Horton Explorer HD 150

between me, my dad and my brother we have 8 horton crossbows and have been hunting with them since the disabilty permits came out(we all have shoulder problems)and have shot many deer with the hortons,we only ever had a major issue with my brothers hunter max,no matter what you did you could not hold a group with that thing,it was back to horton 3 times and they kept saying nothing was wrong with it.that thing has now become a paper weight and he now shoots a horton legend 175,my 9 yr. old son is shooting my old yukon and at 30 yards can put every arrow in the 3 inch bullseye.horton makes decent crossbows for the price.this year my dad and I both switched to parkers he got a tornado and I got a cyclone and the parkers are definately a step above the hortons,they have less vibration,more consistent accuracy at longer ranges,quieter. just an all around better crossbow but the hortons served us well for many years.

Horton is a crossbow keystone and probably always will be. They have a very loyal following and are putting out some quality stuff at the moment with the restructuring. The new reverse limb Vision and the Ultralight TRT are getting some rave reviews.

Horton has had its ups and downs over the past several years but their bread and butter is the Summit, Explorer and various 175 models.

They have sold tons of these models and will continue to do so. They are entry level crossbows and nothing more. They will kill a deer as good as a $1000 BowTech. There has been some customer service issues of late but with Greg Ritz at the helm I am hopeful that will improve.

There are lemons among all crossbow makes. Parker had problems with the limbs blowing up two years ago but it seems to have rectified. Some makes are generally more reliable than others.

If someone likes their Horton and wants to buy another, have at it. You are the one that it matters most to. Once the crossbow bug bites hard, maybe you will yearn for a step up. Maybe not.

Enjoy the sport no matter what you carry.

All these forums are is an arena to share opinions and discuss tactics, tips and equipment. The advise is invaluable but decisions come down to a personal choice.

Good luck.