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Crossbow Hunting at 50 yards

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Lawdawg45

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I have an Excalibur Vortex recurve crossbow which shoots at a reported 325 fps, if I have a 40 or 50 yard shot present itself this year am I better off with a fixed blade or lighter mechanical broadhead for maximum accuracy?:cool:

LD
 
A fixed blade head will have a increased chance of plane at that distance. However a mechanical will use vital energy at that range to fully deploy. The best option is to shoot your crossbow with both types of heads at that distance and know for a fact what they do.

A hunting situation is not the time to experiment with what works and does not work.
 
jbkebert said:
A fixed blade head will have a increased chance of plane at that distance. However a mechanical will use vital energy at that range to fully deploy. The best option is to shoot your crossbow with both types of heads at that distance and know for a fact what they do.

A hunting situation is not the time to experiment with what works and does not work.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I'm trying to decide which to buy and practice with.

LD
 
I would go fixed. I shoot a barnett quad 400 and couldn't find many mech. ones that would stay closed to the target. Mine is a bit faster than your's, but not by much.
 
I have the Excalibur Exocett, shoots the same speed as yours. I've use the fixed broadheads. Make sure the vanes are in line with the blades and you'll get perfect flight. I think it's just a personal choice to what you want. I don't see any advantage to the mechanicals. Some will argue they have a bigger and better cutting path but I would argue any good sharp broadhead will do the job if it's in the right place.
 
I have used fixed blades for 10 years and found them satisfactory.
Click to expand...

People have been using fixed blades for thousands of years.. No point in adding an additional variable such as possible equipment failure into the mix..
 
I just got a crossbow that came with those mechanical hunting tips, I was going to switch them out to fixed anyways, but my uncle told me about a hunt he was on recently where the tip failed to expand and it went through the deer as nothing more than a target tip would. They knew because someone else got a shot off a bit later and they were able to inspect it.
 
Ive had three crossbows now. two barnettes and now a 10point. I used fixed broadheads and just can seem to get good enough groups past 40 yards to trust them on a shot at live game. Personaly i think the combo of short arrrows and fixed broadheads make a cross bow just not as accurate past 30 yards as someone that knows what there doing with a compound.
 
I've had very good luck with NAP Thunderheads and CABELA'S Lazer Pro. Three blade broadheads make wider wound channels than 2 blade mech ones.

TR
 
Skyshot said:
I have the Excalibur Exocett, shoots the same speed as yours. I've use the fixed broadheads. Make sure the vanes are in line with the blades and you'll get perfect flight. I think it's just a personal choice to what you want. I don't see any advantage to the mechanicals. Some will argue they have a bigger and better cutting path but I would argue any good sharp broadhead will do the job if it's in the right place.
Click to expand...

Pardon a dumb newbie question, but how is that accomplished?

LD
 
I shot my Barnett Revolution last week out to 50 yards while sighting in my optics. No problem getting under 2" groups at that range unless there was a gust of crosswind. Even mixing field point and broadhead didn't change point of impact or group size enough to affect hunting zero.
Mine is a compound and the manual warns about going too light on the bolt/head combo as it might produce a "dryfire" type reaction and damage the limbs.
 
Keep in mind that a crossbow bolt is STILL an ARROW to be judged as such.
IMHO 50 yards IS pushing it!
Talked to a guy two days ago that so far this season has STUCK and LOST 3 deer using a crossbow.
I think one should STRICTLY adhere to archery guidelines.
 
Close the distance down.
What is the flight time of the arrow to 50 yards?
what is the reaction time of a deer.

That said, great shooting at 50 yards/!
 
Zeke/PA said:
Keep in mind that a crossbow bolt is STILL an ARROW to be judged as such.
IMHO 50 yards IS pushing it!
Talked to a guy two days ago that so far this season has STUCK and LOST 3 deer using a crossbow.
I think one should STRICTLY adhere to archery guidelines.
Click to expand...
Got to go with this. I have seen too many deer lost from long shots with bow and crossbow. I learned a long time ago that just because you can punch paper at 50 yds doesn't mean it will happen when shooting at game. Paper doesn't walk, doesn't have ears or eyes and hasn't had to be on full alert since day one. My success rate went off the chart when I started limiting my shots to 30 yds or less.
 
Fixed blade. Why add a component that could possibly fail. I have a Barnett Quad 400. Last year I took a buck at 35 yards with a Muzzy MX-3 broadhead. When I took the shot he was broadside. He jumped the string and the bolt entered as a straight on neck shot. I have no doubt there is enough power out to 50 yards. But this crossbow it to loud and I'm already concerned with them jumping at 35 yards. To much margin for error and a possible inhumane harvest.


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