Killer Instinct Ripper is a cheap and super-fast crossbow. Two words that you don’t see together that often. But when you see the name Killer Instinct attached to it, you have to pay attention to that.
Killer Instinct has been making good crossbows for a while now. Their crossbows are cheap too. We all know not all cheap crossbows aren’t worth it. But is the Ripper 415 worth it? Let’s find that out in this Killer Instinct Ripper 415 review.
Killer Instinct Ripper 415: Outlooks
Specifications | Speed: 415 FPS; Kinetic Energy: 149 ft.lbs; Power Stroke: 15 Inches; Draw Weight: 200 LBS; Axle To Axle: 14.25 / 17.75 Inches; Length: 35 Inches; Weight: 6.2 LBS.
Build Quality
The build quality is always a sensitive topic in cheap crossbows. You either get a fabulous build quality, or you get something that feels like a toy. The former is not true in this case. Fortunately, Killer Instinct Ripper 415 has a pretty good build quality. The flight track of the crossbow is made from machined aluminum.
Even though the crossbow looks sleek and you don’t see any heavy materials on it, the crossbow is pretty durable. The weight of Ripper 415 is 6.2 lbs. That’s quite lightweight. It’s not the most compact crossbow by any means. It is still fairly compact. The weight and the size of the crossbow make it a viable option for teenagers and people of short height.
The cams are quite durable as well. With the foot stirrup on the front, you can put a fair amount of pressure on the cam. Make sure to wax the rail to eliminate bowstring friction.
Power
Most of the time, cheap crossbows tend to have a low amount of power. It’s mostly due to the low amount of limbs and low-quality cams. You will be pleasantly surprised to know, that’s not the case here.
Killer Instinct Ripper 415 is capable of generating up to 149 ft-lbs of kinetic energy. That’s a lot of power to work with. It gives you the freedom to fire the crossbow from a far way. That’s why it’s suitable for most beginners. You don’t want to get too close to the prey and make it aware of you.
Speed
With that much power, it’s fair to assume Ripper has a good speed. That’s true, Ripper does have an amazing speed. As the name suggests, Killer Instinct Ripper 415 is capable of firing arrows at an insane speed of 415 FPS. With almost 150 ft-lbs of kinetic energy and 415 FPS, I don’t see any target surviving from your claw.
Draw Weight
If you know a bit about the crossbow, you already know a low draw weight here is not possible. This crossbow is quite powerful and can shoot at an incredible speed. That’s why the draw weight of Ripper 415 is quite high.
You will need to apply 200 lbs of force to load this crossbow. I know that’s a lot. But with the help of the included rope cocker, you can cut down that speed to 100 lbs. 100 lbs is a lot for teenagers, women, and anyone with back or muscle problems.
I would have recommended a cranking aid, but that would defy the purpose of this crossbow. It’s meant to be cheap and provide excellent service. Which it does. You will need to practice loading the crossbow a bit to get the hang of it. Once you do, trust me, you won’t feel like you are loading a 100lbs crossbow at all.
Scope
The included scope of the Ripper 415 is another excellent feature of this. Usually, manufacturers tend to provide a scope that works. They don’t care how good that works or how useful it is for you. The Lumix 4×32 IR-W crossbow scope is quite the opposite of that.
It’s a good-performing scope that can easily keep up with 400 FPS. If you were thinking that you would need to upgrade the scope right off the bat, don’t worry about that. You can use this crossbow scope without upgrading at all.
Pros
- Affordable.
- Good build quality.
- Lightweight.
- Powerful.
- 415 FPS.
- Crisp 3.5 lbs Killertech trigger.
- Highly accurate.
Cons
- The draw weight is crazy high for beginners and short people.
Summary
To sum up this Killer Instinct Ripper 415 review, it’s an incredible crossbow at an incredible price. Sure, it also has its downsides. Even with those downsides, it’s quite easy for me to recommend this crossbow. It just provides a good value for the money. Which we love here at TargetChaser.
Hi, I’m Brent Hansford. A writer turned hunter & now sharing my love for the sport through writing. As I practically breathe weapons, I firmly believe I’m capable of providing you with new knowledge about firearms and hunting. My mission is to help more people get better at hunting & master the weapons. Let me help with unleashing the beast within you!
