new to crossbows..chime in

[caprocker]

I have officially made the decision to  crossover from compound to crossbow..I am physically incapableof pulling my compound and in turn sold it today..I would like to buy a used middle of the road crossbow to get started with..any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...also , to my understanding(which is not too clear) in order to be able to hunt deer (in texas)with a crossbow during bow season you must first have a release from a doctor stating that you are incapable of using a bow, correct??
  Any help would be greatly appreciated and i would really be interested in hearing peoples opinions on the brands of crossbow people trust..also if anyone may have a used one for sale at a reasonable price....thanks a bunch , cap

[wsmitty01]

 I have a disability permit for Florida, started with an Excalibur Exomax,,traded down to the Excalibur Vixen...i couldn't cock the Exomax without the crank.  The vixen is a lot shorter and easier to cock, will still kill a moose,  black, elk or mulie with no problems!

[caprocker]

thanks a bunch..keep it comin'

[Ricoh]

I developed arthritis and cannot use my recurve or a compound anymore. I made the decision ( or it was made for me ) to go to a crossbow. I shoot an Excalibur Exocet 200 and use a rope cocking aid. It is deadly accurate, simple, trouble free and has the best warranty in the business. Check it out.

[rickyp]

I too developed arthritis it is in my shoulder and I can not use my compound anymore.  I just got a crossbow permit because of it.
Now I am saving up to buy my first crossbow, The bow is going to be a 07 phantom by ten point  at $2025.00 it is not cheap but will be well worth to me.
 When looking at crossbows I tried to cock several and they all hurt my shoulder, but the ten point has the accudraw that is attached to the stock and it uses a crank to draw the string back and takes little effort to cock it.  the reason I am  getting the phantom is ten point  told me it has less vibrations then most other crossbows and less chance to aggravate my shoulder. The $2000 price tag is high but is little to pay when you take into consideration that it may  become my main deer / turkey  hunting weapon as my 12 ga shotgun is no fun to shoot for my shoulders.

the best advice I can offer is to go out and try as many crossbows that you can and consider how  and where you will be cocking it as well as how you will be hunting with it. The accudraw will be helpful in the tight confines of a deer stand.

[jh45gun]

I too developed arthritis it is in my shoulder and I can not use my compound anymore.  I just got a crossbow permit because of it.
Now I am saving up to buy my first crossbow, The bow is going to be a 07 phantom by ten point  at $2025.00 it is not cheap but will be well worth to me.
 When looking at crossbows I tried to cock several and they all hurt my shoulder, but the ten point has the accudraw that is attached to the stock and it uses a crank to draw the string back and takes little effort to cock it.  the reason I am  getting the phantom is ten point  told me it has less vibrations then most other crossbows and less chance to aggravate my shoulder. The $2000 price tag is high but is little to pay when you take into consideration that it may  become my main deer / turkey  hunting weapon as my 12 ga shotgun is no fun to shoot for my shoulders.

the best advice I can offer is to go out and try as many crossbows that you can and consider how  and where you will be cocking it as well as how you will be hunting with it. The accudraw will be helpful in the tight confines of a deer stand.

You can  buy cranking set ups for most crossbows and while Ten Point xbows are nice to me they are too high priced for what you get. If it was me I would buy a Vixen Excaliber and get a crank for that. The recurve bows to me vibrate less than the compounds do and a Vixen set up with a crank should cost less than 600 bucks. That is the cbow and the scope accessories kit and the crank all you need to start shooting. That sure beats over 2 grand!

[caprocker]

below 600 is more my budget..I think I will be able to cock a crossbow without using a crank as long as it is something i can do below my chest..I tore a labrum ligament while trying to out throw a one armed man..never get into that situation..take my advice...what approximately is the range on a crossbow??is it similar to a compound ??

[Will Bison]

WOW! Glad I saw this post. I have Bursitis in both shoulders and tendonitis in both elbows. I can't change an overhead light bulb anymore. I have some kids bows around 25-30 lbs and I can't draw them.

I,m strictly a backyard target shooter and have considered the X-bow but don't know squat about them.

Bill

[Digger]

WOW! Glad I saw this post. I have Bursitis in both shoulders and tendonitis in both elbows. I can't change an overhead light bulb anymore. I have some kids bows around 25-30 lbs and I can't draw them.

I,m strictly a backyard target shooter and have considered the X-bow but don't know squat about them.

Bill

To learn what you need to know about crossbows go to the Excalibur forum, they show and tell you all you want to know.

http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=1

[rickyp]

jh45gun,
I know they all have some sort of cocking aid, I have tried the rope corkers but that still did not work for me, I have trouble pulling back a 60 LB bow and the rope cookers give me the same trouble with my shoulder. I have looked at the cockaroo thing from Excalibur it looks cumbersome and adds something else I would have to carry in the woods.

You should try and shoot a ten point the trigger can not be beat, the ones I have shot are as good if not better then my contenders. doing my research on crossbows I found most triggers to be to hard for my taste. The trigger and the attached cocking device makes them worth the extra money for me.

BTW ten point also has a forum page

[jh45gun]

I have shot a ten point and if ya can afford it they are a nice xbow. For me I am very happy with my Excaliber. Nice thing about a Excaliber is you can take it down your self with a bow string stringer and change strings in the field if need be while most compound xbows you need to take them to a shop unless you have a bow press. Excalibers are well Known for their triggers and their accuracy. Nothing wrong with the ten point thats for sure they are a excellent bow and I know of some who own and shoot both brands. I just feel the Excalibers are a handier xbow and more value for the money plus they are easy to maintain your self. My opinion and in no way am I knocking the Ten Point if ya can afford them they are a great choice and one of the best compound xbows made.

[smokepolehall]

OK you have made up yer mind about the Ten Pt. Phantom. You think its worth 2 grand go fer it! The built in accudraw is a plus vs. Excal's removeable crank, now that would be a personal choice. I gladly tote mine and it goes in fanny or day pak. You tote all that weight of complete outfit, over 10 lbs. Not me, i like mine at less than 7 1/2 lbs. Yers might shoot 10 fps faster, deer won't never know the differance from mine. Your choice is just that, yours! I really hope you get it and enjoy it, its a nice CB. Thats what we all shoot them and i love my Exocet 200.

[.54]

I just switched to xbow this year because of a bad shoulder. Bought an Excalibur Phoenix and I put two in the freezer with it before gun season ever rolled around. My son borrowed it and he also took one with it. Plenty of power in the bow and all shots passed thru. I would recommend the excalibur to anyone looking to try xbow hunting.
I just used the cocking rope and had no problems. If your shoulder problem is bursitis like mine and lifting your arm over your head is a problem then the cocking rope should work for you. Your arms are hanging in the down position when you hook the cocking rope to the string. Then you just hold on and stand up. Didn't bother my shoulder at all after I shortened up the cocking rope to cut down on the arm movement needed.

[rickyp]

My Phantom  Xbow will be shipped tomorrow morning I just got off the phone with them.
I called this morning to place the order I was told it would be about 2 weeks before they get some back in from the dippers ( the bows where not scheduled for release until Feb some time) But they took my order and told em they would call for my credit card # when the bow was ready to ship. I got a call about 2 hours latter they got a bow back and was putting it together as I was on the phone.. They wanted to have it out to me this afternoon! but they work faster then my bank so It will be shipped tomorrow morning after they charge my card.

This is customer service at it's best and on the ten point website they have a small forum that customer service reps watch and respond  very fast even on weekends and they take care of most problems right their and then if they can if not the tel the person to call and it is taken care of very fast.

I know I can buy about 3 to 4 other Xbows for the price I paid for the phantom but I also bought customer service and one of the best bows you can get.

Truth be told any Xbow over over 100 LBS  ( this would just about equal a 50 LB compound bow) will shoot trough a deer and kill it clean. 

[rickyp]

My bow is on it"t way to me !

One other good point about ten point is they are made here in the US of A. and Excalibur is made in Canada. This may not be so good if you live in Canada

[Digger]

My bow is on it"t way to me !

One other good point about ten point is they are made here in the US of A. and Excalibur is made in Canada. This may not be so good if you live in Canada

Nothing wrong with with liiving in the Great White North. Excalibur is Less than 75 miles fron me and they treat you like family when you visit or have a problem with your bow. 

[sk330lc]

My bow is on it"t way to me !

One other good point about ten point is they are made here in the US of A. and Excalibur is made in Canada. This may not be so good if you live in Canada

Not all of the Excalibur is made in Canada. All strings, cocking aids and other small parts are made in the Ohio Valley By Dan Miller.  The trigger groups are Made by none other than T/C !! Is that in the US OF A??    As Far as customer service goes you won't find much better than Excalipar.
I had a scope go south Due to a bad O-ring , It fogged up on me . I called Dan Miller @ about 8:30pm I live about 45min from him . He said to bring it down. He replaced the scope, sighted it in for me free of charge and saved my next Morn hunt. Thats customer service!

[jh45gun]

Excaliber has the best customer service in the business.

[wsmitty01]

When I say I had a bad shoulder, I mean that I have only 1 good tendon and 1 injured tendon on the left shoulder (2 removed).  waiting now for another surgery on left and have a bad tear one the right one getting ready for surgery.  The Vixen cocks VERY easily for me with the rope cocker, mostly because of its draw length.  The scope was only off 1" low at 20 yards from my Exomax settings.  I didn't want anything that had wheels or that I couldn't fix myself especially in the hunting area.  I carry a stringing aid and extra string at all times.  Try that with a compound!! There is absolutely 0 vibration to my shoulder that I can feel, and I don't have the dissipator bars, also this thing makes very little noise.  I'm getting ready to take it on a hog hunt here in Florida, and am going after 200 lb plus hogs.  This Xbow really kicks a$$!!!

[coyote170]

Enjoy your new crossbow,medical rasons forced me to start using one,am over joyed that it did,love mine
and cant wait every week end to get to the woods with it,I have a crank for mine but use the rope
cocker if just shooting a little!

[markc]

Caprocker, unless the wording ahs changed, in Texas, in order to use your X-bow during the Archery Only season, you msut have an upper limb disability that precludes you from drawing a traditional (verticle) bow.  You have to carry that doctors note with you when hunting.  During the general firearms season, anyone can use an X-bow.

[awshucks]

My bow is on it"t way to me !

One other good point about ten point is they are made here in the US of A. and Excalibur is made in Canada. This may not be so good if you live in Canada

Not all of the Excalibur is made in Canada. All strings, cocking aids and other small parts are made in the Ohio Valley By Dan Miller.  The trigger groups are Made by none other than T/C !! Is that in the US OF A??    As Far as customer service goes you won't find much better than Excalipar.
I had a scope go south Due to a bad O-ring , It fogged up on me . I called Dan Miller @ about 8:30pm I live about 45min from him . He said to bring it down. He replaced the scope, sighted it in for me free of charge and saved my next Morn hunt. Thats customer service!

I read about T/C making triggers for Excal somewhere else and posted that on another forum and got corrected by a guy that had been to the factory in Kitchner and saw Excal making their own.  D. Miller does make the strings, ect. Just FWIW.