crossbow scopes

[JDUNLAP]

Is it possible to use a rifle scope on a crossbow? Most crossbow scopes have little magnification, 4x or less. Most have small objectives 32mm or less. PSE's tac sereies crossbows offer a 3-944mm scope for their xbows.

[JDUNLAP]

Forgot to mention im new to the fourm. Just got on today, Im looking to start crossbow hunting this year.

[foofoo]

welcome aboard! kinda new myself. theres no right or wrong. i prefer a bigger scope myself but youll find most crossbow scopes are on the small size and tend to be compact. rifle scopes are paralax for longer ranges but some scope companies can change them for you. if you got a bigger scope give it a try.

[vixenmaster]

Yes you can use a rifle scope on a CB magnification past a 2x7 is certainly overkill unless yer eyes need that much help. I use a 1.5x6x42mm German recticle on my phoenix & it can be used on multiple yardages.

[Boo]

Welcome to the forum!
Something in the order of 1.5 to 6 should do. Snapperdan used a Leupold and with some magnification adjustment the reticles and crosshairs coincided with hunting yardages. Rifle scopes work very well on crossbows. All "crossbow" scopes are just cheaper rifle scopes modified to fill the needs of crossbow shooters.

[snapperdan]

I put on a Leupold 2x7 Shotgun scope from Dan miller and it workes great!!! On my equinox with a Boo string and big John blazing tiger arrowes .On the top of the heavy bottom post 40yds dead on. The center crosshair 30yds dead on. and the botton of the heavy top post 20yds dead on. Man when you cant spell .And cant type that was tuff to say!!!???

[sits in trees]

using a crossbow scope just makes it easier because the elevation lines are graduated in the retical 10, 20, 30 , 40 yards and so forth. most rifle scopes are just a set of crosshairs....

[rt2bowhunter]

First welcome. Let me throw this in the pot. I really like the HHA Optimizer. You can use the sight of your choice. And still have the yardage adjustment.

[Boo]

First welcome. Let me throw this in the pot. I really like the HHA Optimizer. You can use the sight of your choice. And still have the yardage adjustment.

Excellent piece of hardware! I have on but I need the time and space to fart around with it. It is a very well made piece of machinery.

[sumner4991]

My personal preference is the Excalibur Vari-Zone.

I agree . . .keep it simple.

[wabi]

I'm quickly gaining experience in scope compatibility with crossbows, but not because I wanted to.
My first crossbow was a Vixen (the old black Vixen) matched up with an Excalibur "DropZone" fixed power crossbow scope. Shot it for a few years and had no problems at all.
Then I "upgraded" to an Exocet (old 175# model) and matched it up with the new (at that time) VariZone scope. Again had a couple years of problem free shooting.

Then Excalibur introduced the Phoenix! I had to have one (the compactness of the old Vixen and the speed/power of the Exocet - how could I not want to own one?).
Sold the Exocet (and scope) and bought the Phoenix.
At the time TenPoint had just introduced an illuminated reticule scope (Excal hadn't introduced the LumiZone yet), so I put the TenPoint scope on it.
First scope soon developed illumination problems - it would change the light intensity when I shot. Sent it back and got scope #2.
#2 was fine for almost a whole deer season, then it suddenly developed the problem of shifting POI. I'd sight it in, shoot for a while (could be a couple shots, or it could take days or weeks) and suddenly the POI would jump several inches from where I'd set it. Sent it back and got scope #3.
When #3 arrived I looked through it and it had a huge "spiderlike" image in the field of view (probably dirt inside the scope). Sent it back and got #4.
#4 arrived and appeared to be in perfect shape - so I quickly sold it on eBay!

Bought an Excalibur VariZone for the Phoenix next.
All was fine at first, but it suddenly developed a POI shift problem. To make sure it was the scope I removed the VariZone and stuck a 2-7x Leupold on the Phoenix. It cured the shifting POI problem, so I exchanged the VariZone for a new VariZone.
After a year or so the second VariZone started the shifting POI routine! Not bad shifts, but it would jump a couple of inches randomly. Stuck a cheap riflescope on the Phoenix (I had given the Leopold to a friend for his rifle) and it cured the problem for a very short time, but the recoil of the crossbow soon destroyed the cheap scope (shifting POI and reticule orientation shift).
I checked mount screws (removed & re-installed with fresh loctite, but the old was still holding when I removed the screws, so that wasn't a problem), bought a set of $50. high quality steel rings to eliminate that possibility, numbered and checked (and double checked) arrows, then put the VariZone back on and found it still had problems.
Was going to return it to Excalibur. Took it off to package it for the return and as I was examining it I found the objective (front) lens was loose! Tightened it up and put the scope back on the Phoenix. All was good for all of last season.
I had to cut season short last year because of sickness (the flu kicked my butt), and in early December I unstrung the Phoenix and put it in storage (an old workbench in the corner of my shop where it's covered & protected from dust, and being bumped). Got it out last week, put on a new "Boo string" for the upcoming season, and headed for the shooting range.
First shot - 4" low right!
Shot again and was still low/right, so I adjusted the scope but was unable to get good groups! Checked the objective lens and it seemed tight.
Came home and switched to a Hawke air rifle scope. Went back to the ranges and groups tightened up, so I came home and called Danny Miller (Excal's US warranty rep).
The VariZone is now on it's way to Danny, and I'm going to get a Leupold shotgun scope to replace it! (I did have to send a check to cover the difference in price, but Danny treated me right IMO)

I have mentioned this in a couple other threads, but I'll have to agree with Danny 100% on his opinion! It baffles me, too, to consider why a company that offers the absolute best crossbow available would offer only a selection of competitively priced (aka CHEAP) imported scopes for their buyers?
I can see the picture of being in in a very competitive, fast growing market with a scope that is in the price range of the competition, but why doesn't someone (crossbow manufacturer or scope manufacturer) offer a high quality scope option designed specifically for crossbow use??????

Until that happens I'll switch (again) to a high quality rifle scope for my crossbow and hope & pray it doesn't fall apart like the crossbow scopes have. (Not likely to happen according to Danny, he says he's had no failures at all in the Leupolds he's sold).

As for the reticule (duplex vs crossbow ranging reticule) it doesn't bother me at all for hunting use! I use a K.I.S.S. hunting sight in, anyway.
Sight in at 25 yards with the crosshair, and any deer from 0 - 30 yards is dead with a "center of kill zone" hold! I've used this system for a while now (after screwing up many shots over the years, in both hunting and 3-D after trying to use yardage marks and using the wrong mark in the excitement (confusion) of taking a shot ) and it has worked to perfection for me. 0 misses (except for another scope failure ), and a freezer full of venison has convinced me it works!

My advice is to buy a HIGH QUALITY (made somewhere besides China ) riflescope and go with that!

(BTW - not bashing China as a country of manufacture in general, but in my experience with "Made in China" products I have seen some excellent products (knives & tools), but not one optical product (binocular, scope, red dot sight, spotting scope, etc,) yet!

[bkisel]

Welcome!

Offhand/unrested and anything more than say 2-3X would be too much for me to handle. IMHO, even though I use a Varizone scope myself, open sights are just fine for hunting.

[JDUNLAP]

Thanks guys for all the input! Several of my questions got ansered. Next thing is to decide wich Excalibur is best suited for me. Im thinking hard on the "Vortex" model.

[rt2bowhunter]

A lot of people think you need to range then adjust the optimizer. And you can if you need to or want to. What i found that works i set the OP. To the crossing, trail or center of a bottle neck what ever. If the trail is 27 yds i set it to that. If the deer walks the trail great. If its a little off the trail the cast of my arrow will cover it. If hunting open woods or fields. Most of the time i will set it to 30yds. And range a few trees from 20 to 40yds. The sight i have has a dot and a circle around it. With post at 12:00 3:00 6:00 and 9:00. That's pretty close to 15,30,40yds. with the speed of my arrows. The sight is a true Holo sight. It looks like the dot with ring are on the deer out to 50yds.Also i cant find any paradox, shoot you don't even need to shoulder the bow.The sight will run on 12 power for 250 hours 12 is to bright for most hunting. That's 25 days of 10 hour days. The sight runs a battery check every time you turn it on. The dot will blink when it gets to 20% of battery life left (not 100% sure about the 20%) If i remember.
The 3 things that sold me on this set up.
1. Fully adjustable for yardage Whether i use the post and center dot. Or the OP or a combo of both. For hunting big or small game.
2. I promise no matter what the lighting conditions. With a 20 power brightness setting. If you can see it you can hit it.
3. Both eyes open Unlimited field of view.
The way i look at it. Its a tool that might help me and is there if i need it.
Now please im not knocking in anyway any other choice anyone makes.
This is just what i found works best for me. And why i like it and thats all.
Just pointing out another choice thats out there.

[dutchhunter]

i shot a horton with the dial a range for years and just like you say i would set it for a trail or tree were i thought the der would be thy do work great and i realy like the idea DUTCH