Centerpoint Sniper 370 Crossbow Review

CenterPoint Sniper 370 Crossbow

 

Description of the product

A bit heavier than the new crossbow generations, an average scope, a basic rope cocking device, a really simple look and design with an aluminum machined riser and cams. All these features are responsible for such a low price. However, do not underestimate its efficiency by its cover. This is an overall impressive entry-level crossbow or an excellent second crossbow for a more experienced hunter.

Does it mean low quality? Certainly Not!

It means durability at an accessible built it to be an efficient hunting tool and make hunting or shooting with a crossbow accessible to everybody. CenterPoint recognizes safety and precision as important aspects of crossbows. The Dry-fire mechanism and the automatic safety trigger work flawlessly on the Sniper 370. On top of that, it has a fully adjustable stock for a better feeling, a pass-through foregrip to accommodate your shooting style to ensure exceptional accuracy and a narrower design for tight hunting places.

It won't win the latest design contest or the newest technology contest but this entry-level crossbow is simply perfect for beginners or even experienced hunters who want to have an incredible hunting experience at an interesting price. 

It is possible to browse the web and compare prices.

 

CenterPoint Sniper 370 Crossbow – Specs summary
Model Reviewed	Cocking draw weight	Stroke	Velocity	Suggested arrow length	Crossbow Cocked | Weight	Cocking device	Hunting Deer
CenterPoint Sniper 370	185 lbs.	13.5”	370 FPS	20”	18" | 7.9 lbs.	Rope Cocking Included	Yes

Pros:

1. Outstanding precision for an entry-level crossbow (good groupings until 50 yards)
2. Quality crossbow for the money
3. Great adjustability for any User (stock and foregrip)
4. Efficient safety mechanism (anti-dry fire)
5. Well balanced crossbow with included bolts

Cons:

1. If first crossbow assembling might be difficult
2. trigger creep

 

Specifics of the package

Accessories: This entry-level package will answer your expectations. The CenterPoint Sniper 370 crossbow package includes:

•  A 4x32 mm scope, entry-level scope
• A four-arrow quiver that holds safely your bolts and is easy to install or detach
• A cocking rope
• A shoulder sling to facilitate its transportation
• Three 20-inch carbon bolts 
• A Foot Stirrup that can fit any sizes of shoes-boots
• Owner’s manual
• Warranty card
• All the necessary tools to assemble the crossbow

Bolts:

The bolts included are 375-grain overall weight carbon bolts. The bolt weighs 275 grains for the carbon shaft and 100 grains for the field points. I would recommend purchasing heavier broadheads or bolts to increase momentum and kinetic energy in hunting situations to use the full potential of this crossbow. 

If you want to buy more of the same bolts from Crosman who owns CenterPoint, you need to be aware that the 20" carbon bolts will be 425 grain instead of 375 grain. There are no problems here because heavier bolts will enhance your Sniper 370 shotting experience. To get serious about practicing you should consider having in-between 6 to 12 bolts in your arsenal. 

Tip: Do not go under the recommended weight from the manufacturer for the overall weight of the bolt which includes the broadhead weight. 

 

Possible add-ons

Crossbow Cases:

Crossbow cases become handy to protect, store or transport your crossbow. On top of that, you can carry extra hunting items like knives and binoculars. I would suggest the OMP Compact Crossbow Case. It is a universal case that fit most crossbows on the market.

Broadheads:

 For better penetration, I suggest you try the Spitfire Maxx crossbow broadheads in 100 grains or more. They are well known to get through and leave a nice blood trail. Those are two important aspects of hunting broadheads.

Crossbow target:

Of course, practicing is the keystone for better precision. I would recommend either a yellow jacket crossbow target or a block crossbow target (To know more about these targets: Archery Practice Targets. Their density can absorb the fastest crossbow and they come at a fair price. The Bulldog Doghouse FP is a fair crossbow target to also consider but works only with field points to practice.

 

How to Assemble this Crossbow

Several steps are required to assemble the CenterPoint Sniper 370 like many crossbows but shouldn’t be too long. It should take you between 10 to 15 minutes even for a beginner. 

• The first thing to do is to clip together the strings of the riser. Make sure you install the cable slider the right way.
• Fix the riser to the stock using the proper hardware.
• Install the foot stirrup and the mounted quiver bracket
• Screw-in the scope on the Picatinny rail (scope comes with a battery)
• Install the shoulder sling and you completed the assembling.

Tip: You might want to use permatex to facilitate the assembling.

Tip: Sighting-in your crossbow is something you will eventually have to consider to make sure that your scope is perfectly aligned for the right distance. To do so, you might need a crossbow shooting stick or a bipod. A crossbow shooting stick or a bipod helps the shooter to keep a steady aim so fatigue or shaking hands aren't factors to disturb your calibration.

 

Accuracy and Velocity

Kinetic Energy: 

The CenterPoint Sniper 370 crossbow delivers up to 370 FPS which generates 113.9 ft-lbs with the included 375-grain bolts in perfect conditions. When tested, I weighed the included bolt at 372 grain and obtained an average of 362 FPS. Not too far from the expected 370 FPS. These numbers generate around 108.2 ft-lbs. of kinetic energy. 

However, you can't expect the same result with 425-grain bolts which are the bolts you will have to buy because the 375 grain is only sold when you buy the package. The impact of heavier bolts will result in a slower speed on the chronograph but an increased penetration factor.

I would recommend keeping heavier bolts to keep up the kinetic energy and its momentum. Increasing bolts weight will make you use the full potential of this crossbow but will lower its speed. That being said, this crossbow delivers the necessary power to take down any legal game on this planet.

Accuracy and distance:

Precision is the nerve of the war. CenterPoint has that in mind when they are creating their crossbows. Out of the box, the Sniper 370 will impress you. Almost no adjustments to do and your shots will hit repetitively the center of the target even at 50 yards.

This means a deadly shot even for a beginner. I saw hunters reaching dead center over 50 yards without any trouble. With or without experience this crossbow is deadly.

The only flaw that the Centerpoint Sniper 370 crossbow has, it's his trigger. The trigger has a lot of trigger creep but when you get used to it, it is no more an issue. Trigger creep means the distance that the trigger travel before the sear drops and releases the bolt. It might affect the precision if you can't master it but remember that at that price, it's acceptable. 

The scope will do the job but you might consider looking for another one eventually for maximum performances. That said, zeroing the scope won't be a problem with the Sniper 370.

 

The impression of the crossbow

Design:  

It can tolerate a fair bit of abuse. No flashy design all about durability and efficiency. The adjustable stock gives a more tactical look to the crossbow. The camo finish suits well its hunting purposes.

Safety:

 Like mentioned earlier, CenterPoint holds safety as an important aspect of the development of their crossbows. The automatic safety and the anti-dry fire systems work flawlessly to keep your focus on hunting and not on injuries.

The adjustable stock and foregrip also increase safety because you can properly adjust them to your length. The finger reminder adds the final touch to a complete and effective safety package for an entry-level crossbow at such an affordable price. 

Maneuverability: 

The CenterPoint Sniper 370 crossbow comes with a narrower design and weight about 7.9 lbs. This crossbow is not the lighter on the market but is not heavy enough to cause fatigue while you are aiming for several minutes.

The stock is smooth on the shoulder helping to balance the crossbow weight in between rear and front end. Finally, the rope cocking aid makes your life much easier to cock the string into the latch. Its adjustability can suit any adult height which will make your life even easier. The 185 lbs necessary to cock is down to 90 lbs. more or less.

 

Hunting situations

Quietness: 

Surprisingly quiet for an entry-level crossbow. But honestly, the velocity of modern crossbows is high enough to kill any legal game before they noticed the sound of the crossbow. There are sound suppressor and vibration dampeners available on the market to make this crossbow even quieter and a more stealth weapon. Even if the trigger has trigger creep, it has a clean break when the sear drops. 

When the energy comes back to the limbs, it is one of the causes of the vibration and noise in entry-level crossbows. Adding weight to your bolts will help to reduce the vibration and the noise produced by the crossbow.

In other words, the energy transferred to a heavier bolt from the limbs is absorbed by the bolt reducing the come back of energy into the limbs and string. Heavier bolts absorb more energy to gain more momentum. 

Tip: You can install split limb dampeners on your Centerpoint 370 crossbow. Any add-ons should have an impact on the overall speed of the crossbow. It can roughly decrease your speed by 1 fps for every 3 grains that are placed out on the limbs.

Efficiency:

This crossbow is a serious contender when we are talking about the best crossbows for the money. This is a well-built crossbow combining accuracy, distance, and price. The Sniper 370 crossbow is easy to maneuver and provides great accuracy without any adjustments resulting in many successful hunting stories.

 

Maintenance 

Taking good care of movable parts like strings, cams and trigger systems will assure your crossbow to last longer. Clean debris from the flight track to avoid miss-shots and make a full inspection of the crossbow before the hunting season.

 

Conclusion

I hope the CenterPoint Sniper 370 crossbow review answered a few or all of your questions. This crossbow is a lethal weapon and is under $300. This is a serious crossbow to consider as your first crossbow. No doubt, you will enjoy every dollar invested in the CenterPoint Sniper 370 crossbow while hunting.

Thank you for reading us, do not hesitate to leave any comments or ask any questions below.

Have a nice Hunt!