I am toying with the idea of buying a crossbow, mainly for hunting deer and javalina in Mexico.

I have looked at the Cabela�s website, where they show models by Barnett, Excalibur, etc.

What should I generally be looking for?
Which are the best brands?
Are scopes necessary?
Do I need 180# and 320 f/s?
Compound or recurve?
How difficult are they to handle?
How difficult is it to draw them?
Are they safe? (misfires, etc.)

I hunt both with rifle and bow, and enjoy both, so please do not turn this thread into a philosophical debate.

Thanks, Antonio

Antonio

I did a lot of research before I bought my crossbow and I chose an Excalibur.

Check out their website at:

http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/

The info there should answer most of your questions. You would also enjoy the Excalibur discussion forum at:

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

Mark

Thanks a lot Mark!

Antonio

I`ll second the Excalibur Excomag. I seen a 200lb model shoot my hunting arrow through a chronograph at 285 fps. That arrow was a 29" 2219 with a 125gr point. My arrow weights in around 600 grains.With the reccomended bolt this crossbow shoots in the 320 fps range.

[ 09-09-2003, 16:09: Message edited by: Turman ]

I have a 200# Exomag and a 165# Exocet.

You will make the best decision of your bowhunting life choosing this brand. Not only in product reliability but support and advice, too.

Come on over to the forum there...I'm Red Label there too.

Mike

Thanks Mike and Turman:

It seems that Excaliburs are the top picks...

Why? Is this because they are recurves and have no pulleys?

Besides velocity, is there a reason to prefer the 200# over the 175# Excaliburs? Do you notice much difference in the hunting field between the two?

Cabelas carries a package with the Exomag but not with the Exocet. Are there other safe places to order online?

I am concerned with not being able to cock the 200# Excalibur... Should I worry about this or is this a non-issue. (I have never fired a crossbow in my life, but I would like to buy a good quality one, probably the only one in my whole life...). My height is 5�8", and for reference, I shoot a 55-60# Mathews bow...

Any insights, comments and suggestions are thankfully appreciated...

Antonio

Antontio

Unless you are shooting really big stuff (like moose), the Exocet is all you will ever need. The difference between the exocet and exomag won't make any difference for deer and javelina.... after all, the speed of the arrow as it exits the animal isn't really all that important

The limbs on the exocet and exomag are exactly the same, the extra power and speed comes from the longer "power stroke" (think longer draw) of the exomag....the longer power stroke is acheived by making the "deck" longer(front portion where the arrow sets)...having a longer draw makes cocking more difficult for me. I'm also 5'8", have a bad shoulder, and I have no problem cocking the exocet with the cocking rope.......I struggle a bit with the exomag because of the extra length.

The best price I found on Excalibur crossbows is The Archers Nook....might want to check them out!

http://www.archersnook.com/

Gonehunting:

Thanks very much for your useful post; that is the kind of information I was looking for...

I have two further questions:

1) Can one disassemble the Excalibur crossbows for transport (i.e. as you can do with Barnetts...), useful when using a horse to access the hunting grounds, or has it to be kept in one piece?

2) What is the advantage of recurves versus the Paradox Excalibur? How would you compare the Exomag and the Paradox?

Thanks again, Antonio

Antonio

1.Yes, the Excalibur bows can be disassembled, simply remove the two bolts that attach the bow assembly to the stock and re-attach when you are ready to hunt......this requires one allen wrench. Unlike compound crossbows, the recurve crossbow can be strung and unstrung in the field by the user, this makes for much easier transport.

I have never handled a Paradox, but in general, recurve crossbows are much simpler than compound crossbows. There is nothing to go out of time or out of adjustment, there are no cables to replace, the string can be easily replaced in the field with no tools. The only advantage compound crossbows have is that the bow portion is not as wide as on the recurve crossbows.

Thanks Gonhunting:

Forgive the dumb question, but what is a "cocking rope"?

Is it some kind of accessory that makes cocking easier?

Can one cock a crossbow, say on a treestand, or is this a complicated operation to be done on the floor?

Do you use a scope, and if so, what kind?

Regards, Antonio

No dumb questions...

A cocking rope has two hooks and pulleys that cut the cocking effort in half......they are available from several sources and they all work the same way. It would be very easy to show you how they work but difficult to tell you how they work. If you buy a new Excalibur crossbow, it will come with a video that shows how to use the rope and how to cock the bow without a rope. Yes, I have cocked my crossbow while in a treestand, it is more difficult than cocking it on the ground, but it can be done. I do use a scope on my crossbow, I think it is sold under the Horton name, but Horton does not make it. If I was buying one now, I'd get a scope from Excaliber.

Gonhunting:

I think they picture one of those cocking ropes in the Cabelas catalog.

Is the effort of cocking an Excalibur Exocet comparable with drawing a compound bow, or are 175# really the weight one has to pull, equivalent to raising an adult person? If so, using a cocking rope would reduce the force to about 90#... Am I right?

I would probably use the crossbow mostly in the jungle to ambush deer and javelina. There the "treestands" consist simply of a small hammock tied between two branches, where you sit lengthwise, with an additional stick to put your feet on, quite an unstable and oscillatory arrangement... Do you think one could cock a crossbow in such a situation using a cocking rope? If you are forced to cock it on the floor can you use a rope safely to raise the crossbow from the hammock without it dryfiring on the way up? Do they have riflelike safeties?

I have tried to use my Mathews bow in such a stand, but it is impossible to draw it if the animal appears on your right hand side, whereas I think that a crossboy could be used like a rifle in this situation by shooting it the left-handed way, making it more practical than a bow...

Thanks again, Antonio

Antonio

Yes, you have probably seen a cocking rope in Cabelas catalog, it is a simple device.



I'll try to explain the use of the cocking rope.....with the crossbow pointed down and the stirrup resting on the ground, place one foot in the stirrup, lay the center of the cocking rope in the groove in the stock located just behind the rear sight, pull one hook down each side of the "rail"(front part of the stock that the arrow sits in)and hook one to the string on each side, grab one rope handle in each hand and pull back towards the butt of the stock cocking the bow.

I have never measured the force required to cock my Exocet with the rope, but it does take some effort. Keep in mind, with the rope cocker, you use both hands to cock the bow. Since you pull with both hands, it doesn't seem like 90 pounds of effort is required but it probably is?

From your description, I believe I could cock my Exocet in your "tree stand" with the cocking rope.

I always cock my bow on the ground before I climb into the treestand. I use a rope to pull the bow up into the stand, of course, I don't put an arrow in the bow until I am seated in the treestand and ready to hunt. Excalibur crossbows do have safties like firearms.

Thanks Gonhunting

After your explanation, I very much get the picture of the kinf of movements that are necessary to cock a crossbow...

From your explanations it would seem to me that the effort (force) to cock an Exomag is the same as the one needed to cock an Exocet, the difference being just in the longer distance (1") that the string has to be pushed...

Do you always use the cocking rope, or have you had to cock your bow using your bare hands?

Do you use quivers attached to the crossbow? Do they interfere with good shooting? Are they practical?

Regards, Antonio

I don't mean to hi-jack the thread, but a co-worker asked a question the other day, and I am not sure I gave him the "right" answer.

What if you are not going to shoot? How do you "de-cock" a crossbow?

Thanks in advance,

Bill

Antonio

At first glance, your idea about the effort required between the Exocet and the Exomag sounds good, but remember, the farther you pull the bow back, the more difficult it becomes.

Look at it this way......when you draw a recurve or longbow, the farther you pull it back, the more resistance it has.....since the limbs on the exomag are drawn farther back, the force required to cock it is greater.

Yes, I can and have cocked my bow without the rope.....I missed a deer a few years ago, recocked the bow in the treestand (without the rope), loaded another arrow and killed the deer! I have a bad right shoulder, so I use the cocking rope whenever possible. The cocking rope also makes it impossible to cock the bow crooked..... sounds crazy, but you can cock a crossbow with the string slightly off center and it will affect the arrow flight!

I do have a quiver mounted on my bow, but I remove it when I get in the stand and am ready to hunt. I leave it attached to the crossbow until I am in the stand then I tie the quiver to a convienent branch. I would use a hip or back quiver but I don't like the idea of climbing a tree with broadheads strapped to me!

Bill

Some people carry an arrow with a "judo" point attached and just shoot that arrow into the ground to unload the bow. I put the stirrup on the ground, put my foot in the stirrup, grab the string with both hands and trip the trigger with my thumb......it is VERY important to have a really good hold on the string!!!

Thanks Gonhuntin, didn't think about using your thumb for the trigger, but figured it would be hard to hold the string with one hand....

Best option sounds like it is the same as a muzzleloader - shoot it! I pulled a ball ONCE....

Take care, Bill

Gonhunting:

You are of course right, it is a spring, so force is proportional to elongation...

Is the quiver you mention the "standard" one (say, the one included by Cabelas...) or is it a special one, and can it be taken off easily with no tools? Your�s looks to me like the best solution to the bolt-carrying problem in an environment like the jungle...

I seem to have come to the conclusion that it is going to be either the Exocet or the Exomag for me. The Exocet seems to be all I need, but Cabelas offers a kit (bow + quiver + 6 bolts) in the Exomag only. I looked at Archers Nook, which is way cheaper than Cabelas, but I think that I need a safe and easy place from which to order it online to a friend�s house in the USA to pick it up there and bring it over with me to Mexico in October.

If you were to buy one today and money was no object, would you choose the Exocet or the Exomag?

Do you think a dismantled crossbow inside a suitcase could provoque problems at a US Airport?

Thanks for joining in Bill, that was an important question!

Thanks again, Antonio

Antonio

MY quiver is a "kwickie kwiver" brand, it is just a standard bow quiver that is removable (most are). I have never seen the Cabelas kit, so I don't know what kind of quiver they supply?

I would personally buy the Exocet again.....the Exomag is a great crossbow, my brother shoots one, but I have short arms and a bad shoulder, so the Exomag is more than I am comfortable cocking.....if you don't suffer from those problems.....then the Exomag should work well for you.

Is there a problem ordering a crossbow and having it delivered to you in Mexico? I know several people that have purchased crossbows from Archer's Nook and there has never been a problem.

I can't answer the "crossbow in the suitcase" question....I've never tried it......I think I would talk to the TSA officials and let them know what I had in the bag.....otherwise, they will see the stock and other parts when the bag goes through screening and I'd bet they will open it.

Gonhunting:

There is two problems with ordering to Mexico: One is increased postage that rises the price of the bow a lot. The second is taxes and red tape. I would have to pay import taxes and probably VAT on the whole price and additionally be obliged to prove that the crossbow is not a weapon, to avoid confiscation. If I take it home with me on an airplane (I will be mule-deer hunting in Colorado in October...), I can use a tax free franchise of 300 USD, so I would have to pay taxes only on the difference, and the airport bureaucrats understand that a crossbow is a sporting article, and I was hunting anyway... You guys in the US and Canada just do not realize that you live in Paradise when it comes to order hunting equipment directly to your doorsteps...

I do not mean to say that Archer�s Nook is not a good shop, it is much cheaper than Cabelas et al. What happens is that they do not seem to have as nice an online website as Cabelas has, Furthermore, they are in Canada. I would be ordering from Mexico in Canada for shipment to the USA, a quite complicated method should I ever need to return the bow for some reason. I have ordered from Cabela�s before and they have my data in their system. A problem that sometimes surfaces is when you order online in the USA using different billing and shipment addresses, which is necesssarily my case. Sometimes the Bin Laden Hysteria Alarm is triggered when you try to order in the US anything weaponlike from a foreign country. Nowadays you get the funny looks at US airports if you happen to have suspicious things like binoculars in your luggage... Nothing is like it used to be since 9/11...

The quiver seems to be the one offered by Excalibur in their website. I copied the url for the Exomag package at Cabelas:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jhtml?id=0020280&navAction=push&navCount=2&indexId=cat600279&parentId=cat600279&parentType=index&rid=&_DARGS=%2Fcabel as%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fcatalog%2Fpod-link.jhtml_A&_DAV=MainCatcat21424

Regards and thanks again, Antonio

Antonio

I looked at the Cabelas kit....I believe the quiver will work perfectly.

Good luck!

Gonhunting:

I tried to order via an Excalibur dealer in the USA and it turned out that I cannot order with a CC from Mexico to a shipping address in the USA.

Following your suggestion, I contacted a guy named Richard at Archers Nook and apparently he will be able to do it and additionally cheaper...

Thanks a lot, Antonio

So, what did you order, Exomag or Exocet? Did you order the scope too??

Gonhunting:

Since I own a 416 Rem Mag, I figured out that I am a Magnum Power addict, and hence that my subconscious mind would be forever haunting me for those missing additional 20 f/s should I buy the Exocet instead of the Exomag...

So I forked out the extra 39 USDs and went for the whole "magnum enchilada", ordering the Exomag together with the scope package containing the Vari Zone plus all the other goodies, like quiver, bolts and cocking rope.

If you are going to sin, commit a big sin... 8<

I just hope that I do not have to wimp out with the extra 1" draw. If you hear that some bozo fatally fell off a tree in a Mexican jungle while trying to cock a crossbow, you can narrow your list of suspects...

Thanks again for all the tips.

Regards, Antonio

Antonio

As the owner of a 416 Rigby and a 50 BMG.....I can understand magnumitus!

I'm sure you will be happy with your crossbow.... I thought a long time before I decided to get the Exocet.....if it wasn't for the shoulder problems, I'd probably have an Exomag too!

Just an FYI......I shot my Exocet over a chronograph for the first time yesterday......a 20" 2117 bolt, 130 grain WASP broadhead, 5" feathers went 269 fps......same bolt with vanes was 10 fps slower.....keep in mind, mine is an older, non-fast flight bow .....at 269 fps, the bolt has shot completely through the 7 deer and one coyote I have used it on.....

Enjoy the bow and let me know when you kill something with it!

Gonhunting;

Richard from Archer�s Nook has not yet confirmed that he was successful with the cc charge. I hope he confirms this next week, so I can relax...

It will take many weeks for me to shoot an animal with the xbow, but I will tell you about it once it happens...

Good news that you needed less speed with xbows than advertised to shoot through deer. I am a member of the "Two holes school of thought" anyway, so I do not mind projectiles shooting through my animals.

Not attaining publisized speeds always happens with rifles to me, as I almost never am able to get the published speeds with my reloads and chronos. Thankfully in real life one needs far less than hyped, so I would not be surprised to clock speeds below 300 f/s...

Thanks again for the info.

Antonio