Saquon Barkley, a running back for the Philadelphia Eagles, once said, “Perfection is impossible, but you don’t stop aiming for it.” Every time I test a TenPoint crossbow, it becomes clear that the crossbow giant shares that philosophy. Case in point: When my wife and I tested the TX 440 two springs ago, it checked every single box a hunter could ever expect from a crossbow. I’ve tested loads of crossbows in my professional life, and I didn’t see how it could be improved upon. It’s that good.
TenPoint’s engineers could’ve stopped there, but they keep aiming for perfection and finding a little bit more excellence each year. Their aim for perfection again moves the needle with another technological leap this year. To that end, please welcome the TX Ultra 29.5.
There are some top-notch crossbows from several manufacturers, and hunters with high-end budgets face a steep challenge when shopping for a new one. Here are some reasons why you might gravitate towards the TX Ultra 29.5 in 2026.
Test Crossbow Specs
- Make/Model: TenPoint TX Ultra 29.5
- Finish: Moss Green
- Mass Weight: 7.1 pounds (with ACUslide MAXX)
- Overall Width: 11 inches (uncocked); 6.25 inches (cocked)
- Overall Length: 29.5 inches
- Power Stroke: 13.5 inches
- Bolt Length and Weight: 20 inches; 440 grains with 100-grain tip (measured with Last Chance Archery Pro Grain Scale)
- Manufacturer Listed Velocity: 460 fps
- Test Velocity: 443 fps with 440-grain arrow (found with Caldwell Ballistic Precision chronograph)
- Manufacturer Listed Trigger Pull: 3 pounds
- Cocking Device: ACUslide MAXX
- Scope: EVO-X Marksman Elite
- MSRP: $2,549.99-2,649.99
- Contact: tenpointcrossbows.com
The New
Let’s not beat around the bush and get right to the good stuff. TenPoint claims that the TX Ultra 29.5 can achieve 3-inch groups at 100 yards. That standard in accuracy isn’t an accident; some key innovations are to thank.
New to TenPoint is Zero-Torsion Technology. It consists of a new 8mm Axle, which increases strength by 175 percent and stiffness by 215 percent over conventional axles, optimizing cam, axle and limb alignment. It also boasts X-Wide Limbs. These are 20 percent wider and 120 percent stronger than conventional limbs. Aptly named, Zero-Torsion Technology thwarts torsional movement along the limb axis, and the net is enhanced accuracy and efficiency.
When you create a crossbow harnessing as much power as today’s high-end models, bowstrings and cables are subject to punishment. With Ultra Series crossbows, TenPoint’s engineers set high goals for accuracy and string longevity. Better materials and processes survived rigorous testing, and that’s how the Premium String found its way onto the TX Ultra 29.5. The undeniable wear point of a crossbow string is the center serving, and the new Premium String, combined with new ACU-X Nocks, increases string life by 200 percent over previous strings. Unreal!
I just mentioned the ACU-X Nock, but it requires a little more preface. TenPoint has newly launched the ACU-X 20 arrow. With a 100-grain tip, it weighs 440 grains. Not only does it have a .001-inch straightness tolerance and +/- 1 grain weight tolerance, but it also features spine indexing technology. That’s a fancy way of saying the vanes are positioned optimally in relation to the arrow’s flex point, maximizing accuracy over previous crossbow arrows.
Make no mistake about it, these new technologies make the TX Ultra 29.5 a whole new level of lethal at long ranges, which I’ll discuss more in a moment.
The Tried and True
Now, let’s run through some recent TenPoint mainstays that have carried over. TenPoint outfits the TX Ultra 29.5 with a TriggerTech Precision Trigger. It breaks cleanly with 3 pounds of pressure and zero creep. It’s outstanding. I also love the AR-style ambidextrous safety, which is easily accessible, quiet and super-smooth to operate.
Twin-Riser Technology is a TenPoint hallmark that pushes the limits in the strength-to-weight ratio. It’s 18 percent lighter and twice as stiff as traditional risers, reducing flex and limb torque by 70 percent, resulting in repeatable accuracy and benchmark dependability.
TenPoints Zero-Trac Barrel, paired with the Guide-Lock Arrow Rest System, lets the string free float just like a vertical compound bow, alleviating rail-induced friction and bowstring wear. Two ball-bearing rollers and a top brush support the arrow. Cleaner arrow departure and bowstring longevity are the takeaways.
ACUslide MAXX is a streamlined, integrated cocking mechanism that screams perfection. With it, you can silently cock and de-cock the crossbow, and you can even let it go to swat a mosquito in mid-draw without the handle spinning dangerously out of control, thanks to the Auto-Brake Gear System.
The ACU-Lock Scope Bridge features geometric bridging at several points, boosting strength and dependability. In fact, it’s 25 times stronger than traditional scope rails. As well, the extended length offers users a rainbow of scope-mounting positions to optimize eye-relief and target acquisition.
Handling and Shooting
As fast as crossbows are, I don’t believe it’s possible to make them as quiet as today’s top vertical bows. Most crossbows are fairly loud. I don’t use a decibel meter, but I can confidently say the TX Ultra 29.5 is the quietest “fast” crossbow I’ve tested. I’m impressed, and the silence is largely due to the riser stiffness and string cushions.
While preparing for each shot, I love the simplicity and ease of the ACUslide MAXX cocking system. I also find the AR-Style Ambidextrous Safety’s placement easily accessible and clearly labeled for easy reference. Both are great features that streamline the experience.
I’m not sure if TenPoint sights in the scope before shipment, but mine was dead-on at 20 yards. As I backed up, I made some minor tweaks to the magnification wheel, making the hold points accurate at longer yardages.
I found the lightweight crossbow’s weight distribution and comfort exceptional. I love the ventilated, rubberized fore-grip and the rubberized pistol grip. Acquiring the target is easy and seamless. I don’t conduct my crossbow tests from a bench. I shoot crossbows off-handed and rested on a Primos TriggerStick, and the Ultra 29.5 felt outstanding on both fronts. Placing a kill shot from 40 yards off-handed was very doable, even in the Wisconsin cold. This crossbow is a joy to carry and shoot.
Speaking of accuracy, I shot out to 80 yards in the limited time I had for testing due to the almost immediate editorial deadline. At close ranges, the arrows just go where you want them to. At longer distances, individual skills, weather conditions, and shot execution all are at play, but with snow flying sideways, I can say that a deer or pronghorn at 80 yards would be in serious trouble, even with a hunting-realistic rest, such as the TriggerStick. I wouldn’t promote that to hunters; again, individual skills vary greatly, but the crossbow itself is extremely capable out to and beyond that distance. I can easily see how it could produce 3-inch groups at 100 yards if shooting from a rock-solid bench.
Rated at 460 fps, TenPoint touts the TX Ultra 29.5 as its fastest forward-draw crossbow ever. I tested it using a Caldwell chronograph, and the highest reading I got was 443 fps. That is a non-issue for me because I know what my 295 fps compound bow does to deer, but if all models leave production and shoot 17 fps below the listed velocity, some hunters may be disappointed. Again, a non-issue for me; I’m just stating my findings.
Credit Roll
The TX Ultra 29.5 is available in two options, which are Moss Green and Vektra Camo, priced at $2,549.99-2,649.99, respectively. The Ready-to-Hunt Package includes the ACUslide MAXX, EVO-X Marksman scope, three ACU-X 20 arrows, Integrated String Stop System, quiver, bow hanger and bubble level. The accessories are top-notch, and the package is competitively priced. Aesthetically, the TX Ultra 29.5 is sleek, tactical and flawless with high-end finishes. And TenPoint is American-owned and -operated, and its crossbows are designed and built in Ohio.
Yes, perfection is impossible. But striving for the impossible is how marvels like the TX Ultra 29.5 come to be.
In-the-field photos by Becca and Darron McDougal
