CenterPoint Dagger 390

390 feet per second and 135 foot-pounds of kinetic energy put the Dagger 390 in the same performance band as the Sniper 370 - fast enough for whitetail at any distance a hunter should realistically be shooting, and not fast enough that the number alone justifies a premium-brand price. At 185 pounds the draw is a notch below the 200 pound bows in this lineup, which makes it one of the easier CenterPoints to rope-cock by hand.

The same core spec - 390 FPS from a 185 lb draw, a 14.5 inch power stroke, 7.8 pounds mass weight - is what turns up under the Sniper 390 and Mercenary 390 names on Amazon and at other retailers. That is normal for CenterPoint: the same platform gets sold through different channels under different labels, and the accessory listings follow the platform rather than any one storefront name. If a part is listed for one of the three names and not another, it is usually still worth checking - the bow underneath is the same.

The Dagger 390 shipped as a complete package:

• Three 20-inch carbon bolts
• CenterPoint 4x32 crossbow scope
• Parallel quiver
• Rope cocking device
• Rail lube

If yours is missing pieces after changing hands a few times, everything above is replaceable. The scope and the rope cocker are the two worth prioritizing if they are gone - see scopes and cocking devices.

The Dagger 390 takes a 37 inch replacement string, and the same length serves the Sniper 390 listings - worth knowing because a given color or style sometimes appears under one name and not the other. Strings are available both on their own and as a string and cable set for the Sniper 390 specifically.

On a bow that is by definition several seasons old at minimum, the set is the sensible buy where it is listed: cables stretch alongside the string, and doing only half the job leaves the cam timing slightly off. These are aftermarket strings from specialist makers rather than factory items, because CenterPoint no longer supplies them for this platform. Full lengths for the rest of the range are on the strings page.

The Dagger 390 is built around a 20-inch carbon bolt at roughly 400 grains, matching the three bolts that shipped in the box. Any 20-inch carbon bolt in that weight range with the correct nock type will work - see bolts and what fits for the three specifications that actually have to match.

The bundled 4x32 reticle is calibrated around a speed, and at 390 feet per second it sits close to the mid-range CenterPoint calibration, so the printed distance marks are usually reasonably honest on this bow. Verify each line at the range anyway and note what it actually corresponds to, and keep bolt weight consistent once you have sighted in - a heavier or lighter bolt shifts every line on the reticle.

After this many seasons in the field, the things worth checking before you rely on it:

• The string. If it is original, it is overdue. Look for fuzzing, serving separation and any loss of speed or shift in point of impact.
• The rail. Run a finger along the string path. A groove or rough patch means the rail is eating strings and needs a shop to look at it.
• String stops and dampeners. Rubber perishes in storage, and perished stops make the shot louder and harsher than it should be.
• Scope mounting screws. Crossbow recoil works screws loose over time. A bow that will not hold zero is usually a scope that is moving.

None of this is expensive, and it is the difference between a discontinued crossbow that still shoots true and one that gets blamed for missing. The full wear-item rundown is on the parts that wear first page.