Best Pistol Crossbows in 2024 For Hunting

Last Updated on May 13, 2023 by

Do you find hunting using bow and arrow too primitive? How about a hunting rifle? Too noisy? If that’s the case, why not use their offspring –the pistol crossbow? 

Pistol crossbows are now very popular. It is compact, inexpensive, very easy to use and it gets the job done just the same. It is also a very powerful weapon for hunting. You can use it for target practicing and for other sports. You must know the facts and requirements for crossbow hunting before you head in to it. We’ve gathered some information to guide you in picking the one that suits you the best.

Best Overall Pistol Crossbow

(HunterGuide #1 Choice)

[5 / 5]⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Sharp Blades
• Rope Cocking Device
• 150 lbs Draw Weight
• 210 FPS Firing Speed

Pistol crossbow are also known as mini crossbow and hand crossbow. It includes a self-cocking device, sturdy arrows, powerful stroke, and scope. Pistol crossbows are classified into 3 major types. That is, Recurve, Repeating, and Compound pistol crossbows. Each type is used for different purposes. 

We’ve researched and tested more than 40 models of pistol crossbows that are currently available in the market. Then we’ve made the list of the top 10 Best Pistol Crossbows as per the customer reviews, rating, designs, and quality. So you can easily pick the best one as per for you based on these categories.

Here we have also added some tips for you to consider before purchasing a new pistol crossbow. So you can choose the right one without any confusion.

If you are in a hurry, then let’s get on with the list.

We can start your journey with the Wizard Archery 150 lbs. Short Stock Hunting Crossbow. It secured the #1 rank in our list. It offers the best hunting experience for you.

Best Pistol Crossbow – 10 Crossbows Reviewed

#1. Wizard Archery Short Stock Hunting Crossbow

The Wizard Archery Short Stock Hunting Crossbow includes 8 arrows and supreme quality scope which provides a one of a kind hunting experience. It has a rope cocking device so you can save up to 25% of your money.

[5 / 5]⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Technical info

Draw Weight: 150 pounds

Arrows: 8 aluminum arrows

Firing Speed: 210 fps

Scope: 4*20 inches

The draw weight of this crossbow is 150 pounds It is extremely durable and last for long time. The ammunition of this pistol will be fired up to 210 feet per second. It is the notable feature of this pistol. The bow is made of fiberglass limb and sturdy aluminum barrel.

The crossbow of this pistol comes with an auto safety cocking function that increases the safety of the bow.

This bow is small in size but functions really well. It will give more strength to destroy an average sized deer.  It is very easy to handle. It has a 4*20 inches scope helping you see where you’re landing your arrow on.

This Wizard Archery Short Stock Hunting Crossbow is an ideal choice for the big game hunters. The pistol crossbow is attached with 3 blades that will help you to hunt the prey easily.

The scope of this pistol crossbow is very short so it is slightly difficult to see the shooting point.

#2. BOLT Crossbows The Seeker Crossbow

This pistol crossbow offers some awesome and valuable features. The draw weight of this pistol crossbow is about 80 pounds. It would be very easy for you to fish and hunt tiny animals. It is a worth able product for its cost.

[4.9 / 5]⭐⭐⭐⭐

Technical info

Draw weight: 80 pounds

Arrow: 3 aluminum arrows

Firing speed: 200 feet per second

Stroke: 6.5 inch power stroke

This pistol fires up to 200 feet per second when using plastic bolts. While using aluminum bolts, it fires up to 160 feet per second.  The grip of this pistol will provide a great balance to you. It is located on the front of the pistol. So you can easily hold the grip while you’re using. This is an excellent choice for small hunting game.

The auto safety function helps to protect the dry fire. It comes with a 6.5-inch aluminum bolt. If you are a beginner in hunting, this bolt pistol crossbow is the best choice.

It has an easy cocking mechanism which is great for inexperienced shooters. They can easily handle this pistol when compared to the other models.

The seeker pistol crossbow provides dry fire protection that works well in preventing from possible accidents. The notable feature of this pistol is the dry fire protection. It helps to improve the life of the pistol. The grip of this pistol is made of plastic, which gives a solid grip to the user which improves the accuracy of the shots – an essential feature for beginners still honing their hunting skills.

The stock of this pistol improves the durability and offers perfect balance while using.  The self-cocking mechanism assists beginner shooters to get ready for the shot. It functions well for the beginner shooters. It includes adjustable elevation sights to improve the efficiency of shots. It helps hunters to shoot accurately even if the target is at a greater distance.

The string may fray. So require replacement after regular usage.

#3. PSE Viper SS Crossbow Viper SS Handheld Crossbow

If you’re looking for pistol crossbows at an affordable price, PSE Viper SS Crossbow is the one to consider. PSE Viber SS pistol crossbow comes with 50 pounds of draw weight.

[4.8 / 5]⭐⭐⭐⭐

Technical info

Draw weight: 50 pounds

Arrow: 3 frenzy arrows

Firing speed: 215 feet per second

Stroke: 6.5 inch power stroke

It can shoot up to 215 feet per second. It is one of the highest speeds when compared to the other pistol available in the market. It is a quite small size that you can store anywhere. Its sleek design creates an elegant look to the pistol. It is designed to help improve the agility and firing abilities.

This pistol crossbow also comes with finger guard which protects your hand from the dry fire. So you need not worry about safety. Then the auto lock safety function is used to trigger while the crossbow is cocked. It has 3 frenzy arrows. These arrows are particularly designed for this crossbow.

It also has a string protector on the tips. So it will enhance the life of the pistol. This PES Viber SS is one of the best traditional style pistol crossbows.

It includes adjustable sights, so you can customize the settings as per your prefer. It is located in front of the bow. With its textured foregrip, you can handle your bow with more stability. 

It weighs only 1.5 pounds, so you can easily carry it around in the hunting field.

It only comes with 3 bolts. Other models have more than that. Whatever, it is one of the best models on our list.

#4. Ace Martial Arts Cobra System Crossbow

This cobra crossbow has a strong body and a unique structure. It is made of sturdy plastic material. So it doesn’t break easily. It will last for a long time compared to the other crossbow models. 

[4.7 / 5]⭐⭐⭐⭐

Technical info

Draw weight: 80 pounds

Arrow: 39 aluminum arrows

Firing speed: 165 feet per second

String: 2 80 lb strings

If you’re interested in small game, then Ace Martial crossbow is a smart choice. It comes with a self-cocking mechanism making it easier for you to hunting.  It has 80 pound draw weight. It is very safe for you to use. The firing speed of this pistol crossbow is around 165 feet per second.

It associated with many important parts such as adjustable tactical sight, 39 aluminum arrows with metal tips, and strings of 280 lbs. It will give great support for your small game hunting.

The bow arm of this pistol crossbow is constructed by the molded fiberglass. This crossbow is an ideal choice for target shooting and hunting.

While we consider about assembling in their parts, that will be quite hard in this pistol crossbow.

#5.Prophecy 80 Pound Self-Cocking Pistol Crossbow

Another model for small game hunting is Prophecy Self Cocking Pistol Crossbow. The draw weight of this crossbow is 80 pounds. This pistol crossbow will shoot out arrows at 165 feet per second.

[4.7 / 5]⭐⭐⭐⭐

Technical info

Draw weight: 80 pounds

Firing speed: 165 feet per second

Stroke: 6.4/5 power stroke

Accuracy: 40 yards

It has a cobra limb system and supreme quality aluminum stock which is known for durability and reliability.

The rear sight and the bead foresight of this pistol crossbow are highly customizable. You can change the setting according your preference. It includes a break action cocking mechanism. If you want to activate this function, you can pull it down on the front.   

The arrow speed of Prophecy Self Cocking Pistol Crossbow is 165 feet per second. It will give enough power to kill your target.

This pistol crossbow is a good choice for efficient yet will powerful hunting experience. It doesn’t need a lot of energy but its construction is hard for the child to cock, an added safety feature to this crossbow. Your proper care and maintenance will increase the life of the pistol crossbow.

The 6 4/5 power stroke will provide extra strength to shoot a long distance. It is made of CNC aluminum, which is more powerful compared to the plastic crossbows.

It is difficult to string the bow individually. You must have someone’s help. Once it stringed perfectly, it will work well.

#6. Kings Archery Pistol Crossbow

It is one of the best pistol crossbows in our list that are in trending today. You don’t have to put more effort to cock this pistol.

[4.6 / 5]⭐⭐⭐⭐

Technical info

Draw weight: 80 lbs

Arrow: 60 aluminum and PVC arrow

Firing speed: 150 feet per second

Stroke: 7 inch powerful stroke

It is designed with fiberglass, which is extremely lightweight and creates a classic look to the crossbow. This crossbow is a intended choice for adult shooters.

The highlighting feature of this cross bow is the self-cocking function. You don’t have to give more stress to cock the pistol. So it would be very easy for you to cock. 

This crossbow comes with 60 aluminum arrow and high-quality colored PVC bolts with metal tips, that’s enough to last several hunting trips. It is built with quick reload time, which will give you quick and accurate shot. You can also change the angle in the adjustable sights and the scope of this crossbow is removable.

In its bolts are made of plastic, so it is a bit cheap. But your proper maintenance will improve the life of the pistol.

#7. Manticore SAS Crossbow with Scope

Are you searching for the compact pistol crossbow for your hunting? Here’s another option for you, the Manticore SAS 150 lbs Crossbow. It has a 150 pound of draw weight, which gives you enough shooting strength.

[4.4 / 5]⭐⭐⭐⭐

Technical info

Draw weight: 150 lbs

Arrow: 6 aluminum arrows

Firing speed: 210 feet per second

Scope: 4*20 sporting rifle scope

Accuracy: 60 yards

It allows you to fire up to 210 feet per second. This pistol crossbow provides precision up to 60 yards. It uses fiberglass and aluminum materials.

This pistol crossbow comes with high-quality fiberglass limbs.

The major feature of this pistol crossbow is its aluminum barrel. That is specially designed to resist pressure. Its structure, quality and material construction ensures reliability and durability.

Manticore SAS 150 lbs is one of the most powerful pistol crossbows which are available in today’s market. It is the very safest pistol when compared to the other pistol crossbows.

It is designed with wooden finishing, which is sturdy and reliable. If you are just learning to hunt, the Manticore is an ideal choice for you. You can easily learn accurate shooting whilst practicing with this pistol crossbow. You can also quickly load within a small amount of time.

It has a large amount of draw weight.  So it is a little hard to cock. But it is made of high-quality materials, which is lasts for a long time.

#8. Barnett Jackal Crossbow

If you would like to buy a modern pistol crossbow, then the Barnett crossbow is one of the best choices. It is a sharp choice for both amateurs and medium hunters.

[4.4 / 5]⭐⭐⭐⭐

Technical info

Draw weight: 150 lbs

Arrow: 3 aluminum arrow

Firing speed: 315 feet per second

Stroke: 12 inch power stroke

Trigger pull: 3.5 pounds

It will give an amazing performance at a reasonable price. This crossbow is builtwith sturdiness and power. So you can be assured of the product’s quality. It also includes quad style limbs and 12-inch power stroke offering even more power to you.

This pistol crossbow equipped with cable systems that deliver a decent arrow speed. The comfortable lightweight makes it handy for children and adults alike.

This pistol crossbow sleek stock is designed by the military style. It offers comfortable, safe, and secure firing to you.

It has a foregrip that delivers extra stability and helps avoid your fingers from unwanted firing so, you can berest assured that although pulling the trigger is very easy at 3-5 pounds, we also keep safety in mind. It also enhances the accuracy of your shots. It weighs 7.7 pounds which makes it very lightweight. 

It comes with 150 pounds of draw weight and 95 FP of kinetic energy. The quad limbs, cable system, and high energy wheels deliver the arrow speeds up to 315 feet per second. This pistol crossbow delivers the fastest arrow shot in our list.

It is comfortable, it’s fast, it’s powerful, it’s safe, It’s Barnett Jackal!

This crossbow does not have a cocking device. This device prevents your hand from the pain while you’re cocking.

#9.Snake Eye Tactical Pistol Crossbow

Snake eye tactical is 9^th in our list of mini size crossbows. This pistol crossbow comes with 80 lbs. of draw weight, 15 aluminum arrows and with sleek design that fits perfectly in your hand.

[4.3/ 5]⭐⭐⭐⭐

Technical info

Draw weight: 80 lbs

Arrow: 15 aluminum arrows

Firing speed: 175 feet per second

It is very comfortable to carry anywhere. You can easily use this pistol for hunting whether you are a learner or experienced in hunting. The total body of this snake eye tactical crossbow is made of supreme quality material. So you can use it for a long time.

The snake eye crossbow has a gold color metal body which is corrosion resistant. So doesn’t create any damages in its body.

This crossbow is integrated with a self-locking mechanism which took all the stress. The high tech prod built-in fiberglass which ensures durability and flexibility. It designed with an extraordinary string alignment. The important feature of this crossbow is auto safety function. It helps to prevent you from the dry fire while you’re shooting.

The arrow speed of this pistol is 175 feet per second. It loads easily without the extra effort. Also suitable for kids’ target practice.

The metal arrows are in average quality, so it needs to replacement after some usage.

#10.Rogue 80 lbs Aluminum Pistol Crossbow

If you are searching for the best pistol crossbow at a reasonable price, Rogue 80 lbs Aluminum Pistol Crossbow is an ideal choice.

[4.2 / 5]⭐⭐⭐⭐

Technical info

Draw weight: 80 lbs

Arrow: 3 aluminum arrows

Firing speed: 160 feet per second

Stroke: 5 inch power stroke

This rogue pistol crossbow frame is made from the solid aluminum material that ensures reliability and durability. With automatic safety function, 80 pounds of draw weight and 3 aluminum arrows, it is suitable for short game and vermin hunting.

This pistol crossbow had one notable feature that is charging handle. It is located on the back of the pistol.

Its arrow can travel up to 160 feet per second. With the bolt carrier, you can load 5 bolts easily. The self-cocking mechanism works well with this pistol crossbow.

You can easily cock in this pistol within seconds. Once you cock this pistol, it will automatically set to safe mode. It comes with metal bolts which are perfect for hunting compared to the plastic bolts.

When you give more force to shooting it will be fired sometimes. So the safety mechanism wants to be re-engineered.

Things to Consider When Choosing The Best Pistol Crossbow

Pistol crossbows are available in various designs and weights. Before you are going to purchase the new pistol crossbow, you should consider some features. You must choose a high-quality product at the best price. You should check the specification of the pistol crossbow.

Self Cocking Function

It is the first thing to look at while we are specifying pistol crossbow. If one pistol crossbow has a self-cocking function, there is no need to use other accessories such as rope cocker to cock the pistol. This function allows you to reduce physical stress. This mechanism allows you to replace the string quickly. So it is very important to choose the pistol crossbow equipped with self-cocking function. The rope cocking device is too large, so it doesn’t work properly. Most of the quality pistol crossbows are having a self-cocking mechanism. Self-cocking units will give you more strength to extract the string.  If the crossbows don’t have the self-cocking device, you can manually cock the crossbows.

Draw Weight

The second important thing is the draw-weight. The maximum amount of traditional pistol crossbow’s draw weight is 50 pounds to 80 pounds. If the pistol crossbow has a large amount of draw weight, it becomes very powerful. The full-size crossbows’ draw weight is 300 + pounds.

The draw weight of the pistol crossbow decides the cock. Generally, the lower size draw weight are better when compared to the higher draw weights but it will shoot at slower speeds. On the other hand, the higher draw weight produces more power, but it’s a little harder to cock. So if you need the higher draw weight crossbow, you must check the foot claw and the cocking arm.

Price and Quality

The final thing to check in a pistol crossbow is its price. Most of the pistol crossbows are inexpensive. Some of the more popular brands like Manticore, Barnett are quite pricy but it will provide better performance. Inexpensive is fine as long as quality, durability and functionality are not being sacrificed.

String and Sight Types

It is very essential to think about the quality of the string while you are buying a new pistol crossbow. You should buy a crossbow that comes with strong and sturdy materials and the its string is not exempted. Stronger strings means more reliable functions. An easily damaged string always renders the crossbow useless for what good is a crossbow if you can’t even fire it? Your proper maintenance will also greatly extend the life of the pistol crossbow.

Different sights work well in different situations. The basic pistol crossbow has a customizable iron sight. You can easily adjust the settings as per your preference. These sights are a little hard to handle though. A more up to date pistol crossbow comes with a red dot crosshair which is easy also to customize. So you can eliminate your prey more effectively.

Bolt Type

Bolts are one of the essential components in pistol crossbow. There are two types of bolts are commonly used in pistol crossbows that are PVC bolts and aluminum bolts. The PVC (plastic) bolts and strong aluminum bolts both come with metal tips. The PVC bolts are generally brightly colored, so you can easily identify it. These PVC bolts are an ideal choice for small game hunting. The aluminum bolts are made for durability. Both bolts last for a long time so you can choose either one as you prefer.

Assembly

While you are purchasing a new pistol crossbow, it doesn’t come with the full system. It will come with 3 separate parts. That is body, limb, and accessories. You should assemble these parts before you use the pistol crossbow. Assembling the string into the pistol crossbow is the most difficult task for most. You should choose the small stringing device such as stringer so you can easily install the string into the pistol crossbow.

Accessories

Generally, pistol crossbow comes with an accessory kit that includes sights, strings, scopes, bolts, and red dot optical. You can use these accessories for your hunting dependency. If you are doing small hunting game, you can use a red dot sight. You can easily achieve your target by using this site. If you need to do target practicing, you may need a 4*20 optical device. It will give you a clear view of the target. Some of the pistol crossbows are attached with pre-mounted Picatinny rails.

You must check the accessories kit of pistol crossbow before you

Speed and Size

Before you decide to buy a pistol crossbow, you must check the speed of the pistol. Good hunting depends upon the speed that arrow is travelling in. Swifter arrows hit the animals more accurately. If you need a crossbow for target practicing, you can choose low-speed pistols.

The next thing to consider in pistol crossbow is the size. Basically, small size pistol crossbows are less powerful when compared to the large sized ones. Small size crossbows are easy to manage and carry. The large size pistol crossbows provide more power.  You can choose any size pistol crossbows depending on what you need. 

Stroke and Mounting Rail

The power stroke is used to measure the distance between the crossbow’s string while it is cocked and uncocked. The high power stroke offers greater speed while you’re shooting.

There are two types of mounting tails most commonly used in pistol crossbows. That is Picatinny rail and Dovetail rail. You can choose whichever rail you like the most.

Final Verdict

The pistol crossbow is more powerful when compared to the traditional crossbows. Most of the users use this pistol crossbow for hunting. You can also use it for fishing, sports, and target practicing.

Most of the pistol crossbows have similar features but there are always slight differences. We’ve seen the best 10 models of pistol crossbow which is available in today’s market. You can also check the reviews of these models. After 50 hours of researching, we’ve provided this information.

The type of crossbows and the features they possess depends entirely on you. We just offered a simple guide but the ultimate decision is still yours to make. We hope this article helped. Try this bow out and let us know what you think in the comment section below!