The Barnett Jackal was one of Barnett’s most popular budget compound crossbows, sold for about $350 with a red dot sight and arrows. Many are still in use. If you own one or are looking at a used one, this page covers what it was, how to keep it shooting, what to check before buying, and which current Barnett crossbows to consider if you’d rather buy new.
We haven’t shot a Jackal for this article. The specs come from Barnett’s archived product page and its current parts store. Prices, stock and ratings were checked on Amazon on October 4, 2026, and they change often.
Barnett Jackal at a glance
- Speed: 315 fps
- Energy: 88 ft-lb
- Draw weight: 150 lb
- Power stroke: 12 inches
- Weight: 7.7 lb
- Size: 36 inches long, 28.25 inches wide, 26.25 inches axle to axle
- Arrows: 20-inch, 400 grains
- String and cables: 37 7/8-inch string (Barnett part 16159), 27 7/8-inch cables (part 16173)
- Price when new: $349 on Barnett’s site in 2016
- Sold: on Amazon from January 2011; gone from Barnett’s site by spring 2017
What the Jackal was
The Jackal was a compound crossbow with an aluminum riser, a CNC-machined 7/8-inch Picatinny rail for optics, a composite stock with a pass-through foregrip, and Barnett’s CROSSWIRE string and cable system. It came in Realtree APG camo. The package included a premium red dot sight, a three-arrow quiver and three 20-inch Headhunter arrows.
Barnett made several versions. Its parts store lists the Jackal string for model numbers 78045, 78046, 78047, 78048, 78404 and 78405. Check the label on your stock before ordering parts.
This page used to link to a Jackal package on Amazon. That listing is no longer available, and Barnett no longer sells the bow.
Is the Jackal still worth it?
For close-range deer hunting, a Jackal in good condition still works. 315 fps and 88 ft-lb is modest by today’s standards, but it’s enough for deer at the distances most crossbow hunters shoot, where your state allows it. A 150 lb draw is also easier to cock than most current bows.
The trade-offs are size and support. At 28.25 inches wide and 7.7 lb, it’s wider and heavier than Barnett’s current XP bows. No crank cocking device was ever listed for it (see our Jackal crank cocking device guide). And Barnett’s warranty requires the original buyer to register within 10 days of purchase, so assume a used Jackal has no warranty.
The good news is that Barnett still lists replacement strings and cables for it. A Jackal you already own is worth maintaining. A used one is worth buying only cheaply, with room in the budget for a new string, cables and arrows.
Jackal owner guide
String and cables
Barnett’s parts store lists a Jackal string (part 16159, 37 7/8 inches) for $29.99, in stock when we checked, and Jackal cables (part 16173, 27 7/8 inches) for $59.99, which were sold out. On a compound, both the string and the cables need a crossbow press to fit, so most owners have an archery shop do it. Wax the string and cables regularly, and replace them if you see fraying, broken strands or separating serving.
Arrows
Barnett listed the Jackal for 20-inch, 400-grain arrows, and it shipped with 20-inch Headhunters. Stick to that length and don’t go lighter. Barnett’s warranty excludes damage from arrows and nocks it doesn’t recommend, and a too-light arrow stresses the bow much like a dry fire. Our crossbow bolts guide explains length, weight and nock types.
Cocking
The Jackal didn’t come with a cocking aid, and Barnett never listed one of its crank devices for it. A rope cocker is the practical choice: it roughly halves the pull to about 75 lb and keeps the string centered. Our Jackal cocking guide covers which ones work and why the cranks don’t fit. Never let a cocked crossbow down by hand. Shoot it into a target with a field point.
Used-buying checklist
- Limbs: look for cracks, splinters or lifted layers. Don’t buy a bow with limb damage.
- String and cables: look for fraying, flat spots or loose serving. Assume they need replacing unless the seller has a receipt.
- Wheels and axles: they should be straight and turn smoothly, with no bent or chipped string tracks.
- Riser and rail: check for cracks and deep grooves worn into the flight track.
- Trigger and safety: the safety should engage on cocking. Some owners reported a sticking safety after heavy use, so try it several times.
- Dry fires: ask directly. A dry fire can crack limbs or wheels even if the damage is hard to see.
- Extras: 20-inch arrows, the red dot and a rope cocker add some value.
We couldn’t find a reliable published source for used Jackal prices, so we won’t quote one. Remember that a new Barnett XP370 costs about $350, the same as a new Jackal did. A used Jackal that needs a string and cables is only a bargain at a small fraction of that.
Today’s best Barnett alternatives to the Jackal
If you’d rather buy new, these four Barnetts were in stock new on Amazon. All four were sold by third-party sellers and shipped by Amazon.
- Closest match: Barnett XP370. 370 fps, 20-inch arrows, about $350, the Jackal’s old price.
- Most proven: Barnett Whitetail Hunter STR. 375 fps, 4.5 stars from 2,300+ ratings, about $430.
- More speed, with a scope: Barnett XP385. 385 fps, about $500.
- Lowest price: Barnett Wildcat CRX. A simple recurve, about $240.
1. Barnett XP370: closest match
The XP370 is the closest thing Barnett sells today to what the Jackal was: an entry-level compound at about the same price. It’s faster and much more compact. Barnett lists 370 fps and 115 ft-lb from a 165 lb draw and a 13.6-inch power stroke. It measures 13 inches axle to axle cocked, and the adjustable stock gives a length of 35.5 to 38 inches. It has a TriggerTech trigger and a groove in the stock (Barnett calls it Rope-Hold) for the included rope cocker. It also comes with a red dot sight, two 20-inch carbon arrows and a quiver.
It was $349.99 on Amazon, the same as Barnett’s list price, with 4.6 stars, but from only 12 ratings. It uses 20-inch arrows like the Jackal, but check the XP370 manual for its minimum arrow weight before using old Jackal arrows.
2. Barnett Whitetail Hunter STR: most proven
The STR has far more owner feedback than any other current Barnett: 4.5 stars from more than 2,300 Amazon ratings. Barnett rates it at 375 fps and 118.6 ft-lb from a 187 lb draw and a 15 7/16-inch power stroke. It weighs 6.6 lb and is 32.88 inches long, so it’s shorter and lighter than a Jackal. It comes with a 4×32 multi-reticle scope, rope cocker, quiver, two arrows and string wax.
Two differences from the Jackal: the STR uses 22-inch arrows, so your Jackal arrows won’t carry over, and Barnett’s Standard Crank Cocking Device fits it if you want a crank later. It was $429.99 on Amazon, below Barnett’s $499.99 list price.
3. Barnett XP385: more speed, with a scope
The XP385 is the same compact, adjustable XP platform with more power and a scope instead of a red dot. Barnett rates it at 385 fps and 122 ft-lb from a 185 lb draw and a 13.8-inch power stroke, at about 6 lb. It comes with a 4×32 multi-reticle scope, two 20-inch carbon arrows, a quiver, a rope cocker and wax.
It had 4.2 stars from 19 ratings. The price is the catch: $499.99 on Amazon, while Barnett lists this Veil camo version at $399.99. At $500, the Whitetail Hunter STR is the better buy unless you want the XP’s adjustable stock, so watch for a sale.
4. Barnett Wildcat CRX: lowest price
The Wildcat CRX is a recurve, so there are no cams or cables to replace, which is the Jackal’s main maintenance cost. Barnett rates it at 280 fps and 66 ft-lb from a 195 lb draw and a 12.5-inch power stroke. It’s 33 inches long and weighs 6.1 lb. The Amazon bundle includes a red dot sight, a rope cocker, 20-inch Headhunter arrows, broadheads and a quiver.
It was $239.99 with 4.1 stars from 10 ratings. Be realistic: 280 fps and 66 ft-lb is less than the Jackal made, so treat it as a close-range bow and check your state’s rules. For more recurve choices, see our guide to the best recurve crossbows.
The bottom line
A Jackal in good shape can still put a deer in the freezer at sensible ranges. Keep it in fresh strings and cables, feed it 20-inch, 400-grain arrows, and use a rope cocker. If you’re buying new, the XP370 is the natural successor at the same price, and the Whitetail Hunter STR is the safest choice overall.
To see the rest of the lineup, read our Barnett crossbow reviews. We have similar owner guides for the Barnett Ghost 410 and the Excalibur Matrix 355. To compare every brand, see our best crossbows guide.