CenterPoint Sniper 370

370 feet per second from a 185 pound draw and a 13.5 inch power stroke puts the Sniper 370 in the middle of the crossbow performance range - not fast by current standards, comfortably fast enough for whitetail at sensible distances. At 20 to 40 yards, which is where the overwhelming majority of crossbow shots are taken, it is not the limiting factor.

7.9 pounds is on the heavy side, and you notice it if you carry the bow any distance or hold it up waiting for a shot. The 36.5 inch overall length is normal. The 3.5 pound trigger with auto-safety and dry-fire inhibitor is decent for the price bracket.

The practical summary: this is a capable, slightly heavy, entirely adequate hunting crossbow. Nothing about its specification is a reason to replace it.

The Sniper 370 shipped as a complete package:

• 4x32 multi-reticle scope
• Cocking rope
• Shoulder sling
• Noise-suppressing string stops
• Rubber-coated foot stirrup
• Four-bolt quick detach quiver
• Three 20-inch carbon bolts

If you bought yours used and some of that is missing, all of it is replaceable. The scope and the cocking rope are the two worth replacing first if they are gone - see scopes and cocking devices.

The Sniper 370 takes a 37.2 inch replacement string. The same length serves the Sniper Elite 370, which is worth knowing because listings sometimes cover one name and not the other.

Replacements are available both as a string on its own and as a string and cable set. On a Sniper 370 - a bow that by definition is now several seasons old at minimum - the set is the sensible purchase. Cables stretch alongside the string, and doing only half the job means the cam timing sits slightly off and you are back at the shop within a year.

These are aftermarket strings from specialist makers rather than factory items, because CenterPoint no longer supplies them. That is normal. Check the length in the listing title rather than relying on the model name. Full detail on the strings page.

The Sniper 370 is built around a 20-inch carbon bolt at roughly 400 grains, which is what the three bolts in the original package were. 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 have to match.

On sighting in: the bundled 4x32 reticle lines are calibrated around a speed, and at 370 feet per second the Sniper sits close to typical calibration, so the labelled distances are usually reasonably honest on this bow. Still worth verifying each line at the range and writing down what it actually corresponds to rather than trusting the label.

After this many seasons, the things to check 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 a rough surface means the rail is eating strings and needs a shop to look at it.
• The retention spring. Small, losable, and the reason a bolt lifts off the rail if it is bent.
• String stops and dampeners. Rubber perishes in storage. Perished stops make the bow louder and harsher than it should be.
• Scope mounting screws. Crossbow recoil works screws loose. A bow that will not hold zero is usually a scope that is moving.

None of these are expensive. Together they are the difference between a fifteen-year-old crossbow that shoots like new and one that gets blamed for missing.