We put the new TenPoint Turbo X crossbow to a controlled, firearm-level accuracy test to determine if it really is the most accurate crossbow ever. You’ve got to see this…
by Rob Reaser
Rumors, bold claims, and other such discourse regarding the noteworthy accuracy of TenPoint’s new Turbo X crossbow has been salting the archery sphere for much of the summer. This, naturally, sparked questions and ponderings amongst the Shoot ON crew as to just how accurate such assertions might be. Someone said, “We should do our own test and see,” to which I promptly replied, “Hold my beer…”
While I am a lifelong bowhunter (primarily shooting traditional gear), I have shot many deer with assorted crossbows over the last decade as part of my job. One thing, though, that I have never done was to apply the same testing standards we perform here at Shoot ON with firearms to crossbows. It just never crossed my mind.
Well, a challenge presented is a challenge accepted. So, I acquired a factory-fresh TenPoint Turbo X, a new Yellow Jacket Kinetic 1.0 target from Morrell Targets, grabbed a couple of chronographs, a caliper, and headed for the Shoot ON proving grounds located deep in an undisclosed Appalachian holler.
If you want to get right to it, check out this video…
TenPoint Turbo X Up Close
TenPoint manufactures their crossbows in Mogadore, Ohio, and have long been a top-tier pick for all of us at Shoot ON. When the company brought out the Turbo X earlier this year, it didn’t really raise an eyebrow because it wasn’t the fastest, the shortest, or the narrowest of the crossbows in the TenPoint line. Plus, with a starting price of only $1,349.99, we weren’t expecting much from a crossbow with stablemates priced up to $5,000.
Well…that kind of thinking was downright prejudiced.
The Turbo X is not what you would call a compact crossbow. At around 33.25 inches long, it’s not overly long, but it’s not short, either. The axle-to-axle un-cocked width is 13 inches; 9.5 inches cocked. It boasts a 12.75-inch power stroke to leverage its 230-pound draw weight.
The crossbow also utilizes a conventional forward draw rather than the trendy reverse-limb configuration. The all-important (to some folks) speed rating of the Turbo X is a modest 415 fps. Honestly, that sits in the Goldilocks zone of crossbow speeds — plenty fast to get the job done but not wound so tight that long-term consequences will manifest.
To the applause of all, the Turbo X includes TenPoint’s ground-breaking Acuslide cocking/de-cocking system. This bit of technology, introduced five years ago, totally changed the game in terms of crossbow operation because it allows you to safely de-cock the crossbow without having to fire an arrow, and it permits the user to stop and release the handle at any point in the cocking/de-cocking process.
By utilizing a hand crank that stows in the bottom of the stock, the Acuslide system lets you cock and de-cock the crossbow with a mere 5-lbs. of rotational effort. In short, nothing beats it for safety and convenience of operation.
The Turbo X, like all TenPoint premium crossbows, comes in kit form — meaning you have everything you need to start shooting right out of the box. This includes three arrows with 100-gr. field points, an easy-to-mount quiver, and TenPoint’s RangeMaster 100 variable speed, illuminated scope.
A relatively new feature TenPoint includes with the Turbo X is a scope strut system. The struts, mounted between the optic rail and the flight rail, tie the two together for a more stable optic.
Zeroing the Turbo X
The scope comes rough-sighted from the factory for 20 yards. This allows you to confidently get on target without fear of losing an arrow before you begin the fine zeroing process. Zeroing is accomplished as it is with any optical scope. Turn the windage and elevation dials until you achieve point-of-aim/point-of-impact.
Also part of the Turbo X package is TenPoint’s exquisite S2 Trigger system. The S2 is a two-stage trigger, similar to what you find in a premium two-stage aftermarket firearm trigger. I found it to be precise in feel, crisp in performance, and exhibiting zero creep courtesy of the roller sear system.
Since the factory established a rough 20-yard zero with the RangeMaster 100 scope, it took only a couple of shots to get the Turbo X drilling into the Kinetic 1.0’s bullseyes. For final verification, I shot five rounds at this distance while establishing actual velocity with the Garmin Zero C1 Pro chronograph.
Why the chrono? Because knowing your crossbow’s speed is essential when using variable speed scopes like the RangeMaster 100.
A crossbow scope’s reticle presents multiple aiming points to cover the standard archery distances: 20, 30, 40, and 50 yards, and usually a few more. Variable speed scopes must be set so that the arrow will impact precisely at those predetermined distances. The scopes achieve this by their front focal plane construction. The reticle changes size (as viewed through the scope) as you rotate the scope’s speed ring. By matching the speed of the crossbow to the speed on the scope’s speed ring (generally speaking), the aiming dots will correspond to the target distance.
Accuracy Verification at 50 Yards
The speed dial will get you into the point-of-aim/point-of-impact ballpark. From there, you will fine-tune the speed ring to achieve precise hits at all distances marked on the reticle. After establishing zero at 20 yards, next step is to set the target at 50 yards and see where the arrows hit when using the 50-yard reticle dot.
The first shot at 50 yards hit slightly low and to the right when I adjusted the speed ring to match the arrow velocity of around 110 fps. Although I would need to refine this zero further, for the purpose of this accuracy test, that was close enough.
To ensure this test correctly illustrated the accuracy potential of the Turbo X crossbow, I decided to use only one arrow, weighing exactly 304 gr., throughout the test procedure. By using the same arrow for each shot, I eliminated any variables that could influence arrow flight and thus impact shot precision, such as weight differentials, arrow flex, fletching dynamics, arrow straightness, and overall balance.
The Turbo X delivered an eye-opening group at 50 yards, as you can see here. But just how impressive was it? It would require some precise measuring to find out.
Back at the shooting bench, I pulled out the caliper and measured the shot group just as I would during any ammo test. Begin by measuring the outside width of the two holes farthest apart in the shot group. This number came to 1.240 inches.
Next, I measured the diameter of the arrow shaft, which was .345 inches. This number was then subtracted from the overall group size. Subtracting the shaft diameter from the gross shot group spread gives you the center-to-center measurement of the two shots that are farthest apart, and thus a true group size.
With the easy math complete, the calculated group size of five shots at 50 yards came to 0.895 inches.
Wowzah!
I have scoped rimfire rifles that can’t shoot that size group at 50 yards. So, I can say without hesitation that the TenPoint Turbo X crossbow is rifle-accurate.
A crossbow…that is “rifle accurate.”
Let that sink in.
Conclusion
Are there other crossbows — maybe within the TenPoint line, maybe from another manufacturer — that are as accurate or more accurate than the Turbo X? Without testing them, I can’t say for sure. What I can say is that this crossbow is the most accurate model I’ve ever shot. That’s impressive enough, but given that this performance comes from a bow priced at $1,349.99, it is even more impressive.
