New crossbows have gotten faster, yet little else has changed until now. Last week I hunted with Justin Leesman, Marketing Director for Ravin Crossbows and he proudly showed me some of the features of the new bow that’s designed to shoot accurately at 100 yards. First, the Ravin does not have a rail, but “nocks” and arrow and uses a rest like a compound bot. I watched him cock and un-cock the bow with a cranking lever and the process took just seconds. Unbelievably, the bow is so narrow it’s just six inches axle to axle. It’s so new that the website isn’t active yet. I’m definitely on the list to get one of the new bows for testing, yet here’s the full scoop from the manufacturer punctuated with pictures taken on the hunt.
The hunting world gets a wake-up call today as a new brand is born and a revolutionary crossbow hits the market. Powered by the groundbreaking HeliCoil technology, the new R9 Crossbow from Ravin delivers rifle-like accuracy, handling and devastating killing power.Designed from the ground up to be the most accurate and efficient crossbow technology ever, patented HeliCoil technology coils the cables away from both the top and bottom of the cams in helical grooves. This keeps the cams perfectly balanced for increased speed and downrange accuracy.
The exclusive design allows the cams to rotate to a near full rotation of 340 degrees while keeping the cams perfectly level when drawing and shooting the crossbow. This also results in a 100% free-floating arrow when fired, eliminating the friction that all other crossbows experience. The result: increased speed and deadly accuracy at longer ranges.
“HeliCoil technology is the starting point for a crossbow that literally changes the way crossbows function,” said Ravin’s Mike Weinkauf. “Our goal was to reimagine every piece of the bow, with the goal of delivering a rifle-like experience for the shooter. Once we perfected the HeliCoil design, everything else fell into place. The Ravin R9 provides unmatched downrange accuracy and incredible killing power from the most compact axle-axle measurement on the market.”
Downrange accuracy is definitely Ravin’s calling card with prototype and initial production bows regularly holding 6-arrow groups at 3 inches or less at 100 yards. But the similarities between the new crossbow and a rifle go well beyond accuracy. The overall axle width in the un-cocked position is a mere 10.5 inches, and is an amazing 6 inches when fully drawn, making Ravin the smallest, most compact crossbow in existence.Technology Benefits
One of the design advantages provided by HeliCoil technology is the Frictionless Flight System. This patented technology allows the string and arrow to both free float above the rail, providing a quieter shot and vastly improved string life by eliminating string friction, noise and fletch clearance. All of these advantages contribute to unmatched, repeatable accuracy.
The Trac Trigger Firing System is another advantage enabled by HeliCoil. This patented system features a built-in trigger sled that slides forward in the rail and clasps directly on the center of the string. This creates a perfectly balanced draw, which is an often overlooked but critical component in accurate and consistent shooting. The trigger sled also contains the safety and anti-dry-fire mechanisms.
Another unprecedented design feature provided by HeliCoil technology is the Versa Draw Cocking System. Working in conjunction with the Trac Trigger Firing System, this ultra-
compact, fully-integrated cocking mechanism is built into the sleek stock design. The fully ambidextrous system is mounted internally in the stock and allows for easy cocking and uncocking of the crossbow. The cocking handle is mounted on the quiver provided with the Ravin crossbow. It is easily inserted in the recessed hole on either side of the stock where slots and magnets hold the handle firmly in place. Once engaged, the bow can be easily cocked and un-cocked with minimal effort. There is no need to fire the weapon to un-cock it.
The new Ravin R9 Crossbow is now available in Predator Camo and comes with the following:
• Fully Assembled/Pre Tuned Crossbow
• 6 Ravin Branded Arrows and Ravin Nocks
• Removable Cocking Handle
• Quiver/Mounting Bracket
• 6 Practice Field Points (100 Grain)
• 100-Yard Illuminated Scope
• Built-In Cocking Mechanism
• Anti-Dry-Fire/Auto Safety
• Built-in Sling Mounts
About Ravin Crossbows
Ravin was started by a group of hard-core hunters and world-class product designers with one goal in mind – to create the world’s best crossbow. Over the past 20 years this group has had an incredible track record of design and product development. With a wide range of archery products to their credit, they moved their focus to the crossbow industry. This top notch design and engineering group set out to produce the most accurate crossbow in the world. This was accomplished with the invention of HeliCoil Technology. The revolutionary technology has several industry-changing advantages that all work together to create the most accurate crossbow ever designed. Helicoil Technology creates an incredibly efficient, compact crossbow with rifle-like downrange accuracy not seen in any other crossbow.
Visit them here: Ravin Crossbows
