Five hundred feet per second. That is the number that follows the R500 everywhere, and it is not marketing rounding, it is the measured speed with a 400-grain arrow. The kinetic energy behind it, 222 foot-pounds, is the kind of figure that used to belong to firearms conversations. Ravin calls it the fastest, most powerful compact crossbow they have ever built, and nothing else in the current range disputes the claim.
The engine behind it is the HexCoil cam system, a step beyond the HeliCoil design that made the brand famous. HexCoil rotates the cams a complete 360 degrees, which allows the string alignment to stay consistent while the bow produces speeds the older architecture simply could not reach. Because the cams stay balanced through the full rotation, the R500 keeps the downrange accuracy the brand is known for instead of trading it away for raw velocity.
Cocking a bow this powerful should be a chore, and it is not, thanks to the VersaDrive system. An internal screw drive moves the Trac-Trigger firing system back and forth, and an internal clutch makes over-cocking mechanically impossible. You can start the draw, stop halfway, and resume when ready, all in complete silence thanks to the one-way bearing in the silent cocking system. Draw force is 17 pounds, and the whole process is quiet enough that Ravin leans on the phrase “silent as a shadow” without blushing.
The rest of the package: 8.4 pounds total weight, 28.5 inches long, fiberglass limbs on a CNC-machined aluminum riser, nylon fiber stock. The included 100-yard illuminated scope carries reticle aiming points from 30 to 100 yards, red and green illumination, fully coated lenses and weatherproof construction. Per Ravin, the bow extends a hunter’s maximum effective and ethical range out to 100 yards, a claim best matched with honest practice at those distances.
At $2,649.99 on the official store, SKU R050.1, the R500 sits near the top of the range for good reason. If the question is which Ravin erases distance and doubt at the same time, this is the answer.
- Brand: Ravin
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