2018 Cheap Crossbow Shootout + Video
Lucas Cooney 11.25.18
While it’s fun to be able to shoot the latest and greatest new flagship crossbows, we understand that the majority of hunters are not in a position to spend that kind of money just to get out in the woods and chase whitetail now and again. With these hunters in mind, we worked with our sister site CrossbowNation.com to try and find the best cheap crossbow in the industry.
After reaching out to a handful of manufacturers, we were able to get three cheap crossbow options in for testing – the Killer Instinct Ripper 415, Barnett Whitetail Hunter II and CenterPoint Sniper 370. All of these bows sell for $400 or less.
Killer Instinct Ripper 415
The first bow we tested was the Killer Instinct Ripper 415 (watch the review video here). This crossbow package retails for $380 and is built around an aluminum rail. It offers 1.5 inches of butt stock adjustment and the fore grip offers some adjustability as well. It also comes equipped with a 4×32 scope with five different brightness settings in both red and blue, three Killer Tech bolts, five-bolt quiver with tactical side mount, rope cocking aid, and rail lube. Other features include anti-dry fire, ambidextrous auto safety, and a soft touch finish.
Ripper 415 Specs
- Speed – 415 fps
- Trigger – 3.5 lbs
- Width – 14.25″ Cocked/17.75″ Uncocked
- Length – 35″-36.5″
- Weight – 6.9 lbs
- Draw Weight – 200 lbs
- Power Stroke – 15″
Barnett Whietail Hunter II
Our second test bow was the Barnett Whitetail Hunter II (watch our review video here), which retails for $400. This crossbow has an ambidextrous safety and an anti-dry fire system. The package comes standard with a 4×32 multi-reticle scope, rope cocking device, three-arrow quiver, two 20-inch Headhunter arrows, and lube wax. To help you find the right fit, an adjustable butt stock allows you to adjust the length of the crossbow from 34 1/4″ to 35 1/4″.
Barnett outfitted the Whitetail Hunter II with a Trigger Tech trigger system – easily the best trigger in this price point. There is zero creep in this system, which results in a super crisp release.
Whitetail Hunter II Specs
- Speed – 350 fps
- Trigger Pull – 3.0 lbs
- Width – 16.25″
- Length – 34 1/4″ – 35 1/4″
- Weight – 6.4 lbs
- Draw Weight – 150 lbs
- Power Stroke – 12 1/2″
CenterPoint Sniper 370
Our final cheap crossbow test was the CenterPoint Sniper 370 (watch our review video here), which retails for just $320. It can achieve speeds up to 370 feet per second using its 185-pound draw weight. Other specs include a mass weight of 7.9 pounds, power stroke of 13.5 inches, axle-to-axle length of 21.5 inches, and overall length of 36.5 inches. CenterPoint outfitted the Sniper 370 with an adjustable stock and foregrip. The package comes standard with a 4 x 32 multi-reticle scope, cocking rope, sling, noise-suppressingn stops, rubber-coated foot stirrup, four-bolt quick detach quiver, and three 20-inch carbon bolts. It also comes standard with anti dryfire and auto safety features.
Sniper 370 Specs
- Speed – 370 fps
- Trigger Pull – 5.0 lbs
- Width – 16.25″
- Length – 36 1/2″
- Weight – 7.9 lbs
- Draw Weight – 185lbs
