I've been kicking around the idea of getting a new crossbow. I'd like to get away from the compound design and go recurve. I'm looking hard at the Excalibur Matrix Grizzly. A few things concern me though. My current crossbows are all the same design, two Super Mags and one Yukon XL. All are the same to accommodate my cocking device. All three work great and have suited my needs thus far.
If I go to the Grizzly I will have to purchase a C2 cocking device also. The problem here is that the C2 is not ambidextrous and cranks only with the right hand. I can only crank with my left. I would have to turn the bow limbs towards me to crank the C2 and then I'm assuming I would crank it backwards, so to speak.
The second issue is length of limbs. My Hortons are about 25" and the Grizzly is 30". My Hortons just fit through my shooting window of my outhouse stand and I always have my limbs outside the shooting window to allow left to right pivot. When the Grizzly is cocked it is about 26 1/2" wide tip to tip. I know I would have to widen the shooting window in the outhouse to accommodate the Grizzly. I really would rather not do this, but it can be done very easily.
I'd gain about 45 FPS with the Grizzly, which in reality means nothing to me. My shots have always been 20 yards or less so arrow speed means very little in this choice. The Grizzly shoots 18" arrows vs the 20" arrows I use now, which I have plenty of.
I'll be 65 in November and question how much longer I'll be able to hunt sometimes. That enters in to my mind in this decision also.
What do you guys think?
If I go to the Grizzly I will have to purchase a C2 cocking device also. The problem here is that the C2 is not ambidextrous and cranks only with the right hand. I can only crank with my left. I would have to turn the bow limbs towards me to crank the C2 and then I'm assuming I would crank it backwards, so to speak.
The second issue is length of limbs. My Hortons are about 25" and the Grizzly is 30". My Hortons just fit through my shooting window of my outhouse stand and I always have my limbs outside the shooting window to allow left to right pivot. When the Grizzly is cocked it is about 26 1/2" wide tip to tip. I know I would have to widen the shooting window in the outhouse to accommodate the Grizzly. I really would rather not do this, but it can be done very easily.
I'd gain about 45 FPS with the Grizzly, which in reality means nothing to me. My shots have always been 20 yards or less so arrow speed means very little in this choice. The Grizzly shoots 18" arrows vs the 20" arrows I use now, which I have plenty of.
I'll be 65 in November and question how much longer I'll be able to hunt sometimes. That enters in to my mind in this decision also.
What do you guys think?