I want to come out of the closet

[PaulSpain]

Hello people.

Going through old threads, I came across one that said: "you're not a real man until you have 4 or 5 excalliburs hanging on the garage wall"
I immediately ran to the bathroom to see if my tail was still there.

I currently have an Assassin 400 TD (I haven't come out of the closet yet ), and I really like it for wild boar waiting, but for stalking (I love stalking), it's a bit heavy for me, so I was thinking of buying another lighter one, but powerful enough to go through wild boars young (1-2 years).

Reliability is very important to me, above speed and power... The money is not a problem. Not because I don't care, but because I would like my son to inherit it, therefore something reliable for life.

The current options are:
A: Excalibur Axe 340 - 270 lbs - 700$ aprox.
B: Excalibur Mag Air 305 - 136 lbs - 500$ aprox.
C: Neither of those two, I would recommend...

[janesy]

The Axe/Mag340 is probably the best all around bow excalibur has made since the matrix 355. And the price point really helps.

I have a modded one and I absolutely love it. Speed wise, it's plenty, it'll send a 500 grain arrow onto at or around 300fps

[Lonewolf McQuade]

Mag 340

[nchunterkw]

Doesn't matter. Either bow will do ....with the proper arrow/broadhead. The arrow needs to be very stiff, have a very high FOC, and be tipped with a broadhead that will remain in perfect condition no matter what it hits. It gets tough to make a high weight "standard" arrow for a Micro, but something like a 16" Black Eagle Zombie Slayer (145.6gr), a 110gr brass insert, blazer vanes (18gr), Lumenok (28gr) and a 300gr fixed 2 or 3 blade broadhead gets you to 601.6gr total weight. Tuffhead and VPA Archery make good one piece steel broadheads that will go through bone and not be damaged. There are others I'm sure.

The way I see it, your thinking is backwards. Start at the animal and the result you want there (passthrough). Build the projectile that will do that job, then find a launcher for it. When trying to kill tough animals like hogs speed is almost a don't care as long as the arrow has the weight to do the job.

Check out The Ranch Fairy on youtube, or go to The Ashby Foundation (https://www.ashbybowhunting.org/) to learn more

Hope that helps.

[Boo]

For stalking, I think you want the smaller, lighter bow. You're going to carry it a lot and you're going to get close. I think the Magair and a good red dot is the way to go.

[Normous]

For stalking, I think you want the smaller, lighter bow. You're going to carry it a lot and you're going to get close. I think the Magair and a good red dot is the way to go.

I build (12) 460 gr custom arrows for a customer wanting a light weight carry Mag Air for spot and stalk type hunting. A lightweight red dot sight certainly lightens up the whole platform.

He uses a hip quiver I might add.

[nchunterkw]

Norm could also build you the perfect heavy arrow for killing hogs!! Check him out!

[AJ01]

Norm could also build you the perfect heavy arrow for killing hogs!! Check him out!

I would definitely recommend Norman!!! He makes a mighty fine arrow!!!

[PaulSpain]

Thank you very much to all. You are great guys!!

For stalking, I think you want the smaller, lighter bow. You're going to carry it a lot and you're going to get close. I think the Magair and a good red dot is the way to go.

I build (12) 460 gr custom arrows for a customer wanting a light weight carry Mag Air for spot and stalk type hunting. A lightweight red dot sight certainly lightens up the whole platform.

He uses a hip quiver I might add.

My idea was to combine it with a quality laser pointer. As you see?
The red dot at dusk can hinder the view, right? Here wild boars rarely come out during the day.
Thanks for the idea to lose weight.
What a great dilemma that half pound... If they weighed the same, I would directly take the mag340

...The way I see it, your thinking is backwards...

I hadn't looked at it from that perspective, interesting...
A heavy arrow is interesting to me because, according to the theory of the experts, the extremities suffer less.
Thanks for the link and advice. I think that part of my objectives are there, but step by step... I want to learn a little along the way, with "non-fatal" errors if possible.

Norm could also build you the perfect heavy arrow for killing hogs!! Check him out!

I would definitely recommend Norman!!! He makes a mighty fine arrow!!!

Surely in the future I will use it, but right now I want to experiment a bit and learn with "normal cars" before driving "mustangs".

The Axe/Mag340 is probably the best all around bow excalibur has made since the matrix 355. And the price point really helps.

I have a modded one and I absolutely love it. Speed wise, it's plenty, it'll send a 500 grain arrow onto at or around 300fps

With that description you give me, it's going to be difficult for me to decide on the mag air, hahaha.
There is not much difference in weight, just half a pound.

Mag 340

Roger that!!

[janesy]

I just weighed my Mag340 with a Vortex Venom red dot and it weighs exactly 6 pounds without an arrow.

[nchunterkw]

Thank you very much to all. You are great guys!!

...The way I see it, your thinking is backwards...

I hadn't looked at it from that perspective, interesting...
A heavy arrow is interesting to me because, according to the theory of the experts, the extremities suffer less.
Thanks for the link and advice. I think that part of my objectives are there, but step by step... I want to learn a little along the way, with "non-fatal" errors if possible.

Troy (aka The Ranch Fairy) lives on a ranch in Texas and shoots mostly hogs. So he knows what he is talking about when it comes to killing them cleanly. Good Luck!! Enjoy the journey. Like you (and most on here) I like to tinker around the learn things myself. IMO its the best way to learn. And please come back with any questions. Lots of guys on here forgot more about crossbows than I ever new. It's a wealth of free knowledge.

[Boo]

A red dot can be shot with both eyes open allowing some pretty low light shooting. Don't discount it.

[PaulSpain]

So he knows what he is talking about when it comes to killing them cleanly.

That's for sure, and they are very clear references to follow.

A red dot can be shot with both eyes open allowing some pretty low light shooting. Don't discount it.

I didn't know, I've never looked through a red dot.
Thank you!!

[janesy]

I just weighed my Mag340 with a Vortex Venom red dot and it weighs exactly 6 pounds without an arrow.

I also just weighted my 400Td Suppressor and it weighs exactly 7.2 pounds with a Nikon Bolt scope.

Both of those bows are bulldog style, and pretty compact, but the modded 340 sure "feels" a LOT lighter than the Supressor. I imagine your Assassin weighs another pound again on the Suppy. With that said, a super tiny red dot would probably shave a pounds worth of "feel" anyways.

The only thing I like spending more than money, is other people's Money. A Supressor 400TD with a reflex style red dot, and a whack of Norm's double wall arrows, and some TOTA pointers would certainly be a deadly combo on those Spanish Bacon Backs.

[PaulSpain]

I just weighed my Mag340 with a Vortex Venom red dot and it weighs exactly 6 pounds without an arrow.

I also just weighted my 400Td Suppressor and it weighs exactly 7.2 pounds with a Nikon Bolt scope.

Both of those bows are bulldog style, and pretty compact, but the modded 340 sure "feels" a LOT lighter than the Supressor. I imagine your Assassin weighs another pound again on the Suppy. With that said, a super tiny red dot would probably shave a pounds worth of "feel" anyways.

The only thing I like spending more than money, is other people's Money. A Supressor 400TD with a reflex style red dot, and a whack of Norm's double wall arrows, and some TOTA pointers would certainly be a deadly combo on those Spanish Bacon Backs.

Spanish cured hams best... some bacon, and the rest on the grill!!
This is how I see them behind the viewfinder:


The Assassin 400td without accessories still weighs 2 pounds more than the suppressor 400td but the idea suits me because I keep thinking about it... Thanks!!
I should have bought a lighter and simpler crossbow to begin with... Rookie mistakes.