TenPoint Stealth FX4 Review (In-Field) – Compound Crossbow

Model	Draw Weight	Stroke	Velocity	Suggested Arrow Length	Crossbow Length / Weight
TenPoint Stealth FX4 Check price on Amazon.com	185 lbs.	13.3"	370 FPS Crossbow Academy: ballistics, sighting, tuning	20"	34.4" / 6 lbs. 8 ozs.

TenPoint Stealth FX4 Package Contents

The TenPoint Stealth FX4 is only available as a complete package. Ours came with:

• A 3x illuminated multi-reticle scope
• 3 Pro Elite carbon arrows with 100-grain field points
• A quick detach quiver and ambidextrous quiver mount
• An ACUdraw50™ rope cocking device
• Bowjax crossbow noise dampening kit
• Owner’s instructional DVD

TenPoint ensures you are ready to hit the range right away with their complete package. You just need to get some good mechanical broad heads and you are ready to start stocking the freezer.

First Impressions: Design, Safety, Comfort and Accuracy

TenPoint has taken their award-winning Stealth SS design and upped the speed with the inclusion of the supercharged limbs found on the Venom. The design is built on TenPoint’s FSB (Functionally Superior Bullpup) stock and offers a very nice weight distribution. Speaking of weight, the Stealth FX4 has a skeletal stock as well as a fluted aluminum barrel to really minimize weight. TenPoint was very specific on how they fluted the barrel to ensure greater comfort for the shooter. Connecting the stock to the barrel are a set of rubber dampeners that serve a dual purpose, to cut vibration and noise, and to keep fingers and thumbs out of the flight path.

The well-known quality of TenPoint is evident in the Stealth FX4 as it is in the rest of their crossbow lineup. When we first held the Stealth FX4, we knew we were going to be in for a treat, and we certainly weren’t disappointed. This is not an inexpensive crossbow, but it certainly is one for the high-end crossbow connoisseur.

Kinetic Energy of the Stealth FX4

The Stealth FX4 offers a lot of power for such a small crossbow. Depending on the arrow weight you go with, you are going to be hitting with about 113 to 116 ft. lbs. of energy. The tested arrow weight which allows for the 370 fps rating was 375 grains which is ends up being on the lower end of the energy range. We tested with the 425-grain Pro Elite carbon arrows which slowed the overall speed to around 350 fps, but increased the kinetic energy at the muzzle to 116 ft. lbs. Whether you go for speed or raw power, you are not going to be disappointed with the FX4’s performance.

Use our arrow ballistics calculator for more valuable information.

Ballistic Data For The TenPoint Stealth FX4

Your actual results will vary slightly depending on weather, and significantly with arrow weight change. See our Crossbow Ballistics Guides section for a complete understanding of how we conducted our tests and why this data matters.

Hunting with the Stealth FX4

The Stealth FX4 was absolutely amazing in terms of accuracy. Placing multiple arrows within the dimensions of a deer heart at 40 yards was no effort whatsoever. The trigger is very smooth and breaks at about 3.5 lbs., so you can keep on target without a heavy pull. The multi-reticle scope is clear and will allow for accurate shot placement at a multitude of ranges. We really like the red/green illumination of the scope as it will make those low light shots much easier to take.
We were impressed at the narrow 13.3 axle-to-axle dimensions (when cocked) of the FX4. This is something that will really make a difference for a lot of hunters, especially those in tree stands.

How Quiet is the Stealth FX4

The Stealth FX4 is a very quiet crossbow, especially when considering the supercharged 185-lb. limbs. There definitely wasn’t the same snap we have experienced on other bows in this draw range. We think this definitely has something to do with the incorporation of the rubber safety wings which also go a long way towards dampening sound and eliminating vibration. The Bowjax noise dampening system also helps a lot as there are multiple dampeners that go on everything from the limbs to the stirrup.

Cocking the Stealth FX4

Our Stealth FX came with the ACUdraw50™ system, which is essentially a rope cocking device that stores neatly within the stock. At first glance, it looks very similar to the ACUdraw™ system, but only reduces the force necessary to cock the crossbow by about 50%. Even as such, we didn’t have any issues with cocking the Stealth FX4. Having used both systems, we would recommend that you try both to see what fits your needs the best. The ACUdraw50™ system is much faster to use but takes more strength while the ACUdraw™ takes a bit longer to cock, but requires about as much effort as your index finger can provide.

Quality of the Optics

The included 3x scope was good for a lot of shooting situations. Its multiple aim points (20, 30, 40, and 50 yards) made shooting at various ranges very comfortable, which is important in a hunting crossbow. One note that we had was the ranges were a bit off as you got further out. This could be due in part to this being the same scope as the one provided on the TenPoint Lady Shadow, which is about 20-30 fps slower. The difference wasn’t huge, but you might want to spend some time figuring out the correct distances for the reticles. We liked that the scope is also illuminated in red and green, with a variable brightness.

See our detailed guide on how to sight-in your crossbow

What Arrows to use with the Stealth FX4

The Stealth FX4 comes standard with three 20” Pro Elite carbon arrows. These are 22/64ths diameter made by Easton for TenPoint. As with their other arrows, they come with the Superbrite Omni-Nock and are pretty much ready to go right out of the box. Keep in mind the power the Stealth FX4 is putting out should you wish to go with a different arrow. We included the diameter to help with your selection should you go that route.

You can also learn more about crossbow arrows and take a look at our broadhead recommendations

Overall Thoughts

The TenPoint Stealth FX4 is an absolute beast to shoot. This crossbow has some ridiculous accuracy…so much so that we would recommend you not go for tight groupings unless you are wanting to ruin a few arrows. The ACUdraw50™ system is a really cool way to ensure you never leave your rope cocker at home, and the option for the ACUdraw™ system to further aid in ease of cocking is really great on a crossbow with this kind of draw weight.

From the skeletonized stock to the fluted barrel, this crossbow was built with weight and portability in mind. This is definitely not a crossbow that is easy on the pocketbook, but the quality and performance you are getting certainly make it worth a hard look. Take a look at today's amazon.com price on this crossbow and check out our top 10 crossbows rankings for more.