mauser06

dad has sparked an intrest in getting back into archery hunting..he used to be a compound hunter for years but got out of it a long time ago.

he also was hit on his motorcycle a while back and his shoulder took a hard hit..drawing a bow over and over just isnt comfortable for him..in our area of PA he can use a crossbow in the regular bow season..i think its a good option for him and he asked me to do some research and see what i can figure out about them.

i know NOTHING about them at all...i dont know his price range, but know he wont spend 2 grand on one(saw some going for that..) he dont need to shoot far..maybe 30yds or so max..but i know he will want something that doesnt give him headaches and holds its zero and puts the bolts where he wants them.

anyone have any makes/models etc to recommend, stay away from etc??

what about scopes??

should i be looking for a package deal that comes with it all ready to go or put one together??

any info/advice/reading etc is appreciated...i know nothing and would like to learn about them, as well as do a little shopping around for one for dad...i want to beable to make a wise purchase decision so he has a good shootin setup and no headaches so he sticks with it and doesnt get frustrated..

thanx alot guys

Hotburn76

Actually this is the normal max for most guys, maybe find a few guys that say 35 is good. CB's are pretty loud and you will have a hard time shooting past that and dealing with string jump issues.


Right now the ones that are getting the most bad press are Barrnet and the new Strykers. Barrnet has had some quality issues and the company right now is unstable at best, I think they are going through some bankruptcy issues, almost closed there doors a while back. Stryker is new and turned on alot of speed freaks. They are now having what appears to be alot of problems with there limbs holding up and the triggers.


Alot of guys use pin and peep sights just fine. The scope is really not needed, the deer should only be thirty yards or less. But it lets you hunt the last part of the magical 1/2 hour with out a peep blacking out on you. Right now Excal makes the most popular CB scopes. They can be tuned to the CB's speed and you can be right on at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 yards. You still should keep your deer close, but it nice having the marks for long range coons and yotes.


For someone experienced with CB's the packages may seem to be a waste, but for a new person they are pretty handy until you get settled in and can start to experiment on your own.


Right now in this forum Excal is the most popular. It is like you ask for, a simple recurve design. I shot Horton's for a long time and I think they are good CB's. But if you go Horton, get a higher end one, they are making some cheaper ones for the Wal-mart game and some guys seem to be unhappy with them. Your high dollar CB's are the Ten Points, and I am not saying they are bad CB's, but like you I too shudder at any thing over four digits. Parkers make a good compound design from what the guys in here say, they seem happy. I went with a Excal Vortex after the two Horton's I had. Excal is a simple recurve set up that is easy to maintain and no cam issues with them. They are real accurate and with practice your dad can be hitting good groups soon. You need no press to service them and the have a long history of quality and dependability. They have several models from 150# to 225#. Your dad would do just fine with the 175# Phoenix. He should be able to cock it with a rope cocker just fine and it has plenty of power for pass through shots. Currently, www.bowhunterssuperstore.com is the best prices on the net for them, they are out of PA. Good luck on your quest for your dad and keep asking and we will be glad to help.

coyote170

What Hotburn said is good advice,I shoot Parkers,but wish I could
work on it myself,have to take it to a shop to service it(strings
cables,etc.)If you decide on a compound,would suggest the Parker,
recurve then Excalibur is the best choice.Good luck on your search
your dad will enjoy useing it once he gets used to shooting it!

ranger56528

I shoot a Excal Vortex Recurveand a TenPoint Profusion Compound....They will be with me for along time...

Buckhunter46755

What everyone is saying is good advice. I also shot a Horton Team RealTree 175. I just sold it to upgrade to an Excal Vortex also. The Horton was a nice bow, but I am also new to CB's. For a compound crossbow in my opinion the Parkers all in all are probably better bows. They have some extra nice features that the Hortons don't have. Like a track guide for firing the bolt and cocking the same every time. Also the servings reportedly last longer. I believe they are also a little lighter and you get a little better arrow speed with only a 150lb draw weight. (On the Parker Buckbuster anyways). I don't have hands on experience with them, but I've checked them out at the shop and read about them. The Excal line however is now my choice. I like the idea of a recurve also, because you can do your own maintenance like string changes with out the need of a bow press or shop fees. Also they dont have the extra parts to wear out like cams, cables, pulleys, etc. Plus from what Ive read everywhere the quality, accuracy, warranty and customer service is superb. I would have waited and got the Excal first time around if I knew all this now and wasn't so gun ho! lol.... I would seriously consider an Excal. Even the lower end ones are awesome and more than enough to hunt most game in North America.
Hotburn is right the Pheonix would be a good choice, reasonable price tag too. I bought the Vortex not for the extra power, but for the stock design. I can handle thumbholes much easier dur to some injuries and medical problems. So basically if you want the recurve which is what I would recommend, get the Pheonix, if you want a compound, I would get the Parker Buck Buster or Terminator. In the long run I think he will be more pleased with the ease of service on the recurve design of the Excals. This is all my opinion though, however I believe it is good advice. Good Luck. Oh yea, I also think the recurves are balanced better and easir to shoulder. The compounds naturaly are more front heavy due to the extra hardware like, the wheels, cables, etc. I'm basically repeating and agreeing withthe good info and advice thathas already been posted.

chris