Crosman’s new Sniper 370 is one of a new generation of basic, lightweight, low-priced crossbows that get the job done without weighing the owner down with unnecessary frills and excessive pricing. If you are new to the sport or simply want to kill a deer with a crossbow that’s well built, accurate and dependable, Crosman’s Sniper 370 is a good choice.

The Sniper 370 is relatively lightweight (7.9 pounds), short limbed (18 inches axle-to-axle when cocked) and nicely balanced for still-hunting or stalking situations. Hunters will definitely like the Sniper 370’s short length (compact at 36.5 inches), which makes it a good choice for hunting out of blinds, hang-on or climbing stands. The Sniper 370’s draw weight of 185 pounds is stout but manageable for most users. A variety of stock-fitted cranking devices are available for shooters who are unable to master ever-increasing draw weights.

With a power stroke of 13.5 inches, the Sniper 370 generates arrow speeds of 370 fps. At the bench, new arrows fired from a well-lubed rail were chronographed over 379 fps — no whitetail standing broadside at less than 40 yards will outrun it.

Other features that will appeal to crossbow shooters include Crosman’s adjustable stock and fore grip, which provide additional grip length by simply hand-tightening two knurled nuts and stock length using a standard push-button bar. Also, hunters will like the Sniper 370’s flanged, pass-through fore grip, which is great when wearing gloves and ensures that the shooter’s fingers stay well below the top of the rail. The trigger guard too, is extra-large and ideal for shooting during cold or wet weather when hunters are most likely to be wearing thick or insulated gloves.

As always, I recommend reading the Sniper 370’s short, concise owner’s manual immediately upon opening the box. First, to ensure that all parts, screws, hardware and wrenches are included and second to determine if there are any differences between the Sniper 370 and other crossbows you may have owned. I always find something unique or unusual while perusing the owner’s manual. For example, the Sniper 370’s rail needs lubed after just 10 to 15 shots.

Assembly of the Sniper 370 is quick and easy using three screws to attach the limbs to the stock, two screws to attach the stirrup and two more screws to attach the QD quiver. The instructions are clear, concise and well-illustrated, which is always a plus. All necessary hex wrenches are provided, as are the tools and screws needed to mount the 4x32 scope. The only tool the user must supply is a large, flat-head screwdriver to ensure that the knurled scope base screws are sufficiently tight. Total elapsed time in assembly was under 15 minutes.

Because the consumer must mount the scope, I expected it to take a dozen or more arrows to put my arrows on target. I actually fired 10 arrows before I was dead-on at 20 yards including the initial three shots, which started out about eight inches shy of dead center at 20 yards.

At the range there were no misfires or malfunctions during the first 100-shot session. Once I became familiar with the provided 4x32 scope’s conformation I was able to drop arrows into the center of targets set at 20, 30 and 40 yards with regularity. I wiped down my arrows and re-lubed the rail every 12 shots as per the manufacturer’s instructions and found that accuracy improved significantly when shooting clean arrows off a freshly-lubed rail. All the more reason to read that manual!

Being of a certain age (past retirement age, in other words!) I was pleased to find that the provided 4x32 crossbow-style scope contains four big, thick, crosshairs that are easy to find and perfectly calibrated in 10-yard increments. My backyard range has targets set up in 30-foot intervals from 10 to 40 yards just so I can test the accuracy of crossbow scopes. I was pleased to see that the Sniper’s optics were dead-on at all distances. I don’t mind having to adjust for small variations but when a scope is off by five yards or more it can mean the difference between a solid, killing hit and a wounded animal. I want my arrows to fall where I want them at all distances and the Sniper 370 definitely delivers in that regard.

I had no trouble on the roving range in early fall even though the foliage was still thick and the woods were deep in shadows. Those broad, heavy crosshairs were a blessing on some of the more obscured targets, set that way in order to emulate actual hunting conditions. I had no trouble finding my target or placing the crosshairs on the kill zone. I’m sure the Sniper 370 will perform well during low-light periods such as dawn and dusk. Legal shooting time in most states is one-half hour before sunrise and after sunset, and the Sniper’s scope was more than adequate during those periods.

There were no malfunctions or operating issues to report. I found the adjustable stock to be useful when changing from treestands to blinds or when still-hunting. Overall, the crossbow’s compact size made it a joy to carry on the roving range.

The owner’s manual does not specifically recommend against leaving the Sniper 370 cocked for long periods. I took advantage of the variable weather conditions during the test period and left it cocked (unloaded, of course) outdoors for several days. Temperatures ranged from 75 degrees to 40 degrees with periods of rain, sun and wind not unlike what one might encounter during an early-season deer hunt. After two days, I loaded an arrow and fired a shot that was dead-on at 20 yards.

Crosman does warn against trying to de-cock the Sniper 370 using any method other than firing a serviceable arrow into a bale of hay, sand pile or other soft target. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions on de-cocking, which can vary but is always good policy to err on the side of safety. To this point, another great feature of the Sniper 370 is that is comes equipped with a four-arrow quiver. I like having three broadheads at my disposal (though I’ve never had to use more than two in actual hunting situations). I use the fourth slot to carry an old arrow that I use to de-cock the unit when I know I’ll be traveling or otherwise not hunting for several days.

Happily, Crosman is one of few manufacturers that include a cocking rope and carry sling as part of their crossbow package. I was almost overjoyed when I saw that a sling was included because most manufacturers selling crossbows at more than twice the price consider a sling an “accessory,” which adds to the cost of setting up the base unit.

For all the improvements that crossbow manufacturers have made in weight, balance, length and width these units are still awkward, unwieldy and heavy. A sling makes all the difference when transporting or hunting with a crossbow and I applaud Crosman for making a sling standard with the Sniper 370 package.

Complaints about the Sniper 370? I would be remiss if I did not mention that my test unit developed a lingering case of trigger creep that, while not affecting the overall function and accuracy of the crossbow, is disconcerting when one expects the trigger to release but it does not. Truth be told there is usually some degree of creep in all crossbow triggers except extremely high-end models, but I found that I had to stay focused and continue my trigger pull for a noticeable interval before the arrow was on its way. I fired over 100 arrows with the trigger in this condition, had no other issues with mechanics or arrow delivery as long as I held my sight picture, and continued to squeeze the trigger through the process.

Otherwise, the Sniper 370 is solidly built and is Robin Hood accurate out to 40 yards, which is more than adequate for 99 percent of whitetail hunting situations. Hunters who are disciplined enough to wait for a clear, broadside shot at 40 yards or less will find the Sniper 370 more than up to the task.

The Sniper 370 package includes a crossbow, 4x32 scope non-illuminated scope, string stoppers, adjustable stock and grip, limb noise suppressors, rope cocker, QD quiver and three 20-inch carbon arrows. The Sniper 370 also comes with a 5-year limited warranty. MSRP is $299.99. For more information and a look at Crosman’s complete line of CenterPoint crossbows, log onto www.centerpointhunting.com.

Spec Sheet

MANUFACTURER: Crosman/ CenterPoint

MODEL: Sniper 370 

DRAW WEIGHT: 185 pounds

POWER STROKE: 13.5 inches

ARROW LENGTH: 20 inches

ARROW SPEED: 370 fps

TRIGGER PULL: 3.5 pounds; auto-safety, dry-fire inhibitor

SIGHTS: 4x32 non-illuminated scope provided

COCKING DEVICE: Rope cocker provided

OVERALL LENGTH: 36.5 inches

AXLE-TO-AXLE LENGTH: 18 inches (cocked)

WEIGHT: 7.9 pounds

OTHER FEATURES: Adjustable stock and grip, string stops, limb suppressors; QD quiver and sling provided.

 MSRP: $299.99

 For more information: www.centerpointhunting.com

BONUS: Sniper 370 4x32 Scope

One of the most satisfying features of Crosman’s Sniper 370 package is its proprietary 4x32 scope, which is designed and meant to be used specifically for crossbows. Short, compact and bright, the scope is not only ideal for low-light conditions but offers over-sized crosshairs that even the oldest crossbow user can find with one eye closed.

Sighting in is made much easier by the scope’s large, bold crosshairs. Start at 10 yards, it’s a simple matter to zero in at 30 feet and then move back to 20 yards and begin again. At worst it will require eight to 10 shots to get the crossbow sighted in at 10 yards, with fewer adjustments to be made once the scope is dialed in at 20 yards. From that point, it’s a simple matter of moving back in 10-yard increments to check the crossbow’s performance out to 40 yards. With 20-inch arrows sent downrange at 370+ fps, the Sniper 370 will be spot-on for deer when hunting from a blind, stand or while still-hunting.

One important aspect of sighting in is that the shooter must remember to wax the rail and string (not the serving!) every 12 to 15 shots. Shooters will discover that their most accurate arrows will be those that are clean and straight flying off a lightly-lubed rail. For this reason, it’s a good idea to clean and lube the rail before each hunt (mornings and afternoons) to ensure that the one good shot you get goes where you want it to go.

For more information on Crosman’s line of crossbows, hunting scopes and accessories log onto www.centerpointhunting.com.