Barnett Crossbow Scope Review – 4x32mm
 Check Today's Price | Pros: - 5-reticle aiming points - Excellent clarity at long range - Wide field of view Cons: - Fogs easily at colder temperatures - Poor quality included rings |
Welcome to my review of the Barnett 4×32 multi-reticle Crossbow Scope. This scope has a 5-point programmed multi-reticle crosshair system for quick target acquisition at a variety of ranges, and includes a set of .875″ dovetail mounting rings.
What Are the Dimensions of the Crossbow Scope?
The Barnett 4×32 multi-reticle Crosshair scope is 8 inches long by 2 inches wide. It fits nicely into most crossbow cases, even when mounted to the crossbow. It is also lightweight, coming in at 12.8 ounces, so it adds very little weight to your bow.
How Much Magnification Do I Get From the Scope?
This scope provides 4X magnification, and the resolution of the image is very crisp and detailed.
How is the Optics Quality on the Crossbow Scope?
The optics on this scope are multi-coated, providing excellent resistance to glare and reflection. The image quality is very good, providing fantastic contrast and details even at long range. This scope is easily comparable to competitor scopes at twice the price, but it is not perfect.
While the scope is water-resistant and shockproof, I did notice some faint fogging problems during cold temperatures. This is unfortunate, because nitrogen-charging a scope is not a very expensive addition to the manufacturing process, and most of the competitor scopes at this price range are fog proof.
The multi-reticle design allows for easy shooting at 25, 35, 40, 45, and 50 yards. Your yardage may vary, depending on the velocity of your crossbow, but Barnett provides easy-to-follow instructions for determining exactly what range each of the reticle lines should be for your particular setup.
What’s the Light Gathering Capability Like on the Scope?
This scope has good light gathering qualities, even though it is not illuminated. I’ve used the scope several times during early morning hours and late evening hours, and found the images to still be very crisp, clear, and full of contrast during poor light conditions. The aiming reticles get difficult to see, though, but that’s to be expected from a non-illuminated scope.
How Wide is the Field of View?
Barnett doesn’t specify what the field of view is for this scope, but my estimates from dead reckoning put it at around 34′ at 100 yards. This is a bit above the curve for 32mm objective lens scopes, so I’d call the field of view pretty wide, especially for the price of the scope. I found the scope easy to use for hunting small, fast-moving game like rabbits and squirrels, as well as larger game like deer and elk.
How Easy is the Scope to Mount?
The first thing I would do after buying this scope is throw away the included rings, replacing them with better quality 1″ rings. The included rings are milled off-center, leading to major problems with sighting the scope in after it’s mounted. With better rings, though, the scope mounts correctly and securely in seconds, after which you’re ready to sight in your new scope.
How Easy is the Scope to Sight In?
The Barnett 4×32 multi-reticle crossbow scope is very easy to sight in, once you have it installed with a good set of rings. My first time around with this scope, I couldn’t get it in the bull’s eye ring no matter how many adjustments I made, and I eventually got around to looking carefully at the rings and discovering that they were milled off the centerline. I replaced the rings, and that led me to being able to sight in the scope within a short amount of time.
Once sighted in, the scope holds zero for nearly eternity. I dialed it in once, and then shot with the crossbow for two full seasons without having to make any adjustments.
How Durable is the Scope?
The scope is fairly durable, at least as far as shock resistance and water-resistance go. Unfortunately, the scope does not like cold weather and fogs up any time the temperature is below freezing. That’s pretty unfortunate, because I hunt primarily in Ohio and Pennsylvania, where the temperature is almost always below freezing during hunting season.
| Conclusion | Rating |
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| Ease of Sighting In |
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| Optics |
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| Durability |
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6 Responses so far.
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Thanks Jeff, I just received my Raptor FX2, I took an afternoon attempting to zero my scope, before reading this review. I too was suspect of the mounting system. I mark a reference dot on my new scopes before adjusting anything. So after a day of adjusting attempts, I set everything back to the start. Looked for articles like yours, and I will let you know after I put a new set of scope mounts on my rig. Thank you for your time, Bill
Hey I read your article and thank you very much for all of the useful information. It was very helpful. I just got a Barnett crossbow with this scope and I spent all evening trying to zero it in at 20 yards. No matter how many clicks I adjusted the sights on the crossbow, even to where I couldn’t turn them anymore. It kept shooting a foot to the right and down. I fear I have the same issue as you, but being new to crossbows I do not understand the lingo or the verbiage of what you meant the rings being milled off center and replacing them? Where are those on the scope? How do I know if they are off center and where did you get parts to fix it? Thank you for your feedback in advance.
Jonah
Jonah, no one else has answered so I’ll try to help. The “rings” are the two mounting brackets that attach the scope to your crossbow. Scope rings come in many sizes, materials, and configurations. Each size and configuration parameter must match your particular setup or they won’t work.
For your Barnett scope you need 1″ rings, which refers to the size of the hole at the top of the rings (the mounting brackets) that encircles the 1″ diameter scope tube and holds it in place.
The bottom of scope rings have a clamping system that must properly fit the type of mounting base you have. All the Barnett crossbows I’ve seen have Picatinny rails, so either “one inch Picatinny” or “one inch Weaver Style” rings should work.
The third critical parameter is ring height. My Barnett 4x32mm scope’s largest diameter is at the ocular (eyepiece). The height of the rings must be sufficiently tall to hold this “fat” portion of the scope above the mounting base below it. You want to select rings tall enough to allow an air gap that will accommodate the removable scope cover; figure about a 0.1″ minimum air gap. Your ocular is 42mm, or 1.65″ Skipping the math, for a 0.1″ air gap you need .425″ minimum ring height (measured from where the rings contact the mounting base to the lowest point of the “hole” or saddle that encircles the scope tube. Anywhere between .425″ and .500″ ring height, base to bottom of ring’s saddle, should be satisfactory.
You don’t want the rings much taller than the necessary minimum because increased scope height results in greater aiming error at all distances other than the distance at which you zero the scope. This happens because the scope is above the plane of the arrow, so the aiming point intersects with the point of impact at only one distance. The lower the scope height, the less error and vice versa.
In summary, you need “one inch Weaver style” (or Picatinny style) rings with minimum .425″ height. Be careful when comparing specs as some manufacturers state their ring heights as I have described it (top of mounting base to bottom of scope ring hole), but some publish ring height from the top of the mounting base to the CENTER of the scope mounting hole. If you encounter the latter, subtract .500″ from their stated measurement to convert to the former.
There are many brands and styles spanning a huge price range. Avoid the “five dollar” Chinese junk (you already have that), but you don’t need fancy or expensive rings for this application. Burris Zee Rings, high, #420087 would work well and are $26 delivered on Amazon. These have ideal, .45″ saddle height, steel so they won’t strip easily, matte black finish. Good rings for little money. Use Purple Locktite on all mounting screws; snug up firmly but don’t over-tighten. Adjust the scope forward/backward for best picture to your eye before locking it in place.
Good luck!
I have a game crusher cross bow, this is second season, last year worked well, sighted in and stayed sighted in, put away after season, hung in closet by the foot thingy to cock, did not drop or hit scope. Took it out to get ready for season, shooting very high and slightly left. Adjustment to right piece of cake, vertical not so much, kept adjusting moved some but not much and ran out of adjustment…. Any advice?
Excellent information. I just upgraded to a Barnett Whitetail with the 4X32 multi-ret. sighting in was easy only needed a hand full of MOA. Moving to 20 yd and perfect, with quarter size group. 30 yd was 4″ high. Again 4″. Back to 20 and perfect. Stopped there til I figure this out. Shooting from a rest so sight pic was steady. Any thoughts?
I also purchased a Barnett Whitetail with the 4X32 multi-ret. and experience the same sighting .. 20 yd and perfect. 30 yd was 4″ high. Again 4″. Back to 20 and perfect. Did you ever find the solution? I would be interested in knowing what you did to fix this issue.