Crossbow Speed: What to Consider Before You Buy

So, you are thinking about buying a crossbow?

Well, you came to the right place!  We know there are a lot of crossbows on the market and there are many important considerations, features, and factors involved in picking out the best crossbow FOR YOU!

In this article, we take a closer look at crossbow speed, but don’t miss these other articles that detail other important factors to consider before buying:

Crossbow Size: What to Consider Before You Buy
Crossbow Weight: What to Consider Before You Buy

SPEED

How fast the crossbow shoots the arrow from the crossbow. All crossbows will have a “speed rating,” for example, 375 FPS or 400 FPS (Feet per Second). This indicates how fast the crossbow will shoot the arrow and how flat the trajectory of the arrow will be. Most crossbows sold these days are between 370 FPS and 420 FPS; however, the fastest crossbow models shoot arrows up to 515 FPS! These speeds are more than adequate for hunting any animal in North America.

The speed (FPS) of a crossbow tells you how flat the arrow will shoot, and a faster “flatter shooting” crossbow allows the user more forgiveness if they misestimate the distance to the animal they are hunting. Assuming that the same weight arrow is used, crossbows with a higher speed rating (FPS) have higher “kinetic energy,” meaning the arrow will have greater penetration, which is beneficial for larger animals or in the event the arrow impacts tough bone like the shoulder.

As mentioned above, virtually all modern crossbows have enough speed/energy to hunt whitetail deer and larger game capably. The speed of the fastest hunting crossbow becomes less important when the hunter knows the distance of the shot, as the hunter can aim accordingly with the crossbow scope. Most archery hunters use a small pocket-sized laser rangefinder to quickly obtain an accurate distance of the animal before taking a shot.

So, if speed is good, then more speed is BETTER—right? Well, yes—but speed can come with some “drawbacks.” High-speed crossbows are fast for a reason, and that is because they have high draw weight (pounds required to pull the bow back). The higher the draw weight, the more arrow speed, but more vibration, shock, and noise are generated, which is harder on the crossbow. Strings and cables need to be replaced more frequently to avoid breakage.

In conclusion, speed helps a hunter when they may have to take a quick shot and do not know the exact distance to the animal. Crossbows shooting around 400FPS typically offer a great blend of “enough speed” with “lower maintenance/higher reliability.”

Faster crossbows are fantastic, but they require more maintenance.