10 Best Crossbow Bolts For Hunting

If you’re checking on some sleek new arrows for your carefully chosen crossbow, you’re lucky. Buying some can be frustrating, and jargon wading can be difficult, but it’s really easy. You’re simply looking for a straight stick for a point to aim at a game.

Crossbow Bolt Reviews

Having your crossbow’s best performance is as easy as choosing the best bolts for the job. Crossbow bolts need to create a consistent blend strength, speed and accuracy to make the hunt difference. You want a bolt that zeroes in on the kill zone and precisely impacts the target. This guide covers everything you need to know when finding your bow’s best crossbow bolts. There are several key elements to remember before choosing from the crossbow bolts covered later in this guide, so you can get the results you need when using your crossbow.

[Advancedhunter.com] A crossbow applies the same force to a bolt every time it fires the bolt. A lighter bolt shoots faster and a heavier bolt shoots with more power. Crossbow bolts come in three weights. [Advancedhunter.com] Crossbow reviews There’s no need to scour the internet when looking for your crossbow’s best bolts. Via hundreds of user feedback and forums, we combined what we find with our own field experience to compile a list of 10 crossbow bolts you can use this year.

2020 Best Crossbow Bolts For Hunting & Archery

When the moment of truth comes and you’re ready to pull the trigger on that big buck lined up in your sights, you want absolute faith in your archery equipment. It’s not easy to get close enough with a crossbow to make a killing shot, and the last thing you want is bad equipment results. The wrong equipment will leave nothing more than a white tail memory waving goodbye. Bolt selection is important for crossbow shooting. Choose the best crossbow bolt and optimal energy transfer from the string and smooth off-rail flight.

Choose the wrong bolt and risk damage, not just faulty performance and inconsistent precision. The market today has many crossbow bolts. Hunting the right crossbow bolt can be more difficult than stalking big game. Choosing the correct bolt to suit your shooting needs isn’t an easy job. There are several variables, so don’t worry. We’re here to walk through the process.

Here Is The Table For Our Current Best Crossbow Bolts Recommendation:

Category Standard Option Upgraded Option

Goal Shooting and Field Practice Barnett Outdoor Carbon 20-inch Carbon Crossbolt Field Points

Big Game Hunting Carbon Express Piledriver Tenpoint Pro Elite Carbon Bolt

Decide If You Want To Use Carbon Or Aluminum Bolts

Our recommendations are given in the “Addon” section of our in-depth crossbow reviews. Most bows suggest a crossbow bolt below that matches their model.

Determine The Desired Weight Of Your Crossbow Bolts

Crossbow bolt shafts are either aluminum or carbon fiber. Whether aluminum or carbon shafts are better is essentially personal preference. Many shooters prefer aluminum shafts because they are less costly than carbon. The biggest challenge with aluminum bolts is to bend quickly, usually less durable than carbon. But if you’re just looking for a good archery practice without spending too much money, they’re a great choice.

Carbon fiber shafts are thicker, allowing deeper penetration. Carbon fiber shafts also allow flexion. This means that when the bolt comes to a sudden stop when it hits the target, the shaft is less likely to stress and weaken. This translates into a more robust product that can be regularly shot without losing material integrity. Hunting carbon bolts are recommended.

Make Sure Your Crossbow Bolt Has The Correct Length

Like conventional bows, weight is measured in grains per inch (GPI). Generally, lighter bolts move quicker and probably straighter, at least in ideal conditions. Heavier bolts are more kinetic, quieter and more resistant to wind drift. With readily available lightweight, regular weight and heavyweight crossbow bolts, finding one works best for a shooting or hunting situation is just a matter of knowing your choices. Consider the characteristics and suggestions of the various weighted arrows. Lightweight Bolts (less than 350 grains) Using a lightweight bolt increases speed and trajectory flattening.

A lighter bolt, however, transfers energy to your crossbow limbs. This results in unnecessary shaking, louder firing, and possible wear-and-tear on your weapon. A lightweight bolt can hit your target quicker, but it is more vulnerable to downrange wind, rain, and debris. A bolt easily blown off course by light crosswind would be less accurate. Uses: If your crossbow can handle the shooting of a lightweight bolt (check the manufacturer’s recommendations), circumstances can be useful. Lightweight bolts are great for target shooting, particularly competition shooting.

Also, if you’re hunting in open areas where distance judging is difficult, a bolt with a flatter trajectory can help compensate for distance misjudged. Hunting in wooded areas or weather with lightweight bolts is not your best choice. Just be aware that your crossbow’s extra noise, when firing a lightweight bolt, could spoke fidgety game. Standard-weight bolts (350-400 grains) A perfect all-purpose bolt, standard-weight bolts have a good kinetic energy and speed balance. Standard-weight bolts often fulfill the specifications of most manufacturers and are less likely to cause bow damage.

With this small increase in bolt weight, more energy is transferred from string to bolt. This decreases noise, increasing target penetration. A standard-weight bolt would also be less influenced by wind and weather, improving outdoor shooting accuracy. Uses of: A perfect “all-purpose” bolt, a standard-weight bolt in most crossbows. With low noise vibration, strong penetration and energy, and less susceptibility to the elements, these bolts make an excellent choice for most game hunting. Heavyweight bolts (over 400 grains) retain the highest amount of kinetic energy, producing hard-hitting terminal efficiency.

This bolt style creates full target penetration. Often, heavyweight bolts have the greatest stability in-flight, making them less likely to deflect in windy conditions. They lose trajectory downrange, however, falling rapidly at longer distances, so proper target distance judgment is crucial. Uses of: Hunting the largest game needs a heavyweight bolt, particularly species with tough hides like elk, moose, and bear. When hunting in adverse weather or dense vegetation, a heavyweight bolt is a smart choice. These bolts provide quiet shooting, but suggest hunting with a rangefinder to reliably measure target distance. Without appropriate crossbow, a heavier bolt won’t fit well. Make sure your crossbow can produce enough FPS for heavyweight bolts.

Best Crossbow Bolts For Hunting 2021 – Reviews And Buyer’S Guide

Most crossbow bolts are 16-24 inches long. Bear in mind that your bolt’s length will impact the total weight as bolts are measured in grains per inch (GPI). Theoretically, a shorter bolt flies faster than a longer bolt with the same spine and GPI. Aside from arrow speed, when shot, how a bolt fits into your crossbow will decide whether it will work accurately. The bolt must be long enough for the nock to hit the string when the tip is free at the end of the rail. Length can vary depending on the type of crossbow you use to hunt, so consult the manufacturer’s bolt size recommendation.

Ultimately, the right crossbow bolt depends on your crossbow specifications and intended use. Here are our favorites to help you narrow your options and pick the best match for your shooting application. These suggested bolts are today compatible with most crossbows.

So

Ever tried hunting or targeting in your passion field? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Often a time hunter faces a challenge when selecting the correct bolt type to match their crossbow. They need to spend more time choosing the best equipment to hunt, rather than the adventure itself. We’re here to solve this paradox. We helped our hunters select the right archery equipment so they could have plenty of time to concentrate on hunting themselves and enjoy hunting. Crossbow bolts are important hunting pieces. Therefore, hunters need to think about the type of arrow they are fitted with to ensure greater hunting experience.

To Reduce Your Burden We Are Here.

Weighing between 350 and 399 grains, regular weight crossbow bolts range from 400 to 459 grains, and heavyweight crossbow bolts weighing 460 grains above. These bolt weights include a regular 100-grain field point weight in addition to the finished bolt itself weight. In other words, when we say a crossbow bolt’s total weight is 400 grains, what we mean is that the finished bolt without the point weights 300 grains and then you add 100 grains from the field point to the overall weight of 400 grains. To determine which weight is better for you to shoot, consider the scenario you’re shooting.

When using your crossbow for competitive shooting, including 3D archery, select a lighter bolt that moves faster. The faster a crossbow bolt moves, the “flatter” trajectory it flies to your target. If you misjudge the distance to your target, a lightweight, flatter shooting bolt will drop less easily and you will miss your aim by a smaller margin than if you used a heavier bolt. For this reason, archers sometimes call lightweight crossbow bolts “more forgiving.” Also, regular weight and heavyweight crossbow bolts make the crossbow quieter as more energy is needed to propel a heavier bolt, allowing less energy to dissipate from the crossbow as vibration or “game spooking” noise. Because less energy remains, firing these arrows often means less wear and tear on your hunting crossbow. (Tennis Crossbows.com)

Are Bolt Fletchings The Same As Arrows?

Overall, most crossbow bolts have arrow-like fletchings or vanes. Fletching/vanes refer to wings or feathers located at the bolt’s back. The object of fletching is to stabilize the bolt’s trajectory when fired. Bolt vanes appear to be longer and not as tall as Bohning Archery’s 3.5-inch bolt vane. The strongest crossbow bolts would have three fletchings made of plastic. The longer your shaft is, the longer the fletchings will have to be.