Bear X Constrictor Crossbow Review – Best Value for the Money Crossbow in 2020?

Bear just released the Bear X Constrictor for the new 2020 hunting season and we had to take it down to the shooting range and write a review for other people that are possibly interested in this crossbow.

Almost any list of best crossbows for the money would include something from Bear Archery and their new 2020 lineup is no exception to that. They always produce high quality crossbows for little money. Their crossbows are always insanely accurate, reliable, durable and lethal!

The Bear X Constrictor is capable of firing arrows at 410 feet per second and there are a couple of really neat functions on this crossbow too, including an Ambidextrous top mount 5-arrow quiver for custom quiver placement which allows positioning of the quiver on either side of the crossbow.

The Bear X Constrictor is a ready-to-hunt package and ships mostly assembled. Including the crossbow, you’ll be receiving the following: Illuminated (4×32) scope, Anti-dry fire mechanism, Pre-Installed String Dampeners, Rubber anti vibration pads, Ambidextrous top mount 5-arrow quiver, 3 Bear X TrueX bolts, Rail lube / String wax, Sling, and a Cocking rope.

Bear X Constrictor Crossbow Features

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First Impressions

After assembling the Bear X Constrictor crossbow, the Bear X Constrictor has a pretty comfortable grip. Because of my length I had to extend the butt stock completely and because of that, it became a bit nose heavy. Maybe also because of the foot-stirrup and dampeners, but it’s nothing you wont get used to.

Bear also equipped the Bear X Constrictor with an adjustable cheek-pad and stock. Having an adjustable stock means that you can adjust it to your own preference and this crossbow can be used by multiple people as well.

The adjustable stock and cheek piece are some nice additions to this crossbow as well. Really comfortable and easy to match anybody’s preference.

X-Top technology positions the quiver on the top of the crossbow with the ability to mount the quiver on either side and 360 degree positional customization. A neat feature to have on your crossbow for sure!

Bear equipped the Constrictor with an anti-dry fire mechanism. Dry firing a crossbow with such high power can cause a lot of harm to you or others close by. The anti-dry fire mechanism prevents this.

Design and Durability

As you can see in the table, the Bear X Constrictor only measures 32 inches in length and weighs 7.8 pounds. Measuring 14 inches wide uncocked and 10 inches wide cocked this crossbow is really compact! The Constrictor is a compact crossbow, perfect to bring along any hunting or camping trip.

At under eight pounds and only ten inches wide when cocked, the crossbow handles well and offers a fine, slim profile for greater maneuverability in a blind or in that multi-trunk Tree Stand Setup.

Optics

The illuminated (4×32) scope on the bow is pretty damn good. You’ll hit what you’re aiming for straight out of the box. The scope didn’t need any adjustments at all. You shouldn’t have any problems hitting your targets at 50-, or 60-yard distances.

With the power the Bear X Constrictor has to offer, it’s probably wise to invest a bit in a aftermarket crossbow scope. With 410 FPS, Bear should’ve equipped the Constrictor with a scope that has the ability to magnify up to 16 times and therefore be able to hit your target easily at up to 100yards.

Noise Reducing Features

One of the main features on this Bear X crossbow are the pre-installed string dampeners and rubber anti-vibration pads on the foot-stirrup. This quiets down the shooting of the Bear X Constrictor a lot.

The Bear X Constrictor is actually really quiet when you shoot the crossbow. String dampeners and rubber anti-vibration tabs on the stirrup are great for noise control.

Cocking

The big/broad foot stirrup looks like an annoying detail at first look, but you will appreciate it when you have to cock your crossbow while wearing a big hunting shoe. It also makes the crossbow a bit nose heavy though…

Speaking of cocking, the crossbow’s long power stroke will need you to put a bit of extra muscle into the pull rope, it has about 190 pounds of draw weight, but it is nothing most (experienced) hunters cannot handle. With the extra broad foot stirrup you should be able to get a better grip on the crossbow during the cocking process which should help a bit.

Assembly and Sighting-In

Before you can safely shoot the Bear X Constrictor, you first have to do a couple of things. Assembling the Bear X Constrictor is really easy. It takes just 3 bolts and a couple minutes of your time to assemble the crossbow.

First you have to install the limbs and stirrup and then install the rest of the accessories. It took me 5 minutes maximum to fully install and setup the crossbow. Disassembling is easy as well. Take it apart and carry it with you in minutes!

As Bear markets this crossbow as a read to shoot package, the scope should be sighted in already. If you do have time, make sure that the scope is still correctly sighted in. It can happen that the scope isn’t sighted in properly anymore because of the transportation or mounting/demounting process.

Performance

Do not let its compressed size fool you though! This Bear X Constrictor really rips the arrow downrange! It’s a compact model that shoots at very high speeds.

Capable of firing arrows over 410 feet per seconds, the Bear X Constrictor has more than enough fire ability for hunting elk, deer, and moose and ZOMBIES! With the Constrictor, you’ll be receiving 3 Bear X TrueX arrows as well. These arrows are exclusively designed for Bear crossbows only and gives you extreme accuracy and high speeds.

Once cocked, the Bear X Constrictor is very pleasant to shoot, partly because the trigger breaks quite flawlessly. The trigger has 3 inches of pull adjustment to it, so any hand size should be good to go with this crossbow. Because of the 190 lbs. of force this crossbow does actually give a bit of recoil when shooting.

As mentioned in the Assembly and Sighting-In section, Bear already sighted the scope. I didn’t have to make any adjustments, the scope was sighted in correctly. It’s a very accurate crossbow paired with the TrueX arrows.

As a last test, I shot 3 arrows over our chronograph. Bear speed-rated the Bear X Constrictor at 410 feet per second, using the 370-grain TrueX arrows. I managed to get 411, 411, and 411 feet per second! Pretty consistent and very well tuned crossbow by Bear!

Overall the Bear X Constrictor is a really good crossbow. It’s really compact, accurate, and produces speeds of over 410 feet per second!

Recommended Accessories

Arrows & Broadheads

Bear includes three Bear X TrueX arrows with this crossbow. Bear X TrueX arrows feature TrueX Nock Technology and come fully equipped with 100-grain field points, inserts and TrueX nocks for consistent and accurate arrow flight. Every TrueX arrow is inspected and sorted for straightness within +/- .005″, fletched with 4-inch vanes, measures 20 inches long and weighs 370 grains.

I highly suggest to stick with the Bear X TrueX arrows as they come with the TrueX nocks. These nocks have a deeper groove for a more consistent and accurate arrow flight. If you do want to use different/cheaper arrows, make sure to swap out the nocks with Bear’s TrueX nocks.

If you’re looking for cheaper arrows to use with the Bear X Constrictor, I suggest you take a look at these Reegox crossbow arrows/bolts. These arrows have a total weight of 425 grains including a 125-grain field tip. Replace the nocks and field tips on these arrows/bolts and you’ll have yourself a cheap set of arrows for your crossbow!

If you’re looking for some good broadheads, you can check out our best broadheads article. Our suggestion is to use the 2-blade Rage Crossbow X broadheads if you have the money to spare. If you’re looking at cheaper alternatives, Sinbadteck broadheads are really cheap and if correctly installed also very accurate!

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Storage and Transportation

Bear does not produce or offer any crossbow cases themselves. I’ve spent some time looking at and trying out different crossbow cases. I ended up storing the Bear X Constrictor in a Titan Copperhead crossbow case. It fits perfectly, has one internal pocket and five external pockets to store your arrows and other accessories you might want to bring with you.

Not only does this Titan Copperhead crossbow case protect your crossbow, this case is also equipped with a “molded” external handle for easy transportation.

Conclusion

Our Rating of the Bear X Constrictor

Bryan Taylor

Speed

Accuracy

Durability

Value

Summary

The Bear X Constrictor is a very compact crossbow that consistently shoots arrows over 410 feet per second. With the adjustable stock it’s easy to set it up the way you want. Overall, it’s a great design at an affordable price. You really can’t go wrong with this setup.

4

This crossbow is an ideal option for the widest range of crossbow hunters or just people using it for target practice. It is the type of bow you can spend a bit extra on when you are just starting out but will continue to perform when your crossbow skills grow. The ready to hunt package should only cost you around $600 excluding shipping. This is fairly cheap for such a great performing crossbow…

The new Bear X Constrictor model is turning out to be one of the finest survival crossbows currently on the market! It is relatively cheap and compact. Because of its small size the Bear X Constrictor makes it a perfect option for bringing it with you on a camping and/or hiking trip as well.

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