The 2015 SHOT Show drew the second largest crowd in its history. Seemingly every gun and gear manufacturer had their products on display, yet right in the middle was TenPoint Crossbow, a testament to their commitment to bring the mainline shooter into the archery fold.
I met retired U.S. Army Captain Barb Terry, technical expert for TenPoint, at the range. She was quick to put a bow in my hand. The Stealth FX4 is the newest bow in a line that features a new ultra-compact frame, 13.25 power stroke, and a new limb, cam, and string combination that launches a bolt at 370 fps. Available with the Accu-Draw System, this bow can be cocked mechanically so it works for folks of any age or stature. My first shot was dead-on and the trigger was crisp and true, no doubt leading to the accuracy of the shot.
Next, Terry showed me the Ranger under the Wicked Ridge brand, a bow specifically designed for smaller frame shooters. It produces 300 fps with a 150-pound draw weight and 70-pounds of 
kinetic energy, about what the average vertical archer gets from a 70-pound compound. The ACU-52 integrated, self-retracting rope-cocking system is especially important to new shooters. How frustrating to take a crossbow to the range or hunting and leave the cocking rope at home. The ACU-52 makes sure this never happens, plus it’s extra easy to use. Aiming the bow at the same target, the length of pull was a bit short for a grown man, yet the arrow touched the fletch of the FX4.
Finally, many fans of Horton crossbows wondered what would happen to their favored line of crossbows when TenPoint bought the brand. Worry not, loyal archers! The new Horton Storm RDX sports a reverse-limb design and such features from the TenPoint line as the ACU-Draw cocking system. Thanks to the reverse-limb technology, the Storm measures just 10 inches axle-to-axle when cocked and delivers a 400-grain arrow at 370 fps with 122 foot pounds of kinetic energy. Dressed in Mossy Oak camouflage, it’s one cool-looking machine and it put a third arrow in a group the size of a quarter. Whichever bow you choose, they all shoot!
