Im new scope questions

Crossbow Hunting

Moderator: Excalibur Marketing Dude

Post Reply
turbox
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 7:05 pm
Location: Toronto

Im new scope questions

Post by turbox »

Hi guys, new to this forum. i just got a "naked" excalibur phoenix. it has no accessories at all. Not a thing. i will likely pick up the "right stuff" package which i think has most things i would need to get started. My question relates to the scope. for those of you that have that scope or know it. is it powerful enough? i was talking to another guy about crossbows, he mentioned he had a scope i could try out, but it wasnt powerful enough.

So if you were me, knowing what you know(that i dont), would you buy the right stuff package with that scope? or would you buy the package that has no scope, and buy and aftermarket scope which would presumably be better and more powerful? Thanks in advance.
User avatar
one shot scott
Posts: 7021
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2008 10:20 pm
Location: Ontariooh ohh

Re: Im new scope questions

Post by one shot scott »

welcome to the forum, congrats on the nice bow. I dont know why you would need more magnification. For hunting its wise to keep shots within 40 yards, unless you intend to do long range target shooting. The excalibur scopes are nice in that they have the chevrons to mark the rages, crosshairs are 20. 10,30,40,50 are chevrons. All my shots with the varizone and lumizones have been plenty good as far as magnification is concerned, but everyone has different tastes. Hit a large store and try some out.
*thumbhole vixen*original relayer*y25relayer*matrix380-
vixenmaster
Posts: 13618
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:51 pm
Location: Western Ky

Re: Im new scope questions

Post by vixenmaster »

Depends on what yer comfortable usin in scope power. I used a PeepnPin fer 8 - 9 yrs in my early 50s before i went to a scope in 05. Were lookin at 1-40 yds either deer huntin or more if'en yer target shootin. You didn't say which it is & goin to be used fer. Varizone is decent fer huntin unless you want Illumination, then one of the others maybe of yer choosen
Half Bubble Off BD360

[email protected] 417-505-9315
turbox
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 7:05 pm
Location: Toronto

Re: Im new scope questions

Post by turbox »

Are you suggesting the shadow zone then? with the green and red xhairs?
User avatar
maine hunter
Posts: 2346
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2012 6:23 pm
Location: maine
Contact:

Re: Im new scope questions

Post by maine hunter »

:D welcome, great choice of bow you got. i have the shadow zone scope on my vortex,very nice. pluse a life time warranty doesn't hurt either. good luck.
355 matrix, big johns arrows- zombieslayers, g5 montecs, strikers. Vortex big johns arrows- zombieslayers g5 montecs 125. Lumenoks.
taz3
Posts: 1296
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 10:52 am
Location: Southern On

Re: Im new scope questions

Post by taz3 »

I have a Varizone and thinks its fine, on my Phoenix. I was recently shooting as far as 80 yards and could easily see the target, although the scope was not adjusted for that distance. I would think the shadowzone would be the way to go if I was in your position, and in need of a scope. It would be the better choice.
Phoenix Crossbow
Outdoors and Cars
I'd rather be hunting
bigredopie
Posts: 398
Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2011 11:37 pm
Location: MO Bootheel

Re: Im new scope questions

Post by bigredopie »

I am not sure why someone would need a more "powerful" scope as the Excalibur ones are pretty good. I know there are some people who use shotgun scopes or other bdc scopes that may be brighter.

The nice thing about the Excalibur scopes is once you sight it in at 20 yds you adjust the magnification (speed) to set the span so that each chevron is on at different yard ages. Once you have it set you don't adjust the magnification again which is unlike a rifle scope and makes an increased magnification range pretty much meaningless.

Another method is it use a hho scope mount or a Parker red hot scope that basically tilts your scope up and down to account for the different yard ages. This would allow you to use a scope like you would with a rifle and take advantage of the different magnification and a single crosshair. Downside is you have to remember to adjust he scope before you shoot at that trophy buck.
380 Matrix, Vortex, Y25, Exomag and Brown Vixen
Boo Strings & Big John Arrows to hit 'em
DaGriz Knife and Hatchet Set to Skin 'em
Pegasus
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2012 2:50 pm
Location: Petawawa, ON

Re: Im new scope questions

Post by Pegasus »

I'd say pick yourself up a shadowzone, I got that one on my Enox and its a pretty bad ass scope, as for magnification power that's come down to your personal preference
2012 Equinox
Shadow Zone w/ flip up scope covers
Fire Bolts w/ Blazer vanes
G5 Montecs
G5 SGH
S5 String Dampeners
Tac-pac
User avatar
robertyb
Posts: 2845
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2012 8:35 pm
Location: Georgia

Re: Im new scope questions

Post by robertyb »

I am very satisfied vith my Varizone scope on my Vortex. It does everything I expect it to do for hunting with a crossbow at distances less than 50 yards.

If I were target shooting at long range or attempting to shoot before or after legal shooting light I would definitely swap it out though.
Wildlife Population Control Specialist
mr meat
Posts: 5236
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:40 pm
Location: The land of ice and snow North Bay

Re: Im new scope questions

Post by mr meat »

I shoot the varizone and the shadowzone and both are great scopes!
Welcome to the forum!!
vixen 11
exocet 175 with Aging custom stock #27
Exocet 175
exocet 200

matrix 355
Micro Camo 335
Micro Nightmare 335
380 Lynx
BJ custom arrows
Boo string on vixen
j.krug
Posts: 6191
Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2010 10:17 am
Location: Amherstburg, Ontario

Re: Im new scope questions

Post by j.krug »

turbox wrote:Are you suggesting the shadow zone then? with the green and red xhairs?
Welcome to the forum.
The Varizone will do you right and the Shadowzone is a nice step up from there and the price isn't too bad either. Being a bare bow I'm assuming you'll need the scope mount bracket and rings too.
Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars.

Vortex
Trigger Tech 2.5 Trigger
ShadowZone Scope
S5 with dB Killer Bumpers
Boo String
Big John Zombie Slayers
Rage Broadheads
User avatar
yooper_man
Posts: 777
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 3:38 pm
Location: Marquette, MI

Re: Im new scope questions

Post by yooper_man »

I bought my 2012 Excalibur Equinox shadowzone package and killed an adult white-tailed doe this past fall. This scope worked flawlessly for my hunt and target practice.

But... I wanted something else with more light gathering capabilities and better quality glass. I bought a lightly used Leupold shotgun/muzzleloader scope NWTF edition which is a 2-7x33mm in dark earth finish. I mounted it on my Equinox, but never shot it yet. I love how it has heavy duplex reticle which will replace the need for illumination and is so much lighter as well.

I plan on setting the Leupold scope at 4x and sight in the center crosshair for 25 yards and leaving it set. That way anywhere from zero to 30 yards (my personal max yardage) the arrows will hit a little low and high of center and remove the need for range adjustment using the chevron reticles in the shadowzone scope.

yooper_man
Last edited by yooper_man on Thu Jan 03, 2013 4:03 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
yooper_man
Posts: 777
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 3:38 pm
Location: Marquette, MI

Re: Im new scope questions

Post by yooper_man »

Oops duplicate post.

yooper_man
Post Reply