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Hunting is a lot of fun but as a beginner, it can be frustrating!
Those loud gunshots scare away the prey immediately. You just don’t get a second chance.
Well, hunting with a Barnett Jackal Crossbow changes things drastically.
While not completely silent, you easily can get in a second shot depending on how far away you are from your target.
The Barnett Jackal Crossbow Package
Name: Barnett Jackal Crossbow Bow Type: Crossbow Draw Weight: 150 LBS Power Stroke: 12″ Crossbow Length: 36″ Crossbow Width: 28.25″ Crossbow Weight: 7.7 lb Arrow Speed: 315 FPS Materials: Aluminum, Composite Color: Camo/Black Crossbow Sight: Red Dot Sight Crossbow Quiver: Yes Arrows included: 3x 20″ Arrows Best Place To Buy:Amazon.com
This is already an impressive list of the specifications and additional equipment that comes with the set.
I want to dig a bit deeper now and explain what all this means.
In the end, I will speak my mind and let you know the good and not-so-good things.
Don’t worry, there are not many things that speak against the Barnett Jackal Crossbow.
Let’s start!
The Crossbow: The Perfect Hunting Tool
If you want to know more about crossbows, read my article about crossbows here.
The reason why I think that they are great for hunting is easily explained:
They are powerful, accurate, and quiet. Of course, they make a sound, but that is nothing compared to a gun or rifle shot.
When you know how to shoot a rifle, you will have no problem with a crossbow.
It is basically the same. You either aim with iron sights or with a scope.
The main difference is the ammunition and the way you reload your hunting partner.
Crossbows shoot arrows (bolts) and you have to reload them after each shot.
Reloading a crossbow takes longer than putting a new arrow in a bow.
While it takes longer to reload them, they are much stronger than bows. Additionally, you don’t need to practice for years to become very accurate.
There are different ways of loading crossbows, but you usually will use either a rope or a crank.
In rarer cases, you will just use your hands, but that is more difficult as you would have to pull back the whole 150 LBS draw weight with your raw body strength.
I always recommend using a rope cocking device or crank.
Once you know how to shoot, you will find it easy to hunt with them.
Get some broadheads for your arrows and you will have your first kill in no time.
Draw Weight, Power Stroke, And Speed
The draw weight of 150 LBS is more than enough to hunt small and big game. The first time you shoot it you will be excited about the power of this crossbow.
Together with the power stroke of 12″ the 150 LBS draw weight of the bow accelerates your arrows to 315 FPS.
The power stroke says how many inches the string is pulled back when cocking the crossbow.
The longer the power stroke the faster your arrows will be.
If a shorter crossbow would want to get the same speed, its draw weight would have to be higher.
So with the rather long power stroke and the 150 LBS draw weight, you get a really fast shooting crossbow.
This is perfect for hunting.
Your prey will have no idea what is coming.
Important Note About The Total Weight
The manufacturer states that the weight of this crossbow is 7.7 lb.
I have to say that it is a bit heavier. It is more like 9 lb, to be honest.
Keep this in mind!
While 9 lb is still okay for me to carry around for a while, others might find it too heavy.
I want to spare you this surprise!
When you think that 9 lb is no problem, then the Barnett Jackal Crossbow won’t disappoint you.
The Crossbow Sight For Maximum Accuracy
The sight included in the Barnett Jackal Crossbow Package is a single red dot sight.
Follow the instructions and you will have it sighted in very quickly. I love red dot sights.
If you don’t feel happy with it, you can replace it with another sight easily.
The Crossbow Quiver: Keeping Your Arrows Close
Crossbow quivers are attached below the crossbow and give you quick access to your arrows.
This quiver holds 3 arrows at a time.
The arrows are held well in place and there is no danger that they fall out while moving through the bushes.
Crossbow Arrows Ready For The Kill
Crossbow arrows are generally shorter than arrows we use for bows.
They are often called bolts.
In this package 3 Headhunter arrows are included.
They are 20″ long and have target tips!
While they are perfect for practicing with your crossbow, you will have to replace the tips with broadheads when you want to hunt big game.
If you want to buy more arrows, make sure that they are either 18″ or 20″ long.
What You Need To Do After You Got The Crossbow
This is very important!
If you don’t do this, the crossbow string will not hold very long.
I read quite a few reviews where people complain, that the crossbow string only held a few shots.
The problem is that this step is not included in the instructions. So many people who have never shot a crossbow before, just don’t know about this:
You have to put the included plastic cable divider on the bottom rail when you put the crossbow together!
You also have to use the included lube wax regularly.
Please watch this video completely to know exactly how to shoot this crossbow correctly:
If you don’t do this, your string will start to fray after only a few shots.
Put the divider on the rail and your string will be fine for a long time.
I Recommend Buying The Barnett Jackal Crossbow
This is a high-quality crossbow in the middle-price segment.
It has a very high arrow speed and can be used to hunt any game.
Just remember that the crossbow weighs about 9 lb and not the 7.7 lb the manufacturer says.
When that’s ok for you, there is nothing bad I can say about this crossbow!
I purchased the Jackal and found it to be very accurate.
My big problem is after having both shoulders replaced, I find it very difficult to cock the bow. Why doesn’t Barnet make a crank cocking device for the Jackal, and is there anything in the works to remedy this?
Just remember that the crossbow weighs about 9 lb and not the 7.7 lb the manufacturer says.
