I laughed when I got a flyer in the mail offering a package deal on one of these for @$1,6000. The wife laughed too. Then I shot one of these at Arundel Mills Saturday and was mightily impressed. I have to use a windless to cock my crossbow because of old hand injuries and the Stryker has the slickest system I've ever seen. No dangling strings. It uses a quiet, built in sprocket chain and a detachable crank that goes into your pocket after use. It also has a trigger as light and crisp as a good rifle. I immediately shot it better off hand than I can the crossbow I've been hunting with for years. The power is stunning. I believe if I could loosen the grip on my wallet the Stryker might even extend my effective range to 60 yrds for whitetail or black bear. ...But, I'm no crossbow expert and I'd really be interested in the impressions of your experienced crossbow guys.
-------------------- Sei wach!
Sei wach!
Posts: 621 | Location: Commonwealth of Virginia | Registered: 06 September 2003
I handled one of these in the local shop a week ago or so... Gotta say I was fairly impressed. I've shot quite a few different crossbows, and until I shoot one, I'll reserve judgement, but if it's close to their claimed arrow velocity, it should be quite a flat shooter. Downsides include size and weight. The price is very steep considering the average price on the market, but performance is up quite a bit from the others. Just my thoughts so far...
I work for a dealer and we got are first on in on monday at 12:45 and gone by 2:00 we had it sold in 1 hour and 15 min. This cross bow KICKS ASS there is no cross bow out there can tuch it. I went out to bow tech and got to play with it out there and it is TRULY AWSOME when they say it will hit on the money at 60 yards it dose you sight it in foe 20 yards and you have 3 dots in the scope 20-40-60 and they are right on the money.......You will love it
holzauge - I am interested in the weight of the bolts that you shoot and what they are made off/what type of arrow are they cut from? Also, could you please share the type of broadhead that you use for interest sake.
Sroko the Bolt is made from Carbon they waigh in at 425grs and as far as I know you can realy only use a Macanical with it at 405-416fps I dont think a fixed blade will work out to well
Thanks 500 - that is a lot more speed than I would have guessed - that gives you about 158 f/p's KE and thats plenty. How many crossbow kills have you made and can you share some info for interest sake, such as what mechanical you used on the animal, penetration, end result etc.
I find it interesting that you say you can only use a mechanical due to the speed - have you tested the fixed blade against the mechanical and if so, what was your findings?
There have been complaints that mechanicals "open" in flight - yours obviously do not and that at over 400 f/p/s - that impresses me and urges me to find out more.
Well in Minnesota you have to have a permit to hunt with one so I do not hunt with one but I was told by some of the guys at bow tech that there are few fixed blade heads that are working very well in the STRYKER. And at $1600.00 I ant buying one to do any testing. But I have tested some Expandibals in high speeed bows befor and had some that did open in flight just sligtly when in bows exceding 300fps.....
I'd say that some of the smaller diameter fixed blade heads would work OK based on my experience with crossbows. The rocket ultimate steel 100 grain heads have a 7/8" cutting diameter, and in everything I've shot them out of (compounds & crossbows) they've had the same POI as field points. Considering that the stryker is only a 175# crossbow, the extra velocity comes from the longer power stroke of the bow. It would be interesting to see how it responds, but I don't know if I'll be able to get one to test.
While not Stryker, my Exclibur pushes a 450 gr bolt at 350 fps, and the Parker at 320. I found through trial and error that the 100 gr Slick Trick fixed blade does shoot accurately from these bows. Must be the four blades and small diameter (1"). Very accurate, shoots to same point as my field bolts and particularly devestating terminal performance. Had used the larger Thunderheads (until I missed two bucks, found that the large blades steer the bolt depending on how they are turned. My bolts are straight fletched so those broadheads were spinning the bolt.