The Ravin R470 was an impressive all-around performer in our 2025 F&S crossbow test, and if you’re looking for maximum performance in an ultra-compact and handy hunting package, this may well be the crossbow for you. It was the fastest, hardest-hitting crossbow in this year’s test by a good margin—and one of the most accurate, too, at least with field points.
Ravin crossbow fans will recognize the R470 as being like a scaled-down R500, which debuted a few years ago as the first commercially available crossbow advertised to shoot 500 feet per second. I got my hands on one of the early R500 samples, tested it thoroughly, and was impressed. In classic Ravin fashion, the crossbow eschewed all traditional cocking mechanism designs and instead used a VersaDrive cocking system, which is essentially a pair of spinning, spiraled rods that push the Trac-Trigger firing system onto the string and then bring the crossbow to full draw. It was truly innovative and simple to use.
My wife and I hunted with the R500 a good bit and it performed great in the field, despite being picky about which broadheads it shot best. We had no issues right up until it blew up in her hands one evening as she squeezed the trigger on a big 8-pointer. She wasn’t hurt and neither was the buck, but the crossbow was ruined. The R500 is still listed for sale on the Ravin website, but it must be noted that there was a recall of 13,000 R500s in March of 2024 due to a malfunction that posed a user safety hazard.
But to be clear, that was in the R500, and this is the R470—a new and different crossbow altogether, and hopefully one that has addressed the shortcomings I experienced with its predecessor. One thing is for sure, it sailed through all of my testing with high marks. Here’s the scoop.
Ravin R470 Crossbow Specs
Speed: 472 fps
KE: 198 foot-pounds
Arrow weight: 400 grains
Average Group: 1.5 inches
Trigger: 1 lb, 12 oz
Overall weight: 9 lbs, 8 oz
Price: $2,550
Related: The Best Crossbows of 2025, Tested and Reviewed
How We Tested the Ravin R470
I tested the R470 with manufacturer-provided accessories, which included a 30mm crossbow scope with lighted reticle and 20-inch Ravin R500 Series arrows, which weighed 400 grains with a 100-grain field point. I shot the bow and measured velocities and kinetic energy with a Garmin Xero chronograph.
I initially sighted in the R470 at 20 yards, and then did my field-point accuracy testing at 50 yards, taking an average of three, three-arrow groups. I conducted broadhead evaluations at 30 yards with both fixed (100-grain Wasp Drone) and mechanical (100-grain Tenpoint EVO-X Centerpunch) broadheads. All accuracy testing was done from a seated position with a BOG DeathGrip tripod. I didn’t measure broadhead group sizes, but instead evaluated consistency of flight, and measured how far “off” from the field point zero the broadheads landed on target. As an avid crossbow hunter myself, if a broadhead hits within an inch or so of my field points and only requires a minor scope adjustment, I’m happy.
I evaluated the quality of the trigger pull subjectively and measured its weight with a Lyman trigger scale. I used the same scale to weigh the crossbow, with its scope mounted. During the testing, I also evaluated the quality of the accessories, fit and finish, handling, and cocking effort.
Test Results: The Ravin R470 Is the Fastest Crossbow of 2025
Hits
Compact and nice to handle
Easily the fastest, hardest-hitting crossbow of the 2025 test
One of most accurate with field points
Misses
The safety is hard to access on the bullpup stock
Broadhead flight was finicky
Crossbow manufacturers have been backing off a bit on blazing speed and raw power in recent years, but the R470 proves that both can still be had if that's what you're after. As mentioned, it's a crossbow of outstanding quality and performance almost across the board and was by far the fastest crossbow I tested. It is also very portable and handy without being too small (in the way that Ravin R18 is, for example).
In my experience, fixed-blade broadhead flight starts getting sketchy at speeds beyond 450 feet per second (and sometimes at slower speeds than that), and that was true with the R470. Mechanical broadheads hit right with field points, but fixed three-blades consistently landed 3 inches off the mark (and even then, not always in the same place). I did some further testing with other broadhead styles and found two—a fixed-blade Iron Will Crossbow Head and a Slick Trick Assailant Hybrid—that the bow did seem to like much better.
The R470 had an excellent trigger and scope, fit and finish were top notch, and the bow is clearly well-built with aluminum construction throughout. My biggest critique, as mentioned above, is the similarity to the R500 design, which left me with trust issues. I fully recognize that we’re talking two different crossbows here, and I have to assume that the flaw, whatever caused it in the R500, has been remedied on the R470. I have had no problems whatsoever with my test bow, and I plan to do some hunting with it this fall.
Compared to the R500, the cocking stroke on the R470 ends in a more positive hard stop, which is reassuring when shooting the bow. I don’t personally care for the safety location on the rear of the bullpup stock, but to get a package this compact and handy, some accommodations must be made. All in all, the R470 an excellent crossbow.
Read Next: The Best Compound Bows of 2025, Tested and Reviewed
