You need to know which features and benefits you can have in the best crossbow under 500?
Then there is good news for you because its enough budget to give you the most sophisticated crossbows you can enjoy while hunting in the woods.
There are multiple features you may need to analyze while buying a crossbow under 500 and this can lead to range options to choose from. To avoid confusion and wrong decision regarding crossbow purchase within budget, it’s better to have some of the best options beforehand.
That’s why we have compiled a sorted list and narrowed down the research options so that our readers will have a better chance to pick the best crossbow under 500 that confirms their hunting needs and budget as well.
Our selected top crossbows that are trusted by others as well are as below:
- #1, BARNETT Whitetail Pro STR Crossbow with 400 Feet per Second
- #2, Manticore SAS 150lbs Crossbow with Scope
- #3, CenterPoint Sniper 370 - Camo Crossbow Package
- #4, Barnett Whitetail Hunter II Crossbow
- #5, SAS Troy 370 Compound Crossbow 4x32 Scope Package
- #6,Snake Eye Tactical Pistol Crossbow 80lbs Cobra
- #7, Killer Instinct Crossbows Brawler 400 FPS Crossbow Pro Package Kit
- #8, SAS Spider Compound Crossbow
- #9, Southland Archery Supply SAS Crusher
- #10, Last Punch Self Cocking Cobra Crossbow with 15 Arrows
This 400 feet per second crossbow makes the best deal in the range. The package of this set comes with a rope cocking device, 4×32 illuminated device, side mount quiver, lube wax and a pair of 22-inches arrows. The draw weight of the crossbow is 187 pounds and offers kinetic energy of 140 feet.
The overall weight of this equipment is 6.9 pounds, which is just about right. The product comes with a patented step-through the riser to give stealth-like shooting experience. The CNC machined aluminum flight track is offered for quiet, smooth and accurate shots. The Nock sensor is included for safety purposes. The product is shipped almost in a fully assembled form.
This is a quality product from a quality manufacturer. The design of the equipment is top class with real wood stock ensured. Aluminum construction is ensured for the barrel of the crossbow. It is a quite lightweight product to trust in long shooting sessions. The 150 pounds draw weight offers powerful performance for serious shooting enthusiasts.
Arrow can travel with a speed of 210 feet per second. The structure of the equipment has a fiberglass limb, which is of high technology. The cocking mechanism is effortless and the design offers auto safety cocking as well. If you power it with the sharp 3 or 4 blades, then this crossbow can shot down a deer easily. Overall, the product is quite reliable, safe and productive.
This is a serious crossbow for serious hunters. It is a quad-limbs crossbow that ensures precise shooting with the much desirable CNC machined cam system. It offers an impressive firing velocity of 370 feet per second. Draw weight is a major feature here that offers it at 185 pounds.
The equipment overall is fully adjustable and that is also a tactical stock and as well as a forearm. For quiet yet powerful operation, the manufacturer has included integrated string suppressors, which also ensures vibration-free shooting as well. You can trust this product for the best big-game performance. It offers the best product in terms of performance, quality, maneuverability, and suitability for any skill level. Finally, the product is lightweight and durable enough to last long.
This is an excellent crossbow that you can have for your money. It is versatile and extremely productive for medium to large range hunters. The arrow shot through this crossbow can travel at a speed of 350 feet per second, while it offers to draw weight of 150 pounds. Kinetic energy is also a good consideration to be at 103 foot-pounds.
The manufacturer has introduced this one with the best trigger technology having a 3-pound 0-creep release. The components of the equipment are all made from stainless steel, which endorses quality and durability. A useful scope (4×32), quiver, rope cocking device and 2 x arrows are included in the package. For such a feature-enriched product, it is quite light in weight with an overall weight of just 6.4 pounds.
This one from SAS is one of the finest crossbows that you could have at a reasonable price. Big game hunters can trust this device to make them hoot an arrow at a speed of 370 feet per second. The draw weight of this crossbow is reasonable enough to be at 185 pounds.
The power stroke for this one comes at 13.75 inches and the overall length is 34.5 – 37 inches. The quad limbs designed crossbow comes with tactical stock & forearm, and it is fully adjustable. The manufacturer has ensured sturdy CNC machined aluminum rail and on the other hand, the overall equipment is quite light in weight. Therefore, it could be carried easily on long shooting sessions.
#6,Snake Eye Tactical Pistol Crossbow 80lbs Cobra
This pistol style crossbow is as effective as it is good looking. However, the looks might be deceiving and this crossbow means serious business for serious medium game hunters. It comes with a self-locking mechanism, which is quite easy to employ. The 80 pounds cocking system is quite speedy, which considerably shortens the reload time.
The self-cocking system is good in the sense that it will allow you to shoot faster, over and over as compared to a regular one. The equipment has a metallic body of gold color throughout. You will get this package with 15 top quality arrows that are made from aluminum material. The arrows are stuffed with metallic tips and also offer flexible tactical sight as well.
crossbow set. The equipment is versatile and quite lightweight and compact. Powerful shooting can be ensured with this crossbow that can shoot an arrow with a speed of 400 feet per second. The manufacturer has induced this product with the REVCAM technology that not only increases power but speed as well while making aiming and shooting targets with ease.
The Max Footpad Stirrup feature makes it easy to cock every time. The butt-pad is adjustable and you can make it position in multiple spots so that you can have a customized fit. The kit includes a useful 4 x 3 illuminated scope for easy sighting of the target object.
SAS offers a highly powerful crossbow that can be used for medium to large scale shooting needs. The equipment offers a draw weight of 150 pounds, which is quite useful. It is highly reliable, productive and lightweight equipment. The arrow coming out of this crossbow can travel at a good speed of 250 feet per second.
The manufacturer has used a top-class fiberglass limb, which is productive and reliable for varying shooting needs. Aluminum material is used in the construction of its barrel that makes it sturdy and long-lasting. The features and the convenience allows you to use this crossbow effortlessly on all-day shooting adventure and to hit target object with precision.
This is one of the best crossbows offers that you can have at a reasonable price. The draw weight of this powerful crossbow is 150 pounds, which makes it suitable for medium to large scale shooting needs. The arrow shooting speed is quite fast to be at 325 feet per second.
The manufacturer has ensured quite a unique and tactical design that comes with Fore-grip, which is pre-installed. Shooting is quite fun and easy especially when you see and use its trigger backed with the Dry Fire Inhibitor Trigger Technology. Moreover, the item is stuffed with the CNC machined rider and as well as cam to ensure precise shooting.
This is a top-quality self-cocking crossbow within your budget. It offers an arrow shot at a speed of 160 feet per second, which is quite brilliant for such a product. The black body crossbow equipment offers a power stroke in the range of 6.8 inches. It is a basic product actually that comes with the plastic stuff self-cocking mechanism.
You can trust this product for small range hunting games. Might not be useful for serious or animal hunting needs. However, people with no experience in crossbow could learn the art using this one before getting their hands around the mainstream big hunting crossbows. The package of this crossbow comes with a pack of metal arrows as well.
Best Crossbow Buying Guide
What to expect from a crossbow under $500?
Crossbow under $500 means serious business. A poor quality none may lack the precision and refinement, but if you shop well then you can get a good product in the range. You can consider such equipment in the price range for serious hunting.
Features that make a difference in buying crossbow under $500
Riser
This is the main equipment, where quality and material of construction matters in the longevity and durability of the product. The manufacturers usually offer crossbows made from machined/ cast aluminum, over which the limbs are actually mounted. The bow risers from top-end manufacturers are the CNC machined ones from solid billets or extrusions. The ones that are lesser quality sets are made from cast.
Size
You may get the crossbows in different sizes from different manufacturers. You can choose between the compound and the recurve types and also between the 1-handed or 2-handed pistol. For the size constraint, you need to research based on the type of game you need the crossbow and with which you are comfortable.
Weight
Here we are specifically talking about the overall weight of the crossbow and t shouldn’t be confused with ‘draw weight’. The weight is extremely critical to the size of the game you are up for. For example, in a medium to large size game to hunt whitetail deer, etc., a crossbow with a minimum weight of 7lbs is desirable.
Draw Weight
For a large size game such as hunting deer or moose etc., you need a bow with a draw weight of 150lbs or above. With such draw weight, the equipment can generate a velocity of 300 feet/ second.
Noise
The recurve type of crossbows with the parallel limbs are known to be the quietest crossbows. The compound type crossbow follows next after the recurve crossbows. It is a personal consideration and many shooters might compromise over the noise rating if they prefer some features in a different type of a crossbow.
Safety
Safety a critical feature even if you are an expert user. The integrated safety features help in keeping the equipment safe from damaging and also prevent any user-related injury. An auto-engaging safety feature is desirable in this regard, which you can get in crossbows under $500. The automatic feature is great as you don’t need any manual effort to reset the safety before drawing the crossbow.
Range
The range is the distance that an arrow can travel in yards after it gets fired from the crossbow. As a general idea, a crossbow offering range between 15 to 30 yards is considered as a very good one.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have questions in your mind, find answers to some of the frequently asked questions about crossbows below:
What is the main difference between a recurve and a compound crossbow?
The compound crossbow comes with a set of wheels or cams attached to the limb assembly. For a recurve type, the string is attached directly with the crossbow limbs. The compound crossbow is preferred for its let-off feature over recurve. A compound bow offers roughly about 33% of a let-off for a 150 pounds draw weight.
What is let-off in compound crossbow?
Let-off with crossbows is a term used to represent the reduction in the draw weight. It is denoted in percentage when the wheels of the product rollover right from the drawing of the crossbow string.
Is it OK to keep my Crossbow cocked for a longer period?
If you are at a stationary position then it is OK and safe to have your bow cocked for a longer period. For your safety, it is important not to cock it a lot before than required, especially if you are in moving position.
How long does a string of a quality crossbow last?
A crossbow product from a quality manufacturer string can long last with proper maintenance only. Good quality strong should last for 100 crossbow shots minimum. Getting multiple hundred shots is also possible if you ensure proper lubrication. The weather factor can also play a role in impacting the life of a crossbow string.
How to extend the life of the synthetic system of the crossbow?
Manufacturers do offer separate lube wax tubes. This should be applied after every 20 to 30 shots to the flight track. This is required to be applied to the cable making contact with the cable slide. For excessive exposure to moisture, you may need to apply wax much sooner.
Why do I experience my crossbow striking left or right, but not straight?
You need to check if your crossbow is cocked off-center. If the string of the crossbow is cocked off-center to the right or left, then it will strike right or left as well. This needs to be corrected to make your crossbow hit with precision.
What to do if my crossbow is shooting low or high?
For such an issue with low or high shooting, you can simply fix it by adjusting the sights of the equipment. You also need to ensure here that the shaft size and the length are the same. The user manual could be a good point of reference for the rectification of this issue.
I am using a crossbow for practice so what kind of target should I use for it?
Make sure that all archery targets by default are not suitable for all types of crossbows or arrows. Whenever you are considering to buy a dummy target object then make sure that it is made for crossbow use.
The target object should ideally be rated based on the speed of an arrow that it could sustain. Also, ensure that a few targets could take broadheads, some can take field points, while others can take both.
Conclusion:
Concluding our detailed roundup post on the best crossbow under 500, we can say it with great confidence that we have tried our best to provide all the relevant information our fellow readers needed to know their best options and for comparing them in the best way possible. Now it is your turn, go through the list compare them while considering the important aspects we have talked about. Make sure to input your requirements so that you won’t miss your best bet.