Ravin R29X Review: Speed, Cocking and Verdict

The Ravin R29X is a 29-inch bullpup crossbow that Ravin rates at 450 fps with a 400-grain arrow, and it cocks with a quiet crank built into the stock. This Ravin R29X review pulls together Ravin's specs and manual, an independent chronograph test and the rivals people ask about. Our short verdict: a strong pick for tight blinds and thick cover, if you accept proprietary arrows and a bow one tester called "fairly loud". You can compare current Ravin R29X crossbow listings on Amazon, but read the arrow and warranty notes below first.

Ravin R29X specifications

These figures come from Ravin's R29X pages unless marked. Ravin doesn't list the width or power stroke, so those come from Lancaster Archery's listing.

Archery Business lists a 3 lb trigger pull; we use the manual's "about 4.0 pounds".

The black and XK7 bows come pre-assembled and pre-tuned with three arrows and field points, a removable draw handle, a quiver with mounting bracket and Ravin's 100-yard illuminated scope with 30 to 100-yard reticles and red or green illumination. On the XK7 version, Ravin says the scope's Speed Lock ring will "secure your fps dial after sighting in". The manual also covers an R29X Sniper package with a 1-8x24 adjustable turret scope and .001 arrows, but Ravin's current R29X listings don't include it, so ask a dealer.

Design and features: what each part does for you

HeliCoil cams and the bullpup layout

Ravin's HeliCoil system winds the cables into helical grooves at the top and bottom of each cam. Ravin says both cams stay "perfectly level" while they rotate 340 degrees, and credits that rotation with the power it gets from very short limbs. Our guide to how a crossbow works explains the general idea: more power stroke and more draw weight store more energy.

The R29X's party trick is what happens when you cock it. Drawing the string pulls the limb tips inward, so the bow goes from 10.5 inches across to 6 inches, by Lancaster's figures. Ravin calls it "a tactical, bullpup-style crossbow", and its own description says the bullpup format "provides a longer powerstroke". That narrow, short shape is the whole case for this model.

Trac-Trigger and the free-floating arrow

On a conventional crossbow you draw the string back to a fixed trigger housing. Ravin's Trac-Trigger slides forward along the rail, clamps the centre of the string, and is drawn back into place by the crank. The arrow and string float above the rail rather than dragging on it, which Ravin says improves "string and cable life". The arrow sits on a roller rest, and the manual says the whole rest is replaced if the rollers wear.

The manual also says the safety and anti-dry-fire mechanisms switch on automatically when the Trac-Trigger closes on the string, and the anti-dry-fire mechanism only releases when a Ravin arrow with a Ravin clip-on nock is fully seated.

Silent cocking and de-cocking

The Versa-Draw crank lives in the stock. You fit the removable handle into either side, turn it, and a one-way bearing keeps the draw quiet. Ravin says you can "stop the draw cycle at any time", and the manual describes de-cocking with the same handle, which means no shooting a de-cocking bolt into the dirt at the end of a hunt. Our step-by-step guide to cocking a crossbow covers rope, crank and built-in systems if you're new to this.

Published test results

In a review published by Archery Business in November 2024, Darron McDougal recorded 458 fps through a Caldwell chronograph with a 400-grain bolt, which his review gives as 186.36 foot-pounds, and shot a 1.5-inch four-bolt group at 60 yards from a shooting stick. He also wrote that the R29X "was launched in 2020". His one complaint: "The R29X's one downside is it is fairly loud." He suggested limb dampeners or ear plugs. One bow isn't proof, but it suggests Ravin's rating isn't optimistic.

The R29X XK7 RDS package

The newest version pairs the R29X with Ravin's Jack Plate adjustable elevation mount and a Single Dot Reflex Sight instead of a scope. Ravin says it was "originally developed for hunters in jurisdictions where magnified optics are restricted", and that the Jack Plate's sight tape is matched to the R29X's 450 fps so you can dial the dot from 20 to 100 yards.

Ravin also describes a simpler approach: zero the dot at 30 yards and use that one aiming point across several distances. On Ravin's figures, arrows then land about 1.5 inches high at 20 yards, 1.5 inches low at 40 and 4.25 inches low at 50.

If you're buying the RDS for legal reasons, check your own state or provincial rules on crossbow sights rather than relying on the package name. This isn't legal advice and regulations change, so confirm with your wildlife agency.

Fit, setup and what else you need

The R29X arrives assembled, so setup is mostly about the scope, arrows and maintenance. Here's the order the manual follows:

1. Mount the scope. Ravin recommends a shop do it. If you do it yourself, the manual gives 35 in-lb for the ring bases and 15 in-lb for the ring screws, and warns that over-tightening damages the scope.
2. Check your arrows. Use only 20-inch, 400-grain Ravin arrows with Ravin clip-on nocks, never anything lighter than 400 grains. Flex-test each shaft and index the white cock vane straight down.
3. Cock with the crank. Never cock or de-cock by hand, and don't leave the bow cocked for more than 8 hours.
4. Sight in, then calibrate. Set the scope's speed dial to the rated speed, zero at 10, 20 and then 50 yards, and fine-tune the dial at 40 yards with a 100-grain point or broadhead. Change head weight and you redo the process.
5. Pick legal, crossbow-rated heads. Ravin recommends expandables "rated for crossbows and even more specifically for the speed of your bow"; fixed blades on the R29X must be no wider than 1 5/8 inches.

Our crossbow broadhead tuning guide covers checking broadhead flight against field points once you've sighted in.

Strings and cables. Ravin recommends replacing them "at least every two years or 400 shots, whichever occurs first". Only the Ravin press may be used, and the manual's cam timing dots show when worn cables have pulled the cams out of time. Our article on when to replace a crossbow string compares this with other makers' intervals.

Warranty. Ravin's limited warranty runs five years for the original purchaser if you register within 30 days. It excludes strings, cables and bearings, and it's void after a dry fire or if damage comes from "arrows, nocks, bolts, fletching or broadheads not sold by Ravin Crossbows".

Ravin R29 vs R29X, R10X, R26X and R470

Ravin's figures, rated with 400-grain arrows, except the R29X's cocked width (Lancaster). The R29 numbers come from Ravin's 2019 R29 page in the Internet Archive, which doesn't state the arrow weight but shipped the bow with 400-grain arrows.

Ravin R29 vs R29X

On paper the R29X is the R29 with 20 more fps, 16 more ft-lb and the silent version of the crank. Both share the 29-inch length, 6.75 lb weight, 12.5-inch power stroke and 6-inch cocked width. A used R29 can make sense, but it's out of warranty for a second owner and needs a string check.

Ravin R29X vs R10X

The R10X XK7 trades 30 fps for adjustable comfort: Ravin lists an adjustable cheek pad and buttstock and a handle that stows in the stock. At 33 inches it's 4 inches longer, and Ravin lists it at 6.8 lb. The R10X Pro adds a full-length scope rail at 7.95 lb.

Ravin R26X vs R29X

The R26X is 3 inches shorter, a quarter-pound lighter and narrower at 5.75 inches cocked, but 50 fps slower. The manual puts no fixed-blade broadhead limit on the R26X. Ravin pitches it at saddle hunters and smaller frames.

Ravin R29X vs R470

The R470 is faster and shorter, but at 8.4 lb it's heavier, and its 17 lb cocking force is higher. It runs Ravin's newer HexCoil cams, which Ravin says rotate 300 degrees.

Outside Ravin: TenPoint's Flatline 460 is the closest rival. Lancaster lists it at 460 fps, 26.5 inches long and 7.5 inches wide, with TenPoint's ACUslide cocking and de-cocking system and 16-inch arrows.

Who should buy the R29X, and who shouldn't

Buy it if:

• you hunt from ground blinds, saddles or tight stands where a 6-inch cocked width helps;
• you want cocking and de-cocking without a rope or a separate crank;
• you want a red dot rather than a scope and the RDS package suits you;
• you're happy to buy Ravin arrows and broadheads for the warranty's sake.

Skip it if:

• you want cheap arrows from any brand: Ravin's manual allows only its own;
• you're sensitive to noise;
• you're buying a first crossbow on a budget: our CenterPoint Sniper Elite 385 review covers a much cheaper scoped package.

Where to buy the Ravin R29X crossbow

Ravin sells direct and through dealers; use Ravin's dealer locator to find a shop that can also handle string changes and press work. If you buy through Amazon's R29X listings, confirm whether a listing is the Stealth Black, XK7 or RDS version and that it comes with Ravin arrows and a scope or sight.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Ravin R29X worth it?

It's worth it if you need its specific strengths: a 6-inch cocked width, a built-in crank that also de-cocks, and 450 fps from a 6.75 lb bow. If you mostly shoot deer inside 40 yards from a roomy stand, a shorter, slower Ravin such as the R26X, or a cheaper crossbow, covers the same shots for less money.

What is the difference between the Ravin R29 and R29X?

Ravin's 2019 page rated the R29 at 430 fps and 164 ft-lb. The R29X is rated at 450 fps and 180 ft-lb, and Lancaster's listing describes its silent cocking system, with a one-way bearing in the crank, as new. Both are 29 inches long, weigh 6.75 lb, have a 12.5-inch power stroke and measure 6 inches across the cams when cocked.

Can you use any arrows in a Ravin R29X?

No. Ravin's R26X/R29X manual says to use only 20-inch, 400-grain Ravin arrows with Ravin clip-on nocks, and warns that other arrows or nocks may not release the anti-dry-fire mechanism or may fail. Arrows lighter than 400 grains aren't allowed, and damage from non-Ravin arrows or broadheads isn't covered by the warranty.

How fast is the Ravin R29X really?

Ravin rates it at 450 fps with a 400-grain arrow. In Archery Business's November 2024 review, Darron McDougal recorded 458 fps through a chronograph with a 400-grain bolt. That's one bow on one day, so treat it as encouraging rather than a promise, and expect speed to drop if you shoot heavier arrows than Ravin's standard.

Is the Ravin R29X good for tree stand hunting?

It can be used from a stand, but Ravin's manual warns that hunting from elevated surfaces such as tree stands "is dangerous" and says never to cock or de-cock by hand. Its short length and narrow cocked width help in a stand. Raise it unloaded on a haul line and wear a full-body harness.