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By Roy Lloyd · Last reviewed: May 2026
Ballista BAT Review (2026): The Lightest Crossbow for Turkey Hunters
The Ballista BAT is a niche crossbow that nails its niche. At 3.5 lbs with a 3-second reload and 80 lb hand-pressure draw, it's the most maneuverable hunting crossbow available. At 300 FPS with limited kinetic energy, it's not a deer bow. Understanding that distinction is the whole review.
Real-World Performance
Speed & Range
At 300 FPS with an 80 lb draw weight, the BAT is designed for close-range work. For turkey hunting — where 20–30 yard shots from a blind or decoy setup are typical — it has plenty of power for clean kills. For deer, the kinetic energy at 35+ yards falls below what most hunters and state regulations consider ethical. Don't try to use this bow for deer.
The ~3-second reload is genuinely fast — meaningfully faster than a standard crossbow. In turkey hunting, where a miss sometimes gives you a second shot opportunity if you stay still, that speed matters.
Weight & Handling
3.5 lbs is not a rounding error — it's half the weight of most hunting crossbows. I've carried heavier spotting scopes. On a backcountry elk trip I did in Colorado, I thought about how different the pack weight calculation would look with a bow this size as part of the kit. For turkey hunters doing long walks to public land setups, that weight savings is real and cumulative over the course of a morning hunt.
Cocking
80 lb draw weight cocks with hand pressure — no rope, no crank. That makes it accessible to hunters with limited upper body strength or flexibility, and eliminates one piece of gear you can forget or break.
What We Like
What We Don't Like
Who It's Best For
Great Choice If You...
Look Elsewhere If You...
Score Breakdown
If you want the most portable, lowest-effort crossbow for turkey hunting or close-range use, the Ballista BAT is the answer. Nothing else at this price point is this light or this fast to reload. The 300 FPS ceiling is a real limitation — but for the use cases it's designed for, it doesn't matter.