 Bowhunting & Crossbow Hunting: Power & Range, Scope Mounting, Sight-In, Accuracy & Barnett Crossbows.
Arrows & Bolts, Drop, Energy,
Broadheads & Broadhead Tuning.
Hunting Crossbow Power:
A common mistake and or question for most would be future crossbow hunters is trying to figure out, how much draw weight do I need for the crossbow to be powerful enough to be an effective hunting crossbow for deer hunting. Draw weight is only part of the crossbow power equation.
Recurve Crossbows derive their power by draw weight and draw length or power-stroke, these are the lowest powered crossbows.
Compound Crossbows derive their power by draw weight, draw length or power-stroke, wheels and or cams.
Wheeled Compound Crossbows offer a cocking advantage for a given draw weight and slightly more power than a recurve crossbow.
Cam Compound Crossbows offers a cocking advantage for a given draw weight and a lot more power than a recurve crossbow. How much draw weight for crossbow hunting?
While it may seem like a simple question, it is one however with a complex answer, what is needed to be known is how much arrow energy is needed for hunting. Draw weight is only a fraction of the equation for determining arrow energy.
First, what is draw weight, draw weight is the amount of force required to draw the crossbow back to its fully cocked and locked position. - A recurve crossbow's draw weight increases the farther back you pull the string and it reaches its peak draw weight when it is in its fully cocked and locked position.
- A compound crossbow will most likely be designed with its wheels and or cams to be at peak draw weight with almost no let off for the entire draw length to the last inch of its cock and lock position and this is the reason why compound crossbows deliver a higher arrow energy for a given draw weight.
Draw Length / Powerstroke:
Second, what is a crossbows draw length, draw length is the distance between the crossbow-string's position at rest and its position when fully drawn to its cocked and locked position. (Also known as crossbow powerstroke.)
Draw weight and draw length determine arrow speed:- Crossbow draw weight determines how much force is applied to the arrow.
- Recurve crossbow, gradually increases draw weight until full draw.
- Compound crossbow, peak draw weight for the entire draw.
- Crossbow draw length (powerstroke) determines the amount of time that force is applied to the arrow.
- Crossbow draw weight plus crossbow draw length determine arrow speed.
Arrow speed and arrow weight determine arrow energy:
Crossbow 150 pound draw weight for hunting. (Actual examples)- Recurve crossbow, 150 lb. draw weight, 11" powerstroke, 400 grain arrow = 205 f.p.s. velocity = 37 ft.lbs. arrow energy, good for hunting up to deer size animals.
- Recurve crossbow, 150 lb. draw weight, 12.5" powerstroke, 400 grain arrow = 235 f.p.s. velocity = 49 ft.lbs. arrow energy, good for hunting up to short range black bear and elk.
- Compound crossbow, 150 lb. draw weight, 9.5" powerstroke, 400 grain arrow = 252 f.p.s. velocity = 56 ft.lbs. arrow energy, good for hunting up to black bear, elk and wild boar.
- Compound crossbow, 150 lb. draw weight, 13" powerstroke, 400 grain arrow = 302 f.p.s. velocity = 81 ft.lbs. arrow energy, good for hunting up to cape buffalo and grizzly bears.
As you can see in the above examples all of the crossbows have a draw weight of 150lbs. yet they can be used to hunt many species of game animals effectively, so choosing a crossbow by its draw weight alone is not enough information. Hunting Crossbow Range:
To hunt with a hunting crossbow it still takes hunter skill to get within range of a deer and this range is under 40 yards, not an easy feat by no means for any deer hunter.
A hunting crossbow shoots an arrow, these arrows travel at various speeds do to crossbow power, all crossbow arrows are subject to the same forces of nature no matter what type of crossbow they are launched from, which in turn is all about trajectory of the arrow, which determines effective hunting crossbow range. Crossbow Velocities:
| Taiwan manufacture - marketed as powerful folding limb crossbow. |
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400 Grain Arrow |
165 F.P.S. |
| Taiwan manufacture - marketed as powerful 180 LB. crossbow. |
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400 Grain Arrow |
165 F.P.S. |
| Taiwan manufacture - marketed as wood stocked crossbow. |
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400 Grain Arrow |
205 F.P.S. |
| Taiwan manufacture - marketed as metal frame crossbow. |
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400 Grain Arrow |
210 F.P.S. |
| Taiwan manufacture - marketed as camo crossbow. |
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400 Grain Arrow |
205 F.P.S. |
| Early Production Barnett Hunting Crossbows, Barnett Crossbows: | 300-Mag - 285 FPS.
Commando II C. - 260 FPS.
Commando II R. - 250 FPS.
Quad-300 - 300 FPS.
Ranger II - 220 FPS. | RC-300 - 285 FPS.
Revolution XS - 340 FPS.
Rhino Recurve - 235 FPS.
Rhino Classic - 260 FPS. | Rhino Quad - 285 FPS.
Rhino Sport Mag. - 320 FPS.
RX-150 - 220 FPS.
Wildcat III - 235 FPS. | | Barnett Crossbows, Current Production, Barnett Crossbows: | Buck Commander - 365 FPS.
Ghost 350 - 350 FPS.
Ghost 400 - 400 FPS.
Jackal - 315 FPS. | Panzer - 245 FPS.
Penetrator - 350 FPS.
Predator - 375 FPS.
Quad 400 - 345 FPS. | RC-150 - 260 FPS.
Revolution - 345 FPS.
Wildcat C5 - 320 FPS. |
| Excalibur Crossbows: | Apex - 220 FPS.
Axiom - 305 FPS.
Equinox - 350 FPS. | Exocet - 330 FPS.
Exomax - 350 FPS.
Ibex - 305 FPS. | Phoenix - 305 FPS.
Vixen - 285 FPS.
Vortex - 330 FPS. | | Horton Crossbows: | Legacy HD 175 - 312 FPS.
Legacy CS 225 - 350 FPS. | Summit HD 150 - 260 FPS.
Team RealTree - 325 FPS. | Vision 175 - 325 FPS. |
| Parker Crossbows: | Buck Buster 150 - 315 FPS.
Buck Buster 175 - 330 FPS. | BushWacker - 285 FPS.
Cyclone 175 - 340 FPS. | Enforcer 160 - 300 FPS.
Tornado HP - 330 FPS. |
| TenPoint Crossbow Technologies: | TenPoint
Lazer HP - 313 FPS.
Phantom CLS - 343 FPS.
Phantom CLS-S - 343 FPS.
Phantom XTRA - 343 FPS.
Titan HLX - 300 FPS.
Turbo XLT - 315 FPS. | 6 Point
Defender CLS - 330 FPS.
Defender Mag Combo Variable
GT Flex - Variable
GT Mag - 307 FPS.
Pro Slider - Variable | Wicked Ridge
Invader - 305 FPS.
Warrior - 285 FPS. |
Cabela's Archery 101
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