May 2013 - Mission Crossbow Test by Jon Teater
Contents
1. l vz y er e S lt 4 to sa NU By Jon Teater above the rest If you look at today s great bow designs Mathews products still remain in the forefront I would say its product portfolio exudes elegance But archers won t just buy based on looks What Mathews works to create is the ultimate shooting experience Therefore designers of the MXB 360 paid close attention to performance characteristics while creating each component The product design team released a product that they believe hits all the high points and Matt McPherson expects the MXB 360 to be a leader The company wanted the crossbows in the Mission line to be fast quiet and accurate Additionally the product needed to be light in weight well bal anced and easy to use which can be a Finish Stock Lost AT Black Composite Dimensions Axle to Axle inches Mission MXB 360 17 75 12 375 7 7 Ibs 6 5 Ibs Axle to Axle Power Stroke full draw inches Mass Weight including scope Overall Length inches inches lot to ask in the design tradeoff process Bottom line the Mission line is a new experience and I suspect this product is the first of many new crossbows to come from the Sparta Wisconsin head quarters Testing Background The MXB 360 went through a stan dard and regimented performance test The focus was to determine the per formance characteristics Additionally the goal was to provide2. any issues from those with shorter or longer arms Summary Mission has produced a great first crossbow after several years of rapid growth in vertical bow sales The MXB 360 can be sold with three different scopes providing different pricing lev els The reputation of the manufacturer and of designer Matt McPherson makes this product desirable Consumers love Mathews and Mission has a lot of the same appeal so use this to your advan tage I would also highlight the perfor mance concepts this crossbow s speed measured just under 360 fps in my test with a 400 grain arrow Speed does sell but noting the high efficiency and low noise output will help consum ers understand this product isn t just your average crossbow The final selling method is to highlight the looks From a distance the MXB 360 exudes elegance and users may be easily drawn to this product because of that The eye appeal of the MXB 360 will be far greater than some of the latest crossbows from other brands Much of the allure comes from the stirrup free design and tactical look Overall I enjoyed testing this prod uct and I m very pleased to see Mission Archery in the crossbow market lt r THUNDERVALLEY BEST SGB Small Game Broadheads Precision Broadhead Adapters In 25 30 amp 40 grain weights BROADA AEAD 5 lt p Precision Archery Equipment Made in the U S A ThundervalleyArchery com 97
3. j veie niin Mission MXB 360 ts been quite a few years since a Mathews or Mission Archery product has gone through my test ing regime mostly because of my focus on crossbows rather than compound bows It was surprising yet not totally unexpected when Mission released a new crossbow late last year Crossbows continue to grow in importance in the archery market and Mathews Authorized Retailers have been asking for their favorite bow supplier to get into that side of the market Mathews is the parent company of Mission so its not unexpected to see Mathews engraving on the rail including a bit of Mathews flair throughout the design Mathews and Mission Archery sell not only a product but an experience Many archers enjoy the feeling of hav ing a top quality product in their hands Years ago I can remember testing my first Mathews product I can vaguely recall the model but more importantly I can describe the feeling I had while shooting The balance draw cycle and firing sequence which by today s stan dards are probably considered outdat ed were better than top notch at the time In fact I can honestly say many of the past Mathews bows including the one I m reminiscing about were heads Mission MXB 360 Mission Archery www missionarchery com MSRP 899 String Cable Material Zebra Hybrid Limb Material Proprietary Composite Contact Info Performance at a Glance r r he O
4. light fore arm and the stock The MXB 360 has a tactical look and feel to fit the market trends and from my standpoint it looks superb I like the harmonious combination of camouflage and black The limbs and portions of the stock are embossed in Lost AT while the remaining portions of the crossbow are black The cross bow is sold in a complete package The accessory package includes an MX 3 quiver and three Mission crossbow arrows weighing approximately 300 grains without their tips The package includes an option of three scopes XB Basic XB Hunter or XB Pro All these scopes are by Hawke known for its fine crossbow optics Scopes for crossbows are specially designed to correct for parallax at short range and to stand up to the peculiar recoil of these hunt ing arms For this test the product was provided with all the mentioned components including a Hawke XB 1 XB Pro The crossbow dimensions and weights measured out of the box are listed on the previous page The crossbow went through a thor ough inspection The review focused on the string cables the eccentrics the limb and limb pockets the rail the stock the butt plate the trigger housing the trigger and the trigger guard After a thorough review of the MXB 360 I was unable to find any blemishes I would rate the product as exceptional in the workmanship section Thereafter I put Assessment Chrono 1 Chrono 2 the product through a 100 150 shot
5. anual The component that stood out the most during this portion of the test was the Hawke scope which is outstanding The reticle setup is unique and was designed for easy target acquisition In fact I would rate the XB Pro to be one of the best scopes available and it cer tainly aided my shooting The crossbow hit the mark in the field the projectile precision provided herein from indoor testing mirrored what I experienced in the field And from my standpoint you can t ask for a product to shoot better than 2 inch groups at 40 yards Hot Features Many of the top selling features of this product have already been men tioned The pistol grip customized case adjustability efficient design comfortable trigger telescopic sight cleat design and performance output come to my mind as elements that will grab a consumer s attention The unique look of the design starting with the skeletonized barrel which extends rearward toward the stock is eye catch ing The drawing sequence and quiet output of the limb cam configura tion are ideal for a hunting situation Further the limb cam design is one of the most efficient I have tested to date reaching greater than 80 percent Please note that the draw weight of the MXB 360 is adjustable downward to 100 pounds and efficiencies will be impacted when reducing the crossbow from peak weight The trigger pull is in that optimal range for my shooting style of between 3 5 and 4 po
6. appropriate objective information as well as some subjective commentary for aiding in the purchase process With that said this evaluation is by no means conclu sive Each archer should assess what is important to him or her and interpret the results within the context of this article As always I recommend that anyone who is considering buying a crossbow should shoot as many dif ferent makes and models as possible to determine what best suits his or her individual needs and desires Introduction Mission Archery announced the release of the MXB 360 in September of 2012 At the time Matt Mass McPherson owner and Weight without scope CEO of Mission Archery Inc and Mathews Inc said he designed the MXB 360 Force Draw Curve N on o On ty 2 Q S Daen 0 LL on on a NO on a o 5 STORED ENERGY 141 3 lb ft Y Peak Force 175 0 Ibs Distance inches to give retailers and consumers a fast powerful and accurate crossbow that is also lightweight balanced and extremely easy to use We ve spent a few years listening to our retailers ask us to build a crossbow McPherson explained We re confident the MXB 360 is going to be a new leader in terms of crossbow performance Both the Mathews and Mission lines have dedicated consumer bases As you may expect Mission is probably the more sensible company for this prod
7. containing accessories the crossbow was retained in a case In fact this is the first soft case I can remember ever receiving with a crossbow The case is an excel lent touch and a feature that archers are sure to enjoy The crossbow was received almost fully assembled The only components requiring assembly were the scope and quiver bracket For this test the scope and quiver bracket were not used and it took just 5 to 10 minutes to precisely position the scope for proper head eye alignment After assembly I read through the manual The manual encompasses safeguards cocking instructions speci fications mainte Ib ft nance and warranty It s important to run through the crossbow safety rules with cus tomers While read ing the instructions I was reminded that all Mission crossbows are tested before they leave the fac tory The safety instructions are quite detailed and include sharp pictures and information on the dos and don ts of the MXB 360 An important aspect of the design is the anti dryfire component If a dry fire occurs this component has the ability to prevent crossbow damage and possible harm to the shooter Safe use of crossbows at the range or in the field is essential for the lon gevity of the product as well as the safety of the archer The MXB 360 has safety warnings plastered all over it First and foremost orange tape is placed over the string and the cross bow can t be fired u
8. cycling to verify functionality Some minor testing was performed but the focus was to detect any issues or con cerns with the product before starting the actual performance testing The MXB 360 performed flawlessly One item I did note was the way the archer must be aware of the location of the cocking rope while attaching the clips prior to drawing the crossbow The rope can sometimes become latched under the crossbow If this happens the archer will be unable to draw the crossbow string back This happened several times during my initial testing until after a little practice I became adept at avoiding that issue The crossbow was next evaluated on the five criteria outlined below Detailed Test Results Dynamic Efficiency The dynam ic efficiency portion of the test uti lized a Revere Load Cell controlled 4 SCENTS A LURI CSTORSCENTS COI OP TOP l LAUNDR DETERGENT ae Q Te n i IBU Sp SCENT STOP NTS FULIEBODY WASH 5 etal i SC eal Cn ete Speed Information Speed Per Inch of PS Speed per inch of Power Stroke PS by a winch device the load cell con nects to the crossbow with a cocking aid The crossbow was mounted in a shooting platform that controlled any movement that might be experienced as Force Draw curves were taken The stored energy obtained from the Force Draw curve was used in conjunction with speed measurements to calculate dynamic e
9. e warranty and make a claim In The Field With winter coming to an end and the weather starting to break I had time to take the MXB 360 afield The ini tial characteristics that most crossbow shooters notice are the weight feel and balance The weight aspect is superb at 6 5 pounds as a bare crossbow this product is comparable to some of the lightest available today The crossbow did feel good in my hands however the length of pull may be too long for some shooters As a reminder length of pull is the distance from buttstock to trigger The balance point pivot is at an almost optimal location for my shooting style The pivot is precisely 96 located at the tail end of the forearm near the trigger guard With many of today s crossbows you experience little to no let off In fact only a few crossbows available today are truly focused on produc ing let off Some will say this aspect is unimportant and has little impact on the archer using a rope cocking aid but I disagree Drawing a crossbow in a treestand or on the ground can be difficult for the last few inches of the drawing sequence You can teach a customer to bend his legs and use those powerful muscles for most of the cocking process but once the legs are straight then weaker shoulder and arm muscles have to take over The MXB 360 s force draw curve indicates a steady drop off into the valley reduc ing any struggle the user may experi ence In fact t
10. fficiency Speed per inch of Power Stroke Speed measurements were taken with three projectiles A Pact Chronograph XP and a Competition Electronics Pro Chrono IR were set in tandem to record results The average speed measure ment was divided by the power stroke SCENT STP FROM BUCK STOP LURE HA THES FETE NOSI PORNE SENT EMT LE 1 800 477 2368 THE BUCK STOPS HERE to determine the speed per inch of power stroke Noise Output Sound measure ments were recorded with three projec tiles The measurements were averaged and the sound meter was set to take measurements with the A weighted fil ter which mimics the human ear Trigger Force The Trigger Force measurements were recorded in pounds and averaged An Imada Digital Force Gauge was used to determine the peak Trigger Force Precision Measurements Provides an indication of how tight groups were when shooting the crossbow by hand from a bench rest or other support ive device Extreme spread was the Irigger Analysis Trigger Pull Ibs pT Trigger Putt ts 870 ee ee s y aS i 8 SSS Sec DS Ds LS haa a E Performance Information ee 175 0 Ibs Stored Energ 141 3 Dynamic Etficienc Dynamic Efficienc a Pe a method used to calculate the group size measured by a digital calipers The Initial Review I was happy to receive the MXB 360 Upon opening it I noticed the crossbow was well packaged While segregated from the box
11. he measured holding weight is around 66 pounds which is particularly low considering the peak weight is around 160 170 pounds A primary difference between the MXB 360 and other crossbows some thing that became noteworthy in the field is the lack of a stirrup at the front end The designers felt that reducing the overall length of the crossbow would be beneficial in the field Let me tell you it was Crossbow length and weight can be issues with some customers whether they re used to carrying a bow or a rifle The MXB 360 feels no differ ent than a rifle on my back The cleat design of the MXB 360 which replaces the stirrup on a traditional crossbow allows the user to place his or her foot on either side of the crossbow while drawing This feature played a huge part in allowing me to easily cock the crossbow while in the treestand As I typically do I brought the MXB 360 to my predetermined shoot ing location with four targets spaced at various distances The furthest target was almost 50 yards away My trees tand includes a removable shooting rail so Iam able to test with or without support The crossbow performed flaw lessly during this shooting sequence I was conscious to make sure I lubricated Evaluation Criteria Score Adjustability Craftsmanship Design Integrity Features Performance Sound Irigger Vibration Projectile Precision the rail every 15 to 20 shots as recom mended by the crossbow m
12. ntil the tape is removed Mission placed a caution sticker on the product which was an excellent idea since you can t use the crossbow until it s removed and you percent B a Coyote Lumenok Lumen Arrow SS BACK Sound Measurements Lumenoks Weight grains Parameter D eee ae Sei Capture Nocks WWW LUMENOK NET 309 358 1602 Made in USA 92 5 Average Total Avg Max dBA yates City 5 are forced to look at it The caution notice on the orange tape is very clear it requests the user to read the owner s manual as well as register the product In addition stickers on either side of the wings of the forearm remind the archer to keep hands in a safe location to avoid contact with the string while firing The final safety notices are locat ed on the limbs The limb stickers reit erate key points of the user manual For example the minimum arrow weight is 400 grains the user must ensure proper vane orientation the user must use moon nocks only and the user must engage the safety after loading I mentioned only half the notices so pay close attention to the safety markings Finally there are limited lifetime warranty terms and conditions with the MXB 360 I recommend that any one that considers buying this cross bow read through these terms in detail The terms are also posted on Mission s website There are strict rules and pro cedures to register the crossbow acti vate th
13. uct release Mathews is a more traditional company meaning it is strictly bow focused Mission Archery is slightly more edgy and from my standpoint less susceptible to criti cism when releasing a product that s somewhat unconventional At the time of release this new product received a lot of publicity The popularity is really no surprise due to the large follow ing the Mission brand has built in the Test Category past few years In fact I have several hunting partners that purchased the MXB 360 late last year So in my local shooting circuit many archers knew that Mission had entered the crossbow market and trusted their cash to its introductory model The Mission line reflects the look of elegance that I mentioned earlier The designers worked hard to mix eye appeal with high performance Matt McPherson predicted this product would be a leader in performance Being a leader in this market is a dif ficult feat since Mission is compet ing with firms that have honed their crossbow designs and manufacturing skills over decades Still the MXB 360 has some unique features that help it stand out This first Mission crossbow is advertised to weigh 6 55 pounds which mirrors exactly the measurement I obtained with my certified scales With a scope the product weight jumps up but even so this is one of the lighter crosssbows on the market today Some of the elements that reduce weight are the skeleton like barrel the
14. unds The final noteworthy characteristic is the previously men tioned stirrup free design With this approach Mission proves sometimes you can do more with less Possible Refinements I found several areas I felt could be improved upon in the next rendition of this model or in additional models from Mission The stock and forearm including the pistol grip lack frictional areas Some products include check ering or rubberized material to allow the archer to make firm contact with the crossbow Without these high fric tion areas the crossbow could be more difficult to handle in the field espe cially in wet conditions The next area is the cocking rope anchor I did see the benefit in this concept however the location does not seem convenient and can be somewhat problematic when trying to quickly cock the product practice can alleviate this concern The third area is a debatable point because this is an area of personal preference and is constantly discussed amongst designers I prefer an auto engaged safety which the MXB 360 does not have Please ensure that consumers are aware that this product needs to be placed on safe after it is cocked similar to a firearm The final element I d like to see improved upon is the length of pull From my standpoint the length of pull will be too long for certain archers My suggestion is that Mission could include a stock that has some built in adjustability this will alleviate
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