Barnett Droptine Crossbow Review [Speedy and Afforable]
Barnett droptine crossbow
Beginner, intermediate, and advanced hunters have a lot of choices to make. To help you make a right decision on your next hunting purchase, we made this Barnett Droptine crossbow review.
We aim to give the most comprehensive review so that you can make an informed decision on whether this hunter’s weapon is for you. Here is a quick recap on what we think of this crossbow.
The Manufacturer
You can almost do no wrong by purchasing from Barnett. Their products are made with premium metals, and their manufacturing goes through excellent quality control. This makes Barnett Outdoors, LLC a world leader in the world of hunting.
It was started in 1962 by Bernard Barnett who pursued the hobby of hunting with crossbows in the United Kingdom. From just making weapons for himself and his close acquaintances, demand for Barnett crafted hunting equipment grew. From his home garage, the business was born.
The company now has multiple manufacturing locations across the UK. The USA market showed promise, so they set up shops and offices on the other side of the Atlantic as well.
The demands, however, were different from the UK, so the product line expanded. This decision gave birth to the Droptine Crossbow.
Overview
The Droptine is not quite a beginner's crossbow, but it’s barely an intermediate crossbow.
It occupies a precarious space in between the two levels of hunting proficiency. If you are not quite an experienced hunter yet but beginner bows are starting to bore you, this product line from Barnett might be precisely what you need.
Overall, the Droptine is a highly capable crossbow that would find a place in our list of best crossbow in the market today. Most intermediate and advanced hunters love this model. However, beginners might find it difficult to use at first due to its advanced features.
Barnett Droptine Crossbow Review
Speed is the name of the game when it comes to the Droptine and the speed.
Beginner crossbows can sometimes mean a world of difference when it comes to hunting because whitetails are just so quickly respond to the sound of the bolt being released. The position it occupies in the crossbow market makes it a niche product. It’s excellent for hunting but may not be as intuitive when used by a beginner.
The specs on the Droptine might be confusing for some. It is a beginner-friendly bow, but its specs would compete for some of its more expensive rivals. This Barnett Droptine Crossbow Review aims to assess if this crossbow is the right step up for you.
Key Specifications
7 Main Features of Barnett Droptine Crossbow
1. Soft-Lok Floating Bristle Arrow Retainer
Soft bristles serve as a line of defense from accidental firings. This revolutionary solution keeps the weight off as compared to other crossbows that still use metal devices to keep their bolts down.
2. Premium Strings and Cables
Crosswire™ branded strings last for multiple hunting seasons. These durable bowstrings can also survive the elements so tensile strength will not perish even in extremely low or high temperatures.
3. Anti-Dry Fire
A standard spring-loaded safety bar helps keep the bolt from firing prematurely. This is a beginner feature that doesn't add much to the weight, so it is still a welcome feature for intermediate hunters.
4. Trigger Tech
Once you engage the 3.5 lbs. trigger, the Frictionless Release Technology™ kicks in, and the trigger becomes instantly buttery smooth. It's a zero-creep trigger that helps in eliminating trigger jerk when firing. Furthermore, the metal injection molded trigger helps keep the movement smooth.
5. Cheek Rest
When it comes to hunting, the patience is an important trait to have. After selecting your target, you're going to have to wait for the perfect time to launch a kill shot. However, whitetails and other game sometimes take a long time before they present the ideal opportunity.
A cheek rest, in this case, is a welcome addition to the Droptine. It helps the hunter to keep a steady aim for more extended periods of time and helps steady the crossbow when you're firing.
Other Hunting Gears & Weapon:
6. CNC Machined Picatinny Rail
Whether they're optics, quivers, bipods, or lights, the Picatinny rails on this Barnett Recruiter Terrain can accommodate them all. Customization is the breeze with this heavy duty but lightweight rail.
7. Scope
The included 4x32 multi-reticle scope is comfortable to use. It helps you become accurate for up to 50 yards. It's a decent setup for intermediate bow hunting. It surely beats the red dot sights that come with other bows in this category.
Related Articles on Barnett Crossbows:
The Pros and Cons
Each hunter has a different set of requirements for their crossbows. Some look at the included scope, others value lightweight construction, while others look at the crossbow’s safety features.
This pros and cons section will help you in this balancing act to get to the bottom of what you can compromise for what benefit.
PROS
CONS
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can left-handed people use the Droptine?
Yes. The double-sided safety can be flipped on either side of the crossbow.
2. Does the Barnett Droptine Crossbow come with a warranty?
Barnett gives a standard warranty of 3 years on all of their products. The Droptine has two more extra years as a testament to its durability.
3. Should I loosen the strings when I put it in storage when hunting season is over?
The performance of the bow might suffer when it’s not tightened properly when the next hunting season begins.
4. Is it right for hunting deer?
It has an effective killing range of 50 yards. Skillful hunters may get farther kill shots.
5. What case is recommended?
Barnett branded cases are always the best regarding fit.
6. What weight do arrows come with this?
Approximately 285 grains, add 100-grain tip and you are close to 390 total arrow weight.
7. Why should I buy a compound crossbow rather than a recurve?
The Jackal is a compound crossbow and has a lot of components. This means that the chances of breakage of one of these components are quite high. However, this downside is erased by the ease of usage. Compound crossbows generally require a lot less energy to cock.
If budget is an issue for you, make sure you check out our reviews on the best crossbows under 500 dollars.
FINAL VERDICT
Barnett Droptine Crossbow
In making this Barnett Droptine crossbow review, we’ve noticed that it doesn't have any glaring flaws as a hunter's bow. It is a powerful bow that can compare with other more expensive intermediate bows in the market.
However, for a novice, the Droptine might prove to wield too much power to handle. It may look and feel like a beginner's bow in hand, but it might be surprising when fired by someone unaware of its recoil and loudness.
Intermediate to advanced hunters would take absolute delight in the simplicity and ease of use out of the box of the Droptine crossbows. Aside from the zeroing the scope, there are no other tweaks needed. You can open it for the first time on your hunting grounds and stalk your target immediately.
Its lightweight construction makes it an absolute joy to bring it around considering how powerful it is. The product scores 4.4 out of 5.
