Buying a new Crossbow Please help

[wheelie]

Think you need the help after you buy your crossbow. Gets addicting. First is the crossbow then the addons to go with it. Then arrows, targets, trail cams, feeders then a second crossbow just because and ................... never ends never ends.

[BUS314]

Well, this is my first year with a crossbow. I cannot imagine why I would ever "move up" to a higher poundage bow--my #175 Phoenix will kill ANYTHING in USA with one shot, easy to maintain, easy to cock, easy to uncock, & robinhood stackin accurate to 50 yds. Good luck & WELCOME

[lscha]

Well, this is my first year with a crossbow. I cannot imagine why I would ever "move up" to a higher poundage bow--my #175 Phoenix will kill ANYTHING in USA with one shot, easy to maintain, easy to cock, easy to uncock, & robinhood stackin accurate to 50 yds. Good luck & WELCOME

I'm actually thinking of "moving up" from the Ibex to the Vixen!! The Ibex is a beauty and I got a nice clean kill on a buck this year but I'm 5'2" and I know the Vixen is fully capable of getting my deer and it is an inch shorter. I'll never give up my Ibex tho. Well, it is staying in the family. My husband has a TenPoint Titan and has Ibex envy so I'm sure he will be hunting with it next year.

Edit: I did it!!!

[Pydpiper]

All the Excaliburs are equally accurate, the poundage will only increase the speed of the arrow, not the speed of the death of the quary.
The only benifit I can think of for going "fast" is to reduce the arc of the trajectory, the faster the arrow the flatter the arc, that would be a little more forgiving in range estimation. I found the 200# bow to be the most versitile, a bit more speed (Ke) than the 175 without all the vibration from the 225#. Servings don't bother me, I do my own, it is easy and inexpensive.
Flat nocks, don't give them a second thought, you will not get a dry fire from an Excalibur unless you leave the arrow out or the arrow isn't seated correctly (tight). I have never heard of a string riding over the nock of a properly seated arrow on an Excalibur.
What is left for you is finding a bow that fits you, one that is comfortable to hold. I prefer the traditional stock while others like the pistol grip. Size of the bow is important for fit too, the Exocet fits me like it was designed specifically for my shooting style, while my wifes Ibex feels uncomfortably small. No amount of reading is going to tell you what fits you best, it is a hands on decision.

[Boo]

It sounds like you know what you want. I will say a couple of things other than pick them up and shoot them. BUS314 described the 175 models really well, fast, accurate and easy to live with. Call Danny Miller @ Horizontal Archery 37432 Fifth Avenue Sardis, Ohio, 740-483-2312 (no website but he's the best in the business)
Other than buying an Excalibur calling Danny is the other thing you won't regret!

[vixenmaster]

I shall add abit more fer you to ponder upon, all of the hunting models will hit a golf ball at 40yds off the bench with good accurate arrows. Many of us here 3-D shoot I have won a few matchs/shoots in the past. Used miss vixen on some miss phoenix on some & E'cet 200 i no longer own on some. With the varizone that has marks fer 10 to 50 yds all you have to do is est. your shot yardage. Whitetails pose no problem fer pass-throughs from any model keep the range 40 & under the deer will fall very quickly. FOC is the secret to arrow set-up's!

[rsm2532]

Hey Mike I was in the same boat you were, I live in PA and they just made it legal to hunt with a crossbow, if you did not have a medical permit. I bought a Excalibur Equinox and I 'am not disappointed I did. I shot two big Doe with mine during our rifle season, I was in an area were you could not hunt with a rifle due to saftey zones, but with a bow I could hunt there. I'am not sure where you live out in New Jersey, butI would make a trip to Cabela's, call first to see if they have any excaliburs and if they do, you can go out there and shoot them at there range and you will see for yourself how accurate and fast they are, you will be surprised and the best thing is it's only a recurve bow. Easy to replace the stings and you do not have to shoot the bow every time your done hunting , you can let it down manually with the aid of the rope.

They will have other crossbows but I think you will see what I mean when you shoot one!!!

Good luck

[Mike Pcf]

I can go there and see. I've been there twice before on something else. Thanks for the info.

[awshucks]

All the Excaliburs are equally accurate, the poundage will only increase the speed of the arrow, not the speed of the death of the quary.
The only benifit I can think of for going "fast" is to reduce the arc of the trajectory, the faster the arrow the flatter the arc, that would be a little more forgiving in range estimation. I found the 200# bow to be the most versitile, a bit more speed (Ke) than the 175 without all the vibration from the 225#. Servings don't bother me, I do my own, it is easy and inexpensive.
Flat nocks, don't give them a second thought, you will not get a dry fire from an Excalibur unless you leave the arrow out or the arrow isn't seated correctly (tight). I have never heard of a string riding over the nock of a properly seated arrow on an Excalibur.
What is left for you is finding a bow that fits you, one that is comfortable to hold. I prefer the traditional stock while others like the pistol grip. Size of the bow is important for fit too, the Exocet fits me like it was designed specifically for my shooting style, while my wifes Ibex feels uncomfortably small. No amount of reading is going to tell you what fits you best, it is a hands on decision.

X2, and I owned an Emax prior to my 200# models. Currently having a ball w/ a Vixen, it's all good! Welcome to the forum, btw.

[maple]

To each their own in speed and power options. 175 to 200 pounds is more than enough to get any job done. Pick a bow that feels comfortable to you in size and weight.

The Exomag (no longer made) I got in 2002 is still almost mint. Never seen a repair shop or problem. These bows do NOT loose all their value in resale either. If people on this forum are selling them, it's to buy another Excal, not because they are inadequate. If they get real old, they become collectors' items and the price can go up!!

I see lots of other bows for sale and I know why.

Welcome to the forum Mike. Enjoy.

Maple

[Mike Pcf]

Thank you!