It’s easy to get lost in all the details when looking to buy a crossbow, especially if you’re a beginner. Whether you are looking to hunt or just pick up a new hobby, here are the basic things you need to look for. You can learn more about crossbows here.
1. Determine Your Price Point
A good crossbow can cost between $300 to $1000. If you’re just starting off, you may want to look around the lower end until your skills improve.
2. Compound vs Recurve Crossbows
A compound crossbow is generally shorter in terms of limbs than a recurve. This allows it to handle tighter situations and is said to generate more power and accuracy than a recurve.
Recurve bows are shaped in a number 3 and is closer to the traditional bows you see in movies. Recurves do not have the pulleys and wheels you see in compound bows. Think of a compound bow as more modernized bow with bells and whistles. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you won’t need to practice aiming.
3. Draw Weight
Draw weight is the amount of force or power generated from a bow. The overall range is 75 to 125 of draw weight permitted across most states. The lighter range is generally used for just target practice, while the higher range will allow you to properly hunt for larger animals. Speaking of weighing things in general, check out Atlanticscale.com if you are looking for a scale.
4. Arrow Rigidity
Arrows will come in different weights and arrow points which will affect the speed they can travel at. A lot of this will be dependent upon the draw weight of the arrow also. Most hunters will want an arrow to travel at least 300 feet per second (fps). The general rule is that as draw weight increases, so should the rigidity of the spine of the arrow. Rigidity is measured in grains of weight per pound of draw weight. If you are a shooting an arrow with 60lb of draw weight, you should use an arrow around 300 grains.
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