Killer Instinct Crossbows – 2021 Review

Looking for a new crossbow to add to your hunting arsenal? You cannot go wrong with Killer Instinct Crossbows. 

It’s a phenomenal company with just as phenomenal crossbows. This article will cover everything and anything that you need to know about them. 

Read on to find out which product you should buy and why so many other people and we speak so highly of them. 

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Who is Killer Instinct Crossbows?

Although the brand itself is new in the crossbow market and made its appearance in 2013, its parent company, HAWK, has had a long history of successful and fruitful years. 

The headquarters of the company, like that of Hawk, is in Frankenmuth, Michigan. The US offices take care of departments concerning engineering, design/testing, sales, marketing, and other corporate activities. However, the main production and manufacturing take place in Taiwan. 

We love that the brand offers its customers a limited lifetime warranty for all its crossbows. It covers manufacturing defects or any other problem you might have faced due to the company’s negligence.  

Why Are Killer Instinct Crossbows So Popular?

This is a company that has not been in the market for a long time. As mentioned above, it was started in 2013, but due to its smart production and spectacular products, it soon managed to garner an image of accurate, highly precise, and beastly powerful crossbows. 

Their products are some of the best in the market and very reasonably priced. Hence, despite being new, they have managed to make a name for themselves. Their patented technology sets them apart from many of its competitors in the market. This allows them to introduce high-grade and impeccably fast shooting products that make them highly popular.  

Review of the Best Killer Instinct Crossbow

We take our recommendations very seriously. Therefore, every product that we suggest you buy has been researched at length and chosen after eliminating some very competent options. Hence, you can rest assured that any and all products listed below are quality ones. 

Killer Instinct Hero 380

PROS

  • Features a very compact design 
  • Lightweight and easy to carry and use
  • Ideal to be used in blinds and tree stands
  • Has an impeccable speed for its price range 
  • Great accuracy offering sub-one-inch performance well beyond 60 yards

CONS

  • Could have had a better scope
  • Although reliable, the trigger is not as good as some of the others offered by the company

Killer Instinct Hero 380 Specs

Draw Weight: 185 lbs

Arrow Speed: 380 FPS

Weight: 5.8 lbs

Length: 32.5–34″

Width (axle to axle): 15.75″ (cocked)

Powerstroke: 13.5″

Trigger Pull Weight: 3.5 lbs

Best Uses For the Killer Instinct Hero 380

The following are some of the top uses for this product:

For Hunting From Blinds and Stands

The Killer Instinct Hero 380 has a very compact design and is extremely lightweight. Its width from one axle to the other is only 15.75″ when cocked. This makes it rather perfect to be used in enclosed or tight spaces like blinds or tree stands. 

For Big-Game Hunting

The draw weight of this is 185 lbs., which means that most people should be able to use it. It gives you considerable room to go for larger game. Hunting deer with it is especially fun; however, you can try just about anything with it. Its incredible arrow speed is another factor that allows it to kill targets upon impact easily. 

Components and Included Accessories

The Killer Instinct Hero 380 comes with quite a few accessories, including LUMIX 4x32mm IR-W scope, three HYPR Lite bolts featuring field tips, a five-bolt quiver, rail lube, rope cocker, etc. Their details are discussed below:

Scope 

The product comes with a Lumix 4×32 IR-E premium glass-etched scope. This is a rather well-built scope that has multiple reticle aim points featuring rheostat brightness illumination. This is available in both red and blue to adjust for dimly lit surroundings. Due to it being nitrogen-purged, it is not only waterproof but also fog and shock-proof. 

String Suppressors

These string dampeners from the company are top-notch. You can mount them without any difficulty to the top of your riser. This will greatly reduce the string flap when you fire it. 

Cocking Device

The cocking device helps you to reduce the draw weight by almost half. This gives the user a much more even cock hence ensuring better accuracy. 

What Ages and Skill Levels is the Killer Instinct Hero 380 Suitable For?

Although there is no predefined age limit, customers bought it for their sons as young as eight years old and had a great experience with it. The draw weight is 185 lbs, so small shooters might have a problem. Otherwise, it is very convenient and easy to use. Thus, it is perfectly fit to be used by beginners as well.

Other Archery Equipment Made By Killer Instinct  

While its crossbows are super famous and loved by countless people, they are not the only product that the company manufactures. They also have a line of gear and accessories and are pretty great at what they do. 

Gear

Their gear includes hoodies, t-shirts, caps, and other products in that category. They all have a distinct brand logo of Killer Instinct and manufactured from only the best material. 

Accessories

Killer Instinct has come up with some strongly built, well-designed, and well-thought-out accessories for their crossbows. They include Lumix 4×32 IR-W scope, string suppressors, rail lube, five-bolt quiver, three KillerTech bolts, tactical side quiver mount, five-bolt quiver, and rope cocker. 

Comparison Overview

If you are still on edge about buying a crossbow from Killer Instinct or would like some additional information or comparison, then we have you covered. Below, Killer Instinct has been compared to different brands to give you a better idea of what you are getting into. 

Killer Instinct Crossbow vs. Centerpoint Crossbow

Both brands are spectacular and have given the world some pretty awesome crossbows. However, for the sake of comparison, we will be choosing two similar models from both the brands to have a better picture. From Killer Instinct, we will choose the Ripper 415, and from Centerpoint, we will choose the Heat 415. 

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Similarities

There are quite a few similarities between the two. They both have the same draw weight and arrow speed, and both use a rope for cocking aid. Therefore, there is no significant difference in the kind of game you hunt with this. 

Differences

The Killer Instinct model is larger than the Centerpoint one. This means if you want a more compact design, you are better off with the latter; however, the difference isn’t too significant. Moreover, they differ in their power stroke. 

Ravin Crossbow vs. Killer Instinct

Again, these are two amazing brands with some amazing products. Therefore, we will choose one product from each brand to compare. The contender from Killer Instinct is Brawler and is compared with the Ravin R26.

Similarities

The two weigh almost the same, so they will have the same degree of portability. The Killer Instinct Brawler weighs 6.3 lbs, whereas the Ravin R26 weighs 6.5 lbs. Moreover, the two have the same arrow speed of 400 fps. 

Differences

One major difference between the two is their size. The Ravin R26 is much smaller than the Killer Instinct Brawler. However, because of its large size, the latter has a larger power stroke. Furthermore, while the Killer Instinct model uses a rope for cocking aid, the Ravin R26 uses a crank. 

Killer Instinct Crossbow 415 vs. Barnett Predator Crossbow

Barnett is again a terrific brand, and to compare it with the Killer Instinct 415, we will be using their Predator as an opponent. Read on to find out their similarities and differences. 

Similarities 

Since both are beastly crossbows, their specifications do overlap in some places. To start, both of them have a similar power stroke, with the Barnett Predator taking a slight edge of 1″ with a reading of 16″. Moreover, both of them are similarly sized, with the Predator being just a little bigger. They also have the same trigger pull weight. 

Differences

The first difference is between their arrow speed, with the Barnett Predator taking the lead with 430 fps and the Killer Instinct close by with 415 fps. While Barnett specializes in reducing extra weight and balance, the Killer Instinct is more focused on accuracy and precision. Lastly, the former also has a higher draw weight capacity. 

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How to Sight in a Killer Instinct Crossbow

You might be convinced to buy a Killer Instinct crossbow, but you might be facing a little trepidation over how to sight it in. Well, we have your covered here. Below is a list of all the steps you should take to properly sight in a Killer Instinct crossbow with the included scope.

  1. There are two turrets on the crossbow scope that help adjust the bow’s aiming point: the top one adjusts the raising height, whereas the side one deals with the windage. 
  2. To get started, take the caps off the turrets by unscrewing them.
  3. For the elevation of your aiming point, with the help of a flat-headed regular screwdriver or even a coin, rotate the top turret anticlockwise. To bring it down, rotate it clockwise. 
  4. To tweak the aiming point towards the right, rotate the windage turret anticlockwise and rotate it clockwise to bring it to the left. 
  5. During this rotation process, you will notice a click. 16 clicks mean your aiming point has moved one inch at 20 yards.
  6. To start, choose a distance of ten yards and shoot your crossbow towards your target and adjust your scope accordingly till it hits the aim. 
  7. Go back to your favored yardage and shoot once more for the top protocol mark. 
  8. Re-zero the bow to hit the target exactly where you are aiming.

If you want a visual representation or an example of what we just explained, then we strongly advise you to refer to the video given below. It will really assist you in getting the hang of the entire process. 

Conclusion 

Killer Instinct is one of the leading brands when it comes to delivering quality crossbows at an affordable price. It has a large fan-base, and people have loved using it for its superior performance. We have covered the topic from multiple angles and hope that you find what you were looking for. 

People Also Ask

Although the article has talked about the topic pretty comprehensively, we have added this section to address some common questions that readers have had in the past. We strongly urge you to go through them as you might find useful information here. 

What Kind of Warranty Does the Killer Instinct Come With?

All Killer Instinct Crossbows are covered by their limited lifetime warranty. That is a pretty sweet deal. It means that any and all manufacturing defects or problems you run into due to the brand’s negligence will be taken care of by the manufacturers. 

How Far Can the Killer Instinct Crossbow Shoot?

There is no definite answer to this. It depends on a variety of factors, most importantly, which crossbow is in question. 

However, as an estimate, a crossbow with over 300 FPS could easily get 500 yards. But, this would not be a killing shot as the arrow won’t have a lot of energy left when it hits the target at 500 yards. Moreover, aiming accurately from such a distance is also almost impossible. 

What Yardage Should the Killer Instinct Be Sighted in?

You should start with a distance of ten yards. After that, you move up or down to adjust the scope to your preferred distance. 

How Much Does Killer Instinct Cost?

Again, this depends on the model you buy and the kind of features it possesses. However, you can find a crossbow from the company at various prices, depending upon your budget, which will dictate its features. They fall between $250 and $1000. 

Killer Instinct Hero 380

How to Assemble a Killer Instinct Crossbow

There is no single procedure that will assemble any Killer Instinct Crossbow right out of the box. It depends on the model you are buying. However, on their website, they have included videos on how to assemble their various crossbows, so you can check those out.

Are Killer Instinct Crossbows Any Good?

To give a short and crisp answer: definitely yes. Killer Instinct Crossbows are some of the best in the market. They are fast, easy to use, accurate, and deadly. The best part is that you don’t need to break the bank to purchase one. 

Is a Killer Instinct 370 Crossbow Hard to Cock?

The assembly process, how to sight in your crossbow, and how to load and cock them are all rather simple processes. The Killer Instinct 370 Crossbow is no different and is easy to cock. Just follow the instructions given, or if you have any queries, contact them on their number or given email.