Crossbow Fun Part 1
As I hinted in this post, I thought I might continue a while in adding more in the Sports category, specifically on crossbows. There are so many brands and varieties in the market these days, a person could be overwhelmed by the choices. And, the price range can go from a few hundred to several thousands, depending on how avid or fanatic a hunter may be. As for me, I just play around for the fun of target practice, not serious hunting. So this is where this hobby has led me. Many videos I’ve seen allude to reasonable price ranges ($1000+) to top-of-the-line ($2500+). I don’t consider that very reasonable for the average person.
So, what I consider reasonable, for just the sport of it, is more in the category of less than $500. Surprisingly, there are some very nice crossbows available in that range that can be used for serious hunting endeavors. Such a one is the CenterPoint Sniper G4D that I have selected for this post, which I acquired from Pyramid Air.
When I say serious hunting, I mean ethical taking of whitetail deer in the East, mule deer or elk in the West. I think I would be a bit more cautious for Cougar or Bear hunting, with some backup firearm in case the animal wanted to complain about being shot with an arrow or bolt.
Some of the pertinent facts about the CenterPoint Sniper G4D are listed here.
- FPS: 400 (mine averages around 396.4 feet per second).
- Draw weight: 215 lbs.
- Kinetic energy: 142 ft. lbs.
- Power stroke: 12 1/2 inches.
- Weight: 7.8 lbs.
- Length: 28 in.
- Axle to axle width uncocked: 10 1/2 in.
- Axle to axle width cocked: 6 3/4 in.
It uses 400 grain, 20 inch bolts, with half-moon nocks. The weight includes the points, either field points or broadheads. I prefer solid broadheads rather than mechanical broadheads, as they are more durable and simple. The accuracy is enough so that I have Robin-Hooded arrows at 20 yards. So, if I am shooting multiple bolts, I select different spots on the targets. I use Crossbow Snot for the rail, string and serving. A three-pack consists of Rail Snot, String Snot, and oil for the bearings. I’ve heard excellent reviews for that product. For replacement strings and cables, I discovered 60X Custom Strings. When I looked for a bow press, I was a bit put out by the premium prices folks were asking for a simple clamp. So, I decided to make my own, which I did, for a fraction of the price! More about this in a possible future post.
As the CenterPoint arrows are a bit pricey, I have selected Pinals Archery 400 grain 20” carbon fiber bolts, as they have good specifications and price points. I’m sure there are many other bolts available with similar characteristics.
The bottom bolt is the Pinals with a field point, the top is Centerpoint with a broadhead. Either type will screw into either arrow/bolt.
The scope the G4D comes with is not very good, so I replaced it with a better scope, calibrated for speed and distance. It also has a lighted red or green circle for low light conditions.
Sighting the scope was straightforward, starting at a close distance (10 yards, in case the scope was wildly off), I moved to 20 yards, sighted there, then moved to 50 yards, sighted in accurately. Then, to adjust for the speed, the magnification ring was adjusted (starting at 400) to place the bolt dead on at 20 yards. This calibrated the reticle circle spacing, which had circles adjusted from 20 to 100 yards. Then I moved back to 80 yards (limited by clear line of sight) and hit within 3 inches of the bullseye. I would not recommend anyone shooting at game further than 50 yards, purely limited by kinetic energy and arrow flight time. The longer the flight time, the longer the deer/elk has time to react, as the string noise is not zero! One test showed 107 dB noise level. I tried to check mine, but had the device too far away, so did not get a valid reading.
As this post is long enough, future posts may address targets and different devices (such as the Steambow M10). For now, have a great day in the Lord Jesus, and I pray He is first in your life, and is your Lord and Savior, especially in these Last Days! God Bless!