Crossbow

[diplomat019]

Been itching for a crossbow.  I came across this.  Its on sale.  Anybody have first hand knowledge of it?   

 

 

https://www.cabelas.com/product/PARKER-HAMMER-MR-PACKAGE/2780203.uts?productVariantId=5761585&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=05100169&rid=20&gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1246591&ds_rl=1247873&ds_rl=1247876&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIz8aam5Da6AIVjYnICh3BmA9uEAQYBSABEgIVpvD_BwE

 

[grampy]

I don't have experience with this particular entry level crossbow. But I do have two different entry level crossbows. Both have killed deer, and are great fun to shoot. The one thing I can pass along to you, is that the scopes that come with these budget packages, are mostly not good. But, if you upgrade the scope, the low dollar crossbow can become So Much Better! Good luck, and have fun with your new crossbow.

[Will_C]

Parker's are great crossbows-unfortunately they went out of business 1 1/2 years ago. I, and many others, have crossbows that are orphans. If you aren't worries about parts, etc. and have a good crossbow shop to help with repairs, I'd pass.

[BizCT]

I only have experience with Excalibur crossbows. They are recurves with no cams. I change the string every few years myself in 5min. Mine is from 2011.
The new xbow (any brand) shoot so fast now it’s crazy


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[diplomat019]

Great info 

 

will c.  Thanks for that info.  I will for sure pass on this. 

 

 

 

[Robhuntandfish]

I have a parker thunderhawk and i love it.   Killed my best deer ever with it. One of my hunting buddies has one too, but yeah they are out of business if you want parts.  Which hopefully i wont need and have used it for three seasons now without issue.  I did order a bunch of their arrows cause they went out of business so i had enough of them to last a few years.  They also use a capture nock which is a little less common but i really like them. 

 

Edited April 9, 2020 by Robhuntandfish

[bugsNbows]

Although I don't dislike Parker equipment, no way in he!! I'd buy any now. Too many other great choices out there.

[Billdogge]

Lot of great crossbows on the market right now for the $. Look at the Killer Instincts and some of the Centerpoints.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

1 hour ago, Billdogge said:

Lot of great crossbows on the market right now for the $. Look at the Killer Instincts and some of the Centerpoints.

I've got a Killer Instinct 370 and love it. 

[GreeneHunter]

My first crossbow …. was $ 260 !

[suburbanfarmer]

Get the KI or CP370sniper. Cant be beat for price or quality

https://www.walmart.com/ip/CenterPoint-Sniper-AXCS185CK-370-Crossbow-Package-Camouflage/47877669

[518BowSlayer]

On ‎4‎/‎13‎/‎2020 at 6:33 PM, suburbanfarmer said:

Get the KI or CP370sniper. Cant be beat for price or quality

https://www.walmart.com/ip/CenterPoint-Sniper-AXCS185CK-370-Crossbow-Package-Camouflage/47877669

I have the centerpoint specialist. its the same crossbow as the sniper but comes with an adjustable cheek piece and the quiver runs parallel to the rail which is nice. haven't killed anything with it yet but I love it. just have to get better bolts because the ones it comes with aren't great. deadly accurate. I think it was only like $20-$30 more than the sniper. well worth the couple extra bucks

[bugsNbows]

For the very best arrows, call Jerry at Tapp Nation. He will build exactly what you need. Great guy too!

[suburbanfarmer]

The beauty with the Sniper model is you can decock it at the end of the hunt without shooting it.

[bugsNbows]

There are several bows (currently available) that can be de-cocked without shooting.

[518BowSlayer]

6 hours ago, suburbanfarmer said:

The beauty with the Sniper model is you can decock it at the end of the hunt without shooting it.

how??

[wolc123]

8 hours ago, suburbanfarmer said:

The beauty with the Sniper model is you can decock it at the end of the hunt without shooting it.

I don't mind the fact that I have to shoot my Barnett Recruit to unload it.   That forces me to practice, throughout the 2-week season, which gives me more confidence in making that shot on a "live" target, when and if it appears.    I specifically remember that when I think of this 2-1/2 year old buck that I killed in the early afternoon in 2016.  He showed up about (3) hours after I had taken an "unloading" shot at my rag-bag target (and center-punched the bulls-eye) following my morning hunt.   He was almost at the exact same range.    Even though that shot was at relatively close range (about 15 yards), the angle was not optimum (slightly quartering to), which required precise bolt placement.   That bolt hit the right spot (just behind the shoulder blade).   Confidence helps a ton with making the shots on live targets.  In-season practice is the best way to maintain it.   Humans are lazy by nature, and being "forced" to do that in-season practice is not a bad thing.   Giving people the option of skipping it is just setting them up for failure. 

     

Edited April 15, 2020 by wolc123

[suburbanfarmer]

2 hours ago, 518BowSlayer said:

how??

 

[suburbanfarmer]

51 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

I don't mind the fact that I have to shoot my Barnett Recruit to unload it.   That forces me to practice, throughout the 2-week season, which gives me more confidence in making that shot on a "live" target, when and if it appears.    I specifically remember that when I think of this 2-1/2 year old buck that I killed in the early afternoon in 2016.  He showed up about (3) hours after I had taken an "unloading" shot at my rag-bag target (and center-punched the bulls-eye) following my morning hunt.   He was almost at the exact same range.    Even though that shot was at relatively close range (about 15 yards), the angle was not optimum (slightly quartering to), which required precise bolt placement.   That bolt hit the right spot (just behind the shoulder blade).   Confidence helps a ton with making the shots on live targets.  In-season practice is the best way to maintain it.   Humans are lazy by nature, and being "forced" to do that in-season practice is not a bad thing.   Giving people the option of skipping it is just setting them up for failure. 

     

Nothing beats practice but why have added wear n tear on limbs and strings. My reason to decock is to silently get out of the hunting area without alerting deer in the vicinity.

[wolc123]

2 hours ago, suburbanfarmer said:

Nothing beats practice but why have added wear n tear on limbs and strings. My reason to decock is to silently get out of the hunting area without alerting deer in the vicinity.

I take the bolt off the rail, when I leave my spot, and then put it back on when I get back up to the house.  Then I shoot it into my rag-bag.   If it is dark by then, as it often is on afternoon hunts, then I do under a floodlight.  That way no deer are alerted in the hunting area.  The only way to totally eliminate wear and tear on the limbs and strings is to not practice at all.  

So far, I have been able to compensate for the wear and tear on my 2014 Barnett Recruit, by adjusting the vertical on the sight.  I hope to squeeze another season out of the original string this year, by switching from 125 to 100 grain broadheads, but it will probably needs a string replacement prior to the 2021deer season.

 I average about (25) shots a year on it, including unloading and initial sight in each year.   It has not needed any adjustment throughout the seasons after the initial sight in, but the last two years I had to make a significant vertical adjustment on the initial sight-ins.   The string is definitely starting to stretch a bit.  It was good for a 59 yard shot the first year, but I will keep them under 30 yards this year (even with the lighter broadheads).  It is not shooting nearly as flat as it did the first few seasons.   My laser range-finder helps out with that situation.   

I have shot at (5) deer with it since 2014, killing them all.  I will definitely have gotten my $250 purchase price out of it, if I can take a 6th one this year.  If it costs less than $ 50 to have it restrung, I may try and get another (7) years out of it.   If it costs more than that, I will buy another new "entry level" model.  I will keep my 2014 Recruit around as a spare with it's stretched out string.              

[Jeremy K]

49 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

I take the bolt off the rail, when I leave my spot, and then put it back on when I get back up to the house.  Then I shoot it into my rag-bag.   If it is dark by then, as it often is on afternoon hunts, then I do under a floodlight.  That way no deer are alerted in the hunting area.  The only way to totally eliminate wear and tear on the limbs and strings is to not practice at all.  

So far, I have been able to compensate for the wear and tear on my 2014 Barnett Recruit, by adjusting the vertical on the sight.  I hope to squeeze another season out of the original string this year, by switching from 125 to 100 grain broadheads, but it will probably needs a string replacement prior to the 2021deer season.

 I average about (25) shots a year on it, including unloading and initial sight in each year.   It has not needed any adjustment throughout the seasons after the initial sight in, but the last two years I had to make a significant vertical adjustment on the initial sight-ins.   The string is definitely starting to stretch a bit.  It was good for a 59 yard shot the first year, but I will keep them under 30 yards this year (even with the lighter broadheads).  It is not shooting nearly as flat as it did the first few seasons.   My laser range-finder helps out with that situation.   

I have shot at (5) deer with it since 2014, killing them all.  I will definitely have gotten my $250 purchase price out of it, if I can take a 6th one this year.  If it costs less than $ 50 to have it restrung, I may try and get another (7) years out of it.   If it costs more than that, I will buy another new "entry level" model.  I will keep my 2014 Recruit around as a spare with it's stretched out string.              

Just get the pry bar out and open your wallet . 

[The_Real_TCIII]

I take the bolt off the rail, when I leave my spot, and then put it back on when I get back up to the house.  Then I shoot it into my rag-bag.   If it is dark by then, as it often is on afternoon hunts, then I do under a floodlight.  That way no deer are alerted in the hunting area.  The only way to totally eliminate wear and tear on the limbs and strings is to not practice at all.  
So far, I have been able to compensate for the wear and tear on my 2014 Barnett Recruit, by adjusting the vertical on the sight.  I hope to squeeze another season out of the original string this year, by switching from 125 to 100 grain broadheads, but it will probably needs a string replacement prior to the 2021deer season.
 I average about (25) shots a year on it, including unloading and initial sight in each year.   It has not needed any adjustment throughout the seasons after the initial sight in, but the last two years I had to make a significant vertical adjustment on the initial sight-ins.   The string is definitely starting to stretch a bit.  It was good for a 59 yard shot the first year, but I will keep them under 30 yards this year (even with the lighter broadheads).  It is not shooting nearly as flat as it did the first few seasons.   My laser range-finder helps out with that situation.   
I have shot at (5) deer with it since 2014, killing them all.  I will definitely have gotten my $250 purchase price out of it, if I can take a 6th one this year.  If it costs less than $ 50 to have it restrung, I may try and get another (7) years out of it.   If it costs more than that, I will buy another new "entry level" model.  I will keep my 2014 Recruit around as a spare with it's stretched out string.              

Take some of the stimulus money and stimulate Alabama Archery for a new string!


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[wolc123]

On 4/15/2020 at 11:12 PM, Jeremy K said:

Just get the pry bar out and open your wallet . 

Thanks for the sound advice.   I have always been a "if it ain't broke don't fix it" type of guy, but it is probably time to upgrade the Recruit.   I have not heard any bad stuff about the $ 239 Centerpoint Sniper package, so I think that is the way I will go.   That 370 fps model should give me a solid 60 yard effective range.   The bulk of my venison, since 2014, has came from that 2-week crossbow season so spending another $ 239 on that now makes a lot of sense.

   

  

[wolc123]

On 4/17/2020 at 10:26 PM, wolc123 said:

Thanks for the sound advice.   I have always been a "if it ain't broke don't fix it" type of guy, but it is probably time to upgrade the Recruit.   I have not heard any bad stuff about the $ 239 Centerpoint Sniper package, so I think that is the way I will go.   That 370 fps model should give me a solid 60 yard effective range.   The bulk of my venison, since 2014, has came from that 2-week crossbow season so spending another $ 239 on that now makes a lot of sense.

   

  

I Just ordered the Sniper 370 package from Walmart.  Hopefully it works out as well as my Barnett Recruit has.    Maybe I can try it out on a turkey this spring.  My first shot at a live target with my Barnett, back in 2014, was at a bird.   The bolt sailed right over the top of that ruffed grouse, without striking a feather.   The Recruit is going into semi-retirement after a steller 5/5 record on bucks though, striking right on the mark every time.  Hopefully, this was the last time I need to use it on deer (November 2019):    

 

 

If the Sniper don't pan out, I can always get the Recruit restrung and put it back in service.    It will definitely be nice having a second crossbow for backup during crossbow season because that has been the source of most of my family's venison since 2014.    That one in the picture has been especially helpful during this Corona-time when all the food joints are closed down.   We are down to out last two packs of grind from it, but still have plenty of backstrap.     

Edited April 24, 2020 by wolc123

[wolc123]

The Centerpoint Sniper finally arrived yesterday and I got it assembled.   I am not thrilled with the extra weight (about 2 more pounds than my Barnett Recruit and a lot more "front-heavy").   It does not handle as easy as my Ruger 10/22, like the Recruit does.   It will be ok from my blinds that have shooting rails, but not so hot out of a couple of my hang-on stands which lack those, or shooting off-hand from the ground   I have not shot it yet, so I can't comment on the supposidly marginal trigger, but the OEM scope seems pretty good.   Maybe that has been upgraded a bit, since the prior year model, but it is no longer illuminated and they also no longer include the sling in the $ 239 Walmart package.   I was a bit surprised to see that it was "made in Taiwan", but the fit and finish seems pretty good.   

Due to the handling issue, it looks like I will be buying a new string and cables for the Recruit anyhow, but maybe not until next season.   Hopefully, the Recruit will be good enough to use this season, from those two stands, after making the switch from 125 to 100 grain heads.   I will know for sure after sighing it in with those, along with the new Sniper, over the next few weeks.   The Recruit might also be better in low-light conditions, with it's OEM red/green dot sight.   I always liked the trigger on the Recruit and that will be another interesting comparison on the target range over the next few weeks.