Exploring the World of PSE Crossbows
One of the leading manufacturers of archery products in the world is PSE archery. The company was started by Pete Shepley back in 1970, it's now the largest privately owned manufacturer of archery equipment in the world. The company has 20 patents that it has shared with the rest of the industry. PSE was the first company to build a compound bow and is known for it's radical design philosophy, advanced manufacturing techniques and quality.
Originally PSE was located in Mahomet, Illinois at a 700 square foot location. In 1982 the company relocated to Tucson, Arizona with all of it's employees. The company now has an entire city block in Tucson, with 23,000 square feet of offices and 120,000 square feet of industrial facilities. Warehousing and manufacturing are located at opposite ends of the plant to streamline the production process.
Throughout the 1970's many states began to relax and repeal hunting laws in relation to crossbows. This led to an increased interest in the hunting community in both bows and crossbows. In 1982 PSE began it's first foray into the world of crossbows with the popular “Crossfire” compound crossbow. Many of the principles learned in the design and manufacture of compound bows were integrated into the design. In comparison to modern compound crossbows, the “Crossfire” could be considered under powered, but at the time it was revelation. It weighed in a 10lbs, had a laminated stock and was extremely accurate.
For serious hunters the present range of PSE crossbows starts with the “Toxic” crossbow at $500, up to the top of the line “Tac Elite” at $1499. Even the entry level “Toxic” model is extremely well equipped and advanced compared to older crossbows. The speed is estimated at 325 fps (with a 425gr bolt), it has a draw weight of 150 lbs and weighs just 9.4 lbs. It has an adjustable butt plate, a 4×32 scope, a front mounted folding grip and a sling as standard. At $500 that's a lot of crossbow and it even comes with four 20” carbon bolts to get you started.