Crossbow cocking aids for a bad shoulder

Most crossbow advice for an injured shoulder stops at "get a crank." That is right and it is incomplete, because the figure matters and so does the motion. A 70 percent crank on a 220 lb bow still leaves 66 lb.

In detail

The aids that reduce the pull most

01The best-documented effort reduction here

$149.99/Amazon

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Barnett Crank Cocking Device

Barnett

8.6/ 10

Barnett publishes two numbers that almost nobody else does: 93 percent resistance reduction, and 13 pounds of actual pull at the handle. On a 150-pound Barnett that turns an impossible draw into something you can do one-handed from a seated position. The compatibility list on the listing runs to dozens of named models, which is the other reason to pick it — you can check your bow before you buy.

Published spec	Value
Effort reduction	93%
Pull at the handle	13 lb
Type	Crank, stock-mounted
Handed	Ambidextrous
Fits	Barnett Raptor, Whitetail Hunter, Ghost, Recruit, Droptine, Wildcat and more
Hardware	Crank plus all installation hardware included
De-cocks	Not published

What it does well

• 93 percent reduction and a 13 lb handle pull, both published
• A named-model compatibility list you can check against your bow
• Ambidextrous handle
• Everything needed to install is in the box

Where it falls short

• Barnett bows only — check the list, because it is specific
• The listing does not say whether it de-cocks
• Mounts to the stock, so it stays on the bow and adds weight

Our rubric

Effort reduction

9.6

Fit range

7.8

Noise

7.4

Pack size

6.4

Value

8.2

02A crank you can take off and carry in a pocket

$249.98/Amazon

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Excalibur Charger EXT

Excalibur

8.4/ 10

12 pounds of draw effort, and a quick-detach system that lets you pull the whole crank off in seconds and put it in a pack. That is the difference that matters: most cranks live on the bow and add weight for the whole walk. Excalibur bows only — TwinStrike, Micro and Bulldog series.

Published spec	Value
Draw effort	12 lb
Type	Crank, quick-detach
Handed	Ambidextrous, detachable handle
Fits	Excalibur TwinStrike, Micro and Bulldog series
Material	High-strength aluminum alloy
Carry	Removes in seconds for pack or pocket
De-cocks	Not published

What it does well

• 12 lb of effort, among the lowest published figures here
• Quick-detach, so the weight is only on the bow when you need it
• Aluminum alloy rather than a polymer body
• Ambidextrous and the handle itself detaches

Where it falls short

• Excalibur bows only
• One of the most expensive cocking aids on the site
• Some older Excalibur models need a retrofit

Our rubric

Effort reduction

9.4

Fit range

6.8

Noise

7.6

Pack size

9.2

Value

7.0

03The handle for a bow that already has the gearbox

$49.99/Amazon

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TenPoint ACUdraw Hand Crank

TenPoint

8.2/ 10

This is the crank handle, not the cocking system: it drives an ACUdraw or ACUdraw PRO gearbox already built into the bow and brings cocking effort to 5 pounds. If you bought a used TenPoint with no handle in the stock, this is the part you are missing. It does not fit ACUslide or ACUdraw De-Cock bows.

Published spec	Value
Cocking effort	5 lb
Type	Hand crank handle for an integrated gearbox
Material	6061 T6 aluminum arm, nylon knob
Connection	Stainless steel socket with magnet
Fits	ACUdraw and ACUdraw PRO
Does not fit	ACUslide or ACUdraw De-Cock
Storage	Stows in most TenPoint and Wicked Ridge stocks

What it does well

• 5 lb cocking effort through the bow's own gearbox
• Magnetic socket keeps the handle seated while you wind
• Stows inside the stock on most TenPoint and Wicked Ridge bows
• Cheap for what it fixes

Where it falls short

• Not a cocking system on its own; the bow needs an ACUdraw gearbox
• Explicitly incompatible with ACUslide and ACUdraw De-Cock
• Holster not included

Our rubric

Effort reduction

9.4

Fit range

5.6

Noise

8.0

Pack size

9.4

Value

9.2

04A crank that also unloads the bow

$149.95/Amazon

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Killer Instinct DSC Compact Decocker

Killer Instinct

8.4/ 10

A silent cranking system with a speed-connect on/off attachment, and the only aftermarket unit here whose name says decocker. If your bow is a Killer Instinct and you have ever ended a sit by firing a bolt into the dirt to unload, this is the fix.

Published spec	Value
Type	Crank, compact slim-line
De-cocks	Yes
Attachment	Speed Connect on/off
Handed	Ambidextrous cocking handle
Cocking	Silent cranking system
Effort reduction	Not published
Fits	Killer Instinct crossbows

What it does well

• De-cocking without a discharge shot, which most aftermarket cranks cannot do
• Speed Connect means it comes off between sits
• Slim-line body keeps the stock profile usable

Where it falls short

• No effort-reduction percentage published
• Killer Instinct bows only
• Priced like a mid-range scope

Our rubric

Effort reduction

8.6

Fit range

6.6

Noise

9.0

Pack size

8.4

Value

7.6

05A sled instead of hooks

$39.95/Amazon

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Bear Archery Aluminum Crossbow Cocking Sled

Bear Archery

7.6/ 10

An aluminum sled with three interchangeable inserts for the BearX Impact, Constrictor, Intense and Saga. A sled pulls both sides of the string from one rigid frame rather than two loose hooks, which removes the most common source of an uneven cock — and an uneven cock is a flier.

Published spec	Value
Type	Cocking sled, aluminum
Inserts	Three, included
Fits	BearX Impact, Constrictor, Intense, Saga
Material	Aluminum
Effort reduction	Not published
De-cocks	Not published

What it does well

• A rigid frame pulls both string sides evenly
• Aluminum rather than molded plastic
• Three inserts cover four Bear models

Where it falls short

• No effort-reduction figure published
• Bear X bows only
• Bulkier in a pack than a rope

Our rubric

Effort reduction

6.8

Fit range

6.0

Noise

8.2

Pack size

7.4

Value

8.4

What each method asks your body to do

The numbers, on your bow

Find your bow's draw weight in its manual, then read across. These are arithmetic from each maker's published reduction, not measurements:

The second problem: unloading the bow

Cocking gets all the attention. Unloading gets none, and for an injured shoulder it can be the harder half. Without a de-cocking system you have to fire a bolt into a target at the end of every sit, which means carrying a target, setting up a shot, and in a treestand climbing down with a cocked bow.

Three options remove that:

• TenPoint ACUslide or ACUdraw De-Cock. Backwind the handle; the Auto-Brake holds it wherever you let go.
• Killer Instinct DSC Compact Decocker. The only aftermarket crank here that publishes de-cocking.
• Excalibur's rope aid, which states it loads and unloads an Excalibur crossbow — worth knowing if you shoot a recurve.

The procedure, including what not to do, is in how to de-cock a crossbow.

The third problem: carrying the bow

Seven pounds on a strap over a healing shoulder is its own issue, and the fixes are cheap. A 5 in padded sling spreads the load instead of concentrating it on a strap edge. A case with padded backpack straps moves it onto both shoulders and your back — the cheapest case here has them. See best crossbow cases.

A crank that comes off, which is worth noting

A stock-mounted crank adds its weight to the bow for the entire walk. The Excalibur Charger EXT quick-detaches in seconds and publishes 12 lb of draw effort — so you carry a lighter bow in and attach the crank at the blind. For a shoulder, carrying less is as useful as pulling less.

What we would do

If you are buying a bow: one with an integrated crank, at 5 lb, that de-cocks. That is the TenPoint Titan X De-Cock on this site, and the reasoning is in best crossbows for a shoulder injury.

If you already own a bow: the highest-reduction crank that fits it, verified against the published compatibility list, plus a padded sling or a backpack case. If the only crank that fits publishes 70 percent and that still leaves too much, that is worth knowing before you spend the money rather than after.