago, dbHunterNY said:

crossbows can get really heavy. there's some nice ones out that aren't NYS legal. the new Ravin R26 is really nice with the bull pup design. i've been waiting for a while now to buy a nice crossbow. hate to buy a lesser one and then have restrictions lifted. you wouldn't be able to give it away.

That's why I am intrigued by the Scorpyd. It is NYS Legal, It isn't a lesser bow, and I can buy it as a bare bow using my Nikon scope until I decide I want something better. I really like the bare bow idea, instead of paying for a junk scope, quiver bolts etc that I would just take off and have sit in the garage forever...

[Hunter007]

2 hours ago, Biz-R-OWorld said:

I like Excalibur recurves. You can change strings yourself. Mine (Vortex) is old from 2010, but deadly. I bet the new ones are insane


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Yep I'm hoping they relax some of the rules  the one I want Is not legal here which sucks .

[JRod 8G8H]

Check out Excaliber if your budget is semi-high.

I have the centerpoint sniper 370. After 3 seasons of use I'm not too happy with the way the strings and cables look currently... Otherwise pretty happy with the way it shoots... Shoots just as well as my friend's ten point.

[ny hunter]

There is a guy selling the camx cross bow in the classifieds......I bought one and I am very happy with it so far..

[Skillet]

I have an Excalibur Matrix 310. NY legal. I love it.

[wolc123]

For a two week season, I am just fine with my $ 250 Barnett Recruit (5 for 5 on deer - all bucks, but 0 for 1 on grouse).  I don't expect that I will ever upgrade, because I don't expect NY state will ever change the rules and allow full inclusion.  No matter though, because we have the best two weeks of archery season and my cheapo gets the job done just fine every time.  My crossbow deer take in six of those two-week seasons has almost caught up with my vertical bow take in thirty month(s) long archery seasons with my vertical bow.  I have just about the cheapest crossbow of anyone I know (except MOOG).  It almost seems to me that the more folks spend on their crossbows, the less success they have had with them.  If a miracle does occur, and NY passes full inclusion, I will probably upgrade just a tad to one of them Centerpoint models.   That would be more to give me a "spare" than an upgrade.     

[nyslowhand]

7 hours ago, ApexerER said:

Tenpoint crossbows are also very highly regarded in all the reviews I have read. Any of the Tenpoint models that I would consider are significantly narrower than the NY min but if we didn't have the NY minimum this is probably the direction I would go. 

Ravin crossbows seem nice but again, they are way too narrow and from everything I have read if you don't use Ravin bolts and accessories it voids any warranty. I don't like that....

Wicked Ridge RDX 400 is the bow I am really thinking about although it is a half inch narrow of the mind width limb to limb. I emailed Tenpoint to get the width since all the specs are axle to axle. All the reviews on this crossbow seem great and it seems like a bow I would be happy with for some time at a price point that won't make me cry to purchase one. 

Yeah, don't get confused with a Xbow mfger's axle-axle width and the NYS overall width of limb-limb. My 10pt Turbo falls below min width if only looking at mfger's A-A spec. With a tape measure, it adheres to NYS' min limb-limb width by adding 1.5" to A-A width. Dumb-a$$ regulation!!!!

Fer sure, the cost of Xbows and compound bows is crazy. I spent more on my 10Pt Xbow than I did for a Savage rifle x2.

Edited December 7, 2019 by nyslowhand

[Four Season Whitetail's]

This came up on Facebook page today. It's still getting worked on.


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[greensider]

Every time I try to send a letter to something like this it won’t go through but it looks great to me especially since I just turned 55

[nyslowhand]

Looks like exact same bill that was introduced last year that went nowhere. NYS legislators simply will not get involved in this legislation. Gets put in a closet (sub-committee) and hopefully forgotten about. KISS - remove all line items in this bill except "Authorize DEC to adopt regulations...using a Xbow..." At least to me this is a no-brainer!

[Cory]

Excalibur is the only choice imo. Can’t beat the durability, accuracy, weight and being able to change your string if need in the field.