Author Topic: chinese crossbow? (Read 5659 times)

lil_hunter12 · « **on:** October 01, 2006, 08:33:23 AM »

has any1 tried the chinese made cf-118 or cf-119 that is often sold on ebay? if u have r they any good?

jh45gun · « **Reply #1 on:** October 01, 2006, 12:39:26 PM »

Please do not even consider one of these they are a cheap copy of a Barnett Wildcat which is not that great of a xbow and the chinese copies are even worse. Yes I have tried one a friend gave me. It was so bad I gave it backl!

IT shot terrible I think one problem is the trigger is so stiff on these you cannet get a constant release every time. They are JUNK! As was said before get a Excaliber Vixen or a Horton Compound. There is a archery outfit on Ebay that is selling the Vixens for under 300 dollars that is a good price.

lil_hunter12 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 01, 2006, 03:19:29 PM »

That 75 bucks could have went a long way for a decent xbow. Not to get fussy with you but why bother asking advice if your just going to ignore it? I had two recurve Barnetts that are average at best I just gave one to a friend and kept the commando as a friend gave that one to me so I will keep it no matter what. That said the chinese xbows could not hold a candle to the Barnetts they were bad period. I wish you luck but I think you are going to be very disapointed.

jh45gun · « **Reply #3 on:** October 03, 2006, 10:56:18 PM »

One more thing. I think from your handle you may be a youngster whcih is great glad to see your into hunting. I too like you have monetary issues and money for me too does not grow on trees. The post I made, was not made to make me be a know it all or a expert on the subject, Or an old codger who thinks he knows it all over a youngster, but one who has been there and has seen first hand of the pitfalls of a cheap xbow. Again you bought it so now you can see what it does for you. If you are happy with it great though I think you will be disapointed and if you are not you may be if you ever get to shoot a good brand of xbow and can compare. Take care and the best of luck to you. If you are older I appologise for thinking your a yougster but your handle implys that.

jh45gun · « **Reply #4 on:** October 03, 2006, 11:00:10 PM »

Not sure why my post about the 75 dollars came up with your handle?

? for those that read this it was my post not Lil Hunter 12. Jim

lil_hunter12 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 04, 2006, 01:48:21 PM »

i am young just turned 16 a few days ago. i was just tryin to get a cheap crossbow to try and that 1 was wat i was lookin for "cheap" so i can get started in crossbow hunting and when ever i get the money and time im goin to get a horton from walmart

Digger · « **Reply #6 on:** October 04, 2006, 03:42:09 PM »

Quote from: lil_hunter12 on October 04, 2006, 01:48:21 PM

i am young just turned 16 a few days ago. i was just tryin to get a cheap crossbow to try and that 1 was wat i was lookin for "cheap" so i can get started in crossbow hunting and when ever i get the money and time im goin to get a horton from walmart

The problem with those clones are they are so bad that they will throw you off buying a real decent xbow. I had a barnett wildcat in the late '80's that few apart, but I also had an Excalibur that kept me liking xbows. I now have 3 Excals and a Ten Point that keeps me going.

Digger

jh45gun · « **Reply #7 on:** October 04, 2006, 04:44:20 PM »

Nothing wrong with the Hortons they make a good xbow but as long as your saving consider a bit more and get the Excaliber Vixen it will not let you down and they last and last guys are shooting Excaliber xbows that are older than you are. LOL Like 20 some years old.

DaveP · « **Reply #8 on:** October 07, 2006, 04:10:47 AM »

I was in your shoes (Well,I'm a oldr,but tight$$$)
Kept looking for a "deal".Saw lots of friends buy lower end Barnetts,Hortons,etc,and all were disappointed and became frustrated.
On the other end of the spectrum,friends were dropping over a grand on Ten Points.No way could I do that.And still eat.

I started lurking on the crossbow boards,asking questions,and LISTENING to those with REAL experience-not internet posers.

I wound up buying a new Excalibur Vixen off eBay for under $250.
Wound up dropping another $130 on accessory package,then $15 on a scope mount.
Mounted an old reddot that I had laying around.

I learned QUICK not to shoot at the same target more than once.

It shoots that tight!

It's taken me a lot of year (I'm hardheaded) but I've come to find that it's cheaper to buy the right tool for the job the FIRST time,instead of trying to save a few bucks.You'll just spend more in the long run trying to cheap it.Put what you have towards quality tools,and even if it delays the purchase,you'll be better off in the long run.Good luck,and ENJOY! Dave

jh45gun · « **Reply #9 on:** October 07, 2006, 02:15:08 PM »

Congrats on Your Vixen Dave yea Excaliber makes one heck of a xbow and the Vixen is as good as any of the others they make and a lot better than most of the competition. The Ten Points are good xbows but I agree they are too darn pricey to me for what you get, But I guess if ya can afford them they are a good xbow. I just think the Excalibers are better because of the recurve and being able to change strings your self and to be able to take the string down for storage ect. Plus their uncanny accuracy They are tops as you found out when it comes to that.

lil_hunter12 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 11, 2006, 06:33:42 PM »

i got it yesterday and it shoots good not to loud pretty accurate with the 4x15 scope that came with it.im gonna dial it in a little better and try a hunt with it.

jh45gun · « **Reply #11 on:** October 12, 2006, 07:35:57 AM »

Well glad your happy with it what kind of groups are you getting at 20 yards? I will make this comment I thought my Ranger was a good xbow too until I shot an Ten Point and Excaliber and Horton. There really is no comparison. As long as you like it it will suffice until you can afford better which is what I would be working on.

lil_hunter12 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 12, 2006, 01:18:27 PM »

i can get 3 arrow groups of 3-4 inches at 25-30 yards.

jh45gun · « **Reply #13 on:** October 12, 2006, 02:56:53 PM »

That is comparable to what my Barnetts would do. I think if these cheap exbows like my Barnetts had a better trigger they would shoot better. it is the trigger that makes the difference in a good or lousy group. Just something to think about if you have a xbow that shoots 4 inches one way or the other that cuts down on your shots as if you may have a branch or twig or grass ect some where in the shot the larger group may affect it. With xbows that shoot one inch groups like some of the more expensive xbows do and all of the Excalibers do you can be assured of putting your arrows where you want them. As a side note I shot two deer with my Barnett Ranger which is about essentially what you have. If you keep your shots with in the range you can hit well, you should be able to harvest a deer with what your using.

lil_hunter12 · « **Reply #14 on:** October 13, 2006, 04:32:10 AM »

is there anything i can do for the trigger? its way to rough if i could fix that and get a good rest i coud cut my groups in half.

jh45gun · « **Reply #15 on:** October 13, 2006, 09:28:15 PM »

Quote from: lil_hunter12 on October 13, 2006, 04:32:10 AM

is there anything i can do for the trigger? its way to rough if i could fix that and get a good rest i coud cut my groups in half.

Nope not really if you try to alter it you would make it unsafe. If you remember I made the comment in a past post about the crappy triggers on these xbows. They are stiffer then the Barnett ones they are copying and the Barnett ones are nothing to brag about either. I will bet because of that they will be hard on strings too. Remember to keep the rail lubed and the string waxed. Horton makes a good rail lube and makes sure you keep the string well waxed including the serving to keep that in good shape. I would start saving for a better xbow and use this in the meantime. I will have to say that Excaliber has one of the best triggers in the market on their xbows. Save up and buy a Vixen or look for a used Excaliber if you can find one you will not be disatisfied they are excellent xbows. I do have to say though that the Hortons have decent triggers on them too if you decide to go with one of them. I still lean towards the Excaliber as it is simple to maintain and easy to string and restring your self with a stringer and the accuracy is one inch or better out to 50 yards with the excaliber scope set up they have. Just remember most xbow companies do not reccomend shooting past 40 yards for hunting purposes. 20 and 30 are better yet.

Roadkill · « **Reply #16 on:** April 15, 2007, 06:10:34 AM »

I have a cf-118 and I like it. I put some oil on the safety catch to make the trigger easier to pull and now It shoots great. With a 4x15 scope I am getting 4 inch groupings at 40 yards every time.

I also have an Excalibur Exomax and I'ts more powerful and more accurate, but It is over priced. I THINK THE CF-118 IS A BETTER CROSSBOW FOR THE MONEY. I can buy 10 Chinese bows for the price of one Excalibur.

I found a website that has pics of people holding their Cf-118 bows with deer that the shot. http://www.hartlinsports.com/Your_pics.html . I think It's in Canada and you can't ship crossbows over the border without a special permit, so don't try to order the crossbow unless you live there. The prices are better here anyway. Everything is more expensive in that country except for pills.

lil_hunter12 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 15, 2007, 09:15:51 AM »

that's the crossbow i have. i practiced more with it to use for turkey and deer. got to where at 25 yards i could put 3 in under an inch and a half. i haven't got the space to practice at 40 yards. i'd assume they shoot about the same at 40 as 25.

jh45gun · « **Reply #18 on:** April 15, 2007, 09:31:43 AM »

To each their own. I will say now that if you think your chinese xbow is better than a Excaliber you are in a very small minority. There is a reason Excaliber bows are popular along with the Hortons and Ten Points ect because they are QUALITY made xbows not cheap junk. I will stand by that statement as I have shot the cheap chinese bows and the cheap Barnetts which the chinese copied and they are nothing to get excited about. My Barnett Commando that was given to me is a wall hanger because it is unsafe. My Barnett Ranger was given away because it is nothing to brag about and is what those chinese xbows are like only maybe slightly better. Yea you can kill a deer with one if your close. Farther if your lucky. I know I hunted with a Barnett Ranger for two years and did manage to kill two deer. Still they cannot begin to compare to an Excaliber or a Horton or a Tenpoint or other well made xbow. You get what you pay for is an old saying and in the case of the Chinese xbows that is the truth. There are better made xbows out there and these are not even close. Same with the Barnetts they have a reputation for blowing up even their supposidly better models.

jh45gun · « **Reply #19 on:** April 15, 2007, 09:40:26 AM »

Quote from: lil_hunter12 on April 15, 2007, 09:15:51 AM

that's the crossbow i have. i practiced more with it to use for turkey and deer. got to where at 25 yards i could put 3 in under an inch and a half. i haven't got the space to practice at 40 yards. i'd assume they shoot about the same at 40 as 25.

Not even close and if you do not shoot it at 40 then please do not shoot at any animal at 40 as you will either miss or cripple it if you do not manage to kill it. While My Barnett Ranger shot ok at 20 it was all over the place at 40. With a good make of xbow and a good scope made to shoot at various distances you can shoot tight groups. The right arrows or bolts make a difference too at longer distances. My Ranger was so dismal at longer ranges I gave it away. One other thing these chinese xbows and cheap Barnetts do not have the speed they advertise either unless you would use real light arrows which are not as accurate or have the penitration a heavier more stable arrow does.

jh45gun · « **Reply #20 on:** April 15, 2007, 10:10:32 AM »

One more thing to show I am no different than you guys if you look back in the archives at my past post when I first got my Barnett Ranger I thought it was great too. I thought that as I had nothing to compare it to. Now that I have shot Horton's and Ten Points that friends have and I own an Excaliber Wolverine I now know better. Not going with a snob approach either as my Wolverine is comparable to a new Vixen which only sells for 360 dollars or in that ball park. I have shot Hortons that sell for 300 to 400 dollars and they have shot very well also. So you do not need to drop the money you do for a Ten Point and other very expensive bows to get a quality xbow. Look for a used Excaliber or Horton and save even more money if you can find them. For safetys sake I would stay away from any Barnett or Chinese crossbow. Jim

lil_hunter12 · « **Reply #21 on:** April 15, 2007, 10:24:37 AM »

i don't need to shoot farther than 30 yard which is where I'm sighted at. shoots tight with 125 grain fixed blade broad heads at that range i dont particuarly like it because of it's trigger but it's accuracy is good enough to kill with i just missed a turkey this past fall with it only because some1 startled it with a 4 wheeler as i pulled the trigger.

jh45gun · « **Reply #22 on:** April 15, 2007, 05:01:45 PM »

Quote from: lil_hunter12 on April 15, 2007, 10:24:37 AM

i don't need to shoot farther than 30 yard which is where I'm sighted at. shoots tight with 125 grain fixed blade broad heads at that range i dont particuarly like it because of it's trigger but it's accuracy is good enough to kill with i just missed a turkey this past fall with it only because some1 startled it with a 4 wheeler as i pulled the trigger.

Do your self a favor and start saving for a better xbow even if it is a quality used one. You will not be sorry. I know I went the cheap all I can afford route with my Barnett Ranger which is what the Chinese copies are. I have shot Hortons and Ten Points plus my Excaliber and what a difference. If there is a archery shop near by that sells xbows ask them to try out the different models you will see a difference. Good luck with your hunting.

Roadkill · « **Reply #23 on:** April 28, 2007, 08:30:07 AM »

I'm not saying that the Chinese bows are better than the Excalibur bows. I just said that the Excalibur bow is overpriced.

An old saying is "a poor musician blames his instrument", and this can be said for bow hunting as well. An overpriced crossbow will not make you a better hunter. A good hunter knows his limitations and knows what his bow can and can not do. You can spend ten thousand dollars on a bow, but if you can't shoot it straight, then your wasting your time and money.

My Excalibur is twice as good as my CF-118, but it's also ten times the price. This is why I think the Chinese bows are a better value.

For a new hunter, your better off learning with a cheaper bow. If you change your mind about bow hunting, or you hit a branch with your limb, you're not blowing your life savings on something that you can't use.

jh45gun · « **Reply #24 on:** April 28, 2007, 09:23:22 AM »

I totally disagree! First of all since you brought up musicians the worst thing a person can do is buy a CHEAP instrument and then expect the kid or who ever they bought the piece of junk for to learn on it. This is expecially important on guitars. Cheap guitars that have the strings high on the frets and cannot be adjusted makes for hard and difficult playing which soon makes the person using it discouraged. A quality made instrument holds its value and is lot better instrument to play and learn on. Most folks will not look twice at a cheap chinese crossbow if they have any knowledge of them yet an Excaliber xbow sells it's self there are folks looking to buy used ones all the time. A good piece of equipment is easier to use and the success rate goes up. I have bow hunted since the middle 60's I know darn well a compound bow today with all the bells and whistles is a lot easier to shoot and hit with then the straight and recurve bows I learned on shooting instinctivly. To learn to shoot them well took hours of practice a good compound today you can have a student shooting well in a afternoon or two. I know I have watched kids learning to shoot at a fish and game seminar where kids got to shoot compound bows many for the first time and they were hitting the target regularly. I now crossbow hunt and as in bow hunting the better equipment you have the better you can shoot as it is easier to use. I have been playing guitar since 1968 and for years proffessionally in bands I know the better equipement you have the better you can play and sound as cheap equipment sounds that cheap both in amplification and instrument. Guitars that are not set up right both cheap and expensive buzz and and fret out or are set up too high and hard to play. Cheap amps sound bad for various reasons. There is a reason pro musicians use good equipment. Same with outdoors gear cheap gear will fail you where better made gear will be a joy to use and last a lifetime with care and not being abused.

awshucks · « **Reply #25 on:** April 29, 2007, 05:41:30 AM »

Quote: I just said that the Excalibur bow is overpriced. I'm curious why you feel this way. For awhile recently one could buy a Vixen for $289 and a Phoenix for $349, both of which have won more 3-D competitions than any other bow made. They also have a warranty that is unsurpassed. I recently sent the limbs and riser off of my Phoenix into Dan Miller w/ one limb cracked due to one dry fire too many, which I was honest about. I had it back in less than a week, TWO new limbs [matched] NEW dissipator bars installed, all at no charge. A member of another forum made the same dumb move right before hunting season and Miller had his new limbs en route prior to even receiving the damaged ones in the mail. Can't put a price on that kind of service.

jh45gun · « **Reply #26 on:** April 29, 2007, 08:56:33 AM »

Quote from: awshucks on April 29, 2007, 05:41:30 AM

Quote: I just said that the Excalibur bow is overpriced. I'm curious why you feel this way. For awhile recently one could buy a Vixen for $289 and a Phoenix for $349, both of which have won more 3-D competitions than any other bow made. They also have a warranty that is unsurpassed. I recently sent the limbs and riser off of my Phoenix into Dan Miller w/ one limb cracked due to one dry fire too many, which I was honest about. I had it back in less than a week, TWO new limbs [matched] NEW dissipator bars installed, all at no charge. A member of another forum made the same dumb move right before hunting season and Miller had his new limbs en route prior to even receiving the damaged ones in the mail. Can't put a price on that kind of service.

I totally agree!

Roadkill · « **Reply #27 on:** May 20, 2007, 06:47:15 AM »

I bought a cheap guitar and I could only shoot a few feet with it. If I tried to draw over 10 lbs the string would break and my arrow would hit me in the face. I don't recommend hunting with musical instruments. Get yourself a good Chinese crossbow.

jh45gun · « **Reply #28 on:** May 20, 2007, 08:11:24 AM »

Quote from: Roadkill on May 20, 2007, 06:47:15 AM

I bought a cheap guitar and I could only shoot a few feet with it. If I tried to draw over 10 lbs the string would break and my arrow would hit me in the face. I don't recommend hunting with musical instruments. Get yourself a good Chinese crossbow.

You that desperate for comments?

Roadkill · « **Reply #29 on:** May 21, 2007, 11:37:47 AM »

I just thought this conversation was going nowhere. I don't understand why people are so loyal to certain brands, and they are unwilling to try something new.