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My bolt went straight through the target

Crossbow targets and cases, rated for your bow's speed

A target rated for a compound bow will not stop a 430 fps bolt. Every target here is listed with its published speed rating, and every case with the bow widths it actually fits.

By Mike M.Updated

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SpyderWeb 20XL No Speed Limit from SpyderWeb

Ranked

Top picks in targets & cases

Ranked on our published rubric, using the maker's own specifications. Prices are live and dated; where no live price resolves, the cell reads Check price.

#ProductSpeed ratingScorePrice
Rank 1
SpyderWeb 20XL No Speed Limit from SpyderWeb

SpyderWeb 20XL No Speed Limit

Any bow on this site, with no speed ceiling

No speed limit9.1$219.99Amazon
Rank 2
Rinehart 18-1 from Rinehart

Rinehart 18-1

Broadheads at up to 500 fps

Up to 500 fps9.0$159.99Amazon
Rank 3
Morrell High Roller from Morrell

Morrell High Roller

450 fps from a six-sided foam cube

Up to 450 fps8.6$129.95Amazon
Rank 4
Delta McKenzie Speedbag Revolver from Delta McKenzie

Delta McKenzie Speedbag Revolver

450 fps for thirty dollars

Up to 450 fps8.5$29.99Amazon
Rank 5
Hurricane H28 from Hurricane

Hurricane H28

The biggest face per dollar

Up to 425 fps with standard-diameter arrows8.2$46.50Amazon

#ad Prices come from Amazon and change. How this site is funded. Scores are our published rubric — how we evaluate.

The mistake almost every new crossbow owner makes once

The short answer

Archery targets carry a published fps rating. Most bag targets stop at 400 to 425 fps. A 430 or 470 fps crossbow will shoot straight through one, or bury a bolt so deep it cannot be pulled. Check the target's rating against your bow's published speed before you buy either.

The bolt disappearing through the target is the memorable version. The common version is worse value: a bolt buried to the fletching in a target that was never rated for your bow, which you then destroy trying to extract, and a target that is finished after three weeks.

Speed ratings on this site, side by side

TargetPublished ratingBroadheadsType
SpyderWeb 20XLNo speed limitField pointsWoven mesh
Rinehart 18-1Up to 500 fpsYesSelf-healing foam, 18 faces
Morrell High RollerUp to 450 fpsNot statedSelf-healing foam cube
Delta McKenzie Speedbag RevolverUp to 450 fpsNot statedFoam cube
Morrell Yellow Jacket YJ-425Up to 425 fpsNot statedBag
Hurricane H28Up to 425 fpsNot statedBag
Block 6x6 Poly FusionUp to 400 fpsYesLayered foam
Rinehart RhinoBlock XLNot publishedYesSelf-healing foam, 6 faces
Block ClassicNot publishedNot statedOpen-layer foam
Ratings as published on each product listing. Where a maker publishes no rating, treat the target as unsuitable for a bow over about 400 fps.

Two things to take from that table. First, only three targets here clear 450 fps — if you bought a Ravin R470 or a CenterPoint Wrath 430, your choices are narrow. Second, speed rating and broadhead capability are separate questions and no target here is best at both.

Broadhead targets are a different product

A broadhead cuts rather than pushes. Bag and mesh targets stop arrows with layered fiber or woven mesh, and a broadhead shreds both. Self-healing foam — Rinehart's signature material, and Block's layered construction — closes behind the blades instead.

  • Field-point practice, high volume: a bag or mesh target. Cheapest per shot, easiest pull.
  • Broadhead verification before the season: a self-healing foam target, shot sparingly. You need to confirm that your broadheads group with your field points, and that takes six arrows, not sixty.
  • Both, on one budget: Block's Poly Fusion states it handles practice tips through broadheads, at 400 fps.

The full argument on target construction is in bag vs block targets, and the stopping-power question in will a crossbow shoot through a target.

Face size matters more than you expect when sighting in

A new bow's first shot can land a foot and a half from where you aimed. A 12-inch cube will not catch it; a 28-inch bag will. If you are sighting in a new setup, shoot into the biggest face you have access to, then move to the small cube once you are on paper. Hurricane's H28 at 28 x 28 in is the largest here and among the cheapest.

Cases: measure first, then shop

Case fit is where online buying most often goes wrong, because crossbows vary enormously in width and almost nothing about a photograph tells you whether yours will fit.

  1. Measure your bow uncocked at its widest point — that is the dimension the case has to accommodate.
  2. Measure the overall length including the scope and any attached quiver.
  3. Check those two numbers against the case's published fit specification. TenPoint names about thirty specific bows; Allen's Copperhead publishes a 15 in maximum limb width; Excalibur's Tomb publishes exact external dimensions.
  4. Decide on carry: a handle is fine for a truck-to-blind walk, backpack straps are not optional for a long one.

What this section contains

Five roundups — targets overall, targets for fast bows, broadhead targets, cases overall and compact cases — plus comparisons of bag against block and hard against soft, and a guide on what actually stops a bolt. Every target carries its published speed rating as the first specification, because that is the figure that decides whether it survives your bow.

Every page in this section

Targets & Cases

8 pages in this section. Roundup tiles carry the live price and a buy link for their top pick.

Frequently asked questions

What fps target do I need for my crossbow?
One rated at or above your bow's published speed. If your bow shoots 400 fps, a 400 fps target is the minimum and a 425 or 450 fps target gives you margin. Above 450 fps your options narrow sharply: on this site only the Rinehart 18-1 (500 fps) and the SpyderWeb 20XL (no stated limit) qualify.
Will a crossbow shoot through an archery target?
Yes, if the target is not rated for your bow's speed. Crossbows generate considerably more energy than most compound bows, and a target rated for compound use can pass a crossbow bolt clean through or hold it so tightly it cannot be removed. Check the rating, not the size.
Can I shoot broadheads into a bag target?
No. Bag targets stop arrows with layered fiber fill, and broadhead blades cut the fill apart. Use a self-healing foam target for broadheads and keep the bag for field points. Shoot broadheads sparingly even into a foam target — you only need enough shots to confirm they group with your field points.
How do I know a crossbow case will fit my bow?
Measure the bow uncocked at its widest point and its overall length with the scope and quiver attached, then check both against the case's published specification. TenPoint publishes a named fit list for about thirty bows; Allen publishes a maximum limb width; Excalibur publishes exact external dimensions. Do not buy from a photograph.
Do I need a hard case for a crossbow?
Only if the bow is going to be handled by someone else or stored under load. For driving to a blind and walking in, a padded soft case with backpack straps is more useful and far lighter. For air travel, a gasket-sealed hard case with padlock holes is the right tool and the only one that will survive it.

Sources

Crossbows sorted by what you can actually cock, carry and shoot quietly.