Barnett Ghost 410 CRT – A Compound Crossbow Review
The Barnett Ghost 410 has long been considered the king of all crossbows. It is a top-of-the-range performer, offering unmatched power and performance. But what exactly makes this crossbow so efficient?
Let us take a close look at the major features that define it and set it in a class of its own.
Barnett Ghost 410 CRT – Crossbow
Specifications:
- Velocity: 410 fps
- Draw Weight: 185 lbs
- Length: 37.3″
- Crossbow Weight: 7.3 lbs
- Power Stroke: 22″
The Barnett Ghost features superb power and speed, an extremely powerful scope and great accuracy. The only complaint is it’s slightly below par noise suppression.
What’s Included in Box?
- Barnett Ghost 410 Crossbow
- 4-reticle illuminated 3×32 scope
- Three field points
- Three Easton bolts
- Detachable quiver
- String wax
- Rope cocking device
- Padded sling
- Assembly tools
- Extra recoil pad
Barnett Ghost 410 Crossbow Detailed Review:
Power
This monster delivers 410 fps of shooting speed and kinetic energy levels of up to 150 FPKE, easily bringing down even the largest animals. This power also allows you a range of up to 80 yards of guaranteed accuracy.
Unlike most middle-level crossbows, the Ghost 410 has such immense power that the arrow drops effect remains accurate for up to 70 yards. For every 10 yards beyond the point-blank range, it only loses about 2% of its kinetic energy, meaning that you would need to go pretty far to get below the required 75 FPKE needed to take down the most significant games. So technically, you still have the power to hunt from further distances (though the accuracy is reduced).
User Comfort
The assembly process for this bow is rather straightforward, and a thoroughly detailed instruction manual is included to help you. The foot stirrup is integrated into the riser, and the scope is already mounted, so doing the rest should take just a few minutes.
Even though the scope comes sighted out of the box, it is wise to take a few moments to confirm its alignment is dead on. Use a bipod to ensure perfect calibration since your arms might be shaky, and the results would be compromised.
The crossbow package comes with a rope cocking aid to ensure a smooth and easy cocking process, bringing down the draw weight from 185 lbs. to approximately 90 lbs. The string on this one is adjustable, which means that you can choose the most comfortable and suitable length regardless of your height.
However, remember to properly position your foot inside the stirrup while cocking. Improper foot placement might result in the stirrup slipping, and this might cause serious injury. The three carbon bolts in its package are 22” long and 400 grains in weight. The power and performance of the bow are directly proportional to the quality of the arrows you choose to invest in. Therefore, ensure that they meet at least this specification whenever you buy other bolts.
The Barnett Ghost 410 CRT derives part of its name from the technology it uses. CRT refers to Carbonlite Riser Technology and is one of the biggest contributors to the performance and user-friendliness of this crossbow. It assists in keeping the device weight to a minimum and producing a balancing effect (particularly on the front side of the weapon).
This eliminates the common issue of front-heaviness associated with the most powerful crossbows. The weight is instead concentrated closer to your body, and the design of the smooth stock lying on the shoulder makes it almost impossible to feel the weight anyway.
Additionally, the design is lightweight (8 lbs.) and compact. The trigger mechanism is exceptionally smooth, requiring very little pressure to fire a shot. This allows you to stay in position for a more extended period, allowing you to get increased accuracy. The icing on the cake is that the Ghost 410 comes with a talon-like sling that makes it easy and convenient to carry around.
Noise Suppression
Being a compound crossbow, the Barnett Ghost 410 can’t be as quiet as any recurve model- but the increased speed and accuracy make up for this disadvantage. The reason for its noisy performance is that such high speeds generate a lot of residual energy that is then transformed into an audible vibration.
The Ghost 410 has such a high velocity that by the time your target gets startled, your shot will have landed anyway. If the noise is still an issue, there is always the option of using vibration dampeners.
Quality of Optics
The scope that comes included with the package comes pre-mounted and sighted. The factory settings allow for flawless accuracy for up to 20 yards. However, to get the most out of it, you would still need to do some fine-tuning of your own. The scope covers a large view area, and its illumination is top-notch. It has light-gathering capabilities, is water-resistant and shock-proof, and offers a lifetime warranty.
A 3×32 four-reticle device, it features red, green and black illumination options. Also, note that its wide view feature is superior to most other scopes because the image is clear from end to end; there is no foggy effect on the edges. The multiple reticles allow a hunter to operate in total darkness as it has superb light-gathering capabilities. Even in the worst weather conditions, the image is sharp and clear.
Safety
The Barnett Ghost features an automatic anti-dry fire mechanism that eliminates the chances of accidental firing. This feature is extremely important because firing the device before everything is in place poses a risk both to the user and the weapon.
It also boasts a finger guard mechanism and allows for a comfortable hold due to the pass-through foregrip underneath the stock. Getting a firm hold on the stock would mean no accidental slips that could cause injury to the user. Furthermore, its safety switch is designed to engage automatically and will only disengage when the arrow is properly secured.
These features make it virtually impossible to misfire, dry fire or even get your fingers tangled up in harm’s way. The safety of the bow is also enhanced by its patented CRT riser that creates a 5:1 ratio for safety factor by making this powerful weapon perfectly balanced. They make the Ghost 410 one of the ideal crossbows for novices, and we highly recommend it to anyone learning to use crossbows.
Durability
Unlike its scope, which comes with a lifetime warranty, the Barnett Ghost’s warranty cover is only five years long and excludes the string and cable. This is quite a disappointment because such a mean machine deserves a lifetime warranty to grant the user complete peace of mind and quality assurance.
Regardless, the bow is designed exceptionally well and with very durable materials. If you take care of it, it can easily last you well beyond five years.
- Superb power & speed
- Smooth trigger mechanism
- Lightweight, no front heaviness
- High vibration and noise due to high velocity
- Short warranty period – 5 years
Add-ons
The Barnett Ghost 410n comes with high-quality accessories included in its package.
You can get away with using Crossbow Express PileDriver, but they won’t get you the maximize amount of power with your shots. However, we do recommend switching over to Crossbow Express Maxima bolts.
These are by far the best bolts and make sure you get the full use out of this powerful crossbow. Since this is an expensive bow, another important accessory to purchase is a high quality solid case to keep the bow out of harm’s way.
- DUAL SPINE WEIGHT FORWARD - 2 spines in 1 arrow to manage energy better and make crossbow bolts recover faster, spin 20%...
- BUFFTUFF - Precision design with carbon weave for superior strength and accuracy
- REAL STRAIGHTNESS - Laser checked for straightness to a remarkable 1/10,000 of an inch; Straightness of +/-...
- Fist most standard crossbows
- Fitted shape allows you to transport your bow without the case taking up too much room
- Includes an adjustable, removable sling
Conclusion
The Barnett Ghost 410 is one of the few crossbows that can be said to offer value well beyond its price point. It excels in every possible category and leaves no gaps in its performance that require adding any extra features.
Honestly, apart from its short warranty period, it is difficult to find any weak points that negatively impact its overall efficiency. It still holds the record for the fastest bow in the market and provides the perfect answer to every hunter’s expedition challenge.