Africa is the perfect test track for new product because game animals are large and difficult to hunt. My crossbow safari with Rassie Erasmus measured the mettle of new gear and the Mission Sniper Lite moved to the head of the class with a great kudu bull. Beachley hunted from a tree stand using the new Mission when a big kudu bull stepped out at 22 yards. Spooked by baboons, Beachley had only a second to aim and shoot, but his Aimpoint 9000SC had the Rage KORE broadhead exactly on target.
I had killed two great bucks with the Sniper Lite’s predecessor, the MXB-320, last year, and the new Sniper Lite is very appealing. Although Mission makes a cranking cocking device that’s totally silent, I stayed with the standard rope and its dual colored handles made cocking the bow very consistent and engaged the safety automatically. The Sniper Lite shoots 22-inch arrows that we tipped with the new Rage KORE expandable crossbow heads.
Arrow Performance: Mission rates the speed of the Sniper Lite “up to 310 fps” with a draw weight of 150 lbs. and a power stroke of 14 inches. My tests used a heavier shaft, the Easton Bloodline carbon shaft of 333 grains and a 125-gr Rage KORE broadhead yielded a mass of 458 grains. As a result, arrow speed averaged 266 fps with a kinetic energy of 71.9 ft-lbs. In the field, the Mission got complete penetration on nearly every animal with the KORE broadhead working perfectly. Despite the mechanical design, the heads emerged from their task as good as new. “I could have shot them again,” said Beachley in amazement.
Rage Krossbow KORE
- Shock collar ensures proper blade retention
- Compact ferrule for optimum weight distribution
- 6 independent cutting surfaces
- All stainless steel construction
- Tough, razor-sharp .035″ stainless steel blades
- .5″ tip cut, 1.6″ blade cut
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