TenPoint Stealth XLT Crossbow Review

How We Test - The Authors

Model	Draw Weight	Stroke	Velocity	Suggested Arrow Length	Crossbow Length / Weight
TenPoint Stealth XLT Check price on Amazon.com	185 lbs.	12"	320 FPS Crossbow Academy: ballistics, sighting, tuning	20"	37.30" / 7.3 lbs.

Pros: - Superior sturdiness and material quality - Take down any game from up to 60 yards comfortably - Beautiful design - Particularly comfortable to hold and shoot - Painfully accurate - ACUdraw technology - Superb-quality scope included - Includes assembly and use DVD Cons: - Not cheap - Somewhat loud; though makes up with speed	Small Game Hunting?
	Deer, Elk Hunting?
	Moose, Bear Hunting?
	Target Shooting?
	Also Recommended:	Best Ten Point Crossbows

TenPoint Stealth XLT Package Contents

Welcome to our TenPoint Stealth XLT crossbow review. Included in my package were the following items:

The TenPoint Stealth XLT Compound Crossbow (prod, stock, cables, string, cocking stirrup)
The Illuminated Rangemaster® scope
4-bolt quiver with mount
Six XX75 20″ aluminum bolts
Assembly hardware
String wax
Assembly and use manual and DVD
Warranty card (lifetime on crossbow; 5 years on ACUdraw system)

No rope cocking aid was included as its simply not required. (Scroll down to the ACUdraw section for more.)

Bonus: TenPoint apparently now includes a Grip guard safety shield with the package to further protect your fingers from the string. Back when I bought the crossbow this was not the case, so I can’t comment on the shield.

How To Assemble The TenPoint Stealth XLT Crossbow?

Thanks to the included instructional DVD, assembly is a no-brainer. I watched it even though I’m fully aware of how to assemble a compound crossbow; just wanted to make sure of the quality. The video’s do not miss any steps, no matter how small or “obvious.” The whole process is as simple as:

Feeding the cables through the stock (as shown on the DVD)
Bolting-in the foot stirrup
Securing the riser to the stock
Mounting the quiver and scope

I was ready for shooting 20 minutes from opening the package.

How Powerful And Accurate Is The Stealth XLT?

Right out of the box, the crossbow was perfectly sighted. Was hitting pretty much the same spot from 20, 30, 40, 50 and even 60 yards. The bolts seemed to maintain excellent penetration even at the 50+ yard mark. See our guide on arrow drop for more information. Overall, I definitely felt like I got what I paid for with the Stealth XLT.

Use our arrow ballistics calculator for more valuable information.

Ballistic Data For The TenPoint Stealth XLT

Speed Reduction
Kinetic Energy
Hunting Requirements

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.

Is TenPoint Stealth XLT Good For Hunting?

This crossbow is exceptionally good for hunting and was designed with that in mind. I was easily able to take down an elk from what seemed like 45 yards away. The bolt penetrated the liver and went right through the other side, lodging itself in a tree. It’s always a good idea to take your shot from no more than 30 yards for accuracy’s sake, however if you need to take a shot from twice as far, the TenPoint Stealth XLT will handle it, even if you were to hit bone. Just make sure you take your time to aim.

How Loud Is The Stealth XLT Crossbow?

It’s quite loud, even for a compound bow. This is not a problem however as the bolt will travel so fast that your prey won’t have any time to react, duck or turn. The ACUdraw device is quite loud as well, so you want to cock the crossbow well before you get in shooting range.

ACUdraw: Cocking TenPoint Stealth XLT

No TenPoint Stealth XLT review would be complete without a mention of ACUdraw. This technology was designed by TenPoint and is used in all their compound crossbows. ACUdraw is a small device attached to the butt of the stock. It weighs a mere 1 lbs. and is so small outsiders might not even know its there. The device can be used to draw the string (cock the crossbow) with no more force than you would need when using a crank cocking device. And because the ACUdraw device is so small and light-weight, you don’t need to attach and remove it each time you want to cock your Stealth XLT.

It takes around 10 seconds to fully cock the Stealth XLT using ACUdraw if you are taking your sweet time.

How Good Is The Scope That Comes With The Package?

The Scope I got with the Stealth XLT is the Illuminated RangeMaster 1.5 scope, which comes with all packages. This scope alone retails for around $350, and it’s the best crossbow scope I have ever used, rivaled only by the Nikon Bolt XR. According to the manual, it can be used with any crossbow with an FPS of between 275 and 365. This RangeMaster has three dots and four crosshairs (20, 30, 40, 50 yards).

Magnification is 1.5-5×32. I found the four dots to be exceptionally small and bright, making them really great for hitting those far targets. The optics gather light exceptionally well and I was able to see the targets even in very poorly lit conditions. Once it got too dark, I simply turned on the illumination (red or green), which had the perfect amount of brightness.

The scope that comes with the Stealth XLT is one of the best things about this crossbow.

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

What Arrows/Bolts To Use With The Stealth XLT Crossbow?

The package comes with six 20″ XX75 aluminum bolts, which was a pleasant surprise. A set of six practice field points was also included. These bolts weigh a total of 425 grain (325 grain shafts and 100 grain points if I’m not mistaken). When buying hunting broad-heads and shafts, make sure that their total weight is 400 grain or more. Going below the minimum could seriously damage your crossbow upon fire.

If you want, you can buy additional bolts and points from TenPoint as an extra. Both aluminum (amazon.com link) and carbons are available.

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

Design And Safety

Anti dry-fire mechanism will prevent the crossbow from firing unless a bolt is seated and pushed deep enough for the nock to come in contact with the string.

Ambidextrous design makes it easy to engage and disengage safety regardless of whether you are a right- or left-handed shooter.

Patentet grip safety includes a spot you can easily feel with your thumb, and which marks the maximum safe height for you to place your finger so that it doesn’t get in the way of the string.

It just looks and feels freakin’ good, too.

TenPoint’s Crossbow Warranty

Last, I wanted to briefly touch upon TenPoint’s warranty in this Stealth XLT crossbow review. You’ll be receiving a lifetime warranty on the crossbow, and a five-year warranty on the ACUdraw device. Make sure to read the details of the warranty to know what you need to avoid in order not to void the warranty.

What Crossbow Case Fits the TenPoint Stealth XLT?

The Plano 1133-00 Manta Crossbow Case is a well-made, hard case choice to store the TenPoint Sealth XLT in. One of the best features about it is the adjustable tall-stock to accommodate your scope and crossbow. This beauty averages around $120. The Allen Company case is a nice, but much less expensive soft case option.