Barnett is a giant crossbow manufacturer. Besides making crossbows for hunters, they also make crossbow accessories and other accessories. Barnett also makes rifle gear and accessories. But we are not here to talk about their rifle accessories. We are going to talk about the best Barnett crossbows on the market.
If you searched about crossbows before, you already know just how big of a company Barnett is. If you don’t know, don’t worry. We will talk about Barnett for a little bit.
History And Heritage
Barnett is not a new name in the industry. They are making crossbows from long before you and I were born. The first Barnett crossbow was made in 1958. From there, Barnett kept pushing themselves to make their crossbows better and better.
They are the first one to offer a crank cocking device with their crossbows as well. Besides the cranking device, Barnett was the first company to implement a lot of things in their crossbows. One of the most important invention by them was the carbon riser technology. It was such a game changer for crossbows.
Granted, Barnett isn’t the fastest crossbow on the market anymore. But they were the first company to break through the 300 FPS barrier. That counts as something.
Barnett Technologies
Barnett’s Trigger Tech is an advanced triggering system that consists of latch, free-floating roller, and sear. The pattern to make this trigger is only available to Barnett. That’s makes it super unique and confidential.
Carbon Riser came a long way. It was first implemented on a crossbow by Barnett. The theory behind this was to increase the riser of the crossbow without increasing the weight too much and keep a balanced weight distribution throughout the crossbow. It makes me happy to say, Barnett managed to pull it off splendidly.
Crosswire Strings And Cable System. To increase the longevity of their bowstrings, all manufacturers do something with their crossbows. Barnett implemented crosswire string system. The woven system design improves the longevity of the crossbow string by a lot. It also implements new color accents. That makes the crossbow look cooler.
Barnett Accessories
Headhunter arrows are Barnett’s most sold bolts. They are as straight as an arrow can get. They don’t have any flex to fly weird after leaving the bow. The bolt head is strong and durable. It’s also rusts free.
Crossbow Scope. Barnett is not a new company that makes scopes. Their riflescopes are some of the best on the market. The same can be said for their crossbow scopes and red dot sights as well. The budget offering from Barnett is something else. Their crossbow scopes are some of the best in this price range.
Cranking Device. Just like many other manufacturers on the industry, Barnett also sells high quality easy to use cranking devices.
Crossbow Case. Soft carrying cases are mostly hated by the crossbow community. Due to their prone to breakage and not keeping the crossbow as safe as they intended to. But Barnett TruBark soft carrying case is probably the best soft crossbow carrying case on the market.
What Is The Best Barnett Crossbow Of All Time?
The Barnett predator 430. from speed to energy, this crossbow is top tier. The included accessories and the scope on the crossbow are also quite good. If you want the very best, go for the Predator 430. You won’t regret it.
What Is The Best Barnett Crossbow For The Money?
I have to go with the Barnett HyperGhost 425. Which provides an insane value for the money. It’s a good crossbow on paper and on-field. It’s a mid-budget crossbow that lets you experience high-end commodities.
1. Barnett Predator 430 Crossbow Package
Specifications | Speed: 430 FPS; Kinetic Energy: 122 ft.lbs; Power Stroke: 14 Inches; Draw Weight: 187 LBS; Axle To Axle: 17.875 Inches; Length: 37.125 Inches; Weight: 7.6 LBS.
Barnett Predator 430 is one of the fastest Barnett crossbows on the market. The build quality on this crossbow is absolutely marvelous. From the stock to the CNC machined aluminum rail and cams system, everything about this crossbow is top-notch craftmanship.
The crossbow is not hard to build either. The included guide is quite easy to follow and quite thorough. Something all beginners can appreciate highly off.
The speed of this crossbow is 430 FPS. Not a small number by any means. Easily comparable with Ravin R20. The weight distribution on this crossbow is something else. The riser is quite well built as well.
Another good thing about this crossbow is the included scope. The included crossbow scope with this one is quite good. It can easily keep up with the crossbow without any issues.
Pros
- Good build quality.
- Ease of access.
- Good included scope.
- 430 FPS.
- 156 ft-lbs of kinetic energy.
Cons
- Not compatible with third party cranking device.
2. Barnett HyperGhost 425 Crossbow Package
Specifications | Speed: 425 FPS; Kinetic Energy: 152 ft.lbs; Power Stroke: 16.3 Inches; Draw Weight: 206 LBS; Axle To Axle: 17.6 Inches; Length: 36.25 Inches; Weight: 7.7 LBS.
The Barnett HyperGhost 425 is quite fast and powerful. The maximum speed of this crossbow is 425. Just a bit shy of the 430 mark on the Predator.
The weight of HyperGhost is only 7.7lbs. That’s not the lightest crossbow by any means. That’s not super heavy either. But keep in mind about what accessories you add in the crossbow. As the weight will gradually increase.
HyperGhost is capable of generating up to 152 ft-lbs of kinetic energy. The Trigger Tech trigger has a 3lbs trigger pull with Dry-fire inhibitor safety protocol. Barnett never slacks when it comes to safety protocol.
The included 1.5-5×32 crossbow scope is quite good.
The build quality is top-quality as usual. The picatinny rail supports any crossbow scope you want. Besides crossbow scope, you can add a secondary red dot sight as well. The crossbow supports Barnett’s cranking device. That’s a good cranking device can lower the draw weight of the crossbow to 12lbs.
Pros
- Affordable.
- 425 FPS.
- 152ft-lbs of kinetic energy.
- Cranking device supported.
- Good build quality.
- Good scope.
Cons
- Not compatible with other cranking devices.
- Changing the wire can be hard for beginners.
3. Barnett Whitetail Pro STR Crossbow Package
Specifications | Speed: 400 FPS; Kinetic Energy: 135 ft.lbs; Power Stroke: 16.25 Inches; Draw Weight: 187 LBS; Axle To Axle: 17.675 Inches; Length: 36.25 Inches; Weight: 6.9 LBS.
Barnett Whitetail Pro STR is one of the most suggested budget crossbows by reviewers. It’s one of the few good deer hunting crossbows on the budget that can reach 400 FPS with ease. Giving beginner hunters the taste of much powerful crossbow on a budget.
Barnett Whitetail Pro STR is constructed from CNC machined aluminum. The stock of the crossbow is constructed from synthetic material. Together they make a lightweight crossbow that is also powerful.
Whitetail Pro STR is capable of generating 140 ft-lbs of kinetic energy. That’s a lot of energy for a crossbow this small. I really love the theme going on this crossbow. Props to Barnett for making such an attractive crossbow. Then again, design is subjective an everyone is entitled to have their opinion.
For safety, the crossbow is equipped with Nock-Sensor and Anti-Dry fire trigger system. Eliminating any chance of misfiring while loading the crossbow.
The trigger pull on the crossbow is not that high either. You can easily pull the trigger on a pinch. As the trigger is made from Barnett’s own technology, you won’t face trigger jam issues. If you do, don’t forget to contact your local Barnett dealer. Barnett will be more than happy to fix that issue for you.
Pros
- Good build quality.
- Affordable.
- 4×32 crossbow scope included.
- 400 FPS.
- 140 ft-lbs of kinetic energy.
Cons
- Cranking device is not included.
4. Barnett HyperGhost 405 Crossbow Package
Specifications | Speed: 405 FPS; Kinetic Energy: 138 ft.lbs; Power Stroke: 16.33 Inches; Draw Weight: 185 LBS; Axle To Axle: 17.6 – 20.37 Inches; Length: 36.25 Inches; Weight: 7.7 LBS.
This is the smaller brother of Barnett HyperGhost 425. It’s cheaper and less powerful. How well does it perform?
Well, Barnett HyperGhost 405 is capable of reaching up to 405 FPS with ease. For that to happen, you need to use the arrows recommended by Barnett. This can be annoying at times. Specially, when you can’t find the required arrows in stock.
Fun fact, besides the top speed and the kinetic energy, both of these crossbows are identical twins. You can easily get fooled by one another. The HyperGhost 405 is capable of generating 138 ft-lbs of kinetic energy. Not as much as the 425, but it’s still quite respectable.
As they are identical crossbows, both of them shares the same cons as well.
The build quality on this crossbow is quite good. Out of the box it doesn’t come with the Barnett cranking device, but you can purchase that and install it yourself. It will make your life a lot easier.
Pros
- Affordable.
- Good build quality.
- 405 FPS.
- 138 ft-lbs of kinetic energy.
- Cranking device supported.
- Good scope.
Cons
- Changing the wire can be challenging for beginners.
5. Barnett Raptor Pro STR Crossbow Package
Specifications | Speed: 400 FPS; Kinetic Energy: 135 ft.lbs; Power Stroke: 16.25 Inches; Draw Weight: 187 LBS; Axle To Axle: 17.675 Inches; Length: 36.25 Inches; Weight: 6.9 LBS.
Barnett Raptor Pro STR is another 400 FPS crossbow from Barnett. Raptor Pro STR looks a lot like their high-end crossbows while still having an affordable price tag. This is why choosing the best Barnett crossbow is so hard. Most of their crossbows offer a crazy amount of value for the price.
The Raptor Pro STR is capable of generating 135 ft-lbs of kinetic energy. That’s a lot considering this crossbow is not that expensive. It’s good to see Barnett appreciating the budget segment.
The Barnett Raptor Pro STR can fire arrows at an incredible speed of 400 FPS. Just to put it in context, Ravin R10 a crossbow that is twice the price of this can also fire at 400 FPS. I am not taking anything away from the Ravin R10. That’s an incredible crossbow and a lot better than Raptor Pro STR. I am just comparing the speed between the two.
The build quality on the Raptor Pro STR is also quite good. I really liked the step-through riser and CNC machined aluminum flight rail. The CAM system is also durable and suitable for long usage. You won’t be sending this to the warranty anytime soon that’s for sure.
Speaking of warranty, the after-sales service from Barnett is always top-notch. Their customer service is quite well educated and well behaving as well. That’s a huge pro for a lot of us.
Pros
- Affordable.
- Good build quality.
- Lightweight and fairly compact.
- 400 FPS.
- 135 ft-lbs of kinetic energy.
- Good stock scope.
Cons
- No cranking device included.
- The raw draw weight can be high for beginners.
6. Barnett Whitetail Hunter STR Crossbow Package
Specifications | Speed: 375 FPS; Kinetic Energy: 118.6 ft.lbs; Power Stroke: 15.7 – 16 Inches; Draw Weight: 165 LBS; Axle To Axle: 18.125 Inches; Length: 34.875 Inches; Weight: 6.6 LBS.
Barnett Whitetail is one of the most famous crossbow series among hunters. They are famous due to their price to performance value. The Whitetail Hunter STR is a lot different than the Pro STR. This is a smaller version of the Whitetail Pro STR by a lot of regards.
The max speed of the Hunter STR is 375 FPS. Not too shabby. 375 FPS is not the fastest, but it’s not slow by any means either. It’s more than enough for any hunting activities you have in your mind.
Hunter STR is capable of generating 118 ft-lbs of kinetic energy. That’s more than enough for big-game hunting. You have to appreciate when a beginner crossbow is capable of doing big game hunting.
It’s quite lightweight as well. Coming at 6.6lbs, even with accessories the total weight of the crossbow will be well under 8lbs.
The draw weight of this crossbow is 165 lbs. It’s quite low considering how other similar compound crossbows has over 200lbs of draw weight. You can cut down that weight by 50% using the included rope cocker.
Pros
- Affordable.
- Good build quality.
- 375 FPS.
- 118 ft-lbs of kinetic energy.
- 165 lbs of draw weight (rope cocker included to reduce that).
Cons
- The included cope is not the best.
7. Barnett TS380 Crossbow Package
Specifications | Speed: 380 FPS; Kinetic Energy: 122 ft.lbs; Power Stroke: 12.625 Inches; Draw Weight: 201 LBS; Axle To Axle: 16.75 Inches; Length: 32.375 Inches; Weight: 6.9 LBS.
Barnett TS380 is another good mid-budget crossbow from Barnett. It seems like Barnett knows what the audience wants and they keep on delivering it.
TS380 is capable of firing arrows at up to 380 FPS. No surprises there. It’s pretty fast for a crossbow. I know a lot of you guys think that 400 FPS is the new standard, but we are not there yet. The keyword is yet.
You can’t forget that the TS380 is not even that expensive. It’s targeted towards new hunters getting into the crossbow scene.
The weight of the TS380 is 6.9 lbs. No too heavy not too light either. Weight distribution is quite good as well. As for the kinetic energy, TS380 is capable of generating 122 ft-lbs of kinetic energy. Combined with the 380 FPS speed, you can do any sorts of hunting with it.
It’s good to see more budget options for big game hunting. If you are a beginner and here to find the best Barnett crossbow reviews, then I recommend keeping the TS380 high on your priority list. This can easily be the next crossbow for you.
Pros
- Affordable.
- Lightweight and fairly compact.
- Good build quality.
- 380 FPS.
- 122 ft-lbs of kinetic energy.
- Good after-sales service.
Cons
- No cranking device included. The draw weight might be high for some people.
8. Barnett Whitetail Hunter II Crossbow Package
Specifications | Speed: 350 FPS; Kinetic Energy: 103 ft.lbs; Power Stroke: 12.5 Inches; Draw Weight: 160 LBS; Axle To Axle: 16.125 Inches; Length: 32.25 Inches; Weight: 6.4 LBS.
Another day, another Barnett Whitetail. Barnett Whitetail is a famous line up of crossbows from Barnett. Under this banner they have plenty of crossbows to choose from. All of them are quite budget and beginner friendly.
Barnett Whitetail Hunter II is an inexpensive compound crossbow made for beginner hunters and teenagers.
Whitetail Hunter II can fire arrows at up to 350 FPS. Lower than most other budget-oriented Barnett crossbows. But you can’t forget this is an absolute beginner friendly crossbow. A lot of hunters starts of their journey with something like this.
Whitetail Hunter II is capable of generating 103 ft-lbs of kinetic energy. It’s quite high for a crossbow with this specs. The weight of the crossbow is only 6.4 lbs. Quite lightweight compared to other crossbows in the similar price tag.
One thing that this crossbow has better than all the other competition is the scope and the cranking device compatibility. Most crossbows in this budget range doesn’t bother with cranking device and compatibility. They just include a rope cocker and be done with it. If you want something better than the included rope cocker, then you can do that with this crossbow.
Pros
- Affordable.
- Lightweight.
- Good service warranty.
- 350 FPS and 102 ft-lbs of kinetic energy.
- Decent scope included.
- Cranking device compatible.
Cons
- Cranking device costs half of this crossbow. Not a wise investment if you ask me.
9. Barnett Jackal Crossbow Package
Specifications | Speed: 315 FPS; Kinetic Energy: 95 ft.lbs; Power Stroke: 12 Inches; Draw Weight: 150 LBS; Axle To Axle: 20 Inches; Length: 35.5 Inches; Weight: 7.7 LBS.
Barnett Jackal is one of the most sold crossbows of all time. Right now, purchasing the Jackal might not be the most ideal decision. Mostly because you won’t find a brand new one easily. Then why is it on the list? Because it’s one of the best crossbows Barnett ever made. You will find thousands of people agreeing to that statement.
Barnett Jackal is not that powerful crossbow. It can fire arrows at up to 315 FPS. Compared to most modern crossbows, that’s quite low. But you can easily hunt a deer with this speed.
The draw weight of this crossbow is only 150lbs. You can lower that down by 50% using the included rope cocker. Quite appealing to newbies on the scene.
Barnett Jackal is capable of generating 95ft-lbs of kinetic energy. It’s not high compared to most modern crossbows. But it’s quite high when you compare it to recurve crossbows. That’s the thing, I am saying compared to modern crossbows. Jackal isn’t a modern crossbow it’s 10 years old now.
Pros
- Affordable.
- Good build quality.
- Beginner friendly.
- Easy to setup and use.
Cons
- Way too old for modern standards.
10. Barnett Explorer XP Crossbow Package
Specifications | Speed: 370 FPS; Kinetic Energy: 115 ft.lbs; Power Stroke: 13.75 Inches; Draw Weight: 165 LBS; Axle To Axle: 16.5 Inches; Length: 31.25 Inches; Weight: 6 LBS.
Barnett Explorer XP is another cheap crossbow from Barnett. Now that I think about it, most of the Barnett crossbows are below $1000. All of them are quite good as well. Barnett Explorer XP is a lot like Jackal. It’s offered to beginners with almost similar price tag.
Keep in mind there are three versions of the Explorer XP available on the market. For this review, we got the XP 370. There is also XP380 and XP400 available for purchase. Those are more expensive than the base XP model.
As the name suggests, the Explorer XP 370 is capable of reaching 370 FPS of speed. Explorer XP is also capable of generating 115ft-lbs of kinetic energy. That’s quite a lot considering how cheap this crossbow is.
That’s why we love Barnett, they try there best to not cut costs on the build quality or the power of a crossbow. So far, they have done a splendid job on that section.
The weight of the Explorer XP 370 is only 6lbs. One of the lightest crossbows on the list. Even with added accessories the weight of the crossbow won’t go near 8lbs. You can easily carry it around for as long as you want.
Pros
- Affordable.
- Good build quality.
- 370 FPS.
- 115 ft-lbs of kinetic energy.
- Lightweight and compact.
- Good crossbow scope included.
- Cranking device compatible.
Cons
- The noise suppression on this crossbow is not that good.
Frequently ASK Questions
Is Barnett Crossbow Worth The Money?
My vote will be yes, they are worth every penny you are spending on them. Barnett is one of the oldest crossbow manufacturers present in the industry. They got decades of experience to carry their legacy. They are not scared to embrace and implement new technologies. That makes them a good company. I can easily recommend Barnett crossbow to anyone.
How To Load A Barnett Crossbow?
Barnett has one of the easiest loading systems on a crossbow. Just place the bolt and rotate the cranking device. It will load the crossbow for you. Or else, you can use the rope cocker device to load the crossbow like a regular crossbow. Barnett and many other video reviewers have guides regarding this on YouTube.
How To Uncock A Barnett Crossbow?
If you are using the rope cocking method, then you need to make sure the crossbow is facing the ground while you decock the crossbow. But if you are using a Barnett cranking device, then you just need to remove the latch and spin the cranking device towards the opposite direction.
Just make sure you are not aiming the bow at something or yourself. Make sure the bow is facing the ground. This way, you are safe from accidents.
How To Sight In A Barnett Crossbow?
You don’t need to. The crossbow scope comes sighted in manually from the factory. But if you want to sight it in. Just zero the crossbow and sight it on 20 yards mark. Make sure you have some spare arrows as you need to spend some time and arrows while shooting.
How To String In A Barnett Crossbow?
Changing the string to a compound bow by yourself is not recommended. It’s a lengthy process that may need help from machinery to improve the tension. That’s why, you shouldn’t try to change the string by your own. Take it to your local dealer instead.
How To Use A Barnett Crossbow Cocking Device?
Using a Barnett crossbow cocking device is one of the easiest things to do. Usually, the handle of the cranking device and the device itself is placed on two different places. You need to release the handle and then place it on the device, then pull the string with the device. Like a reel. But here, it’s all in the same place. All you have to do is, release the lever and reel in the bolt like a bow reel.
How To Pull Back A Barnett Crossbow?
Make the crossbow face the ground and place your left foot on the stirrup. Then make sure that you use a rope cocker and not your hand while pulling the cable backwards.
Use the rope cocker to wrap it around the string from one side of the crossbow and gradually pull it towards you. This way you can release the stuck string and pull back the crossbow safely.
Best Barnett Crossbow Reviews Summary
Barnett is one of the best crossbow manufacturers right now. There is not way of denying that. Their crossbows are some of the most inexpensive crossbows on the market. They know what the users want and they keep on delivering it.
If you read through the entire review, you know which one to take. They all are suitable for beginners and veterans. Some of them are more suitable for beginners over the others.
This concludes the Barnett chapter, If you want to know about Ravin Or Tenpoint! We have got your back. Till next time.