I loved the Micro-Series of crossbows from Excalibur the first time I shot one. If you’ve never shot a crossbow before, or you are thinking of buying a new one, visit a local dealer and give it a shot. Your first impression will be how small and compact the bow feels. As you sight it, the scope image comes up clearly and you can aim and execute a shot with precision.
Robin Hoods Back to Back
Like most outdoor writers, I got to see and shoot the new Excalibur at the Archery Trade Association Show held each January where vendors introduce new products. When the Micro was introduced in 2015, I aimed at an arrow and got a Robin Hood on the first try. OK, maybe that was luck, yet I tried out the new Assassin last week and shot an arrow that hit exactly where I aimed. Aiming carefully, I squeezed off a second arrow and made another Robing Hood. Unfortunately, the second shaft pushed the first inside the target and there was no way to extract the combination.
No Fluke
The new Assassin is more powerful than the Micro crossbows with an arrow speed up to 360 fps. No doubt, my double on Robin Hoods was made possible by the new Pro-Shot Match-Grade trigger. Designed to be “two stage,” it combines safety with crispness and shoot-ability. In my mind, the trigger is one of the most important elements of accuracy for a crossbow or rifle.
Silent Cranking
Since the Assassin stores more than 100 pounds of kinetic energy, the new silent cocking system is both needed and ideal. It requires just 12 pounds of force to crank the bow to full cock. Just as importantly, the crank handle can safely de-cock the bow when your shooting or hunting day is over. Here’s a quick video showing the features of the Assassin so that you can do your own Robin Hoods:
