Pistol crossbows are a great way for beginners to get into crossbow archery. They are small and compact yet still pack a powerful punch. Most pistol crossbows on the market today are usually quite inexpensive due to their size but still offer a complete package containing bolts, string and wax - everything you need to start shooting straight out of the box.
Pistol crossbows take a lot less force to cock compared to full size crossbows and also don't require much maintenance. You get a lot of value for your money and an added bonus is the arrows/bolts only cost around £10 per pack of 12.
This makes it a perfect choice for those just starting who want to work their way up to a full size crossbow without breaking the bank.
In this buying guide we are going to list our most popular products which we highly recommend when it comes to choosing your first pistol crossbow.
1. Anglo Arms OP-360 80lbs Self Cocking Aluminium Pistol Crossbow
One of our most popular crossbows to date, the Anglo Arms OP360 packs a punch shooting at a whopping 165 feet per second. The tactical shoulder style stock gives you greater accuracy when target practising and also doubles as a self cocking lever which makes light work of cocking the crossbow. This is a great package to buy as it contains everything you need including 3 bolts, a pack of wax and a target which can be cut out from the box.
2. Hori-Zone Redback 80lbs Self Cocking Pistol Crossbow
Another favourite is the Hori-Zone Redback pistol crossbow which shoots at around 235 feet per second. It has a similar build to the OP360 however the Redback does not have a tactical shoulder stock making it smaller in overall size. This pistol crossbow package comes with 3 bolts, rail wax, a target face and a handy stringer which makes assembling the crossbow very easy.
3. Hori-Zone Redback Deluxe 80lbs Pistol Crossbow
Another member of the Hori-Zone Redback family is the Redback Deluxe. This crossbow is almost identical to the standard version with the only difference being that this one contains a red dot sight for maximum accuracy. This red dot sight is battery powered and can also be zeroed in so you can make sure you will always hit the bullseye. A great addition if you want to take your pistol crossbow to the next level.
4. Hori-Zone Redback XR Self-Repeating Pistol Crossbow
The final member of the Hori-Zone Redback family is the Redback XR. This is a very unique pistol crossbow as it features a magazine on top capable of holding 5 bolts. This means that you can shoot 5 bolts without technically having to reload. Each time after you cock the crossbow another bolt will fall into the rail, ready to shoot again.
