Thursday, December 20, 2012

What Every Girl Wants


Like most girls her age, Miss Serenity has a few things on her want list that are rather expensive.  In an effort to teach her that something worth having is worth working and waiting for, we encouraged Miss Serenity to work hard and save her money, until, at last,  she was able to afford her flight of fancy.  In an effort to acquire her needful thing, Miss Serenity bucked hay bales, took care of a neighbors ranch nearly every weekend of the summer, split and stacked firewood and did odd jobs whenever they were available.  After nearly 3 months of work, squirreling away every dime earned, Miss Serenity had saved $350.00 - just enough to purchase what every girl wants.

And just what does every 13 year old girl want?  A crossbow.  Yes, you read that right.  Miss Serenity scrimped and saved all summer to buy an olive drab, composite stocked, tactical crossbow.

After researching for hours (with a lot of input from Sir Knight), Miss Serenity settled on the "Horton Brotherhood".  After reading reviews on dozens of crossbows, the Horton Brotherhood stood out as a high-quality bow at a reasonable price, not to mention, Horton has a reputation for excellent customer service.  Miss Serenity was looking specifically for a crossbow that she could hunt with, meaning it had to have a bolt speed of over 300 feet per second and a draw weight of 150 pounds and takes 20 inch bolts.  The body of the Brotherhood is all polymer which renders it rugged with no possibility of rusting.  The limbs are compound configured with a 55% let off (after you pull the cams past the half-way point, the draw weight drops to 75 pounds but retains the 150 pound rating of the bow).  Miss Serenity can cock this bow without assistance, but it is difficult.  In an effort to reduce the strain of cocking the bow, Serenity bought a cocking string, a $15.00 expense that is more than worth its weight in gold.  It is a simple device that makes all the difference in the world.


Using the cocking string

Cocking is super easy!
One bit of research that Sir Knight felt was essential before making a purchase was getting hands-on experience with a crossbow.  In that vein, Miss Serenity and Sir Knight made an afternoon trek to the nearest Cabella's and spent an hour test firing various crossbows in their indoor firing range.  One thing they noted was that crossbows have an entirely different feel than rifles of similar weight.  The weight of a rifle is centered in the middle whereas the crossbow is very front heavy.

Although Cabella's carries the crossbow (online) Serenity was planning on purchasing, she chose to buy it through another online shop on Ebay because the price savings was significant.  We noticed that the Horton Brotherhood sold for anywhere from $299 (what Miss Serenity paid for it) to $500!  As usual, a little research goes a long way.

Having used her crossbow for a month now, and putting it through its paces, Miss Serenity highly recommends the Horton Brotherhood.  Sir Knight classifies it as a high quality beginners hunting crossbow at a good price.  Some things he notes:


  • The Brotherhood crossbow packages are all the same with the exception of the fact that one is green and one is "real tree" (we, of course, chose olive drab!).
  • The covers on the provided scope are cheesy and must be replaced with Butler Creek popup scope covers.
  • Horton really screwed up by not putting a decent quantity of rail lube and totally forgot to put any string wax in this kit.  This is essential and should be included in the kit.
  • The instructions don't mention it but Sir Knight recommend assembling it with blue "loc tight".
  • The instructions are really vague on the installation of a cable guide that comes with the kit.  It is a plastic piece that prevents the cables from rubbing on the bow and fraying.  The instructions claim that this cable guide is only used with crossbows that have aluminum barrels (The Bone Collector), but the cable started to fray almost immediately and the Brotherhood actually has a slot in the cable guide for this cable protector.  Sir Knight installed it and it worked flawlessly, despite the instructions.
  • The special Horton Rail Lube is nothing more than odorless silicone grease (for lubricating o rings).  We bought it real cheap at a local hardware store.  
  • The Horton string wax can be replaced by a brick of beeswax (carried in your pocket or in your gear).  
  • String wax and rail lube must be used regularly to prevent wear on the string and cables.  This is essential.
  • Lubricants, such as Tri-flow or graphite are necessary to keep the compound wheels quiet, but will not need to be used as much as the rail lube and string wax.
Watch out - this girl is a dead-on shot!
Just so you know, this is no toy.  It is powerful and deadly.  Always keep your bow pointed in a safe direction and never knock a bolt until you are prepared to shoot at a target.

And now you know what every girl wants - a crossbow!

23 comments:

  1. Congratulations to Miss Serenity on saving her hard earned money, and purchasing her Horton Brotherhood crossbow.

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  2. Awesome purchase but Cabella's spent the money to have an indoor range so you could test it there. The ebay seller did not--that's why it's cheaper on ebay. I struggle with the ethics of this with our family.

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    1. I don't feel that this is a matter of ethics. Stores like Cabella's make money on their demonstration opportunities by providing 1) convenience - for those who feel that further research is not worth the time committment, 2) touch factor - for those who want to buy the actual item they have handled, 3) psychological persuasion tactics - the sense of reciprocity/obligation from using their facility, plus the emotional committment of having handled the merchandise, and 4) creating a store experience and store loyalty. Customers who come frequently and spend time in the store will buy something, eventually, even if they discount-shop some items elsewhere. Customers who wish to seek out a lower price elsewhere earn their discount with their time and effort.

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  3. Enola,

    (captaincrunch)

    I have GOT TO GET one of those crossbows!

    That is so cool....

    Way to go Miss Serenity (Your gonna have Snowshoe Hare on a stick)

    When I was thirteen, I worked and saved up for a Ten Speed bicycle:( I grew up in the suburbs so all my friends and I had was BB guns (we spent more time shooting each other with BB guns than anything else) In a few years later we went out into the West Texas desert and shot Jack Rabbits, Jackalopes and Chupacobra's with everything from .22's to 30-06's (had to use 30-06's on the Jackolopes)

    I was looking at the Barnett crossbow and a few others. I did not know the "Brotherhood Crossbow" evan existed.

    We got a Cabela's up the road in Buda, Texas between Austin and San Antonio. I go there a lot and drool at the rifles. Then I go somewhere else and buy what I want for less. I am a Capitolist. If Cabela's wants my money then need to be a "little more flexible and competative"

    By the way, I see lots of snow on the ground up there in the Great White North. It was about 80 degrees yesterday down here. That big cold front pushed through but it should warm up to 80 degree's again on Christmas Day (Santa's gonna need some air conditioning in that Sleigh"

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    1. Enola,

      (captaincrunch)

      I put in Chupacroba and Jackolopes as a joke to see if anyone got it (I guess not) The Chupacobra is the legendary "Goatsucker" that drinks goat blood in Mexican folklore.

      My favorites the "Jackolopes" a cross between a Western Jack rabbit and an West Texas Antelope (in fictional pictures they are the size of Volks wagon bugs) Imagine a Giant Jack Rabbit with horns. Next Time Im out in West Texas, I will send Enola and her family some postcards of Jackolopes and other oddities from Texas like roadside Snake Farms. By the way, one side note.
      Has anyone been out to Southern Arizona and seen "The Thing" , you know. The Thing. Its another long lived roadside attraction. You have never lived until you have seen The Thing.

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  4. Well, like ya!!! This girl would be thrilled with a crossbow too!!

    (is there a girl out there who wouldn't?!?!? Ok maybe one or two.)


    @ann from KY mmm I wouldn't call a young lady who saved her own money to buy her own unethical. The crossbow would not be cheaper if she purchased it through Cabela's online and did not use their indoor range. Cabela's is not a mom & pop store where that consideration might apply.

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  5. I'm surprised to see the pics of Miss Serenity with this crossbow without safety glasses. I've had a small pistol crossbow string break in my hands before and it flung the nock end into my shoulder at great speed easily enough force to blind an unprotected eye.
    While this unit is a more professional unit and less likely to fail than the one I was using I'd still recommend them. Most other body-parts heal from a puncture, eyes don't.

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  6. Eh, if you want the extras, you pay for the extras. Let the market rule.

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  7. What a refreshing post! A young person who can save in order to satisfy a want and a young person who loves to, and knows how to, hunt. Your daughter is one of the few left in this republic!

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  8. Stories like this give me hope. A young woman showing foresight and restraint, and willing to work for it? Wonderful! I hope Miss Serenity gets many years of use from her crossbow!

    FYI, small typo, "sting wax." should be "string wax."

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  9. Silicone heat sink grease(sold under different names for a zillion uses) is harmless to plastic and should work just fine-don't get too happy with it. A little goes a long way.I use it on the O-ring and threads of my Maglites. Do not *ever* use "Red Thread" thread lock on anything you ever want to get apart again. It's a good permanent threadlock, but the word "permanent" isn't a joke. The blue stuff can be gotten loose again, though you may have to work at it.
    I've never had my hands on a crossbow-I've shot a compound bow maybe a dozen times. Saving up for something makes you take care of it. I saved up for a Yashica 35mm SLR in 1977(at 15-paid for mostly with deposit bottles picked up alongside the road)-and I still have it..

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  10. I started hunting with a crossbow this year too - and I love it - but it took me a lot longer than Miss Serenity, seeing as how I'm 44... I'm glad she'll have many more years to enjoy it!

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  11. Regarding the cocking string, I used one when I first got my crossbow. I didn't think I could cock it. But, after climbing down from my deer stand and seeing a deer, it was amazing how quickly I cocked it with my bare hands. I guess I just needed a little adreneline to prove to myself I could do it. Never used the string again after that day.

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  12. Cool beyond words. Good for her and you all for raising such a fine daughter.
    Terry
    Fla.

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  13. Way to go Miss Serenity!

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  14. Love to hear what interesting things your kids are doing! Every girl should learn how to use a weapon of some sort. I took gun training 13 years ago along with my youngest son. Even though I don't use a gun I learned what was safe and I no longer am scared of them, respect them yes, scared no.

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  15. I let my daughter (13 as well) read this post. She is into swords right now. I may have to go bow shopping before all is said and done. Well done Miss S!

    Joe Nobody

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  16. as per usual on the internet, some people need to think things through before posting a rude comment (don't see this too often on this site). Even if i like a particular business, and use their facilities, that does not mean that i should have any particular loyalty to a corporation just because they have some facilities, i will buy some things at one business, and other things at another business. i don't know this family personally, but from what i have seen, they have raised their kids to be very moral/ ethical, and i only wish that i could find a woman (about double miss serenity's age) that was anything like her. -former 0311-

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    1. We happen to have one close to double Miss Serenity's age - she is a pretty incredible woman. You should drop me a line.

      Enola

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  17. Enola,

    (captaincrunch)

    Find me a woman that can cook, clean, change diapers, rebuild a Cummins 12 valve diesel engine on a Dodge truck, and do the headspacing on and sight in a Barret M-82 .50 BMG rifle.

    I will then drive up there with a ring and pillow. I will then get down on one knee (on the pillow) and present her the ring.

    It would be a big plus if she was into farming, ranching and new how to work with solar power systems and was a Gunsmith and or a Registered Nurse.

    I will then drive up there with a ring and pillow. I will then get down on one knee (on the pillow) and present her the
    ring.

    (yeah I know a pretty tall order, I gotta dream a little)

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    Replies
    1. You are describing Maid Elizabeth Captain. Are you sure you aren't needing to talk to her daddy?

      Enola

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  18. Nice! Our daughter wanted her first 22 rifle! SHe also wants a archery set and so do I, do you guys have any idea of a good set or maker?

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  19. Nice! Our daughter wanted her first 22 rifle! SHe also wants a archery set and so do I, do you guys have any idea of a good set or maker?

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