These crossbows all fall under the $1,400 mark.
Fall is rapidly approaching, and so are hunting seasons. Now is the time to pick up a new weapon for the upcoming seasons. Especially if you are looking to add a crossbow to your hunting arsenal. Picking up a crossbow now gives you a month or two to get proficient with it before the rut and prime hunting season finally kicks into gear.
With that in mind, we scoured the Internet for some of the best-reviewed crossbows on the market to fit a variety of budgets.
These crossbows are worth the extra money and are ready to help you fill that freezer full of venison by the time fall finally rolls around again.
TenPoint Titan M1
The TenPoint Titan is one of the company's best-selling crossbows and for good reason. This thing is light, accurate, powerful, and compact. It weighs only 6.4 pounds, making it a breeze for younger and older hunters to handle. It is only 14 inches wide, which is going to make it easy to move in tight quarters such as a box blind. The Titan M1 has inverted cams which TenPoint says gives the crossbow a longer power stroke. The result is arrow speeds of 370 feet per second. This package comes with a Pro View 3 scope, quiver, and three carbon arrows included. Oh, and TenPoint crossbows are made in the U.S.A., so you can feel good about supporting American jobs. It is a solid buy at $850.
Ravin R10
If you are looking for speed in a compact package, the Ravin R10 is a solid choice. This crossbow is only six inches wide when cocked, 33 inches long, and comes in at just 6.8 pounds. The 12-pound draw weight is going to be easily manageable by most hunters, yet the bow delivers arrow speeds of a blistering 400 feet per second. Most deer are not going to know what hit them because the arrow will have passed through by the time they realize they have been hit. This also lets the R10 deliver 142 pounds of kinetic energy to the target. It is decked out in Predator camo and comes fully assembled and tuned from the factory. Just go outside and start practicing with the included three arrows using the 100-yard illuminated scope. User reviews praise this crossbow for the accuracy and range it provides. Bucks that previously might have gotten away, will be on the dinner table this season. The price point is $1,299.
Xpedition Archery Viking X-415
If you are looking for something more traditional and affordable, the X-415 may be just the ticket. This crossbow starts at around $600 but can often be found for far less than that when on sale. This crossbow features an adjustable overall length between 35.5 to 38 inches thanks to an AR-style modular stock. It has a 185-pound draw weight and can deliver arrow speeds of up to 430 feet per second. It comes with a 4x32mm scope already mounted. It is a little on the hefty side at eight pounds. However, user reviews are solid for this crossbow with most buyers saying it consistently puts deer, hogs, and coyotes on the ground.
CenterPoint CP400
The CP 400 has many of the same features of today's modern, compact crossbows, just at a more affordable $800 price point. When fully cocked, it is only six inches wide. The weight is reasonable too at seven pounds. This makes it ideal for tight stand setups or cramped blinds. CenterPoint outfitted this one with True Timber Strata camo and a 3x32mm illuminated scope. This crossbow comes with an adjustable AR-style buttstock, an anti dry fire mechanism, and a folding stirrup that doubles as a bi-pod. The only downside is the 200-pound draw weight. Thankfully, CenterPoint includes a cocking device standard with this crossbow. As for power, this thing has it. You are looking at 142-foot pounds of energy delivered at blazing fast 400 fps speeds.
Excalibur Micro 340 TD
This crossbow has a cool feature that many of the others on this list do not. It is a takedown model, thus the "TD" designation. Another bonus to this package is that Excalibur throws in a bow case to haul it, saving you a little extra money. As for features, this bow has those too. It comes in at an incredibly light 5.6 pounds and has an overall length of 33 inches. This is a wider crossbow at 25 inches un-cocked, but it takes down to just 28 inches by nine inches. The draw weight is 270 pounds. A rope cocking aid is included. That heavy draw weight helps this crossbow deliver speeds of 340 feet per second. This crossbow is completely ambidextrous thanks to a reversible cheek rest. It comes in Mossy Oak Break-Up camo. Also included are four arrows, a Dead-Zone scope, and an extra crossbow string. You get a lot for the $999 price tag.
Barnett Whitetail Hunter Pro
The Barnett is a solid mid-priced option for the aspiring new crossbow hunter at about $600. It has many of the features of much more expensive crossbows to boot. The Whitetail Hunter Pro weighs in at 6.9 pounds, is about 17 inches wide by 36 inches overall length. It features a magnesium step thru riser, and 187-pound draw weight. The nice thing about this crossbow is that the cranking device is already included, so no need for an extra expensive purchase. This crossbow delivers up to 135-foot pounds of energy to the target and 400 fps bolt speeds. Barnett also includes a 4x32 scope and two bolts in this package. All you must do is be ready to practice and hunt.
Bear Constrictor
While the storied name of Bear Archery may be better associated with more traditional gear, they build some nice crossbows too. The Constrictor being one of them. This crossbow is only 10 inches wide when cocked. It has a 190-pound draw weight that helps it reach arrow speeds of 410 fps. Bear includes an anti-dry fire mechanism, an illuminated scope, a cocking rope, and three Bear X TrueX bolts. Another unique feature is the quiver, which Bear has mounted on a pivot to make it instantly ambidextrous. The only downside we see is that the advertised weight is nine pounds, which is a bit on the hefty side. However, the user reviews are good and at $629, it is highly affordable..
TenPoint Wicked Ridge RDX 400
Reverse limb crossbows are all the rage these days for their compact size and improved speeds and power. However, the prices on them put them out of reach for a lot of average Joes. TenPoint realized this and came up with the Wicked Ridge RDX 400, a reverse-limb setup for $900. And the user reviews are glowing for this one. This crossbow has an overall length of just 32 inches and is only nine inches wide when cocked. It weighs in at 7.5 pounds and uses the ACU self-retracting rope cocking system to tame that 175-pound draw weight. As for power, the RDX 400 has it. This crossbow has a reaper cam system that delivers up to 140 pounds of foot energy and bolt speeds up to 400 feet per second depending on the type used. This package also includes three arrows, and a 4x32 scope.
Products featured on Wide Open Spaces are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
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