Maximus Bonesplitter 225 review

[Marc]

I picked up a Maximus Bone Splitter 225 off of Hermit from Vantagepoint Outfitters a week ago. There has been a lot of controversy over this bow as some say it's an excaliber clone. I got to see both bows first hand this morning while in Bucky's getting some Limb saver leeches for my string. They do have some similarities but are not identical. I'm not here to debate or try and defend the bow just give you my honest opinion on how it felt and performed.

So I put it together last week, put loctite on all the screws,put some wax on the string, had the leeches installed and today I bought a Black hole target to do some grouping.



http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/../photos/data/500/crossbow_full_size.jpg
http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/../photos/data/500/leaches.jpg


I took out the range finder and set the target out at 25 yards and zeroed the scope from there.

I started off by using 145 gr field points to get the bolts sighted in as close as I could before I put the 150 gr Excaliber Bolt Cutter Broadheads on the 20 inch Firebolts I plan on using for hunting. Never owning or shooting a crossbow before I was quite pleased at how accurate it was shooting from 25 yards. The white circles are only around 2 inches in diameter.




http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/../photos/data/500/145_gr_field_point.jpg

Once I was confident that it was me not the bow being off I put the broad heads on the new bolts and set up to see how they would group.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/../photos/data/500/Fire_bolts_with_bolt_cutter_broadheads.jpg

[Marc]

I was a bit surprised that the broadheads being 5 gr heavier then the field points were actually hitting a bit higher then the 145 gr field points. Might have something to do with using different bolts as the ones I had the field points on where bolts I received with the crossbow.

The accuracy with the fixed broadheads opened up a bit but I figured it would as you now have 3 metal vanes at the front of the bolt as well as the vanes in the back. I'm still pleased and confident that with practice, that if I tried to shoot a deer or bear size animal at 25 yards I would still be in the kill zone.

The two bolts on the top right are the broadheads and the bolt bottom left is a field point. The bolts were right to the fletching into the target.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/bolts_in_target.jpg
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/Bolt_Cutter_Broad_head_in_black_hole_target.jpg

[Poguebilt]

Very Nice.... One day i'll get me one...

[Muledeerjohn]

hmmm was thinking about getting the excaliber then i started playing with the compounds and well.........I own a Hoyt Maxxis 31 now, lol. Must say at 20 yards bang on. ripped one of my NAP fletches in half. 30 yards is good too now i need more space to range the 40, 50 and 60 yard pins.

[J_T]

Marc, consider the reason the broadhead tipped arrow impact is a bit higher is due to the fact that you have added a wing to the front end. I think we all notice with fixed broadheads the flight of the arrow is smoother and the point of impact is a bit higher. The broadheads stabilize flight as well as give the arrow lift.

[Bow Walker]

Marc, when those string leeches wear out (and they will - rather quickly too) get the heavier duty ones meant for cross bows, not the ones meant for compound bows, they'll last a lot longer.

They look like this....

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/String_Dampener.JPG

[Bowzone_Mikey]

yes ... not all bolts are created equal .... differant models and makes will fly totally differant ... I am willing to bet the ones with the broadheads on them are a bunch lighter than the factory ones

[mikeinajeep]

Bow Walker is right string leeches wear out or rip in two. Buzz Busters work well and are cheap to replace. Limb savers don't last long either. You may find a hip quiver alot better than the mounted one, I do and the Xbow is lighter.

[Marc]

Well now I feel a little stupid, I figured out why the field pints where hitting lower then the broad heads. I never had the two types of bolts together until I tried to pack them away in my crossbow case. The ones I had the field points on are 2 inches longer so they more then likely are heavier then the ones I had the broad heads on..:oops:

[Bowzone_Mikey]

Well now I feel a little stupid, I figured out why the field pints where hitting lower then the broad heads. I never had the two types of bolts together until I tried to pack them away in my crossbow case. The ones I had the field points on are 2 inches longer so they more then likely are heavier then the ones I had the broad heads on..:oops:


Probally a good bet :wink::mrgreen::mrgreen:

[Mik]

A question, why would this "review" be a sticky?

[Marc]

Well I figured where it was such a new product on the market and there are a lot of questions about it going around on the net but no real info. I also purchased if off of one of our sponsors so I thought it would be nice to have it stick around a bit so people could see what he's selling as well.

If you think it shouldn't be a sticky then that's fine I can un-stick it I didn't really think it would be an issue.

Marc.

[Gateholio]

Well I figured where it was such a new product on the market and there are a lot of questions about it going around on the net but no real info. I also purchased if off of one of our sponsors so I thought it would be nice to have it stick around a bit so people could see what he's selling as well.

If you think it shouldn't be a sticky then that's fine I can un-stick it I didn't really think it would be an issue.

Marc.

It's your site Marc, stick or unstick, do whatever you like!:mrgreen:

[Mik]

Well I figured where it was such a new product on the market and there are a lot of questions about it going around on the net but no real info. I also purchased if off of one of our sponsors so I thought it would be nice to have it stick around a bit so people could see what he's selling as well.

If you think it shouldn't be a sticky then that's fine I can un-stick it I didn't really think it would be an issue.

Marc.

No offence meant, I was merely wondering, thanks for answering the question.

[mikeinajeep]

Marc is 25 yards the crosshairs on your scope? Did the maximus come with Excalibur arrows?

[Marc]

Hey Mike sorry for taking so long to get back to you. Yes I set my crosshairs zeroed at 25 yards. I can pretty much hold on target out to 35 yards before I need to compensate for range.

The crossbow came with gold tip bolts I think they where, I went and bought some Excalibur 20 inch firebolts and the Excalibur boltsplitter 150 gr broadheads.

As you've read in another post, I shot a bear with this combination at 16 yards last weekend. Broadhead smashed through a rib on the way in, cut through the heart, and slipped through two ribs on the opposite side. It's only my first animal with this combination but it seemed to work like a hot dam.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/Marc_s_first_archery_bear.jpg

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/cracked_rib.jpg

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/heart_entry.jpg

[BimmerBob]

Pretty hard to beat that shot! Nicely done :-D

[mikeinajeep]

My scope has to be zeroed at 20 yard but other than that they seem very much the same. Great shooting, enjoy the crossbow.

[Marc]

My scope has to be zeroed at 20 yard but other than that they seem very much the same. Great shooting, enjoy the crossbow.

Why does your scope have to be zeroed for 20 yards? I never looked in the owners manual but I'd assume you can set your zero to what ever distance you want unless the scope is ballistically matched to that bolt and crossbow?

[mikeinajeep]

It is. Isn't yours?? The ballistic arc is set to bolt and speed. The presets work perfectly so I have never tried to rezero it a new range. There are tables for arrows (bolts) and speeds on the excalibur site if your scope is a clone as well.