Archery has existed for many years and over time it has seen many advancements in the technology archers use.
There is constant development in this market for new and improved devices. One of the more recent developments is the crossbow pistol.
Similar to a full-size crossbow in that there is a groove to put the arrow or bolt, a string to pull back and cock it, and a trigger. The main difference is that a pistol crossbow has a pistol grip and can be fired with one hand.
In a hurry? This is our Winner!
Ace Martial Arts Supply Cobra System Self-Cocking Tactical Crossbow
- Fiberglass stock for durability
- Limbs and stock are easy to assemble
- Lower cost compared to similar quality models
There are many different options to choose from when it comes to pistol grip crossbows. This guide will help you select the best pistol crossbow on the market that will suit your particular needs.
Best Crossbow Pistol – Top Model Compared
| Image | Product | Feature | Price |
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OUR TOP PICK
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Cobra System K-8025 Self Cocking Pistol Tactical Crossbow |
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EDITORS CHOICE
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80 Pound Self-Cocking Pistol Crossbow with 27 Bolts |
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BEST VALUE
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Southland Archery Supply Prophecy 80 Pound Self-Cocking Pistol Crossbow |
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RUNNER UP
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Snake Eye Tactical 80lbs Self Cocking Cobra Crossbow |
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RUNNER UP
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KingsArchery Crossbow Self-Cocking 80 LBS with Hunting Scope, Spare Crossbow String and Caps |
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1. OUR TOP PICK: Ace Martial Arts Supply Cobra System Self-Cocking Tactical Crossbow
The Ace Martial Arts Cobra pistol crossbow is fully equipped to practice your archery skills quickly and efficiently. This bow comes standard with a self-cocking mechanism, so you don’t need any additional equipment to pull back the string.
It also comes with three bolts so you can get started practicing right away. It also features a robust plastic body and a durable molded fiberglass bow.
The construction of the fiberglass bow should withstand years of use. It has an 80-pound draw weight, which produces about 165fps when the arrow is fired.
It also includes adjustable iron sights, which is excellent for hunting small game. One drawback is that this product does not come pre-assembled for the manufacturer.
We found the string was a bit difficult to attach to the bow. The product also does come with any instructions about how to accurately assemble it.
Shots with it may be relatively intuitive for some users, but it may not be for others. You may want to consider this factor when deciding on a purchase.
There was some evidence of fraying after a few weeks.
The strings are inexpensive.
2. EDITORS CHOICE: SAS 80-Pound Self Cocking Pistol Crossbow
The pistol crossbow from SAS is an excellent addition to an archer’s arsenal. It comes standard with so many extras.
We loved this factor, and we would like to see more crossbows in this category take after SAS and include more items out of the box. It comes with 27 extra aluminum bolts and an extra string, making this cross bow a great buy for the money.
We can all agree that receiving anything extra (at no cost!) when making a purchase is always positive. We enjoyed that they included an extra string because we have heard of incidents where new crossbow users have issues putting the string on the bow and can cause it to stretch or break.
The SAS pistol bow comes with an 80-pound draw weight, which seems to be the standard across the board in this category. It fires at a rate of about 160fps, which is slightly less than its competitors, but still great for target shooting.
It comes with a self-cocking design like the other models that we reviewed. The product was overall advantageous.
3. BEST VALUE: Prophecy Pistol Crossbow: 80-Pound Self Cocking with Cobra Limb System
The Prophecy pistol crossbow comes with a lot of additional features that really impressed us. The addition of the Cobra Limb System is an excellent feature to have on this device.
This allows the crossbow to be durable and sturdy for many years. Like other products we have reviewed, the Prophecy comes standard with an 80-pound draw weight and fires bolts at 165fps (certainly not a toy at that speed).
Prophecy Crossbow Accessories
This product comes with three arrows. One great feature is that it comes with a carrying bag, which can be used in the field or for storage, so there is not any damage to the bow.
It also features a full aluminum body, which makes it extremely durable and lightweight. We liked that feature a lot because it makes the bow very easy to carry around.
This crossbow is also a self-cocking version, which is a nice safety feature (and I don’t have to use a foot stirrup like my larger crossbows).
It also did not come pre-assembled, but, according to some reviews, there are some brief instructions on the back of the box that are slightly helpful.
4. RUNNER UP: Snake Eye Tactical Pistol Crossbow 80-Pounds
Another great product from Snake Eye Tactical is this easy to use pistol crossbow. It comes with a lot of extra accessories like the previously reviewed item.
It comes with 3 extra aluminum arrows that have a metal tip for lightweight durability. It also comes with a fully adjustable iron sight and a smooth self-cocking design.
It also comes with a quick reload design, so you can reload when you need to quickly. It has an all-metal body, which is great for long term use.
It features an 80-pound draw weight and the ability to fire bolts at 165 feet per second.
It will hold up to the elements when you are out for target practice.
5. RUNNER UP: Kings Archery Self Cocking Crossbow 80-Pounds
King’s Archery has been around in the archery business for quite some time. It was great for us to find a new pistol crossbow in their arsenal of products. We loved that there are so many extras included with this device.
It came out of the box with 15 extra plastic body arrows, which last a long time. It also came with an additional bowstring, caps, and a mountable hunting scope.
The addition of the hunting scope is a game-changer since none of the other products we reviewed included that. If you do not need the extended range scope, you can also revert back to the iron sights.
It is constructed of fiberglass and metal, which is the lightest and most durable material we have seen thus far. It also features an 80-pound draw weight and fires at 165fps.
It was refreshing to have the ability to have a more extended range scope on this device. It made it much easier to hit the target from anything more than 20 yards away.
The instructions for stringing the bow are complicated, which seems to be a typical pattern of all the products we have reviewed. It was also quite tricky to assemble and needed two people.
Best Crossbow Pistol Buying Guide
What Is a Crossbow Pistol?
Crossbow pistols are smaller than regular crossbows and much more lightweight. They have a short draw and can be fired with one hand by holding onto a pistol grip.
Full-size regular crossbows are usually rested against the shoulder when fired. They are much more powerful than a pistol crossbow.
Crossbow pistols use mini arrows or bolts as ammunition. They are relatively inexpensive compared to their full-size counterparts.
They are easy to maintain over the years. Crossbow pistols are also easy to learn to shoot as well.
They can be used for a variety of things, including hunting and target practice.
What Will You Use it For?
The many uses for crossbow pistols make this an excellent investment for fans of Archery. Before purchasing one, you should consider what you will be using it for.
Will you be hunting? If so, what type of animal will you be hunting?
Will you use it for target practice? You have to consider these questions when making this type of purchase.
Pistol crossbows can be useful for hunting small game like vermin, squirrels, and small rodents. On the other hand, it is also a lot of fun to use them for target practice.
They are inexpensive to maintain so target practice is feasible and will not wear out your bow too much.
Factors When Choosing A Crossbow Pistol
Draw Weight
Draw weight refers to the amount of force that is needed for you to draw back the string. It is usually measured in pounds and ranges from around 50 to 80 pounds for pistol crossbows.
The heavier the draw weight on a pistol bow, the faster the bolt will travel upon firing. The most important thing to remember is that the heavier the draw, the more time it will take you to reload or pull the string back.
If you want quick action, then you may need to opt for lower draw weight. This is an essential factor for me because the point of a pistol grip crossbow is fast action, so I want a bow that will allow me to pull back the string as quickly as possible and get back into action!
If you are searching for more power, then you might want to consider one that has a higher draw weight. This will allow you to get the most power out of your crossbow pistol.
It is an important note, especially for hunting purposes.
Crossbow Pistol Size
When concerning pistol grip crossbows, we know that they are naturally smaller than regular ones. There are still many different size options from which to choose.
If you want portability, then you need to look at the smallest choices, which may prove less powerful. The advantage of crossbow pistols is that they are small by nature, but length is definitely a part to plan for..
Self Cocking Package
Another critical feature to consider is the ability of the pistol crossbow to be self-cocking. Don’t be misled to think that this means it will cock itself!
What this truly means is that the crossbow can be cocked with the assistance of any external mechanisms such as a rope cocking device. A self-cocking crossbow will usually have a mechanism built in the back, such as a lever.
This allows you to pull it back without using anything other than the bow and your hands. This could be a significant factor for some people.
Since a pistol crossbow is designed to be lightweight and quick action, you may want to ensure that you do not need any additional equipment to pull back the bowstring.
Crossbow Attachments
The ability to use accessories on a pistol grip crossbow can be an essential factor. Some people may want the addition of a Picatinny rail to add scopes, sights, flashlights, or other accessories.
If you can add accessories such as a red dot sight you may find that this changes the uses of your mini crossbow. It will surely increase the accuracy, and you might be able to add a few extra bulls eyes to your target practice!
Crossbow Pistol Bolts, String, & Accessories
Who doesn’t like extras that come with their purchases? When you are making big purchases, there are always a few things that you may need to purchase outside of just the device.
For example, when it comes to crossbows, you will need to also have arrows, extra strings, and possibly a rope cocker if the bow is not self-cocking. The main advantage of having additional materials when you purchase a crossbow is that you can get started with shooting right away.
For me, it is quite nice not to have to worry about purchasing extra items. It can be a vital factor in determining which archery kit to buy.
Pre-Assembled Package
Similar to including additional materials is preassembly. If your item comes pre-assembled, you don’t have to worry about taking the extra time to read instructions and figure out how to put it together.
It can be challenging to assemble a crossbow if you are unfamiliar with them. This can lead to incorrect assembly or possibly an issue when you are using the crossbow.
If you are unfamiliar with assembling a pistol crossbow, then I recommend buying one that is already assembled for you.
Recap
Since we reviewed so many excellent products, we are going to break down the conclusion into multiple different categories. We hope that this guide will give you some insight into what you should be purchasing for your particular needs.
But what is the best pistol crossbow to buy? All of the products in this review will serve you well but let’s go over the winners to help you make a more precise choice for the best crossbow pistol.
Our Favorite Overall Crossbow Pistol
The overall winner is the King’s Archery Self Cocking Crossbow. This product took first place in many different sections.
When considering all of the factors that we listed above this product was the clear winner. Since all of the products we reviewed had the same draw weight of 80 pounds that did not play much of a role in deciding the winner.
Crossbow Range
When considering the question of what the crossbow will be used for, we thought that this product was one of the ones that could cover multiple categories. For example, with the addition of the long-range scope, we believe that this would also be the winner for the hunting category.
If you plan to use this for hunting small game or vermin, then the scope will come in handy. It will increase accuracy at distances more than 20 yards.
Best Value Crossbow Pistol
We also thought that this product came out on top in terms of value. We are not necessarily referring to the price of the product, but how much you get out of the box.
We thought that the inclusion of 15 extra arrows, another bowstring, caps, and a long-range scope is tough to beat in terms of value and added benefits.
The King’s Archery crossbow model is also self-cocking like other products. Through our in-depth research, we have found that the self-cocking mechanism seemed to be a bit better than the other models.
It seems easier to use and customers say its very stable. The self-cocking device is relatively standard in the realm of pistol grip crossbows.
In the attachments category that we mentioned above, this product really stands out. We said that some archers might want the ability to add sights and other items to their bow.
Not only does this item include an extra extended range scope, but it also has the ability to attach that scope. That means that if you were to buy a red dot sight, you could connect it in place of the long range scope.
Last but not least, this bow gets a star rating for its inclusion of the extra materials. As we have mentioned, it includes 15 extra arrows, an additional bowstring, and a long range scope.
We thought that this pistol crossbow was the best in its class. We recommend purchasing this product if you want the best overall option for your archery needs.
Best for Target Practice
We wanted to include one additional category for target practice. The reason we chose this is that many people may be buying this for their children to shoot or for at home use with paper targets.
Many people may not be interested in hunting or long-range shooting.
For the F, we chose the SAS 80 pound Self Cocking Pistol Crossbow. The reason we chose this product is mainly for its simplicity and the number of extra arrows it comes with.
Nothing is more annoying than shooting three bolts and then having to go and pick them up 20 yards away. This item takes care of that entirely by providing so many extras bolts that you can fire so many times without having to retrieve them. It also comes standard with great iron sights.
Ace Martial Arts Supply Cobra System Self-Cocking Tactical Crossbow
- Fiberglass stock for durability
- Limbs and stock are easy to assemble
- Lower cost compared to similar quality models
