Barnett vs CenterPoint
Barnett vs CenterPoint
The two brands that own the budget end, and they publish opposite things. Barnett tells you about energy and cocking; CenterPoint tells you about width.
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Ranked
Quick picks
| # | Product | Speed | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank 1 | CenterPoint Wrath 430 | 430 fps | 8.9 | $749.99Amazon |
| Rank 2 |  Barnett Hyper Raptor GTX | 425 fps | 8.2 | $1,199.99Amazon |
| Rank 3 |  CenterPoint Hellion 400 | 400 fps | 8.3 | $339.95Amazon |
| Rank 4 |  Barnett Alpha 410 | 8.3 | $549.00Amazon | |
| Rank 5 |  CenterPoint Dagger 405 | 405 fps | 8.0 | $249.99Amazon |
Pick CenterPoint if you hunt from a ground blind: it publishes cocked width on nearly every bow, down to 8 inches. Pick Barnett if penetration matters: HyperFlite small-diameter arrows claim 25 percent deeper penetration, and its crank publishes 93 percent effort reduction.
These are the two brands most first crossbows come from, and the useful way to tell them apart is not quality — both build sound bows at the price — but what each one chooses to tell you.
In detail
Five bows across both brands
CenterPoint Wrath 430
A 9-inch cocked bullpup that shoots 430 fps off a 200-pound draw, with a silent crank in the box. That combination — tight blind geometry, real speed, and a crank you do not have to buy — is why this bow keeps turning up in the answer to the ground-blind question.
| Published spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Speed | 430 fps |
| Draw weight | 200 lb |
| Cocked width | 9 in |
| Cocking aid | Silent cranking device, included |
| Design | Bullpup, full-bearing cam compound |
| Scope | 4x32 illuminated |
| Included | Three 20 in 400 gr carbon arrows, detachable quiver, rope cocker |
What it does well
- A 9-inch cocked width with 430 fps behind it
- A silent crank and a rope cocker both included
- CNC-machined aluminum rails and cams
- 400-grain arrows included, which suits the speed
Where it falls short
Our rubric
- 8.6
- 9.4
- 8.6
- 9.4
- 7.4
- 8.8
Barnett Hyper Raptor GTX
425 fps and 152 ft-lb of kinetic energy through .204-diameter HyperFlite arrows, with a laser rangefinding scope in the box. Barnett claims over 25 percent deeper penetration than a standard-diameter arrow. Note the cocking aid: it ships with a rope cocker, not a crank, so budget for one if that is why you are here.
| Published spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Speed | 425 fps |
| Kinetic energy | 152 ft-lb |
| Arrow | .204 HyperFlite, 20 in |
| Cocking aid | Rope cocking device |
| Trigger pull | 3 lb |
| Trigger | TriggerTech frictionless, anti-dry-fire nock sensor |
| Scope | BUK OPS X-Factor laser rangefinding |
What it does well
- 152 ft-lb is the highest published kinetic-energy figure here
- A rangefinding scope is included, which is normally a several-hundred-dollar add
- The TriggerTech release is the crispest trigger spec in Barnett's line
- Pivoting limb pockets and an adjustable buttstock help fit
Where it falls short
Our rubric
- 6.4
- 9.2
- 8.0
- 8.0
- 7.8
- 7.8
CenterPoint Hellion 400
8 inches cocked, 12 uncocked, 400 fps off a 185-pound draw, for the price of a mid-range scope. It is the narrowest bow on this site under five hundred dollars, which makes it the budget answer to the blind-window problem. Note that it requires CP400 lighted nocks.
| Published spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Speed | 400 fps |
| Draw weight | 185 lb |
| Cocked width | 8 in |
| Uncocked width | 12 in |
| Limbs | Compression fiberglass quad |
| Arrows | Three 20 in .003 straightness arrows |
| Nocks | Requires CP400 lighted nocks |
What it does well
- An 8-inch cocked width is the narrowest here outside the Ravin line
- A 185-pound draw is lower than its rivals at the same speed
- Roller retention spring and CNC aluminum rails at a budget price
Where it falls short
Our rubric
- 6.6
- 8.4
- 7.8
- 9.6
- 8.0
- 9.0
Barnett Alpha 410
Barnett ships this one with the crank cocking device already installed, which is the thing most bows at this price make you buy separately. Add the illuminated multi-reticle scope, quiver, arrows and lube and it is a complete first setup with no cocking-aid decision left to make.
| Published spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Cocking aid | Crank cocking device, installed |
| Scope | 4x32 illuminated red/green multi-reticle |
| Arrows | Two 20 in Headhunter carbon, 100 gr points |
| Quiver | Lightweight side-mount, 3 arrow |
| Included | String and rail lube wax |
| Speed | |
| Cocked width |
What it does well
- The crank comes installed, not boxed separately or sold as an accessory
- Complete package: scope, quiver, arrows, wax
- Multi-reticle illuminated scope at a mid-range price
Where it falls short
Our rubric
- 8.8
- 8.4
- 7.6
- 7.6
- 7.6
- 8.8
CenterPoint Dagger 405
405 fps off a 220-pound draw for around the price of a good scope, with the Whisper silencing package, a rope cocker and arrows included. The 220-pound draw is the catch: that is the heaviest figure on this site, and the included rope cocker still leaves you pulling about 110 pounds.
| Published spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Speed | 405 fps |
| Draw weight | 220 lb |
| Cocked width | 15 in |
| Cocking aid | Rope cocker, included |
| Noise control | Whisper: string stops, limb dampeners, string silencers |
| Scope | 4x32 illuminated |
| Included | Parallel quiver, rail lube, three 20 in arrows |
What it does well
- 405 fps at the lowest price per foot-per-second here
- The Whisper silencing package is standard, not an upgrade
- Complete kit: scope, quiver, rope cocker, lube, arrows
Where it falls short
Our rubric
- 5.4
- 8.6
- 8.4
- 6.6
- 7.6
- 9.4
What each brand publishes
| Specification | Barnett | CenterPoint |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Consistently (280-425 fps) | Consistently (400-430 fps) |
| Cocked width | Rarely published | Nearly always (8, 9, 15 in) |
| Uncocked width | No | Sometimes (12, 18 in) |
| Draw weight | Rarely | Usually (185, 200, 220 lb) |
| Kinetic energy | Yes on premium models (152 ft-lb) | No |
| Noise hardware | String dampeners listed | Whisper package detailed |
| Crank effort reduction | 93% and 13 lb at the handle | 70% (Power Draw) |
| Small-diameter arrows | Yes — HyperFlite .204 in | No |
Where Barnett wins
The crank, decisively
93 percent reduction and 13 lb at the handle, with a compatibility list naming dozens of models. CenterPoint's Power Draw publishes 70 percent and needs a MIL-SPEC buffer tube. On a 220 lb bow that is roughly 14 lb against 66 lb left to pull — not a close call.
Penetration, if you want it
HyperFlite .204 in arrows claim over 25 percent deeper penetration than standard-diameter shafts, and the Hyper Raptor publishes 152 ft-lb — the highest energy figure on this site. CenterPoint has no equivalent. The cost is proprietary, more expensive arrows.
Safety hardware and triggers
TriggerTech frictionless releases with a published 3 lb pull on the Raptor, anti-dry-fire across the range including the cheapest bow, and the Soft Lok bristle retainer on the Recruit. CenterPoint publishes less about either.
Where CenterPoint wins
Cocked width, decisively
An 8 in published cocked width on the Hellion 400, 9 in on the Wrath 430, and both figures on the Tradition. Barnett publishes width on essentially nothing. If your blind window is the constraint, Barnett is unshoppable and CenterPoint is the obvious choice.
Speed per dollar
The Dagger 405 is the cheapest 405 fps bow on this site, and the Wrath 430 is the cheapest 430 fps. Barnett's fast bows cost considerably more.
A silent crank in the box, once
The Wrath 430 includes a silent cranking device. Barnett's Alpha 410 includes an installed crank but publishes no speed or width, which makes it hard to recommend over a bow that publishes both.
Noise control as standard
The Whisper package — string stops, limb dampeners, string silencers — appears on the Dagger and Tradition at the bottom of the range. See the quietest crossbows.
Who should pick which
Match the brand to your constraint
- Ground blindCenterPoint Hellion 400 (8 in) or Wrath 430 (9 in, crank included).
- Most speed per dollarCenterPoint Dagger 405 — with the caveat that 220 lb is a hard pull.
- Penetration on bigger gameBarnett Hyper Raptor GTX — 152 ft-lb and HyperFlite arrows.
- You already own a Barnett and cocking hurtsBarnett's 93 percent crank. Check the compatibility list first.
- A young shooterBarnett Recruit XP — the fullest published safety package here.
The honest summary
CenterPoint for most buyers on this site, because cocked width is the figure that disqualifies a bow and CenterPoint is the only budget brand that reliably tells you. Barnett when you have a specific reason — the crank, the arrow system, or a youth bow — and then it is excellent at that specific thing.
