To say crossbows have improved by leaps and bounds is a science-based understatement. A couple of decades ago, a crossbow shooting 250 feet per second was thought to be an unfair advantage. Today, crossbows produce more speed and energy, with less noise and more consistency. The modern crossbow has kept up with society. As people get busier, with more demands on their time, crossbows have become easier and more intuitive to shoot, use, and maintain. There has never been a better time to look at entering the horizontal bow market or upgrading to take advantage of new technologies and accessories. 

Technology and Development Do Not Happen Overnight

Research and development is an ongoing process for any crossbow manufacturer. Today’s engineering will produce new bows five or more years from now. The good news is that engineers have new and exciting tools to produce bows and components, test them, and ensure they will withstand the rigors North American hunters will put them through.

Computers measure torque, speed, noise, and stress and allow engineers to analyze every portion of the shot. In the past, a new crossbow would have to be built from scratch to test and determine strengths and weaknesses. Today, crossbows can be made as a 3D model, then printed for testing and use in the labs.

Advancements continue to be made in limbs, strings, stocks, triggers, and all aspects associated with comfort, consistency, and accuracy.

Speed Demons

Modern bows are speed demons of the archery world. TenPoint released the Nitro 505 this year, shooting faster than the bow is named or advertised. Range time with a chronograph proves the bow consistently shoots over 505 feet per second. The best part about the new bow is the consistency. Seven shots through the Nitro 505 registered 509 feet per second with one variance that measured 508 feet per second. Consistency means the bow is accurate and can be counted on to deliver repeatable results every time you pull the trigger.

Almost all of the significant crossbow manufacturers are chasing the speed wagon. Wicked Ridge Fury 410 is economical and fast. The Ravin R500E is another speed demon in a compact package. Excalibur has stuck to its roots with recurved limbs and has produced a crossbow shooting over 400 feet per second.

We live in an era where you can walk into a shop and try the new equipment. In most cases, you can even order them online and test them with a satisfaction guarantee. Trying to keep up with new technology is challenging, and the best way to know if a bow is right for you is to shoot it.

Reverse Draw

The speed game has found new heights, and paying attention to the drawing style can answer many questions. Reverse-draw technology has allowed crossbows to generate more speed. The reverse-limb design allows the string to sit at the end of the rail on the cams. The farther the string sits down the rail, the longer the power stroke. The longer the arrow can ride the rail, the more energy it can gain in the transfer from the string, limbs, cams, and components.

Conventional-draw limbs also produce more speed than in the past, but the power stroke is always shorter, with the string sitting three or four inches down the rail. The design is intuitive, easy to use, and produces more than enough speed for hunting any North American game.

Narrow

Without a doubt, the narrow limbs on a modern crossbow are the most challenging to comprehend. How is it possible for a crossbow to be as narrow as a set of binoculars yet produce such extreme speed?

Short, fiberglass limbs can store a mindboggling amount of energy. The angles and energy curves, stabilizing features, and ultimately draw weight play a role. Crossbow limbs have narrowed, and cams have added stabile rotation for consistency and energy. The Nitro 505 cams have 404 degrees of rotation.

Cocking Devices

The new Ravin R500E is hard to imagine at 3.6 inches wide when cocked. However, it has a draw weight of 300 pounds. The bow uses battery power to draw the crossbow into the cocked position electronically.

TenPoint and Wicked Ridge offer an ACUdraw draw system to reduce draw weight to 17 pounds. The TenPoint ACUslide is built into the stock of newer models and offers safe cocking and de-cocking.

Almost all the major companies offer cocking aids, but finding the right one at the right price for those who might be using the bow is the consideration. To take advantage of today’s advancements, why would you not consider a bow that has a safe de-docking system?

Triggers

Modern crossbows have great triggers that break clean with accuracy-controlled weight. Older crossbows had stout triggers that were difficult to pull and stay on target. Technologies have evolved where trigger mechanisms can safely contain the string without compromising trigger quality. A two-stage trigger or any that breaks clean is critical to accuracy.

Most well-known manufacturers now use triggers that would compare to custom triggers in modern firearms. A new crossbow with extreme speed and energy would lose value if the trigger took away any consistency or accuracy. It has been a known issue for years, and modern engineering has stepped in to offer excellent solutions. If you go to a local archery shop, take the time to try the different bows, and pay attention to trigger pull and accuracy.

The other side of triggers is safety. A dry fire can explode limbs that could harm the shooter and those around. Anti-dry-fire technology is often built into the trigger box or assembly. Anti dry-fire features protect your investment but, more importantly, protect the user. The energy stored in modern crossbows is extreme.

Nocks

Some components hold the string in the fully cocked position within the trigger assembly. The nock of an arrow plays a role in safety, and we have seen many changes in recent years. Nocks need to evolve as fast as bows, or the two cannot work together. More energy, larger strings, and changes in rail design mean nocks that prevent dry fire by the string overriding the arrow. Crossbow users must pay attention to nock design.

The small and unassuming nock is essential in harnessing and transferring energy from the bow to the arrow. The recommended nock required is not a suggestion but a requirement in most cases. Never complain about upgrading nocks if you want to embrace new speed, energy, and design changes. Specific designs are part of the engineering package.

Two Shots

The double-barrel shotgun was embraced decades ago for the second opportunity to acquire a target without reloading. Excalibur introduced the TwinStrike and has already upgraded to the TwinStrikeTAC2, which sports two rails and dual limbs, strings, and triggers for a second opportunity or follow-up shot. The difference with the TAC2 is its lightweight, skeletonized tactical style, designed to provide better in-hand balance. Weighing 7½ pounds without accessories, this 340-fps crossbow can be easily cocked and uncocked with the removable crank.

Optics

Crossbow scopes have improved drastically, offering good light-gathering coatings and clear images. Speed settings on the scopes have needed revision with the new energy which horizontal bows are spitting arrows. Reticles with a direct hold at different ranges make it easy to acquire a target quickly and accurately.

Hunters have options for reticle designs. Illuminated reticles offer color options for maximum brightness in different lighting conditions. Some offer a variety of colors on the reticle to help quickly and effectively determine the hold at a specific range.

Many of the optic companies known in the firearm industry produce crossbow-specific scopes. Huskemaw uses the range, dial, and shoot system for firearms and crossbows, with a specific model for horizontal bows. Custom turrets can be ordered to the specific speed and arrow weight for dead-on accuracy.

Sig Electro-Optics uses ballistic data that pairs your rangefinder to the scope on your crossbow. Range a target and an exact aiming point will show up on the reticle. The system can be used on any bow, with specific data entered into an app that pairs with the Ballistic Data Exchange or BDX system.

Rangefinding Optics

The only movement required by a crossbow hunter before taking a shot at an animal should only be when using a rangefinder. Garmin introduced the Xero X1i crossbow scope with a 3.5 X magnification, a built-in laser rangefinder, and digital aim points for individual crossbow set-ups. New optics provide the range and a precise hold-on-target compensated for angle. The scope is compatible with Garmin GPS devices and weighs just 1.9 pounds. The scope uses a Picatinny or Weaver mount. It offers 2.4 inches of eye relief with half-MOA adjustments. It also offers a five-degree field of view and diopter focus.

Burris introduced the Oracle X Rangefinding Crossbow Scope featuring 2-7x variable zoom with a built-in laser rangefinder, which employs the wireless remote placed anywhere on the crossbow or the range button on the scope. The scope displays the target distance and exact aiming point, factoring in your shot’s angle when the rangefinder is activated. The aiming point will also change to stay accurate at any magnification. 

The Halo Hyper X laser rangefinding scope uses an integrated laser rangefinder in a 4×32 scope. A single finger press activates a wireless remote mounted to the stock. When you range the distance to the target, the unit gives an accurate, illuminated drop reticle for your point of aim. The reticle automatically adjusts for elevation. The speed can be adjusted for crossbows in settings for accuracy, making it functional for various models.

Speed Exchange

One of the biggest trends in crossbow use is cashing in some of the speed for kinetic energy and penetration. Adding weight to an arrow or broadhead will increase downrange performance without drastically changing the arrow’s trajectory.

Broadheads

Over the years, all archers have moved away from weight in favor of speed. However, as bows get faster, shooters can capitalize on the horsepower by converting it into more kinetic energy and penetration. One of the easiest ways to add weight to a crossbow arrow is to use a beefy broadhead.

Most deer hunters set up for a 25 to 30-yard shot, and increasing your broadhead weight to 150 grains is like cashing in some of the speed for more performance on the target. The speed loss is minimal, and there may be a minor tweak in the scope for the arrow drop. However, when most hunters experiment on the range, they will likely be surprised how little the trajectory changes by increasing the weight of the broadhead or the total weight of the projectile.

Why more kinetic energy and penetration? Contacting a rib or the back of the shoulder blade can be disastrous when using a lightweight projectile. The more weight, the more energy it will carry to plow through bone and help ensure an entry and exit wound. Better penetration means better blood trails and increased tracking ability.

Crossbow hunters looking for improved terminal performance will like the heavy, aptly named Robusto 2.0 broadhead from SEVR. The slap-cut design and stainless construction will take on the biggest game, with the blades designed to lock on impact and pivot around bone. Providing increased FOC and arrow energy, this beefy, 150-grain head promises massive entry and exit wounds. It will increase the penetration when you finally get an opportunity to fill the freezer.

If you have not checked out the latest and greatest crossbow trends to hit the market, you quickly fall behind in technology. The changes mean advantages for hunters and shooters that will make a difference in the field. Who doesn’t want to be more consistent, accurate, and successful?

— For more insights, check out our new Deer Talk Now podcast episode with Brad Fenson (see video below).