Quick Look: TenPoint's Turbo M1 Crossbow

Article, photos by Gary Elliott

Having started later in life shooting and hunting, I chose to only hunt with a bow at the age of 47.

Shooting only with a compound bow and always thinking I will shoot a compound until I can't hunt anymore. Well, my shooting a compound came to an end sooner than I anticipated. I am on my second round of shoulder issues and pulling a bow is now painful, but I am far from being done hunting at 58.

It was time to turn to a crossbow and I never gave a second guess to which brand I wanted. Choosing an American-made and high-quality crossbow came as easy as saying TenPoint.

For several years, I worked in a big-box store's archery department and learned a great deal about compound bows and crossbows — I knew TenPoint stood for quality. I saw people "cheap out" with other brands only to bring them back once, and sometimes twice, until they admitted they made a mistake.

For me, my big decision came down to which TenPoint I wanted to buy.

Further research led me to the Turbo M1, marketed as the "the lightest, narrowest, and fastest version" in their long line of Turbo models.

Specs

• Length: 32.5 inches
• Width Axle to Axle (uncocked/cocked): 14 inches/9 inches
• Power Stroke: 14 inches
• Weight: 6.4 pounds
• Speed: With Pro Light Carbon Arrow 370 grains; 380 feet per second; With Pro Elite 400 Carbon Arrow, 370 FPS; EVO-X Center Punch Carbon Arrow, 350 FPS.

The great speeds from a small-form crossbow come thanks to the 14-inch power stroke. And the ACUdraw silent cocking device accessory makes cock easy and quiet. The limbs are powered by VX-5™ inverted cams. Set-up is a breeze.

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I was very impressed when shooting this crossbow with its great accuracy and how quiet it was. Technology has come a long way with these. Add on the limb silencers and other accessories from TenPoint and you can dampen the noise even more.

The M1's light weight makes it easy to tote in and out of the woods and to hold for extended periods of time. The pre-mounted Pro-View Scope is great. Low light was not an issue and accuracy would not be hindered either. The butt of the crossbow is adjustable to fit you personally, and the T5 3.5-pound trigger has a nice pull to it.

Also, I complemented my bow with the purchase of the new Stag Hard Crossbow Case. It’s rigid, water-resistant and very durable. The inside of the case included straps and padding to protect your crossbow, and two stirrups on the case make it nice to hang up when not in use. This case fits the TenPoint Nitro XRT, Nitro X, Stealth NXT, Shadow NXT, Turbo M1, and Titan M1 models.

I am very happy with my choice and enjoy shooting it far more than I would have anticipated. I now look forward to getting older knowing I can still get into the woods, but still hope to get back to drawing my old bow soon.

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