Crossbow cocking effort, explained

Draw weight is the most-quoted and least-useful crossbow specification. It tells you how much energy the limbs store, which matters for speed, and it tells you nothing about what the purchase will feel like — because nobody cocks a crossbow bare-handed.

Draw weight versus cocking effort

Draw weight is the peak force required to draw the string to the latch, measured by the maker. It is a property of the bow.

Cocking effort is the force you apply at the rope handles or the crank handle. It is a property of the bow and the aid together, and it is the only one of the two numbers your shoulder experiences.

A 185 lb bow and a 220 lb bow sound similar. With a rope cocker they are a 93 lb lift and a 110 lb lift. With a 93 percent crank they are 13 lb and 15 lb. The aid compresses the difference almost to nothing, which is why the aid, not the bow, is the decision.

The arithmetic

Cocking effort = draw weight × (1 − reduction). Published reductions:

In detail

The aids whose figures drive this

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

02Cheapest real crank on the site

$58.99/Amazon

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CenterPoint Power Draw Crank

CenterPoint

8.0/ 10

70 percent effort reduction for about a third of what a Barnett crank costs, mounting to CenterPoint bows with a MIL-SPEC buffer tube. 70 percent is less than the 93 percent Barnett publishes, but on a 185-pound bow it is the difference between cannot and can.

Published spec	Value
Effort reduction	70%
Type	Crank, clip-on
Mount	MIL-SPEC buffer tube
Fits	CenterPoint bows with a MIL-SPEC buffer tube, including Amped 425 and Sniper Elite 385
Handed	Right or left
Carry	Clips off and fits in a gear bag
De-cocks	Not published

What it does well

• Cheapest published effort reduction per dollar here
• Clips off for the walk in
• Ambidextrous

Where it falls short

• 70 percent is the lowest crank figure here; a 220 lb bow still leaves 66 lb
• MIL-SPEC buffer tube bows only
• No de-cocking

Our rubric

Effort reduction

7.6

Fit range

6.4

Noise

7.0

Pack size

8.6

Value

9.4

03The rope cocker to buy if you only buy one

$24.99/Amazon

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Barnett Premium Rope Cocking Device

Barnett

8.4/ 10

50 percent tension reduction from a 50-inch rope with hook-style ends, a knurled soft grip and a magnet lock so the handles stay put in your pocket. It is adjustable to both the bow and the user, which matters more than it sounds: an evenly-pulled string is an accurate one.

Published spec	Value
Tension reduction	Up to 50%
Rope length	50 in
Type	Rope cocker, hook style
Handed	Ambidextrous
Grip	Diamond knurl soft grip with magnet lock
Adjustable	To both the crossbow and the user
De-cocks	Not published

What it does well

• Adjustable to the bow and to your arm length
• Magnet lock keeps the handles together in a pocket
• Pulls the string evenly, which is the accuracy argument for a rope
• Costs less than a box of broadheads

Where it falls short

• 50 percent of a 200 lb bow is still a 100 lb pull
• Hooks can mar a rail if you drag them
• No de-cocking

Our rubric

Effort reduction

6.8

Fit range

9.0

Noise

8.0

Pack size

9.6

Value

9.4

04Another 45 percent off an ACUslide bow

$79.99/Amazon

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TenPoint 6-inch XTEND Adjustable Crank Handle

TenPoint

8.3/ 10

A longer handle is a longer lever. Extended to its full 6 inches this one cuts cocking effort by up to 45 percent compared with the standard handle on any TenPoint gear-assisted bow. If you own an ACUslide bow and still find the crank hard, this is the cheapest meaningful improvement available.

Published spec	Value
Effort reduction vs standard handle	Up to 45%
Adjustable length	5-6 in
Type	Replacement crank handle
Fits	All ACUslide bows including Flatline 460, Havoc RS440, Siege RS410
Also fits	ACUdraw PRO and ACUdraw, via the included hex-drive conversion
De-cocks	Yes, on ACUslide bows — backwind and stop anywhere

What it does well

• Up to 45 percent less effort for the price of a box of broadheads
• Adjustable from 5 to 6 inches so you can tune the lever
• Converts from square to hex drive for older ACUdraw units

Where it falls short

• TenPoint gear-assisted bows only
• A longer handle needs more swing room in a tight blind

Our rubric

Effort reduction

8.8

Fit range

6.6

Noise

8.4

Pack size

9.0

Value

9.0

05A spare to leave in the truck

$7.49/Amazon

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Omoojee 63-inch Crossbow Cocking Rope

Omoojee

8.0/ 10

A 63-inch universal rope cocker with T-handles, an integrated roller and a 50 percent reduction claim, for less than a tube of string wax. It is the one to buy as a second cocker so one lives in the blind bag and one in the truck, because the day you forget yours is the day it matters.

Published spec	Value
Force reduction	50%
Rope length	63 in
Type	Rope cocker, T-handle
Roller	Integrated roller mechanism
Adjustable	Cord adjusts to archer and bow
Fits	Universal across crossbow models
De-cocks	Not published

What it does well

• Cheapest cocking aid on the site
• 63 inches is long enough for tall shooters
• Integrated roller and adjustable cord at this price is unusual

Where it falls short

• No brand reputation behind the 50 percent claim
• Light hardware compared with a Barnett or Allen rope
• No de-cocking

Our rubric

Effort reduction

6.6

Fit range

9.0

Noise

7.6

Pack size

9.6

Value

9.8

Why the absolute figures beat the percentages

Three makers publish a figure in pounds rather than a percentage: Barnett (13 lb), Excalibur (12 lb) and TenPoint (5 lb). Those are better numbers, because the percentage version requires you to know your bow's draw weight — and a surprising number of listings do not publish it.

It also removes an ambiguity. A 93 percent reduction of what, exactly: peak draw weight, or average force through the stroke? A stated 13 lb at the handle has no such question.

What a longer handle does

A crank handle is a lever, and a longer lever needs less force. TenPoint's XTEND handle adjusts from 5 in to 6 in and, at full extension, publishes up to 45 percent less cocking effort than the standard handle on any of its gear-assisted bows.

That is worth understanding because it compounds: an already-low 5 lb integrated system with a longer handle is lower still. It is also the cheapest effort reduction available to anyone who already owns the right bow.

What cocking effort does not tell you

• Speed. That comes from draw weight and power stroke, not from how easily you cocked it.
• Noise. A silent crank and a noisy crank can publish the same reduction. See silent crank cocking devices.
• Time. A crank is slower than a rope. If a second animal appears, low effort does not help you.
• Whether it de-cocks. A separate capability, published separately, and most devices do not have it.

How to use this when shopping

1. Find your bow's draw weight in the manual, or the candidate bow's listing.
2. Decide the effort figure you want — be specific. 15 lb? 50 lb?
3. Work backwards to the reduction you need, then find an aid that publishes it and fits your bow.
4. If no aid that fits publishes enough reduction, the bow is the wrong bow. That is a conclusion worth reaching before the purchase.