Barnett Quad 400 Crossbow Review

Overall Rating

I purchased the Barnett Quad 400 based on speed and price. The speed is there, the price was right, but, of course, if the string and cables blow up the first time that you use the crossbow, then you it can't labeled as a good value. Well, to be accurate, my Quad 400 didn't exactly blow up on the very first shot - it took about 20 shots to do the trick - still a crappy value. Additionally, the comment about having to use heavier aluminum bolts makes sense (load the system more), but Barnett makes carbon 22 inch bolts specifically for this crossbow, so ultimately that doesn't make sense.

The trigger and safety system is a disaster. I can hardly believe that this is a commercial product given today's hostile product liability environment. I handed a cocked and loaded crossbow to my son-in-law, with the safety engaged. He pulled the trigger with the safety still on, which locked up the trigger/safety. He handed the crossbow back to me. I subsequently removed the bolt, recocked the string/release/trigger, and attemped to push the safety from on to off. My trigger finger was off the trigger, along side the trigger guard, the safety slid forward, and the bow dry fired...and, of course, the whole thing blew up the string and cables.

In hind sight, given the characteristics of this weak design, to ensure that the crossbow wouldn't dry fire, I should have reinserted a bolt, pointed the crossbow in a safe direction, and then attemped to disengage the safety --- of course this would have also made the whole thing even more unsafe with a bolt being fired unexpectedly with the "fire on safety disengagement" trigger/safety system on this crossbow. This just reaffirms why there are basic safety procedures with mechanical devices like this crossbow.

I have therefore concluded that to make up for a horrible design, when an operator uses the "safety" on this Barnett Quad 400, he first needs to make the situation more dangerous by inserting a bolt, thereby ensuring that when the bow fires, upon safety disengagement, the whole crossbow won't blow up in his face due to a dry fire condition...and, like all dangerous devices that propell projectiles, make sure it is also pointed in a safe direction at all times. Nice design...I also noticed, and confirmed, that the owner's manual says nothing about how to reset the trigger/safety when the trigger is pulled with the safety on, nor does it indicate that the crossbow will fire upon disengagement of the safety in a situation like this.

Operators be aware. This is a piece of junk. Based on the other reviews, I can't wait to contact Barnett...