Global Sports: Finding The Right Hunting Crossbow For You

Friday, August 17, 2012

Finding The Right Hunting Crossbow For You

By Landon Porter


As with most products in this day and age, there is a huge variety in brands, pricing, and quality of hunting crossbow. Choosing one that's right for you can seem a little like finding a needle in a haystack. If you're buying your first one, it's more like finding a needle in a haystack when you're not sure exactly what a "needle" is.

Crossbows have garnered popularity for their light weight, quick firing speeds, and quiet noise level. They're much easier to use than traditional bows, and require less practice off-season to keep a sharp shot. The basic design doesn't vary much between models, however the quality of the materials does.

Before deciding to go out and buy the most expensive ones you can find based on that, know that mid-level pieces (around $400 and a speed of 300 fps and above) will drop a deer as well as their $1500 counterparts. Even low priced bows, which start at around $200 and 280 fps or less, will kill a deer. You can't do much more than shoot through your game!

Even if you do opt for a low purchase price in the weapon itself, it will be a good idea to spend a little more on bolts with weight forward technology, which helps to boost your firing speed and make for a flatter shot, rather than cheap bolts with a light weight. Manufacturers usually recommend a minimum grain for their products. Anything under this can and will result in either a misfire or damage to the crossbow, so it's recommended that you follow their guidelines.

Safety is key with any sport, and especially in hunting. Make sure the hunting crossbow you decide on has an anti dry firing mechanism. This prevents you from shooting when there's no bolt loaded, which can lead to damage in the body of the bow. Damage means a higher risk of getting hurt due to a string snapping or a crack in a main part, usually the limbs.

Though they're becoming less common, there are still bows around that require you to hand cock them. Not only is it hard to hand cock, it can leave you with an uneven limb load, skewing your shot. Pull ropes and cranks are more commonly used, especially in mid to high priced models.

The first time you take it out, you'll know whether you've bought a good hunting crossbow. If it turns out it doesn't work so well, you'll have a better idea of what you're looking for next time. If you do a little research before hand, though, odds are you'll find one that you will want to use season after season.




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