Got a Crossbow this week!

[Schuetzenman]

Love it! It is the Excalibur brand, their model named "Axiom" crossbow. 305 fps with a 20" bolt, 175 lb. recurve type. Some images of me sighting in; left high shot is the first one, clicked down and hit the left low one. Next was the high one on the right, one more adjustment and the bottom lower shot out of the four bolts the quiver holds.
http://www.gunsnet.net/photopost/data/500/Excalibur_Axiom_1.jpg
http://www.gunsnet.net/photopost/data/500/Excalibur_Axiom_2.jpg
http://www.gunsnet.net/photopost/data/500/Excalibur_Axiom_3.jpg

I went recurve to keep it simple and because I'm not really all that interested in Hunting, but rather shooting / target work that I can do out my back door without pissing of the neighbors. The crossbow seemed to be the answer I was looking for. You get some exercise cocking this thing and the ammo can be reused unlike our firearms where it's one shot and done for the projectile. I have to say this thing is as accurate as you can hold it during bolt release. In later shooting sessions I used each of the 4 bulls on the cloth side of the target as to shoot at the same bull would be to invite destroying a bolt already in the target. BTW, don't ever shoot a field point at the end of one of these targets marked "For Broadheads". I thought I was never going to get them out. Took rubber gloves and my foot braced on the target face to get them pulled free. Probably 100+ pounds of force to get them out!

[Partisan1983]

Very cool !

I have been wanting one for years now.

[Schuetzenman]

Very cool !

I have been wanting one for years now.

They are very neat devices. I had one when I was 11 made by Wham-O the Frisbee makers. It had an aluminum 1 piece 80 lb. bow to it, no safety and no stirrup on the end to put your foot through to help in cocking it. I went recurve to hold down the bolt speed. as you can see they get buried in these targets really deep. The lower cost compound bows that shoot slower like this one, (300 fps range) have a lot of customer feedback about splitting limbs on the bows. The Axiom is $550 ish at Midway USA where I purchased it. Bass Pro carries it for the same price. I was looking at the Barnett Jackal for about $290 at Midway which is a pretty good deal. The Jackal is usually around $330 most places. But it shoots faster and I did find reports of splintering bow limbs associated with it in customer feedback.

Anyway the Excalibur has a 100% lifetime guarantee to repair or replace it free if it fails under normal use. Hard to beat that kind of backing for a product.

[was_peacemaker]

Love it! It is the Excalibur brand model Axiom crossbow. 305 fps with a 20" bolt, 175 lb. recurve type. Some images of me sighting in; left high shot is the first one, clicked down and hit the left low one. Next was the high one on the right, one more adjustment and the bottom lower shot out of the four bolts the quiver holds.

I went recurve to keep it simple and because I'm not really all that interested in Hunting, but rather shooting / target work that I can do out my back door without pissing of the neighbors. The crossbow seemed to be the answer I was looking for. You get some exercise cocking this thing and the ammo can be reused unlike our firearms where it's one shot and done for the projectile. I have to say this thing is as accurate as you can hold it during bolt release. In later shooting sessions I used each of the 4 bulls on the cloth side of the target as to shoot at the same bull would be to invite destroying a bolt already in the target. BTW, don't ever shoot a field point at the end of one of these targets marked "For Broadheads". I thought I was never going to get them out. Took rubber gloves and my foot braced on the target face to get them pulled free. Probably 100+ pounds of force to get them out!

Awesome!! I am glad you went for a recurve style over the compound. Fewer moving parts. After I get my sword, a recurve crossbow is on my list of things to get.

[jet3534]

Excalibur makes a great crossbow that I can highly recommend based on owning a 200# Exocet.

[Schuetzenman]

Excalibur makes a great crossbow that I can highly recommend based on owning a 200# Exocet.

Very clean looking bow you have. I like it, how long have you had it?

[Schuetzenman]

Awesome!! I am glad you went for a recurve style over the compound. Fewer moving parts. After I get my sword, a recurve crossbow is on my list of things to get.

The recurve simplicity is a point that attracted me. No pulleys or cables to break or get jammed. I plan to pick up a spare string as soon as they get in stock. Not much can go wrong with this model.

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Awesome. I've been thinking about one in a SHTF situation where you need to hunt quietly. Thanks for the report!

[Dr. Gonzo GED]

Cool! What an awesome toy. I don't think you can be a straight man and not have a fascination for crossbows somewhere in your heart. It's like nunchaku and boobies. If you've got a pair stones on some primal level you love em.

I've been wanting to make one of these (the simplified medieval style) for a while now. Seems like a fun project that wouldn't be so challenging as to be a frustration.

[chrisb]

High quality crossbow with standard archery target
So, dispatch a bolt with high accuracy is perfectly practical~


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MWqtqKVZFY
I cover more in detail about this axiom smf in my blog (http://www.bestcrossbowsreviews.org/excalibur-crossbow-reviews-excalibur-axiom-smf/). Not want to copy here, it's quite long. For any one also interested in this xbow.

[O.S.O.K.]

Cheater. :D

I'm sticking with my Hoyt compound this fall. I can shoot em with a gun the rest of the season - need some challenge...

Those are cool though - and legal in MS for all adult seasons.

Also, makes a very good stealth SHTF weapon... without the need for any stamps or BS.

[Schuetzenman]

Cheater. :D

I'm sticking with my Hoyt compound this fall. I can shoot em with a gun the rest of the season - need some challenge...

Those are cool though - and legal in MS for all adult seasons.

Also, makes a very good stealth SHTF weapon... without the need for any stamps or BS.

I tell you what from a rest this thing could hit the black dot in the center of each bull I do believe. It is rifle accurate in performance. I may just get some 100 gr. broadheads to go on some of the shafts. I would like to find out if they change the point of impact any over the 100 gr. field points.

[Schuetzenman]

BTW O.S.O.K. Hoyt is in bankruptcy and has supposed to have sold off it's manufacturing equipment. If you check around the web most places that sell Hoyt bows and crossbows have them on sale, a clearance sale. There is no warranty with any of these Hoyt bow products as there is no company to back up the product. The purchasers of the Hoyt equipment have stated they will not service Hoyt product. You may want to look into another bow ... maybe even a crossbow. ;)