The well-known adage, “You get what you pay for,” really rings true in the crossbow world. Sure, some models as inexpensive as $300 shoot pretty well out to 40 yards, but they’re fairly slow, a bit noisy, and lack high-quality accessories. They’re also not very compact or well-balanced. You get what you pay for, and customers seeking the best possible accuracy and overall shooting experience should be prepared to shop with a wad of cash.

Mission Crossbows, as you probably know, is a subsidiary of Mathews Archery. Like Mathews’ compound bows, Mission’s crossbows flaunt high-quality craftsmanship and dependable performance. The SUB-1 XR is the top dog in Mission’s lineup, and it was launched in 2019. For whatever reason, I just got my hands on it for the first time in December 2024. After putting it through its paces in the cold Wisconsin elements, here are my takeaways.

The Package

A crossbow can perform only as well as the accessories it is paired with. The SUB-1 XR Pro Kit includes a top-notch Hawke scope with a bolt-drop reticle featuring holding points from 20-100 yards in 10-yard increments. The yardages are posted beside each holding point, and the scope features red and green illumination for easy low-light reference. 

The Pro Kit also includes a soft case, rail lubricant, a rope cocking device, three 19-inch Mission Premium Bolts, and the M Quiver. The bolts are engineered for SUB-1 series crossbows and have a +/- .001-inch straightness tolerance for tremendous accuracy. The M Quiver is just like the Mathews Arrow Web Quiver for compounds. It mounts solidly, holds the bolts securely, and removes easily. 

The RSD Crank is an upgrade ($189.99 MSRP), which allows you, the dealer, to capture another sale when your customer needs a crank. The RSD Crank is removable, but it also mounts completely out of the way for shouldering and aiming the crossbow, negating any reason to remove it after the SUB-1 XR is cocked. It does need to be removed, however, in order to use the Rope Cocking Device. I will say that there are better and more streamlined integrated cranks on high-end crossbows from Mission’s competitors, but the RSD works dependably and isn’t cumbersome in the least.

While the Pro Kit will get your customer started, other potential add-on sales are some extra bolts since the kit includes only three. Mission offers a lighted version featuring a Clean-Shot Archery half-moon lighted nock, which many crossbow shooters will find attractive for tracking arrow flight and locating bolts following pass-through hits.

There are other options such as a custom Mission/SKB Hard Case, but the most practical one is the SUB-1 Removable Foot Stirrup. The SUB-1 XR’s riser is designed to work as an integrated foot stirrup and decrease the crossbow’s overall length (just 30.5 inches), but users who need more boot space will find the Removable Foot Stirrup a worthwhile upgrade.

Test Crossbow Specs

• Make/Model: Mission SUB-1 XR
• Finish: Black
• Mass Weight: 7.6 pounds (without accessories)   
• Overall Width: 12.5 inches (uncocked); 9.1 inches (cocked)
• Overall Length: 30.5 inches
• Draw Effort: Not listed
• Power Stroke: 14.625 inches
• Bolt Length and Weight: 19 inches; 347 grains (measured with Last Chance Archery Pro Grain Scale)
• Manufacturer Listed Velocity: 410 fps
• Test Velocity: 413 fps (347-grain bolt; found with Caldwell Ballistic Precision chronograph)
• Manufacturer Listed Trigger Pull: 3 pounds
• Cocking Device: Rope Cocking Aid (included); RSD Crank (sold separately) 
• Scope: Hawke
• MSRP: $2,199 (no kit; includes case and Rope Cocking Aid); $2,398.99 (Pro Kit)
• Contact: missioncrossbows.com 

Velocity, Accuracy and Handling

After shooting a few bolts to get the SUB-1 XR zeroed, I shot a bolt through my Caldwell chronograph. It posted a 413-fps reading, which is just slightly above the XR’s 410 fps list velocity. Over the years of testing crossbows, I’ve commonly found that some models post an actual velocity that is below the manufacturer’s listed velocity, but the XR exceeded it. Now, 413 fps doesn’t hold a candle to the market’s fastest crossbows, which have broken the 500 fps threshold. However, 413 fps is more than 100 fps faster than most highly lethal compound bow setups. In other words, the XR could easily take (and has taken) the world’s largest game animals without a problem.

I did some shooting out to 70 yards with the SUB-1 XR in some miserably cold and windy Wisconsin weather. I didn’t achieve the sub-1-inch groups that Mission claims the crossbow can produce at 100 yards, but I was shooting from shooting sticks, not a bench. I was also on a tight timeline to turn in this report, so I didn’t stretch out to 100 yards and shoot from a bench to see if I could attain rifle-like accuracy. The groups I shot from realistic hunting yardages were plenty tight, and with more time, I’m positive that my groups would tighten up even more. I found that shooting groups at 40 yards can become costly, as one of my bolts whacked the metal half-moon nock of another bolt already in the target.

I cocked the SUB-1 XR with the RSD Crank for part of my field test and then with the Rope Cocking Aid for the other part. I found that my group sizes didn’t change, however, the location of my group did. I had sighted in the scope using the RSD Crank, and my 40-yard group was in the bull’s-eye, but when I shot a three-bolt group from 40 yards by cocking the XR with the rope aid, my group was about 1 inch high and 3 inches to the right. I’m sure the impact would be minimal at 20 yards, but I felt that my 40-yard anecdote was worth noting. Based on those results, I’d suggest using one device or the other and not changing back and forth between them. 

One minor complaint: Both the rope aid and the RSD Crank’s rope make substantial contact with the stock and rail. It isn’t an issue in relation to accuracy, but I can’t help but wonder how quickly the ropes will wear out due to rubbing/friction. After about 40 shots, the wear wasn’t evident, so maybe it won’t happen as quickly as I initially thought. Both devices made cocking the XR a piece of cake, especially since the cams have 80-percent let-off.

Featuring Benchmark Fire Control, the SUB-1 XR is rigged with a Match-Grade Trigger. You’ll feel a slight amount of travel, which is the trigger’s first stage. At the end of the first stage, the trigger reaches its second stage and then breaks at a clean, crisp 3 pounds, which is a key to the XR’s accuracy. A De-Cocking Button allows the user to de-cock the crossbow with the Rope Cocking Aid, negating the need to fire the crossbow following an unsuccessful hunt. As a side note, Mission does not condone using the RSD Crank to de-cock the SUB-1.

Also part of the Benchmark Fire Control System is the Easy-Load Arrow Retention Arm. It has two stages, allowing the bolt to load easily but applying sufficient downward pressure to hold the bolt in place, even when acquiring a target at a steep, declined angle.

The SUB-1 XR is one of the quieter and more vibration- and recoil-free crossbows I’ve tested lately. Part of the reason is it shoots a manageable velocity, but it’s also by design. The tactical stock, ventilated rail, and parallel limbs all contribute to the XR’s smooth-shooting characteristics.

Acquiring the scope and my target in the scope was comfortable and nearly effortless. The stock’s cheekpiece is well-placed, and the rifle-inspired Precision Stock has three positions to choose from, giving shooters of all different statures a comfortable fit and feel. The XR also weighs just 7.6 pounds without accessories, which is comparable to a typical deer rifle. It is also very short (I mentioned that earlier) and narrow, with a 9.1-inch cocked width and a 12.5-inch uncocked width. Add to that the control of the XR’s pistol grip, and you have a crossbow that is virtually effortless to use and maneuver.

A Few More Details

Another secret to the SUB-1 XR’s accuracy is the patented flight deck, which is CNC machined to terminate vertical nock travel. As a complement, the synced cams take care of horizontal nock travel. The result is flawless bolt departure, every single time.

The SUB-1 XR is designed to be ambidextrous, with both the safety and the RSD Crank having options on both sides so a left- or right-handed hunter can shoot it interchangeably. This makes it a nice option for a family. Parents can shoot it, but so can their little youth hunters. Along those same lines, the B.O.S. (Back Out System) allows the draw weight to be decreased, and you can also back out the limb bolts until the tension comes off the strings and cables, making it easy for capable shooters to replace their own string and cables in a pinch — a great option in the event of a mishap during a dream hunt.

While Mission hasn’t launched a new crossbow in several years, its SUB-1 XR still holds its own in the marketplace, and it delivers no-nonsense performance, outstanding comfort, and benchmark accuracy. Plus, all SUB-1 crossbows are made from start to finish in Sparta, Wisconsin, and they feature the quality and craftsmanship that will have your customers feeling like they got what they paid for.

In-the-field photos by Becca and Darron McDougal