Ten crossbows, four manufacturers: that is the full lineup behind our main ranking. This page regroups the same tested lineup by brand, so if you already own - or are comparing - a specific maker, you can see every model we have scored side by side instead of hunting through the full table. Three more brands show up below for a different reason: Excalibur, Ravin and TenPoint each build around their own bolt length or nock system, and we cover the bolt-compatibility question for all three even though none of their crossbows have been through our own five-test bench yet.
The split matters because it changes what the section below is worth to you. The four brands with models in our ranking get a real score, built on the same five criteria every bow in our lineup goes through. The three bolt-only brands get something narrower - a compatibility guide for an arrow system, not a crossbow review - and we say so plainly rather than attaching a score to a bow we have not tested.
Barnett (4 models in our ranking)
Barnett has the widest lineup of any brand we test - four bows spanning the full price range. The Barnett Whitetail Hunter II tops our entire ranking at 8.6, the most forgiving package in the group and the one we would point a first-time hunter toward. The Barnett Recruit XP sits just behind at 8.4, built around adjustability rather than speed for a shooter who has not settled on a stance yet.
The other two Barnett bows fill specific niches rather than chasing the top score. The older Barnett Whitetail Hunter (7.8) is still capable and worth buying if you find it discounted, since the newer II fixes most of what people complained about at a similar price. The Barnett Hyper Whitetail 410 (7.6) trades some of that forgiveness for longer-range speed, though it uses slimmer arrows that cost more and are harder to find locally. All four take the same 20-inch carbon bolt covered in our best crossbow bolts guide.
Killer Instinct (3 models in our ranking)
Killer Instinct's three bows cluster tightly in score, all landing within half a point of each other. The Killer Instinct Lethal 405HD (8.3) is the pick for value hunting - well balanced and quiet for the money, though the scope wants re-sighting before you trust it past thirty yards. The Killer Instinct Burner 415 (8.0) is the speed option, fast and compact but with more noise and hand shock than the quieter bows above it. The Killer Instinct BOSS 405 (7.9) is the safe default: a solid all-rounder that does nothing badly and nothing outstandingly, worth considering if the other two are out of stock.
CenterPoint (1 model in our ranking)
CenterPoint has one bow on our bench, and it is the budget anchor of the whole ranking. The CenterPoint Dagger 405 (8.1) is the cheapest complete setup here that still shoots straight - the bundled arrows are the first thing most owners replace, which is why we point Dagger buyers toward the best crossbow bolts guide early rather than after the stock set wears out.
Xpedition Archery (2 models in our ranking)
Xpedition Archery's two bows sit at opposite ends of the price scale despite scoring close together. The Xpedition Archery Scrapeline 390X (7.4) is light and easy to carry all day but the slowest full-size bow we test and the least forgiving of a sloppy hold. The Xpedition Archery Xtraction 400X (7.7) has noticeably better glass than its price suggests, held back mainly by a package that leaves out the cocking aid most beginners need.
Every brand side by side
| Brand | Models in our ranking | Score range | Price tier | Bolt system |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnett | 4 | 7.6 - 8.6 | $$ - $$$ | Standard 20" carbon |
| Killer Instinct | 3 | 7.9 - 8.3 | $$ | Standard 20" carbon |
| Xpedition Archery | 2 | 7.4 - 7.7 | $$ - $$$ | Standard 20" carbon |
| CenterPoint | 1 | 8.1 | $ | Standard 20" carbon |
| Excalibur | Not tested | - | - | Proprietary recurve lengths (16.5"-20") |
| Ravin | Not tested | - | - | Proprietary .003/.001 straightness + nock |
| TenPoint | Not tested | - | - | Pro Elite / CenterPunch / Wicked Ridge lines |
Brands we cover for bolts only
Excalibur, Ravin and TenPoint do not have a crossbow on our test bench yet, but all three show up constantly in searches about bolt compatibility, which is a narrower and more urgent question for their owners than it is for the four brands above. Our Excalibur bolts guide covers why its recurve design runs shorter and lighter than the 20-inch, 400-grain standard - the Quill is just 16.5 inches and 250 grains. Our Ravin bolts guide explains the .003 versus .001 straightness grades and the brand's own nock system, which makes a generic third-party arrow riskier to swap in than on a conventional bow.
TenPoint is the more conventional of the three on arrow length - its standard Pro Elite 400 is a 20-inch shaft like the bows above - but the brand runs multiple nock systems across its range, including a snap-on nock on the ACU-X line, and Wicked Ridge (TenPoint's own budget brand) is not automatically interchangeable with the parent line despite the shared ownership. See our TenPoint bolts guide for the full breakdown. If you own one of these three, start with the brand-specific guide rather than the general best crossbow bolts page - fit is decided by the brand's own system, not by the 20-inch convention that covers everything else here.