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The crossbow speed race is at a ceasefire with both TenPoint and Ravin — the two top brands — not releasing new bows anywhere near the 500 fps mark. Instead, we’re seeing a return to putting accuracy and huntability first. Ravin’s new flagship bow is part of that refreshing shift. The Ravin LR is a precision crossbow with an accuracy-minded design.
The press release says the LR is the most accurate crossbow in Ravin’s lineup and it has claims about accuracy beyond 100 yards. I’ve put a few hundred shots through the LR — including some groups at 100 yards. It’s certainly an accurate crossbow with some exciting new features, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement. Here’s a look at how it performed for me on the range and in the field.
Ravin LR Specs and Features
Photo by Scott Einsmann
- Speed: 451.5 fps (tested with 405 grain arrow)
- Width: 10.5 inches uncocked
- Length: 34 inches
- Includes cocking mechanism
- For-end has 4.5 inches of Picatinny rail
- Adjustable length of pull and comb
- Length of Pull: 12.6 to 13.5 inches (measured)
- Weight: 10.21 pounds (weighed with scope and full quiver attached)
- Includes a 1-8×24 scope with adjustable elevation turret, a quiver, scope level, and three .001 straightness bolts
- MSRP: $2,550
Extended Picatinny Sections
The LR has an extended 12-inch scope rail that attaches at two points to the crossbow for rigidity. The Picatinny rail on the for-end measures 4.5 inches for mounting a bipod or other Picatinny accessories.
Adjustable Length of Pull and Comb
I measured the length of pull from the trigger to the center of the recoil pad at 12.6 inches with the pad flush to the stock and 13.5 inches fully extended. To adjust the length of pull you loosen the two set screws on the recoil pad and then pull on the recoil pad to extend it. Once you’ve adjusted it to your desired setting, you’ll tighten the set screws.
Similarly, the comb is adjustable via two set screws. Just note the cheek rest fits tight to the stock and needs to be coerced to extend up. I was able to extend the comb about .5 inch.
The length of pull and comb adjustment will help the LR fit a wider range of hunters. And the comb adjustment also allows you to use higher rings or a larger scope.
Tripod Friendly For-End
Past crossbow designs have had a rounded for-end that’s comfortable while shooting off hand, but unstable when trying to lock it into a tripod saddle. In past reviews, I’ve asked for a flat for-end with square sides that would easily lock into a saddle. Finally those requests were answered with the LR’s much-improved for-end that’s tailor made for tripod shooting.
Loading
The loading procedure is much like other Ravin crossbows. You’ll depress the latch located just behind the grip and slide the trigger mechanism forward until it clicks onto the string. Then, you insert the crank and begin cranking the string back. The cocking force is minimal on the LR and I could easily cock it while it was locked into a tripod. Once the trigger mechanism stops moving back, the crossbow is fully cocked. You can then click the arrow onto the string and get ready to shoot. I timed the the loading process a few times and it averaged 45 seconds per shot.
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Testing on the Range
I’ve had the LR for two weeks and I’ve put around 200 shots through it. I’ve shot it off hand, on a tripod, and while using a bipod from 20 to 100 yards. Like the other Ravin’s I’ve tested, it’s been very accurate.
I measured a dozen groups at 50 yards that averaged 1.62 inches. That’s close to the Ravin R29X, which won the 2024 crossbow test where it shot a 1.16-inch group average at 50 yards.
I also stretched the LR out to 100 yards, and my groups ranged from 2.5 inches to 7.5 inches. Most were between 4 and 5 inches. There’s an asterisk on the groups I shot because I had to shoot seated from a tripod, rather than prone off a bipod, to see above the grass and rolling topography. There were also gusting winds that day.
If you do your part and the wind cooperates, I’m confident that you can shoot under 3-inch groups consistently at 100 yards.
The LR’s accuracy was great, but what was most impressive was its forgiveness while shooting with different supports and in varying positions. With some crossbows, if you sight them in while using bags for support and then switch to shooting off a tripod, your point of impact can shift. Or the point of impact can vary for different shooters. A major contributor to that problem is flex in the stock, and the LR’s rigid construction helps mitigate that issue. Even when I purposely tried pressing my face and shoulder hard into the stock and then used almost no pressure on the next shot, I had no point of impact shift at 40 yards.
I chronographed the LR at 451 fps with a Garmin Xero C1, which is just over the advertised spec. We’ve grown accustomed to crossbows getting faster each year, but I’m glad to see Ravin, and others, taking a step back in the speed race. The 500+ fps crossbows I’ve tested over the years were difficult to shoot accurately and were very picky on broadheads. The LR’s 450 fps is a sweet spot for maintaining good accuracy and a flat trajectory.
To illustrate the flat trajectory I shot at 20, 35, and 40 yards using the same aiming point. The 20 and 35-yard arrows were right next to each other, and the 40-yard arrow was 3 inches below the 20. That minimal drop means a lot of forgiveness for slight errors in yardage. I did a similar test last year out to 50 yards while testing the R29X, which also shoots 450 fps. Its arrows dropped 6.8 inches from 20 to 50 yards.
The LR was stable while shooting offhand and kneeling. From seated and kneeling positions I had no trouble keeping my groups under 4 inches at 40 yards. My offhand shooting told me I need to work on that skill as they were more inconsistent — even though the reticle float was minimal. A tip for crossbow shooting is that follow through is absolutely critical. Maintaining your shooting position until the arrow leaves the bow will yield far better accuracy. That’s where the LR’s weight becomes an advantage and it won’t move as much as a lighter bow in the split second from pulling the trigger to the arrow leaving the string.
The weight also helped it hold very steady and I liked the way the wide, flat for-end sat on my hand. The balance point is just in front of the trigger guard, which aided in the gun being stable off hand.
While most of my testing was on the range, I was able to take the LR out for a morning still hunt. And I wouldn’t recommend it for that application. It’s just too heavy and awkward to comfortably carry in the woods. But, if you’re walking a half mile to a blind or stand, then it’s just fine.
Where the LR Can Improve
The LR’s adjustability is a step in the right direction. After all, crossbows are used by everyone from youth shooters looking to tag their first deer to full-grown adults. However, the adjustability falls short in terms of ease of use and adjustment range. The length of pull should be able to extend to 14.5 inches, rather than 13.5, to fit taller adults. My other LOP gripe is the the LR’s method of adjusting the length of pull is inelegant. A toolless thumbwheel or set screw like those used on a premium long range rifle chassis would be a huge improvement. The comb adjustment is also clunky and offered .5 inch of added height. Again, more adjustment range and a refined design is needed.
The safety is located behind the grip and to reach it you’ll have to break your grip on the crossbow. A more ergonomic safety location would mean faster and more intuitive shooting. Another issue is that the trigger reach (distance from the grip to the trigger shoe) is very short. That means someone with large hands will have issues placing their index finger squarely on the trigger and pulling it straight to the rear. Some precision rifle chassis have a grip that slides forward and back to accommodate different size hands. A feature like that on a crossbow would be very cool to see.
Other new features to add would be a grip with a slight palmswell for comfort and an arca rail for directly attaching the crossbow to a tripod.
What the LR Does Best
Ravin successfully built a crossbow that’s easy to cock, is very accurate, and has excellent speed. That’s not an easy feat.
I like that Ravin uses an efficient cam and a long power stroke to generate speed rather than draw weight to make cocking effortless and smooth. The rigidity engineered into the crossbow adds weight, but improves the consistency. That consistency is the LR’s greatest strength and it’s a confident booster to know that you have a crossbow that will be reliably accurate no matter the shooting scenario.
Final Thoughts
Just like precision rifles swept the firearms market a few years ago, precision crossbows could be the new big category in archery. They are a departure from the super fast crossbows and small bullpups that dominated archery catalogs over the last few years. But, I think most whitetail hunters will benefit from a precision crossbow’s repeatable accuracy and adjustability far more than they would an extra 50 fps.
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