Crossbows represent one of the most fluid product segments in the outdoor industry. Every year, new models and variations on older models hit the scene to tempt our palettes. These do not always represent “change for the sake of change.” Advances in engineering and material composition often deliver real improvements from one model year to the next.

A prime example is TenPoint Crossbow Technologies. For 2019, the company has delivered big things at the two extremes of their product line.

At the vanguard is the all-new Nitro XRT xe2x80x94 a speed-searing (470 feet per second (fps)) reverse-draw crossbow that is so light, narrow and supremely balanced that it is unquestionably the Ferrari of the crossbow world. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the revamped Titan xe2x80x94 a moniker that has been around for the last decade and has been considered the “on-ramp” crossbow of the TenPoint lineup.

But don’t let the Titan’s low-cost position on the TenPoint family tree fool you. The new Titan M1 is a powerhouse with an exquisite blend of speed, accuracy and refined performance features that exceed its price point.

My personal crossbow is a Titan Extreme I purchased new about four years ago. It has put a pile of deer in my freezer in that time and is still as reliable and accurate as ever. The difference, however, between that model and this year’s new Titan M1 is, well, so significant that they really don’t compare at all. The Titan M1 effectively wipes the slate clean.

To put our evaluation in perspective, let’s start with the price. TenPoint has set an MSRP for the Titan M1 of $799.99 with the Rope-Sled cocking device option. The ACUdraw cocking device option adds another $100. The going retail price for both is $50 less than the MSRPs. That may sound like “upper end” pricing compared to other manufacturer’s crossbows in the 350xe2x80x93400 fps category, but that’s OK because that price carries with it several advantages. First, the Titan M1, like all TenPoint crossbows, is 100% manufactured in the U.S. Second, the Titan M1 benefits from technology and manufacturing efficiencies derived from TenPoint’s premium crossbow models that cost nearly twice as much.

First Impressions

After assembling the Titan M1, I was immediately struck by the crossbow’s lightweight and exceptional balance.

Part of this is credited to the company’s Fusion S stock. This is made from a long glass fiber polypropylene composite called OnForce that was developed by PolyOne. The advantage of this material is that it delivers remarkably high strength for its weight. This material allowed TenPoint to take liberties with the stock’s form by coring out areas along the barrel and buttstock to minimize weight and to enhance overall grip and handling ergonomics. The foregrip is especially comfortable, as it allows your fingers to take a deep grip that translates to more precise muzzle control (for lack of a better term) and reduced fatigue when holding to take a shot.

The buttstock length is deceptive. While it looks to be quite short, the Titan M1 does offer a standard 13.5-inch length-of-pull. Overall stock length is about 28.25 inches (compared to 31 inches on my Titan Extreme). This shorter stock length combined with moving the arrow channel and the new T5 trigger assembly back well past the vertical grip makes a huge difference in eliminating the nose-heavy feel of most crossbows. By shifting the weight toward the shooter, the Titan M1 is easy to hold for those long shot opportunities. Add that to the crossbow’s overall 6.4-pound weight, and you’re hard-pressed to find a more comfortable, easy-handling crossbow in this class.

The second wow factor came from the limb and riser assembly. The limbs are short TPX 11-inch variants set at a relatively steep angle xe2x80x94 not parallel, but steep enough to provide a tight 14.25-inch uncocked axle-to-axle width. When cocked, though, that width drops to a surprising nine inches, making the Titan M1 ideal for working in tight quarters or easy carrying through brushy country.

Being a conventional-draw crossbow, one would wonder how the Titan M1 is able to achieve its 370 fps rating with such a limb configuration. The answer lies in the cams. The new VX-5 cams are reversed, with the string coming off the front of the cams instead of the back. This design provides a much longer power stroke (14 inches), giving the 180-pound draw limbs an added boost in velocity potential while also allowing for the shorter axle-to-axle lengths.

Cocking of the Titan M1 comes courtesy of TenPoint’s ACUdraw crank system or the company’s Rope Sled. Ours came with the ACUdraw and, in our opinion, it is well worth the extra $100 (MSRP of the ACUdraw as a stand-alone purchase is $249.99). It’s a proven system that cuts cranking weight to five pounds, although the gear pawl is audible, so you’ll want to cock the crossbow before heading to the stand. That’s a safe procedure (so long as you don’t insert an arrow) in all TenPoint crossbows thanks to their Dry-Fire Inhibitor technology.

On the Range

After assembling the Titan M1 xe2x80x94 a process that only takes a few minutes using the supplied Allen wrenches xe2x80x94 we began with a sight-in.

The Titan M1 comes with TenPoint’s 3X Pro-View 3 scope pre-mounted and bore-sighted, so it only took a few shots to achieve a 20-yard zero and a couple more to refine that zero at 40 yards. The 3X Pro-View 3 offers variable illumination for low-light conditions, and the reticle includes horizontal lines and aim points calibrated for 20, 30 and 40 yards, with additional aim points for 50 and 60 yards.

One of the things we’ve come to appreciate is TenPoint’s commitment to installing and bore-sighting their crossbows at the factory. It saves a bunch of setup time and ensures that the first shot hits the target instead of scampering off somewhere downrange.

Once dialed-in, we shot to establish accuracy. Since the reverse cams and short axle-to-axle width on the new Titan M1 dictates an acute string angle, we wondered if the accuracy would hold in comparison to our older Titan. Fortunately, it did, delivering repeatable points-of-impact from a bench rest across our 40-yard range.

We’ll give some credit for that accuracy to the Alpha nocks that came pre-installed on the Pro Elite carbon arrows. These are TenPoint’s newest nocks xe2x80x94 a hybrid capture design (versus TenPoint’s long-running Omni nock design) that is engineered to provide an optimal string-to-nock interface in crossbows with sharp string angles and high launch velocities.

We feel another aid to the Titan M1’s accuracy quotient comes from TenPoint’s new T5 trigger. The trigger is included on all TenPoint crossbows for 2019 and is, perhaps, the most refined trigger system we’ve ever shot. It pulls at an easy 3.5 pounds and has a new latch design to minimize friction and to provide a smooth, clean break.

The Numbers

TenPoint rates the Titan M1 up to 370 fps with kinetic energy at 113 foot-pound. Those numbers are based on a 370-grain arrow. The Titan M1 package comes with the company’s Pro Elite carbon arrows and 100-grain field points. With field points installed, the arrows weigh in at 447 grains. To see what those arrows would do, we put them to the radar test.

Shooting a 5-shot string, the Titan M1 averaged an initial velocity of 336.8 fps with the 447-grain arrows and initial average energy of 112 foot-pound. At 50 yards xe2x80x94 the limit of our test range xe2x80x94 velocity held strong at 310.2 fps with kinetic energy at 94.8 foot-pound.

What does that mean? One thing is that, with an average-weight shaft, the Titan M1 is going to over-deliver. When you consider that the kinetic energy requirements of a hunting arrow for whitetail, for example, is 25-41 foot-pound (according to Easton’s KE chart), the Titan M1 will get the job done with energy to spare.

The TenPoint Titan has been around for a long time, and for good reason. It has always been a solid, reliable performer with a price-to-performance ratio that is hard to beat. The new Titan M1 continues that tradition, delivering even more performance and bowhunting functionality at a price that’s $100 less than its predecessor. So, if you’re looking to step into crossbow hunting for the first time this year, or if it’s time to trade up for a new model without making the bank account scream, give the Titan M1 a hard look.

TenPoint Titan M1 Specifications

Length: 32.5 inches

Axle-to-Axle (uncocked/cocked): 14.25 inches/9 inches

Power Stroke: 14 inches

Weight (w/o accessories): 6.4 inches

Draw Weight: 180 pounds

Performance (370-grn. arrow): 370 fps/113 foot-pound

Package Content: 3X Pro-View 3 scope, ACUdraw or Rope-Sled cocking device, 3-arrow instant-detach quiver with ambidextrous side mount bracket, 3 TenPoint Pro Elite carbon arrows with 100-grn. practice points

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