18 thoughts on “Barnett Recruit Compound Crossbow Review”
I'm looking for a crossbow for my daughter to shoot this summer. She's 4 now but can already hit a milk jug at 10-15 yards with her bb gun. Obviously she is too small to shoot a gun at 5 but I want to give her every opportunity to take a deer at the earliest time. I've only shot compound bows and have no experience with crossbows. Your review was very helpful in assuring me I can get a quality crossbow without breaking the bank. Thanks alot!!!!
I am needing help with my recruit, came with no drawstring. eBay!!;( I have a new one (drawstring) but I don't have a bowpress. could you help???!!!!! feeling frustrated, I bought mine for 300, n still haven't been able to hunt here in TX.
I am needing help with my recruit, came with no drawstring. eBay!!;( I have a new one (drawstring) but I don't have a bowpress. could you help???!!!!! feeling frustrated, I bought mine for 300, n still haven't been able to hunt here in TX.
Great crossbow.Killed a buck with mine this week.I do not like red dot scopes,so replaced it.Otherwise an excellent crossbow.
Where did you get the stand??
what you got it for 250 i just bought one for 400
is this bow a nic choice for hunting?
Great review. Just one question for you. Is the safety supposed to be engaged even if the bow isn't cocked? I say no. I just purchased a Recruit the other day and the safety appears to be stuck. I have not fired it yet or even cocked it. From what I understand it isn't supposed to go to safety until it's cocked. Thanks for any input.
Now that you have had this for awhile do you have any problems to report. I'm close to buying one because of the price but I read many negative reports on Barnett crossbows. I have a Recruit recurve which I've had no problems with but want the extra speed of the compound.
And ppl say xbows are not accurate! I luv this xbow.
My question I'm 6'1" and most of the Barnett crossbows like the velociraptor fx for example are to small even with the butt stock extended what how tall are you and does this fit to the shoulder correctly
Casey, I got the Raptor and it is the same bow as the Recruit with the folling changes. The prod is a 150 lb. draw rather than the 130 of the Recruit. It also has a camo finish rather than the black seen on the Recruit. The riser is machined aluminum rather than the carbon fiber composit found on the Recruit (I'd prefer the one found on the Recruit, it is lighter in weight). The Raptor I got is more accurate tham my Recruit was with the supplied bolts. I'm getting 1"three shot groups at 20 yds. and 1&1/2" at 30 yds. The bow is faster , which adds penetration if needed by a hunter, it would add a bit of range too. But for deer hunting the Recruit is perfectly capable in every regard to thirty yards .
I bought one yesterday!!! LOVE IT!!! BUT….. I pulled the ULTIMATE newbie stunt and dry fired it….. 🙁 By accident of course… LOL…. Having it restung today! Best part. I got mine brand new for about $150…Can't wait for bow season!!!!
Thanks for your advice. I contacted barnett and am returning my Recruit to them. They are sending me the "Raptor" model which is the same base bow as the Recruit, but with a 160 lb. prod in place of the Recruit's 130 lb.. The Raptor fires a 400gr. bolt at 330 fps. rather than the 300 fps. of the Recruit. If it is accurate ,it should add a bit of range, very important to a deer hunter. Again , thanks for your input.
Does your Recruit's bolt track warp down away from the bolt near the front riser ? When I lay the bolt in the track firm back against the cocked string, there is almost a quarter inch space between the bolt and the track. Accuracy isn't that great either, about 1"1/2-2" groups at 20 yrds (3 shot groups), 3-4" groups at 30 yds. I'll try other bolt and broadhead combos, but that's it with the Barnett bolts that came with the bow. Advice or help ?
Very nicely done video! I did a review as well, this is my go to all season, all game bow, and have no problem killing deer with it! I hunt with it almost exclusively from Oct opener to Dec 31st. I have owned other, more expensive crossbows, but this one has proven to be the best all around one.
I've considered starting hunting. Do you think this thing would kill a deer assuming it hit correctly? Or just smaller things like squirrels?
I'm getting this as my first crossbow. Looks like a good bow.
I'm looking for a crossbow for my daughter to shoot this summer. She's 4 now but can already hit a milk jug at 10-15 yards with her bb gun. Obviously she is too small to shoot a gun at 5 but I want to give her every opportunity to take a deer at the earliest time. I've only shot compound bows and have no experience with crossbows. Your review was very helpful in assuring me I can get a quality crossbow without breaking the bank. Thanks alot!!!!
I am needing help with my recruit, came with no drawstring. eBay!!;( I have a new one (drawstring) but I don't have a bowpress. could you help???!!!!! feeling frustrated, I bought mine for 300, n still haven't been able to hunt here in TX.
I am needing help with my recruit, came with no drawstring. eBay!!;( I have a new one (drawstring) but I don't have a bowpress. could you help???!!!!! feeling frustrated, I bought mine for 300, n still haven't been able to hunt here in TX.
Great crossbow.Killed a buck with mine this week.I do not like red dot scopes,so replaced it.Otherwise an excellent crossbow.
Where did you get the stand??
what you got it for 250 i just bought one for 400
is this bow a nic choice for hunting?
Great review. Just one question for you. Is the safety supposed to be engaged even if the bow isn't cocked? I say no. I just purchased a Recruit the other day and the safety appears to be stuck. I have not fired it yet or even cocked it. From what I understand it isn't supposed to go to safety until it's cocked. Thanks for any input.
Now that you have had this for awhile do you have any problems to report. I'm close to buying one because of the price but I read many negative reports on Barnett crossbows. I have a Recruit recurve which I've had no problems with but want the extra speed of the compound.
And ppl say xbows are not accurate! I luv this xbow.
My question I'm 6'1" and most of the Barnett crossbows like the velociraptor fx for example are to small even with the butt stock extended what how tall are you and does this fit to the shoulder correctly
Casey, I got the Raptor and it is the same bow as the Recruit with the folling changes. The prod is a 150 lb. draw rather than the 130 of the Recruit. It also has a camo finish rather than the black seen on the Recruit. The riser is machined aluminum rather than the carbon fiber composit found on the Recruit (I'd prefer the one found on the Recruit, it is lighter in weight). The Raptor I got is more accurate tham my Recruit was with the supplied bolts. I'm getting 1"three shot groups at 20 yds. and 1&1/2" at 30 yds. The bow is faster , which adds penetration if needed by a hunter, it would add a bit of range too. But for deer hunting the Recruit is perfectly capable in every regard to thirty yards .
I bought one yesterday!!! LOVE IT!!! BUT….. I pulled the ULTIMATE newbie stunt and dry fired it….. 🙁 By accident of course… LOL…. Having it restung today! Best part. I got mine brand new for about $150…Can't wait for bow season!!!!
Thanks for your advice. I contacted barnett and am returning my Recruit to them. They are sending me the "Raptor" model which is the same base bow as the Recruit, but with a 160 lb. prod in place of the Recruit's 130 lb.. The Raptor fires a 400gr. bolt at 330 fps. rather than the 300 fps. of the Recruit. If it is accurate ,it should add a bit of range, very important to a deer hunter. Again , thanks for your input.
Does your Recruit's bolt track warp down away from the bolt near the front riser ? When I lay the bolt in the track firm back against the cocked string, there is almost a quarter inch space between the bolt and the track. Accuracy isn't that great either, about 1"1/2-2" groups at 20 yrds (3 shot groups), 3-4" groups at 30 yds. I'll try other bolt and broadhead combos, but that's it with the Barnett bolts that came with the bow. Advice or help ?
Very nicely done video! I did a review as well, this is my go to all season, all game bow, and have no problem killing deer with it! I hunt with it almost exclusively from Oct opener to Dec 31st. I have owned other, more expensive crossbows, but this one has proven to be the best all around one.
I've considered starting hunting. Do you think this thing would kill a deer assuming it hit correctly? Or just smaller things like squirrels?
I'm getting this as my first crossbow. Looks like a good bow.