Ravin Crossbows-Your Opinion?

Here we are with deer season underway, and my Mission crossbow decided to crack a limb (ugh!). I had to take it to the archery shop to get it fixed, and while there, I evaluated some other crossbows...hey, Christmas is coming up, so might as well get myself an early Christmas present (even though I didn’t want to drop this much cash this soon). Anyway, I ended up getting a Ravin R9 crossbow. It had fantastic reviews online, and apparently it was a hot item at the SHOT Show this year. They are a new company, but from what I’ve seen, they make a pretty good product, and they are flying off the shelves at the archery shop.

I wanted to know if anyone else bought a Ravin crossbow this year, and if so, what is your opinion of it so far? I have a couple of pros/cons I have experienced so far, but I can share these later.

They seem good but haven't tested one.

Camofire.com has Killer Instict crossbows marked down 35-40% today.

I would wait a year or two for a few things to change. I have shot a few and they are nice but like a new car model I would not buy in the first year of production.

The string on most that I have seen and handled (about 20) is pressed hard into the string stops which are not adjustable. We are talking about some up to 1/8 inch pressing back on the string when at rest. This generally increases noise and vibration in compounds and other crossbows, sure it does with the Ravin.

Timing has been off on a couple that I have seen which on most bows is not a problem to fix but with the cables completely served they do not twist well to get the bow in time

The bracket for the quiver and winch handle puts bolts from the quiver right along the forearm a little bit of an angle there would make for easier carrying.

It does have the best trigger of any crossbow I have ever shot except for the PSE TAC which is large but shares many features the newer Ravin has.

Bolt clicks solidly onto the string and does not touch anything but the rest and string.
Winch cocking device the only way to draw it back

Some report good accuracy so much so I find some hard to believe like sub MOA past 100 yards. Others I tend to believe more that say 3 to 5 inch groups at 100.

I really like how compact they are but I second on waiting to get one. Let them fix all the quirks for a year and then get one.

My archery tech said they are having problems with the string wearing out too quick, some only after a couple hundred shots.

Some strings have not made it much over 100 shots

I don't target shoot mine.

I do but don't care about string life. Lots of stories from just about every other manufacturer of string breakage. Ravin owners are extremely vocal and I don't recall a string breakage story without the use of aftermarket nocks or arrows that void warranty.

Always wanted a crossbow but didn't want trouble with the strings. Ravin probably has the least possibility of string breakage out of all the major crossbow brands. It just doesn't ride on a rail like others. I could be wrong, just internet research and what the local shops who carry them told me.

I shoot minute of deer vitals at 35 yards no problem on mine. Maybe 1" groups in the back of my warehouse with rear unsupported at 20 yards.

First time out I was shooting from inside a blind and underestimated how far the limbs would spring out, dented cam and damaged serving by the cam. I called it a day. The shop where I got it repaired told me I probably could have went on no problem.

Your in denial, anyone in the archery industry knows they are having serious problems with these. If you want a super accurate, reliable toy you can actually play with I hear xcalibur are hard to beat... my 2¢

All I can do is do my research. Two big shops int eh area both say no problems and recommend the Ravin above all others, even when they don't have them in stock to sell.

Also, google "ravin crossbow string breakage" then switch that name out with any other major brand.

Beyond that what can I as a consumer know?

I suspect your bow shop is recommending the hot selling item with a good profit margin for the shop. Techs at shops will do that often instructed to do so.

I as someone that works on at least 10 different crossbow brands including Ravin can tell you there are issues and if your shop doesn't tell you there are some issues with Ravins then I suspect their truthfulness to you the customer.

Ravin has been the least responsive manufacture when dealing with issues on their crossbows than any other I have dealt with.

Are the Ravins good crossbows, yes for a first run but they can easily make them better if they would, perhaps they have in the works some things that could have easily been fixed with the first edition if they just would have. Even a small check in the assembly process would make the timing issue disappear.

Dien pay attention to where the limbs and cams will hit if preferably not hit the blind on a shot no matter what crossbow is being used. If the lips of the cams were all that was bent you go lucky if the cams themselves were bent from the contact I would find another shop if they said it would have been ok to shoot it. It might be but that is playing with fire for your health and the demise of your bow.

The thing is when I was looking no one had any Ravins in stock, only place was ebay. Figured they would lead me to something else in stock to make a sale.

I ended up buying one on this forum actually.

Normally I bow hunt but having trouble with my neck so I bought the R9 I took it hunting but when rifle opened up I switched to rifle. So I didn't get to kill anything with it. Target shooting it feels great to me but it's the only Crossbow I've ever shot.