We score the crossbows in our ranking against each other on the same five tests. Excalibur bolts never went through that bench, so nothing below carries a score - what follows is the real length and grain weight from Excalibur's own listings, plus the recurve difference that makes Excalibur arrows shorter than almost everything else on the market.
Excalibur is a recurve crossbow maker, and that single fact explains most of what is confusing about buying its arrows. Excalibur bolts run shorter than the 20-inch standard that dominates compound crossbows - the Quill is 16.5 inches, the Diablo 18, the Firebolt 20. Ordering a generic 20-inch bolt because that is what crossbows usually take is the classic Excalibur mistake.
The second difference is weight. The Quill is a 250-grain shaft, noticeably lighter than the 400-grain class that most compound crossbows are built around. Recurve limbs deliver their energy differently, and Excalibur's arrow weights reflect that rather than being an oversight.
A recurve crossbow has no cams and no cables. It is a simpler machine: fewer parts to wear, a string you can change without a press, and a power stroke geometry that differs from a compound of the same draw weight. Arrow length is set by the rail and the power stroke, not by convention, which is why Excalibur's numbers sit outside the mainstream.
The practical consequence for an owner is that the general crossbow advice you read elsewhere applies less cleanly here. Go by what your specific Excalibur shipped with, and treat any listing that does not state a length as one to skip. For background on how crossbows differ from vertical bows generally, see crossbow vs compound bow.
These are the figures from Excalibur's own listings rather than measured on our bench. Length is the specification to match first, weight second.
| Arrow | Length | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quill | 16.5" | 250 grain | The short, light option |
| Diablo | 18" | - | Illuminated carbon version available |
| Firebolt | 20" | - | Lightweight carbon, illuminated version available |
| ProFlight | - | - | Illuminated version available |
| Boltcutter | - | 150 grain | Broadhead, 1 1/16" cutting diameter |
Excalibur's own broadhead is the Boltcutter at 150 grains with a 1 1/16 inch cutting diameter. Note the weight: 150 grains, not the 100 grains that field points on most crossbow bolts weigh. Swapping a 100-grain field point for a 150-grain broadhead changes the total arrow weight by fifty grains, which moves your point of impact.
The fix is the same on any crossbow: sight in with field points, then shoot several broadhead-tipped bolts at your hunting distance before the season and note where they actually land. A broadhead has surface area a field point does not and will plane in flight. Our guide to sighting in a crossbow scope covers the order that works.
Excalibur offers illuminated versions across the Diablo, Firebolt and ProFlight lines rather than selling a separate nock to retrofit. That makes the decision simpler - you buy the lit arrow or you do not - but it also means converting existing shafts is not the easy option it is on some other brands.
More easily than on a proprietary-nock brand, but the length problem remains. Excalibur's shorter shafts mean most generic crossbow bolts on the shelf are simply the wrong length for the bow, and a bolt that is too long or too short does not sit correctly on the rail.
Match length first, then total weight including the point, then nock type. If a third-party listing does not state all three, it is not enough information to order on. Buy in quantity when you do order: bolts get lost in cover, split on extraction and destroy each other in tight groups, and Excalibur's less common lengths are harder to replace in a hurry.
These are not on our own crossbow test bench, so there is no score attached - just the real length and weight from Excalibur's own listings.
The short, light Excalibur shaft at 16.5 inches and 250 grains. Check this length against your bow before ordering - it is well outside the crossbow norm.
The 20-inch Excalibur option, which is the length most owners expect a crossbow bolt to be. An illuminated version of the same shaft is also listed.
The 18-inch middle length with illumination built in. Excalibur sells lit arrows rather than retrofit nocks, so this is the route to a lighted setup.
Excalibur's own broadhead at 150 grains with a 1 1/16 inch cut. Fifty grains heavier than a typical 100-grain field point, so expect to re-check your distances.
Shorter than the 20-inch crossbow standard, and it varies by line: the Quill is 16.5 inches, the Diablo 18 inches, the Firebolt 20 inches. This is because Excalibur builds recurve crossbows, where arrow length is set by the rail and power stroke. Go by what your specific bow shipped with.
Lighter than typical compound crossbow arrows. The Quill is a 250-grain shaft against the 400-grain class most compound bows are built around. Recurve limbs deliver energy differently, so the lighter weight is by design rather than a compromise.
The Boltcutter, at 150 grains with a 1 1/16 inch cutting diameter. Note that 150 grains is heavier than the 100-grain field points most bolts ship with, so fitting them changes total arrow weight and moves your point of impact. Shoot a few before the season and re-note your distances.
Usually not without checking carefully, because most generic bolts are 20 inches and several Excalibur lines are shorter. Match length first, then total weight including the point, then nock type. A listing that does not state all three does not give you enough to order on.