It's about the Bulldog 440

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crossbownewb440
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It's about the Bulldog 440

Post by crossbownewb440 »

Good day all. I'm looking to purchase a PHENOMENAL recurve crossbow that will last me a lifetime.

I would like the Bulldog 440, however it has a few negative reviews regarding the limbs, specified here https://www.cabelas.ca/product/123490/excalibur-bulldog-440-crossbow-package

How do the limbs hold up in cold weather? (I'm from Canada, and the temperature is -30Celsius for a significant time every year)

Also. That vendor does not have it available in black. Is there an online retailer that does sell the package in black? Thanks
Dominic
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Re: It's about the Bulldog 440

Post by Dominic »

I wouldn't go with the BD440 if you want a bow that will last you a lifetime.
I would look for a BD 330 - 400.
my dealer no longer offers them (440). To much issues. If you use a heavy arrow the limbs will have a longer life, but this will slow down your bow and at the end of the day your speed is around ~375fps
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janesy
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Re: It's about the Bulldog 440

Post by janesy »

I Agree with Dominic that perhaps the 440 is not a lifetime bow. But, at the same time I would also not deter you from jumping on one, because ultimately it's up to you and your wants/needs.

First let me say the 440 is an incredible bow, just devastating power. But it is a hunting bow. Not really designed for target, long shooting sessions. Not that it can handle that, it certainly can. But there are other aspects at play here, that start to pop up when you get over 400.

1) arrow life is reduces quickly. Mostly from Target pass throughs, rock and arrows lost in grass.

2) target life is also greatly reduced. And you can't sneak by with cheap targets ...see above.

3) size, it's not small, so it can be hard on some guys all day long. It's a beast

As far as durability goes. They are fine. The 440 came up as a flagship and because of that the recieved a lot of fanfare the also got a lot of negative attention if one went down. And they all go down eventually. liken the limbs to tires. You can't expect a corvette to have the same tire life as a Malibu. The limbs almost become the wear item as the bows is shot over its life. And the 440 asks a lot of those limbs. Luckily you always have Excalibur to back it if you do ever have an issue. No cold weather issues for me on any of my bows.

So to say that 440 is a lifetime bow can only be answered by you. If you plan to only hunt with it a few times each year then YES it probably is a lifetime bow and at that fantastic bow and a good purchase. On the other hand if you plan to shoot targets in your backyard all the time, you might think of looking at something a little on the slower side. But it's up to you, and either way at least you know you'll have pretty badazz setup!
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Riflemanz
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Re: It's about the Bulldog 440

Post by Riflemanz »

If that's what you want buy it along with a set of spare limbs for insurance. My brother bought the BD 360 and really seems to be a great bow.
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Re: It's about the Bulldog 440

Post by Boo »

I had a 440 and sold it. The only problem I had was the serving wear that eventually got fixed. The reason why I sold the bow was I could not get over the violent release of the arrow. It was just too rude for me. My fastest bows are my 405 and 400 Suppressor. Both are at the limit of what I like. It is personal and mileage will differ.
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CT.HNTR
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Re: It's about the Bulldog 440

Post by CT.HNTR »

Hi Don,

Do you know how the serving wear issue was fixed?
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Re: It's about the Bulldog 440

Post by mikej »

I don’t know how he fixed it but it sure is a Beauty now , no wear at all . It’s a beast , he’s right about the arrow release being violent but I promise you the deer will never hear it . Shoots just as flat as a rifle
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Re: It's about the Bulldog 440

Post by ko4nrbs »

Ideally shooting any crossbow before purchasing it is the way to go. If that is not possible you may find that it doesn't meet your needs or requirements after buying it.

Ask around and see if you can find a 400 and a 440 to shoot so you can compare them. If that is impossible, I would buy what I wanted and not look back.

Polishing the latches on most crossbows will cure the center serving wear. It did on my Exomax. My thanks to Boo for the great write up on how to do it.

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Re: It's about the Bulldog 440

Post by Boo »

ko4nrbs wrote:
Sat Jan 15, 2022 9:09 pm
Ideally shooting any crossbow before purchasing it is the way to go. If that is not possible you may find that it doesn't meet your needs or requirements after buying it.

Ask around and see if you can find a 400 and a 440 to shoot so you can compare them. If that is impossible, I would buy what I wanted and not look back.

Polishing the latches on most crossbows will cure the center serving wear. It did on my Exomax. My thanks to Boo for the great write up on how to do it.

Bill
If I had shot the bow prior, I probably wouldn't have bought it. Nothing wrong with the 440. The bow is super fast and extremely accurate but just not my cup of tea.
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Re: It's about the Bulldog 440

Post by nchunterkw »

We see this a lot with "new to crossbow" folks. They want to go for the biggest baddest fastest thing they can buy. As others have said, there is nothing wrong with that bow....but that is coming from some very experienced guys. As the arrow speed goes up (with ANY bow) everything becomes more critical as the "forgiveness factor" goes way way down. Arrow construction, arrow alignment, broadhead construction and alignment. And the power of this bow wears down things like targets, strings, and servings very quickly.....even limbs to a degree.

To me, a "lifetime" bow from Excal for a newbie would be an older long limbed model (Vortex, Exomax, Exomag, Equinox). Easy to cock, easy to shoot, bulletproof and way fast enough to kill anything on the continent with the right arrow. If the size is an issue, then step down to a Matrix 330 or similar. Yes, these are older models and you would have to buy used but with the warranty it's a no brainer as you could replace any part with no hassle. Plus you'll save some serious $$ over a 440.

My 2 cents....good luck.
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