How Loud Is A Crossbow?

Fact checked by Steven Lines, lifelong Hunter and Outdoorsman.

Crossbows are known to be loud, and they can be much noisier than a standard bow. However, different brands will have differing noise outputs.

Crossbows that are very loud put you at a disadvantage because the arrow travels slower than a bullet. You should check the crossbow’s loudness before buying it because some are quieter than others. 

Your crossbow is not so loud that it will hurt your ears, but it is never going to be whisper quiet. Most crossbows produce between 80 and 90 decibels of sound about the sound level of heavy traffic or a window AC unit.

When looking for the best crossbow, you can look at them to ensure you get on the quieter side. Check the features and descriptions, and read reviews to ensure that you get one that isn’t quite as loud.

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Can You Make a Loud Crossbow Quieter?

The good news is that you can take steps to make your crossbow quieter. You can wrench its screw, rubber it, change the safety removal, use heavier bolts, and more. Take a look at some of the ways that you can make your crossbow quieter.

First, you need to understand how the crossbow is put together. It has several different parts, including the following:

• The bow (also known as the prod or the lath)
• Stock: where the body is mounted on the bow
• The lock is the release mechanism
• The bolts are the projectiles

The way that crossbows operate is mostly unchanged since the beginning. They originated long ago in ancient China, and the mechanism is the same today. If you want to make your crossbow quieter, you need to understand how it is put together. This will allow you to find out what is causing the extra sound.

You Can Rubber the Crossbow

One of the sounds that you and the prey hear first comes from the vibration of the string. You can dampen the strings by adding some rubber. There are accessories called dampeners that will help in this respect. When you use dampeners on your crossbow strings, it will decrease the sound. 

The type of dampener you need depends on your crossbow model, and it is usually rubber that will go on the strings to reduce the kick. The kick is what produces the sound so that it will quiet your crossbow.

However, keep in mind that it can reduce your output power, so make sure you don’t use too much rubber.

You Can Use a Wrench

Sometimes, a crossbow is loud because it is loose. This will reduce your crossbow’s ability to aim and shoot, and it can reduce its lifespan. You need to check to see if your crossbow is loose. If it is, then you can fix it with a wrench. 

You need to look at all of the screws on the crossbow, and you can tighten all of the loose ones. Once you have finished, you can test your crossbow and see if it is quieter. This is one of the quickest ways to make your crossbow quieter. 

Use Heavier Bolts

Understanding how the crossbow works is crucial to knowing why using a lighter bolt might make your crossbow louder. When you use a lighter bolt, you will have extra space between the bolt and the firing mechanism.

This produces an extra kick, which makes more noise. You can avoid this problem by using a heavier bolt. There will not be as much friction, which will decrease the sound when you pull the trigger. 

You Can Get a Higher Quality Crossbow

Getting a higher-quality crossbow can help you to have a quieter crossbow. Not only might it be made to be quieter, but it will not wear out as quickly.

Sometimes, the wear and tear on the crossbow lead to noise. You might spend more money upfront, but your crossbow will last longer and stay as quiet as possible as long as it can. 

Which Crossbow Is Quieter: Recurve or Compound?

People love using crossbows because they are quieter than a rifle, and you don’t have to hold the drawstring in place after your cock. You can cock it and wait for your shot, so you only need to pull the trigger when it is time to shoot.

Although crossbows are quieter than a rifle, the bullets travel much faster than bolts. Crossbows are louder than standard bows, so you will have trouble getting a second shot off if your first one goes astray. 

When choosing a crossbow, you can choose a recurve crossbow or a compound crossbow. The recurve crossbow has a simpler design because it lacks cables and cams. It has a larger barrel, which gives it the power to fire the bolt. The bottom line is that it is bigger than a compound crossbow, but it weighs less. 

The recurve crossbow has a simpler design and is easier to maintain. It also has fewer components and fewer moving parts. It is quieter than a compound crossbow because of its design. 

The compound crossbow is more powerful and uses cans and cables, giving it more power. It has smaller limbs and a shorter barrel, and it is a more compact type of crossbow.

The compound crossbow is smaller and heavier than the recurve crossbow, and it is also louder. Reaching the trigger on a compound crossbow will make a louder noise, spooking the game.

What Is the Quietest Crossbow?

One of the few disadvantages of using a crossbow is the noise. You risk scaring off the game, and if you miss your first shot, you often don’t get a chance for a second one. People always want to know which crossbow is the quietest. 

Most people agree that the quietest crossbow is the CAMX A4. It is known for its accuracy and durability, but it also has advanced noise suppression to make it quieter than other crossbows.

It uses a swing-arm design that is unique, and it is designed to be vibration-free. The design also ensures that the cams, cable, and string stay inside the limbs, eliminating vibration and reducing noise significantly. 

Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Is a Crossbow Louder Than a Bow?

Crossbows are louder than standard compound bows. They use more energy when they release the arrow, which causes louder noise. Also, they are heavier than standard bows, leading to more noise when it is discharged. 

Final Words

People always want to know how loud a crossbow is. While it generally ranges from 80 to 90 decibels, there are ways to make it quieter. Higher-quality crossbows will not be as loud because they will have less vibration throughout the device.

Despite this, crossbows are a lot of fun to hunt with, and you can use them for hunting game. You will cock the crossbow and wait until the right time to take your shot. You will not likely get a second chance because of the noise, so you need to make sure that your first shot counts. 

Steven Lines is a hunter and outdoorsman from Safford, Arizona, USA. Since he was a child, he has been hunting and fishing and has over 20 years of outdoor experience. Steven works as a hunting guide in Arizona during his spare time and runs a Youtube channel dedicated to sharing his outdoor adventures with others.