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Hickory Creek Koolaid

Near the end of this video he handles the HC mini and another crossbow showing the size difference.
 
Video about different versions of the mini. I have the one where I have to remove the quiver to get my foot in the stirrup.
 
LoadedLimbs said:
@TNSTAAFL - I have just completed my own search for a replacement scope for the Hickory Creek Mini. If you can justify spending $300 - $400 for a replacement scope, I recommend that you go with one of the following:

1. Hawke XB30 Compact 1.5-6x36 SR - Street Price is usually around $270.00 on Amazon.com
Link: Hawke XB30 Compact on Amazon.com

2. TenPoint Rangemaster Pro 1.5-5x32 - Street Price is usually around $270.00 on Amazon.com
Link: TenPoint Rangemaster Pro on Amazon.com

3. TenPoint EVO-X Marksman 1.5-6x36 - Street Price is usually around $370.00 on Amazon.com
Link: TenPoint EVO-X Marksman on Amazon.com


It turns out that TenPoint has Hawke make their scopes and put the TenPoint name on them. All three of these scopes will give you the low-light performance you desire ... they have excellent light gathering capabilities. (1.) and (3.) have the best low light performance of any crossbow scopes I've found. All three scopes also have some highly desirable features for crossbow users:

a) Etched glass reticle, which cannot shift or break like wire reticles can
b) Battery powered variable intensity red and green reticle illumination so you can easily see your reticle in low light conditions, and fine tune how bright it appears against the image you're viewing through the scope. The ability to adjust the illumination intensity becomes critical as the level of light changes fairly rapidly at dusk and dawn.
c) Multiple stadia lines providing hold points for 20, 30, 40 yards (and further)
d) Arrow velocity indicator scale on the locking variable power ring, to assist you with sighting in your crossbow. Once you have it dialed in to match the velocity/trajectory of your arrow, you lock the variable power ring so that it won't move if someone tries to turn it or if you accidentally bump it.*
e) 30mm scope tube, which provides better light transmission for low light performance than 1" and smaller scope tubes
f) Nitrogen purged to prevent moisture entry and internal fogging

*Be aware that you don't use these scopes in the field like a variable power riflescope. The magnification is only used to adjust the spacing between the stadia lines of the reticle during your initial setup, so that they match the trajectory of your arrow perfectly. Once you find that magnification setting (while sighting in at the range), you lock the power adjustment ring and never change the magnification again. In the field, you use the scope as a fixed power scope locked at whatever magnification setting was the correct one for your arrow trajectory. When the HC Mini is set to max draw weight with stock arrows and 100gr heads, the launch velocity is about 320 to 330 fps. The corresponding magnification setting you'll end up at for the associated arrow trajectory is somewhere around 2.5X magnification, give or take a little, depending on the particulars of your individual Mini and arrow setup.

You won't need a chronograph to setup your system. You simply sight in the 20 yard stadia line at 20 yards, then move your target out to 40 yards and shoot with your hold on the 40 yard stadia line. If your arrow hits too high or too low, you dial the magnification power up or down (without moving the elevation setting on the scope) and try again. Once it's hitting the bullseye at 40 yards using the 40 yard stadia line, you can lock the variable power ring in place and you're almost done. Do some final checks to make sure the 30 yard stadia line is "on" at 30 yards and the 50 yard stadia line is "on" at 50 yards just to gain confidence that you've got it dialed in correctly. Once there, you're "done for good" unless you adjust the draw weight or modify the type of arrow or head you're using - then you should go back to the range and dial it in again.

I can say from user experience that these are the best alternatives that I've found to the stock scope provided on the Hickory Creek Mini. I have no doubt that there are riflescopes with larger objective lenses and even better light gathering capabilities for low-light performance. But if you want a crossbow scope that gives you exact hold points matched to your arrow's trajectory, these are the best performers in low light that I have found in the marketplace today - and I'm confident that they'll let you take your shot in the last five minutes of legal shooting hours.

I currently have the EVO-X Marksman mounted on my HC Mini, because I prefer the reticle it has over the other two options I listed. All of them have adequate reticles - the one in the EVO-X is just my personal preference.

One final note: If you're going to put a replacement scope on the HC Mini, you need to be mindful of the sweep path of the bowstring in relation to the turrets on the scope. Using a larger diameter scope like the ones I've recommended above requires you to adjust the position of the picatinny rail to the right (on a right-handed Mini) to ensure adequate clearance between the string and the scope turret when firing the bow. Failure to be mindful of this during setup will cause undesirable consequences. :oops:

There are two allen head screws that lock the picatinny rail in place on the L-channel on the Mini. It may not be obvious until disassembly of those screws and removal of the rail, but they pass through slots, not holes. Those slots permit you to slide the entire picatinny rail left or right to achieve the string clearance needed for your particular scope. Make sure you get it right the first time. (It's not hard as long as you pay attention.) Attention to detail on this is critical ... You have been warned!
Click to expand...
I appreciate you sharing your knowledge with these scopes! It saves me (and I'm sure others) a lot of time and money. After a low light missed shot opportunity last night, I have one on order.
 
I was looking thru my stuff last night and found an optimizer with a rail mount, that may work pretty sweet on this bow
with a small red dot or holographic sight
 
The Mini strikes again!

Once again not an impressive deer, or shot, but this little guy will supplement the little doe in my freezer. 2021 will be filled with venison meals!

Two tags left. Gotta get on a big doe and hopefully, during the rut, something to hang on the wall. Not easy in my state, but I'll keep trying.

I love this little crossbow!
78c739b424eadef7a1c7ffabf83c7e31.jpg
 
this really is an interesting crossbow, I have some 2216's that are ready to go, cut one down to 21" and tried it,
it hits left like over spined, with a 100 grain tip, with a 125,150 then 175 grain tip managed to walk it over to bulls eye
so I take another and leave it at 28" with a 100 grain, and right dead center but heavy at 490 grains total

then a 340 spine carbon 28", 100 grain, 400 grain total weight, and dead center. hits center at 25 yards the same as the
23" 390 grain carbons that come with it.

definitely am going to take the scope off, mount my optimizer and put a red dot on it. 3mm dot the vortex is looking good,
 
TFL said:
this really is an interesting crossbow, I have some 2216's that are ready to go, cut one down to 21" and tried it,
it hits left like over spined, with a 100 grain tip, with a 125,150 then 175 grain tip managed to walk it over to bulls eye
so I take another and leave it at 28" with a 100 grain, and right dead center but heavy at 490 grains total

then a 340 spine carbon 28", 100 grain, 400 grain total weight, and dead center. hits center at 25 yards the same as the
23" 390 grain carbons that come with it.

definitely am going to take the scope off, mount my optimizer and put a red dot on it. 3mm dot the vortex is looking good,
Click to expand...
Is the whisker rest whiskers rubbing on all 3 contact points on the 2216s? Just the difference in diameter and friction on the rest may make a difference between the 2216s and 340s?? I have no clue but it's just an idea.
 
My quiver fell off my HC mini this morning in heavy brush. I climbed up the tree and went to load an arrow and looked at the xbow hanging from the hook and the quiver was gone. I backtracked using the GAIA GPS app and found it about 70 yards back where I was fighting through about a million thorn bushes, well it seemed like that. I guess I have to keep an eye on it. I am glad SRT is easy up and down. One sticking would have sucked. Saw no deer.
 
bj139 said:
My quiver fell off my HC mini this morning in heavy brush. I climbed up the tree and went to load an arrow and looked at the xbow hanging from the hook and the quiver was gone. I backtracked using the GAIA GPS app and found it about 70 yards back where I was fighting through about a million thorn bushes, well it seemed like that. I guess I have to keep an eye on it. I am glad SRT is easy up and down. One sticking would have sucked. Saw no deer.
Click to expand...
Bummer.

It's kinda ironic, as I struggle to get the damn quiver off! It's the one thing I don't like about this setup. I wish there was a way to just leave it on all the time.
 
TNSTAAFL said:
Bummer.

It's kinda ironic, as I struggle to get the damn quiver off! It's the one thing I don't like about this setup. I wish there was a way to just leave it on all the time.
Click to expand...

Ya I feel like mine is a pain to get in or off especially with the knob on there


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
TFL said:
I was looking thru my stuff last night and found an optimizer with a rail mount, that may work pretty sweet on this bow
with a small red dot or holographic sight
Click to expand...

Make triple sure that everything lines up and is compatible BEFORE you remove Jerry’s scope mount apparatus. He states that it is a picatinny rail, but it’s really a Weaver rail. I had the great idea today to use my Aimpoint T1 micro, which fits perfectly on a picatinny rail. Not so much on the mini. Anyway, I audibled and tried to use another rail I had, which had the same hole spacing. Unfortunately, the threaded columns under the rail were a different size. So, I spent several hours trying to get everything back to how it came from HCA. Broke 3 arrows in the process.
If anyone knows of a compatible pic rail that will also get a T1 elevated as much as the stock scope, let me know.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
TNSTAAFL said:
Bummer.

It's kinda ironic, as I struggle to get the damn quiver off! It's the one thing I don't like about this setup. I wish there was a way to just leave it on all the time.
Click to expand...
One of the videos above shows the new model with an angled quiver so you don't have to remove it to cock it. I would just like to wrap tape around the mount on mine to keep it on but then I can't cock it.
 
TNSTAAFL said:
Is this a modular component that we can order?
Click to expand...
Maybe someone can contact Jerry and find out and post it here. I sent several emails in the past and never received an answer. I bought my mini used so maybe that was why. I was thinking something DIY would work.
 
bj139 said:
Maybe someone can contact Jerry and find out and post it here. I sent several emails in the past and never received an answer. I bought my mini used so maybe that was why. I was thinking something DIY would work.
Click to expand...
I watched the video a couple times and it sounds like he says it is a Tight Spot quiver. Looked it up and it seems like it has an adjustable attachment mechanism. A bit pricey.
 
The model with the adjustable quiver is customized by a shop in the UK, I think. It’s not coming that way from HCA


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Anyone swap out the foot loop?
I saw a video on YouTube where a guy recommended a case for it. I did NOT notice he modded the loop. Now I have a nice case with a loop hanging out of the side.
 
mtsrunner said:
Make triple sure that everything lines up and is compatible BEFORE you remove Jerry’s scope mount apparatus. He states that it is a picatinny rail, but it’s really a Weaver rail. I had the great idea today to use my Aimpoint T1 micro, which fits perfectly on a picatinny rail. Not so much on the mini. Anyway, I audibled and tried to use another rail I had, which had the same hole spacing. Unfortunately, the threaded columns under the rail were a different size. So, I spent several hours trying to get everything back to how it came from HCA. Broke 3 arrows in the process.
If anyone knows of a compatible pic rail that will also get a T1 elevated as much as the stock scope, let me know.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I should have listened, I'm always trying to re invent the wheel,
everything looked good to me, at first, then after removing the scope I found out the optimizer doesn't fit the hc rail,
just like you said
so I made up a V shim out of a beer can 3" long to get the HHA rail to tighten. then the next issue
the red dot, vortex red dot mounted and doesn't even come remotely close to the POI as the scope
dot is almost next to the limb to get it hitting close to bullseye at 5 yards
but it worked with twisting the mount, this led to the next problem,
I walked it back outside and had it zeroed at 25 yards pretty good, then began walking it back to 30,35 to mark the blank
dial on the optimizer, well, with the twist in the mount, the further I backed up the further the dot moved to the left and POI
went wild right with no chance of correcting it.
so back to the drawing board for this,
if I can get it to work, it looks like a really nice set up to hunt with, but it will have some more hurdles to jump
 
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