Barnett Rhino Crossbow Review

Overall Rating

131 ft/lbs on impact making it more powerful than a majority of small handguns. At 60 metres away it can kill a deer outright. The new camo colours are incredibly useful especially when out hunting as they help to keep you consealed without disturbing the surrounding prey.

After a day of pulling the bow string back your arms can be left aching for a few hours. No other problems apart from the reasonably high price of replacement bolts.

At £270 (including telescopic sight) the Barnett Rhino crossbow may appear rather expensive but for the power and consistency it provides no air rifle can compare. And believe me i have shot a few top quality rifles such as the Ripley XL9, the Logun mkII, daystate harrier theoben rapid and the logun Axsor with a thumbhole stock.
It is incredibly light weight when compared to its rivals and the stock is waterproof.

Members' Comments onreklaw.'s Review

• James. on 22nd Feb 2003

  I have been using air rifles for a few years, and I was just wondering, what sort of accuracy can you expect from a good-quality 150 lb crossbow? Would it be anything like 1 hole groupings at 25 to 30m possible with an air rifle? In addition, from a safety perspective, just how far do crossbows go - could you say roughly how far when it is flat, then how far it goes when it is at 43 degrees? Finally, do you notice the 130 ft lbs power as being hugely powerful? How far would it go into a tree? Sorry, another question coming! Does it take long to load, and do you think it could fit into a gun cabinet (is it much wider than an air rifle)? Thankyou for answering.

• Fritz38. on 10th Mar 2003

  I have 3-4 Crossbows depending if I include one homemade one. I like the idea of crossbows but thier spaceage materials make them to a poor survial tool, a 150 Lb bow seems not to hit harder than a 130 Lb, it just harder to pull. If you hit a tree with a crossbow arrow, the arrow will bend and be useless for anymore shooting. I would never use a crossbow for hunting considering you get 10 real rifleslugs for the price of one hunting arrow (price in sweden). However, targetshooting is great fun and with proper target materials your arrows will survive for more than one shoot.

• Bolink654. on 19th Mar 2003

  Ahem, but how many times can you shoot a rifle slug? On average I get at least 1,000 shots out of an arrow, unless of course hunting with them, but how many deer does one shoot a season? I think the $8-10 is worth it for the chance to take down a big game animal, and they will only bend if useing alum. arrows, try Carbons, more precisly, try Cabelas carbon arrows, at $30 for 6 they will last and last. And if your worried about loosing them (and you will if just shooting at trees ant stuff) then buy some ZWickey Judo points, as the package says "Just try and loose one" And one more thing, alum arrows wont bend on tree impact if you hit it straight on. Your problem will be trying to get your feildpoint or broadhead out of the tree...
  I own a Barnett Rhino Sport Magnum, which is 150lb pull, and honestly I have no trouble pulling it all day, normally when hunting one will walk around with it cocked, loaded, and the saftey on. But cocking and loading can be done in 15seconds... Of course your not going to feel any diffrence in only 20lb more pull, but trust me, its there! I too own many rifles, pistols, air rifles, ect. But time and time again I choose to shoot my archery equipment because it is so much cheaper, and actually takes a bit of skill... With my Rhino Sport Magnum I can consistently get 3in groups at 60 yard, without a rest. So tight infact that I cannot shoot at the same area for fear of "robin hooding" my arrows...

• James. on 6th Apr 2003

  Hi there.
  
  Now, I am seriously considering purchasing a crossbow. However, not earning much, I would like to know how long the strings last, and how much they cost to replace. In addition, it would be helpful if anyone could make any recommendations as to which I could buy.

• hawker on 28th Nov 2003

  Sorry to put a downer on things, but I just thought it worth a mention that hunting deer with
  a crossbow in England, while perfectly safe and humane if done properly is strictly ILLEGAL under
  all and any circumstances.

• platinum matt on 6th Feb 2004

  Um, hawker, how is it humane?

• horsam on 10th Feb 2004

  Because it can kill the dear quickly and efficiently and then the venison can be eaten. If you do not agree with this then I am guessing you are a vegetarian.

• darrylp on 14th Feb 2004

  i've a quad 300 (150 lb draw, 120+ ft.lb impact) these things need some target to stop the bolts safely. using something like a hay bale, infront of a box holding flat newspaper just about manages it okay.
  as for shooting vermin with a high power bow... hmm, dont think so. The bolts wont stop whilst going thru them. larger things like deer might be okay.

• ahatton on 13th Apr 2004

  can you hunt rabbits with a bow?
  
  I thought it was illegal.
  
  alex

• Bolink456 on 15th Apr 2004

  I am in the US, BTW. Which is why I mentioned deer hunting.
  
  I have shot squirrels with it, believe it or not. Also, raccoons, rabbits, and turkey. (and deer, and the also shoot black bear, elk, ect with them in the US) We hunt them all over here with a bow. However, for rabbits, and squirrels and the like, I'd recommend the Zwickey Judo small game blunts. They have spring arms to snag on grass if you miss, so you dont loose the bolt, and it wont stick so far into tree's that you cant get it out. For raccoon and turkey I'd use a broadhead with a Zwickey scorpion behind it, the scorpion is baisically just the spring arms like on the Zwickey Judo. It also keeps it from sailing right on through the smaller game.
  
  For a good, cheap, long lasting target, old carpet works great. Just get about 15 - 3x3ft pieces, stack them, wrap 2 or 3 times in a woven, plastic tarp and you have a target that will stop them nicely and they are easy to remove. That, or used the Zwickey Judo points and it will last forever, since they dont stick in. The Judo points arent cheap at all though, at like $8 (US) for 2, but you cant loose them.

• moonboy on 20th Mar 2006

  I bought one of these weapons some time ago to sort the baby burglers out when they come! Unfortunately for me and fortunately for them they haven't/cant't wait HE HE HE Moonboy Wilson