- Key Facts
- Rating8.3/10
- Why this pickIt delivers more raw speed and kinetic energy than Ravin's own $4,149.99 flagship for roughly $1,500 less, making it the practical pick for a buyer who doesn't specifically need a built-in rangefinder.
Pros
- Confirmed 500 fps and 222 ft-lbs of kinetic energy, the highest of any Ravin model we've fully verified
- $2,649.99 is roughly $1,500 less than Ravin's own flagship R470 XERO XK7, despite outperforming it on speed and energy
- Comes with an adjustable cheek pad and buttstock, plus built-in sling mounts, not just a bare crossbow
- Includes anti-dry-fire and auto-safety features confirmed directly on the manufacturer's product page
Cons
- Fiberglass limbs rather than the Quad Limb Composite construction on Ravin's pricier R470 XERO XK7
- No integrated rangefinding scope, the included 100-yard illuminated scope is a conventional optic
- Axle-to-axle length and power stroke are not published anywhere on the manufacturer's own product page
- No independent, third-party chronograph testing of the advertised 500 fps was found in this research
The Ravin R500 is confirmed at $2,649.99 directly from the manufacturer's own product page, fetched on 2026-09-09. Of the two Ravin models we've fully spec'd for this site, it's the faster and cheaper of the pair, and it's the fastest crossbow anywhere in Ravin's real, confirmed 18-model lineup so far.
The Real Numbers
Ravin's own spec sheet lists the R500 at 500 fps with 400-grain arrows, producing 222 ft-lbs of kinetic energy. That's a genuinely higher figure on both counts than the brand's $4,149.99 flagship, the R470 XERO XK7, which is rated at 470 fps and 196 ft-lbs. Draw force on the R500 is 17 lbs, identical to the flagship, and the crossbow weighs 8.4 lbs, also identical, the two models share the same basic ergonomics even though their limb systems and price tags differ. The R500 measures 28.5 inches in length, a bit longer than the R470 XERO XK7's 26.75 inches.
Where the two models genuinely diverge is limb construction. The R500 uses fiberglass limbs, while the R470 XERO XK7 uses Quad Limb Composite. Fiberglass is a real, established material for crossbow limbs and isn't inherently inferior for performance, the R500's own numbers prove that, since it outshoots the composite-limbed flagship on both speed and energy, but it is a step down in materials tier from what Ravin puts on its priciest model. Axle-to-axle width and power stroke aren't published on Ravin's product page for the R500, the same gap we found on the R470 XERO XK7's page.
Confirmed at $2,649.99, the R500 shoots 500 fps at 222 ft-lbs of kinetic energy, outperforming Ravin's own pricier flagship on both numbers.
Full Specs
| Spec | R500 |
|---|---|
| Price | $2,649.99 |
| Speed | 500 fps (400 gr.) |
| Kinetic energy | 222 ft-lbs |
| Draw force | 17 lbs |
| Weight | 8.4 lbs |
| Length | 28.5" |
| Limbs | Fiberglass |
| Riser | Aluminum CNC |
| Stock material | Nylon fiber |
| Axle-to-axle | Not published on the manufacturer's product page |
| Power stroke | Not published on the manufacturer's product page |
| SKU | R050.1 |
What's Included
The R500 ships with more than a bare crossbow body. Ravin's product page confirms three.003 R500-series arrows with 400-grain field points, a 100-yard illuminated 550 scope, a removable draw handle, and a quiver with a mounting bracket. On top of that, the package includes an adjustable cheek pad, an adjustable buttstock, built-in sling mounts, and both anti-dry-fire and auto-safety mechanisms. That's a more fully-featured accessory set than a bare-bones crossbow purchase, and the adjustable stock components in particular are a real, practical fit consideration for hunters of different builds, something Ravin doesn't call out the same way on the R470 XERO XK7's own product page.
The R500 includes an adjustable cheek pad and buttstock, built-in sling mounts, and anti-dry-fire safety, on top of the arrows, scope, and quiver included in the price.
How It Compares to the R470 XERO XK7
The honest comparison here isn't close on raw numbers: the R500 is faster, has more kinetic energy, and costs about $1,500 less than Ravin's own R470 XERO XK7. What the R470 XERO XK7 has that the R500 doesn't is an integrated Garmin Xero rangefinding scope built directly into the crossbow, rather than the R500's conventional 100-yard illuminated optic. For a hunter who doesn't need electronic rangefinding built into the bow itself, whether because they shoot known, fixed distances or already carry a separate rangefinder, the R500 is the more capable and considerably less expensive option based on the confirmed specs alone.
The R500's fiberglass limbs are a genuine step down from the flagship's Quad Limb Composite construction in terms of materials tier, even though the finished product outperforms the flagship on speed. Whether that trade-off matters in practice over years of hunting use isn't something either manufacturer spec sheet can answer, and no independent longevity testing was found in this research to confirm or rule out a durability difference between the two limb types on these specific models.
The R500 beats Ravin's flagship on speed, energy, and price, but trades away the integrated rangefinding scope and uses fiberglass rather than composite limbs.
Pros and Cons
Confirmed pros:
- Confirmed 500 fps and 222 ft-lbs of kinetic energy, the highest of any Ravin model fully verified so far
- $2,649.99, about $1,500 less than Ravin's own flagship, while outperforming it on speed and energy
- Adjustable cheek pad and buttstock, plus built-in sling mounts, included in the price
- Anti-dry-fire and auto-safety features confirmed directly on the manufacturer's page
Real limitations:
- Fiberglass limbs, a step down in materials tier from the flagship's Quad Limb Composite
- No integrated rangefinding scope, only a conventional 100-yard illuminated optic
- Axle-to-axle length and power stroke aren't published on the manufacturer's page
- No independent third-party chronograph test of the advertised 500 fps was found in this research
The trade-off is speed and value against the flagship's rangefinding tech and composite limbs, the R500 wins on the numbers that are easiest to measure.