excalibur43

I shoot an Excalibur Exocet 200. It is fast and very accurate. I have a Block target that I use for shooting my broadheads ( Stinger 4 blades 125 gr.) at. The Block has 3" circles on one side, and from my bench rest, I can put 4 arrows in one of those circles at 50 yards all day long. With my set up, I am getting approx. 104 foot lbs. of energy, where the average compound gets approx. 73 ft. lbs. With my treestand positioned overlooking a field, and my range finder, I wouldn't hesitate shooting a deer at that range.

smokepolehall

Hey i will put my 2 cents worth in. I shoot the Excalibur Phoenix 175 lb. its very accurate,also you can change your string in the field. Its great and has the dissapater bars on it. Have you ever tried to change the compound xbows string in the field? Lose hunting time and drive to shop. Excalibur has very good safety and trigger and half the woods doesn't get all in those wheels and clog it up.

Dnk

Smokepolehall, welcome, your two cents are certainly welcome here. Yet another Excal owner, thats good!

Hotburn76

DNK, you need to quit paying your friends to come over here from theexcalibur site. Your affecting all us horton guys! You guys are like just coming out of the wood work! LOL, just kidding. The more we have here the better! If I didn't own a Horton I would probbally own a Excalibur.

Dnk

Hotburn, I love this small "club" we have going but its would be nice if it were a bit bigger.
Re:sending my friends here. I acually do not go to the Excal site all that often, I am cruising the Huntingnet stuff alot more.
I have been going crazy waiting for my new UltraTech to arrive and have been shooting my compound at my shop and as soon as my new bolts arrive I will be punching my target bag with my Exocet.
And what has Jason been upto recently? Have you heard from Green Pea recently?
Good hearing from ya!

Hotburn76

Dnk, Not up to much lately, Just a little overtime at work. I see green pea made some post today. The only thing I have been doing is looking at getting a new gun. Last year was my first year I tried hard at groundhog hunting. I have a 22 mag and its ok but I come up a little short sometimes. So I think tomarrow I am going to go out and get a NEF 204. Thats what I been looking into lately, and thats what a friend of mine has and i like it alot so I think tomarrow will be the big day for my trip to the store. Sorry I did not post any pics of my dogs in your post. I dont have any good pics of them alone and dont have the guts to post my goofy face with the dogs. Hey also did you notice or first chick shoots a horton! JK and lol. Im just happy were still growing and not going stale. Oh and if you read this catsclaw dont take the chick thing the wrong way, sorry.

Dnk

I wish I had the time for chuck hunting. Too buisy in the spring and summer in my shop and at the cottage but good for you if you can. What cal are you thinking about? Have you tried your crossbow? Hehehehe... About Catsclaw, I think she's going to be pretty cool to hang with here. I read some of her stuff and she's got moxie.... no pun intended Moxie1884 if your listening! I like women like that. I doubt that your face (Jason) is goofier than the one that I posted!
Later

DJH -------

CHOOSING A CROSSBOW

Picking out a crossbow is just like picking out any weapon you are going to hunt with. If you can, go to a proshop or sporting goods store that has a wide variety of crossbow to choose from. Then start picking them up and bringing them to your shoulder. Find one that feels "right"! Next step is to take it to the range and shoot it. When you finally do choose one and buy it, take it home and practice often. This part of the process will help you become one with your bow and that is extremely important.

Just about any crossbow that you buy from any of the major manufacturers will be a quality choice. They vary according to price, which is dictated by poundage, components and accessories, but start out with one that feels comfortable to you. The more natural it feels the more confident you will feel and the better you will shoot with it.

As far as poundage is concerned, ask your self this: "How far do I want to walk to pick up the arrow after it has passed through the deer?" A 150 pound bow will easily do that. I have found that the heavier draw weights, as with vertical bows, are less forgiving and lead to higher wear and tear on your equipment. And for those longer practice sessions, cocking 150 pounds will go a lot easier on the shooter than a 175 or 200 pounder.

Bottom line is: Find the crossbow that feels the most natural in your hands and that has good balance for YOU. It is an investment that will last for many years so it pays to take the time to choose the right one for YOU! Of course, that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.

Turkeyssss

Just my opinion, but the Ten Point crossbow has to be the best made for safety and pin-point accuracy. I've been shooting a Ten Point for 9 or 10 years now and have hadno problems yet. With all the safety features built into them it makes it worth the extra $ be safe. But the best advice is to shoot several brands before jumping into a purchase. You may find a good deal, but if it doesn't feel or shoot correctly for you - it's not a good deal.

awshucks

Hey Rebel Hog: Did you get your xbow yet? You know the Chinese have a saying, "The longest journey starts with a single step" LOL We're all waitng to see which one ya get, and how tickled you are w/ it! I see you asked about Barnetts as they are close to you. There was a fellow who has a friend that works for them and he posted somewhere on Excal's forum about all the different models, the ones w/ better trigger units, tons of good info. Also, if you decide on an Excal, talk to Danny Miller in Sardis Oh. He really knows Excals, is a great guy, and can probably save you some "experimenting" money. Wish I'd of found him a $100 or so sooner. I don't know anything about the other brands, just that they all have a strong following on all the forums I've found. Good luck, shopping, and shooting!!