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StringandStock

Crossbows, exhaustively — published by Iron Mako Media

Buy the bow
you can cock.

Expert crossbow picks ranked on cocking effort first, then cocked width, speed and carry weight. For the hunter adding a crossbow because of a shoulder, their age, or a season that just opened.

Products priced live
102
Pages at launch
87
Prices verified
October 6, 2026
Bows we claim to have tested
0
TenPoint Titan X De-Cock from TenPoint

Our top pick: TenPoint Titan X De-Cock — 5 lb cocking effort, 400 fps, de-cocks

See the crossbow rankings

The winners

The top pick in every category

Each one won a different ranking, and each card carries the live price and a buy link. Prices verified October 6, 2026.

Ranked

Five crossbows worth your money

Ranked on cocking effort, because that is the figure that decides whether a bow works for you. Published specifications only.

#ProductCocking effortScorePrice
Rank 1
TenPoint Titan X De-Cock from TenPoint

TenPoint Titan X De-Cock

The one to buy if cocking is the problem

5 lb9.0$799.99Amazon
Rank 2
Wicked Ridge Rampage XS from Wicked Ridge

Wicked Ridge Rampage XS

Built-in crank at the lowest price here

5 lb8.8$649.99Amazon
Rank 3
CenterPoint Wrath 430 from CenterPoint

CenterPoint Wrath 430

Narrowest full-power bow under a thousand

Not published8.9$749.99Amazon
Rank 4
CenterPoint Hellion 400 from CenterPoint

CenterPoint Hellion 400

8-inch cocked width on a budget

Not published8.3$339.95Amazon
Rank 5
Killer Instinct Boss 405 from Killer Instinct

Killer Instinct Boss 405

Adjustable fit at a budget price

Not published8.1$299.99Amazon

#ad Prices come from Amazon and change. How this site is funded. Scores are our published rubric — how we evaluate.

Start from your problem

Six sections, organized by what is stopping you

TenPoint Titan X De-Cock from TenPoint

I need a bow I can actually cock and carry

Crossbows

Every bow here is ranked on cocking effort first, then speed, noise and how wide it sits when drawn. Specifications are the maker's published figures, and prices are live. 24 pages.

Barnett Crank Cocking Device from Barnett

I cannot pull the string back

Cocking Aids

Ropes, sleds and cranks, compared on the one figure that matters: how many pounds you are left pulling. Published reductions only, with the compatibility lists that decide whether a unit fits your bow. 10 pages.

Hawke XB30 Pro SR 1-5x24 from Hawke

My bolt does not land where the dot is

Scopes

A crossbow scope's aim points are only correct if the reticle is calibrated for your bow's speed. Every scope here is listed with its published fps range first. 8 pages.

Carbon Express Maxima Contour Crossbolts from Carbon Express

I do not know which arrow my bow needs

Bolts & Broadheads

Length, weight, nock type and straightness decide whether a bolt is safe in your bow. Broadhead choice then decides what happens at the other end. Published figures only. 11 pages.

SpyderWeb 20XL No Speed Limit from SpyderWeb

My bolt went straight through the target

Targets & Cases

A target rated for a compound bow will not stop a 430 fps bolt. Every target here is listed with its published speed rating, and every case with the bow widths it actually fits. 8 pages.

Bohning Tex-Tite Bowstring Wax from Bohning

I need the numbers explained before I spend money

Guides

Draw weight, speed, kinetic energy, noise, cocked width, range and the rules — what each number means, what it costs you, and which one should decide your purchase. 19 pages.

How this site works

What we will and will not tell you

Prices expire on their own

Every price comes from a live data layer and disappears after 48 hours without a refresh. You will never see a stale number here — you will see 'Check price'.

Specs are the maker's, cited

Every figure on this site is the manufacturer's published specification. Where a maker publishes nothing, the row reads 'Not published' rather than a guess.

We do not claim a test lab

We have not put a season behind every bow here and we do not pretend to. Where an independent test exists, we cite it and name the source.

Cocking effort is ranked first

Not speed. The reader this site is written for needs to know what they can physically draw, and that is what the rubric weights heaviest.

How we evaluateAbout this site

Read these first

The four pages that carry the argument

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How this is funded

String & Stock is reader-funded

String & Stock earns a commission when you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Commission rates do not influence rank order, and no manufacturer pays for a placement or sees a page before it publishes.

Prices come from Amazon through a live data layer and are dated wherever they appear. Where no live price resolves, the page says “Check price” rather than showing an old number.

Full disclosureEditorial policy
Crossbows sorted by what you can actually cock, carry and shoot quietly.