Every crossbow has a minimum bolt weight, point included, and going under it can act like a dry fire and void the warranty. Pick your crossbow or enter the number from your manual, set your finished bolt weight and speed, and see whether it clears the minimum, which weight class it’s in and the energy it carries.
How to use it: Pick your crossbow (or enter your manual’s minimum), weigh a finished bolt with its point on, set its speed, and read the verdict on the right.
// The calculator
Weigh a finished bolt on a grain scale: shaft, insert, nock, vanes and the point you’ll shoot.
30 gr over the minimum
// The math
Margin = finished bolt weight − your crossbow’s minimum, both with the point included. Published minimums: TenPoint and Wicked Ridge 2012 and newer 370 gr, before 2012 420 gr; Wicked Ridge Ranger, Lady Ranger and Ranger X2 350 gr (TenPoint’s FAQ); Bear X 370 gr (Bear X manual); Excalibur Mag 340 350 gr (retail listings). Any other crossbow: the number in its manual. Under it, a bolt can act like a dry fire (Barnett).
Weight class (TenPoint): light 350–399 gr, standard 400–459, heavy 460+. Energy and momentum use the arrow energy formulas: grains × fps² ÷ 450,240 (ft-lb) and grains × fps ÷ 225,120 (slug-ft/s).
A 400 gr bolt from a 2012-or-newer TenPoint (370 gr minimum): 400 − 370 = +30 gr, a standard bolt. At 400 fps it carries 400 × 400² ÷ 450,240 = 142.1 ft-lb.
The full explanation: Choosing a crossbow bolt weight for deer.
// FAQ
Quick answers about minimum bolt weights, grains and hunting bolts.
Your crossbow’s manual sets it. TenPoint and Wicked Ridge crossbows from 2012 on need at least 370 grains, point included; older ones 420. More in choosing a crossbow bolt weight.
A standard bolt of 400–459 grains total works for most deer hunting, by TenPoint’s classes. Stay above your crossbow’s minimum and sight in with your broadheads.
Yes. The minimum is for the finished bolt: shaft, insert, nock, vanes and point. Most crossbows are set up around 100-grain points.
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