Crossbow Review: What Makes Barnett’s Ghost 360 The Best Crossbow on the Market
OutdoorHub Reporters 08.20.18
The Barnett Ghost 360 is one of the most popular, state of the art crossbows on the market today.
Named for its ability to shoot an arrow 360 feet per second, it features a 165 pound draw weight, ships with three 20” Headhunter arrows, a quiver, rope cocking device, and a nice 3×32 fixed power illuminated scope, plus all the tools you need to assemble it!
However, there is more to a high powered crossbow than just draw weight and the right kind of arrows to achieve advertised ballistics. What makes the Barnett Ghost 360 so awesome? Why does it stand head and shoulders over the competition? And who framed Roger Rabbit? Err, never mind. Let’s look closer at the crossbow.
The Barnett Ghost 360 features a compound limb, which reduces the force needed to draw and cock the bow. But it is also packed full of design features that let it stand out above the crowd. For starters, it is designed with some incredible safety features. The anti dry fire safety is important, as it protects your valuable crossbow against damage due to dry fire, while the standard safety mechanism is easy to engage and disengage.
One great feature about the Barnett Ghost 360 is the ultra lightweight carbon riser. By building the riser from modern carbon materials, Barnett was able to reduce weight upfront while preserving function and strength. Nobody loves a top heavy crossbow, and Barnett made sure you don’t have to deal with that.
Perhaps the nicest design feature of this crossbow is the comfortable and easy to use thumbhole stock. Not only does the thumbhole stock design reduce weight, it allows for a comfortable grip with your supporting hand- which is why Barnett shaped the stock to incorporate finger grooves to help make shouldering it easier than other competing crossbows.
Barnett ships the Ghost 360 with a basic, but functional 3×32 illuminated scope. Now some reviewers have complained about this scope, but all have acknowledged it does the job. However, basic optics are a great way to keep overall purchase prices down, so if you are content with “good enough” it should be fine. Otherwise, there are plenty of other great crossbow scopes on the market. The illuminated reticle is a nice touch, especially when hunting near dawn or dusk, as it helps you acquire your target in dim lighting conditions.
Weighing just seven pounds, this is a really easy crossbow to carry in the field, and priced around $649 it is an incredible bargain, given as many deer rifles cost that much or more. In fact, when you consider the low price, and ready to hunt complete package that the Barnett Ghost 360 ships with, and the fact you can often hunt outside of regular firearms seasons with a crossbow, well there are a lot of good reasons to consider buying this crossbow.
In fact, crossbow hunting is becoming increasingly popular. Combing the easy handing of a rifle, with the silent and lethal power of a bow, the Barnett looks really good when compared to other hunting methods. Perhaps a best of both world scenarios, with the added benefit of not having to worry about missed shots traveling great distances and hitting an unintended target, the Ghost 360 is excellent for hunting in built up semi-urban areas, or where you only have a limited range to work with.
Owning and caring for the Ghost 360 isn’t hard. Barnett advises lubricating the crossbow every five shots fired- important to ensure all parts operate smoothly and are as free as possible to move. You’ll want to shoot arrows weighing around 400 grains at a minimum. A lot of hunters are happy using 125 grain broadheads. Some Ghost 360 owners report excellent performance with heavier arrows, without much loss in overall speed. It is important not to use arrows that are too light, otherwise you can damage your crossbow, and possibly hurt yourself.
As you can see, the Barnett Ghost 360 is a cutting edge crossbow. Built of modern fiberglass, carbon, and alloy materials, it represents the pinnacle of crossbow design and engineering. Suitable for hunting most big game, it is priced right for budget minded hunters, and comes as a complete, ready to shoot package. The low price, and high power combine to offer a unique crossbow that is ideal for first time and experienced crossbow hunters alike. The 5 year Barnett warranty ensures plenty of peace of mind and protection in the rare case of manufacturing flaws. All in all, the Barnett Ghost 360 really is one of the best crossbows on the market today.
