We score the crossbows in our ranking against each other on the same five tests. Ravin bolts never went through that bench, so nothing below carries a score - what follows is the real length, grain weight and straightness grade pulled from Ravin's own listings, plus the one thing Ravin owners get wrong when they reorder.
Ravin sells its arrows in two straightness grades, .003 and .001, and that number is the main thing separating one Ravin bolt from another at the same weight. Both are 400-grain class carbon shafts in the 20-inch range. The .001 costs more and is the tighter-tolerance option; the .003 is what most owners actually shoot.
The second thing to get right is the nock. Ravin uses its own nock system rather than a generic half-moon, which is why swapping in another brand's bolt is less straightforward on a Ravin than it is on a conventional crossbow. If you are new to crossbows generally, our guide to how to cock a crossbow covers the habit that prevents most dry-fires.
Straightness is measured as maximum deviation across the shaft, in thousandths of an inch. A .003 shaft can be up to three thousandths out of true; a .001 up to one. Smaller is straighter, and straighter shafts group marginally tighter at longer distances because less of the shaft's mass is fighting itself in flight.
How much it matters depends entirely on your distance. Inside 30 yards the difference between .003 and .001 disappears into normal shooter error. At 50 or 60 yards, where Ravin's speed makes longer shots realistic, it starts to show. Buying .001 for treestand whitetail work inside 30 yards is spending money where it will not be visible on the target.
These are the figures from Ravin's own listings rather than measured on our bench. Weight is the headline number to match when you reorder, because changing bolt weight changes both speed and point of impact.
| Arrow | Straightness | Weight | Pack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon Crossbow Bolts 003 | .003 | 400 grain class | 6-pack |
| Premium Carbon Crossbow Bolts .001 | .001 | 400 grain class | 6-pack |
| R133 Match Weight Lighted | .003 | Match weight | Lighted |
| Crossbow .003 Lighted Arrows | .003 | 400 grain class | 3-pack |
| XK5 Carbon Crossbow Arrows | .001 | 400 grain class | 6-pack |
| XK5 20" Carbon Bolt | .001 | 400 grain class | 3-pack |
Ravin sells lighted arrows as complete bolts and also sells the R135 lighted replacement nocks separately in 3-packs. The separate nocks are the cheaper route if you already have a supply of shafts: you are converting arrows you own rather than buying new ones. Remember that a lighted nock adds weight at the rear of the shaft, so re-check your zero after fitting a set.
Lighted nocks earn their money at dusk, which is when a lot of hunting shots present themselves. Being able to see where the bolt went is the difference between recovering an expensive arrow and walking a field with a torch.
Cautiously, and only if the specification genuinely matches. Ravin crossbows use a nock design of their own, and the bolt has to seat correctly against the string for the bow to fire safely. A bolt that does not seat is how a dry-fire happens, and a dry-fire on a bow shooting at Ravin speeds is an expensive event.
The practical answer for most owners is to stay with Ravin arrows. It is one of the few crossbow brands where the standard advice to match length, weight and nock type is not quite enough, because the nock system itself is proprietary. If you are cross-shopping crossbow platforms rather than arrows, our crossbow comparisons put the mainstream beginner bows side by side.
More than the 3-pack. Crossbow bolts are consumable in a way that catches new owners out: they get lost in cover, they bury in dense targets and split on extraction, and two bolts that hit each other in a good group are two bolts binned. The 6-packs are the sensible reorder unit.
Inspect carbon shafts before every session. Flex each one gently and listen for a crackling sound, which means the carbon is compromised. A shaft that fails on release is an injury risk rather than a wasted arrow, so a suspect bolt goes in the bin rather than back in the quiver.
These are not on our own crossbow test bench, so there is no score attached - just the real grade, weight and pack size from Ravin's own listings.
The default Ravin reorder: .003 straightness, 400-grain class, six to a pack. This is the one most owners should be buying unless they genuinely shoot past 50 yards.
The tighter-tolerance option. Worth the premium if you shoot long and already group well; not worth it if your shots are inside 30 yards.
The XK5 arrow at .001 straightness. Check it against what your specific Ravin shipped with before switching lines.
Converts shafts you already own instead of buying complete lighted arrows. Cheaper route to the same result, but re-check your zero afterwards.
Straightness tolerance. A .003 shaft can deviate up to three thousandths of an inch across its length, a .001 up to one. The .001 is the tighter, more expensive option and groups marginally better at long range. Inside 30 yards the difference is smaller than normal shooter error.
Ravin's carbon arrows are listed in the 400-grain class, which is the weight the bows are set up around. Keep to it when you reorder - changing bolt weight changes both speed and point of impact, which means re-sighting the scope.
It is the one crossbow brand where the usual advice is not enough. Ravin uses its own nock system rather than a generic half-moon, and a bolt that does not seat correctly against the string creates a dry-fire risk. Most owners are better off staying with Ravin arrows.
Not required, but useful in low light - which is when many hunting shots happen. Ravin sells lighted complete arrows and also sells R135 lighted replacement nocks separately, so you can convert shafts you already own. Adding one changes rear weight, so re-check your zero.