To find the best pistol crossbows, you have arrived at the right place. Here you can find detailed background and technical information to help make your selection easier. Furthermore, if you are not sure what to look for when buying one, check out the buyer’s guide that follows at the end.
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Top-Rated Pistol Crossbows
10. Prophecy 80 Self-Cocking Pistol Crossbow
When you buy the Prophecy, you get value for money and give you accuracy at the same time. Operating the crossbow is simple and is excellent for target shooting or hunting. You get a seven-inch stroke with 80-pound drawstring with a mechanical lever incorporated into the crossbow. You get remarkable iron sights and the limbs with strings are easy to replace. We recommend buying extra darts and lines as the fletching breaks often. You receive the pistol crossbow with a Picatinny rail with a red dot sight.
9. KingsArchery 80 Self Cocking Pistol Crossbow
Similar to the Prophecy crossbow, this one also has a lever-cocking feature with brass coloring. The pistol crossbow is great for stealth use but the yellow metal can be a bit of a turn-off.
The fantastic thing is you get a pack of darts with your purchase that is made of PVC. The downside is that it does not come with a Picatinny rail but do get more darts.
Furthermore, the pistol crossbow has an 80-pound draw and constructed with fiberglass. Moreover, you get an adjustable sight as well.
8. PSE Viper Handheld Crossbow
For a high-end pistol crossbow, you will find the PSE a pleasure to use. The bow has a 50-pound draw with a lever-locking piece for ease of use. The design is similar to the other crossbows reviewed with some slight changes. The foregrips textured to help improve the advantage when loading your bow. Furthermore, it comes with a string protector with vertical foregrips compared to your traditional styled grips on other crossbows.
7. Cobra Pistol Crossbows
The next pistol crossbow does not come cheap, but you do get 15 arrows with your purchase. You get an 80-pound cocking lever model with excellent performance for a mini crossbow. You get simple iron sights that do not provide loads of adjustability and the manufacturer can improve it. Alternatively, you can get it with a Red Dot RD30 optic as well. The pistol crossbow is suitable for archers starting.
6. ACE Mini Pistol Crossbow
For something a bit smaller in pistol crossbows, you will love the ACE Mini model. The bow does not come with a self-cocking system, and you will need to be able to pull 80-pounds to cock the bow. Furthermore, the iron sights adjustable with a thumb screw and self-engage when loaded for safety.
5. Snake Eye Tactical
Here we have another mini pistol crossbow from Snake Eye Tactical. You get a moderate draw of 50-pounds with 150 feet per second bolt speed. You get a direct draw system, but with the low weight, you do get a reasonable draw compared to the bigger model. We would have loved it if the pistol crossbow had a marked fore grip as the string can cause serious damage. On the other hand, the mini crossbow is ideal for kids to use.
4. Rex Tactical Crusader Pistol Crossbows
The pistol crossbow from Rex is one of the best mini crossbows available to buy. The biggest problem is the strings that do not last long. The bows affordable, and even if it looks like a toy, it can do severe damage. Furthermore, you can use it for target shooting and varmint hunting.
3. Velocity Recurve Pistol Crossbows
The Velocity has an 80lbs draw weight with a speed of 160 FPS. The bow feels lightweight in your hand and weighs less than two pounds. Also, it feels comfortable in your hand and comes with a self-cocking function that also acts as a safety device. The main reason why it is so light is the aluminum structure and fiberglass prod. For added control, it comes with a track-style making it accurate to use.
2. Spartan Tactical Pistol Crossbow
For the best-selling pistol crossbow, the Spartan Tactical stands out for all the right reasons. The bow is cost-effective to start with crossbow shooting. The pistol bows easy to use and releases bolts at high speeds. You get a telescopic sight included with a bow stringer to set it up quickly. The draw weight is 80lbs and has a bolt speed of 235 FPS.
1. NXT Generation Pistol Crossbows
If you need one of the best pistol crossbows for target practice, you will find the NXT Generation easy to use. The bows suitable for ages eight and up to use and can shoot over 50 feet. You can use the crossbow indoors or outdoors and fires soft foam darts. Furthermore, the foam projectiles stick to any smooth surface.
Pistol Crossbow Comparison Table
| PISTOL CROSSBOW | DRAW WEIGHT | SELF-COCKING | VERTICAL FOREGRIP | SUITABLE FOR |
| PROPHECY 80 | 80LBS | YES | NO | STEALTH |
| KINGS ARCHERY | 80LBS | NO | YES | STEALTH |
| PSE VIPER | 50LBS | NO | YES | VARMINT HUNTING |
| COBRA | 80LBS | YES | NO | BEGINNERS |
| ACE MINI PISTOL CROSSBOW | 80LBS | NO | NO | TARGET |
| SNAKE EYE | 50LBS | NO | NO | KIDS |
| REX TACTICAL | 50LBS | NO | NO | TARGET/VARMINT HUNTING |
| VELOCITY | 80LBS | YES | NO | TARGET/VARMINT HUNTING |
| SPARTAN TACTICAL | 80LBS | YES | YES | TARGET/VARMINT HUNTING |
| NXT GENERATION | N/A | NO | NO | TARGET PRACTICE |
Pistol Crossbow Buyer’s Guide
The pistol crossbow is an impressive piece of equipment for target practicing and hunting. With one of these bows in your hand, you can do severe damage. Therefore, before you buy a mini pistol crossbow, you need to consider if you are going to use it for fun, target practice or hunting. Once you have decided which one fits you best, we recommend you look at these features:
- Draw Weight: the crossbows branded by its draw weight, indicating how much pounds of force it will take you to pull the string back. The pistol crossbows draw weight ranges from 50 to 100 pounds. The arrow speed for these bows ranges from 100 to 200 FPS.
- The Size: when it comes to holding the crossbow in your hand, size does not matter. The important thing is that the bow needs to be mobile when used in a concealed area. With a lightweight model, it is easier to carry long distances through the bush. However, the pistol crossbow is not as accurate as a full-size crossbow as it produces less power but makes up for it in size.
- The Draw Method: you can draw a crossbow with hooks, levers, or cranks. However, you can find two variations in the pistol crossbow grouping the loading and string one. The most popular is the direct draw one as the draw weights low that you do not need a mechanical advantage. The bow is made with a simple handle pulling the string. Another one is the lever-cocking model that helps made drawing the line easier.
- Attachments: With the pistol crossbow, you get Picatinny rails to attach tactical gear. You can find some of the models equipped with pre-mounted rails to attach a flashlight or red dot sight.
Final thought
Whether you are looking for the best pistol crossbow for target practice or hunting, you can find one here with us. While the mini crossbow is great for kids to use, the important thing is to remember they are not toys. The bows on the list offer enough accuracy and speed making it a viable tool to shoot and kill. Always be safe and we hope you find a suitable one for you need with us.
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