How Long Do Ravin Crossbow Strings Last?

When do Ravin crossbow strings actually need replacement?

Ravin crossbows are high-performance tools that store immense energy inside very compact limbs. Because these systems run at extreme speeds and high tensions, the manufacturer recommends replacing both your string and cables every 200 shots or every two years, whichever comes first. This is not a loose suggestion or an optional tune-up. It is a firm boundary designed to prevent dangerous equipment failures in the field.

The 200-shot count arrives much faster than most owners realize. Sighting in a new scope, testing broadheads, and practicing during the late summer can easily burn through 20 to 30 shots per session. In just seven to ten trips to the target, you will reach the maximum rated life of the string. Keeping a small notebook or a tally on your phone is the easiest way to log every arrow you launch.

The two-year calendar limit applies even if you only fired the bow five times. The materials used in modern bowstrings are synthetic polymers that remain under heavy strain from the moment a technician installs them. Even if the crossbow sits inside a padded case in your closet, that constant tension slowly degrades the structural integrity of the fibers. Once you reach the 24-month mark, you should retire the string set regardless of shot count.

Ignoring these limits exposes you and your equipment to serious risk. When a string snaps under full load, the stored energy has nowhere to go. It can shatter the limbs, split the rotating cams, throw splintered fragments, and cause severe injuries to your hands, eyes, and face. Replacing your strings on schedule is the simplest way to keep your shooting safe and predictable.

Why do strings go bad just sitting in storage?

Many hunters feel surprised when told their unused crossbow needs fresh rigging. A traditional recurve bow can be unstrung when hunting season ends, allowing the limbs and string to rest completely slack. A modern compound crossbow cannot be unstrung for seasonal storage. It remains locked under heavy mechanical load every second of every day.

The pull weight, which measures how much effort it takes to draw the bow, translates into continuous static pressure on the string and cables. Cables are the side cords that turn the wheels to bend the limbs. These cables and the main center string hold hundreds of pounds of pressure around the clock. Over months of storage, synthetic fibers undergo material creep, which is the slow, permanent stretching of threads under constant load.

This slow stretch changes the physical balance of your bow. As the string and cables stretch unevenly, the rotating wheels at the limb tips drift out of sync. This loss of timing ruins arrow flight, scrubs away shooting speed, and places uneven twisting forces on the limbs. What looks like an untouched bow can actually be significantly out of tune simply from sitting on a shelf.

Environmental conditions in your home can also accelerate this degradation. Closets, garages, and basements experience shifts in temperature and humidity that dry out factory lubricants. When the protective wax and fluids evaporate, the microscopic threads inside the string rub against each other and turn brittle. If you want to see how other compact hunting setups manage tension and cocking systems, you can explore our guide on the best TenPoint crossbow for hunting to compare design features.

How can you tell normal fuzz from dangerous damage?

Regular visual inspections should be part of every shooting session. You want to look closely at both the exposed fiber bundles and the serving. Serving is the tight protective thread wound around the main string to protect it from friction, cocking hooks, and cam grooves. Some minor cosmetic wear is normal, but structural damage means you must stop shooting immediately.

Use this simple checklist to separate safe cosmetic fuzz from dangerous string breakdown:

• Light surface fuzz on exposed strands: This appears as a soft, faint halo of tiny fibers along the open sections of the string. It is normal cosmetic wear from air resistance and light friction. You can smooth it down by applying a light coat of standard bow wax with your fingers.
• Serving separation near the center: Check the area where the arrow nock clicks onto the string and where the cocking claws engage. If you see gaps in the tight outer wrap that expose the inner string fibers, the serving has separated. This is dangerous and requires an immediate string replacement.
• Broken or cut serving threads: Look for any loose thread tails sticking out or unraveling around the center nock point or near the cams. Once the protective wrap unravels, the core string will wear through in just a few shots. Do not cock a bow with cut serving.
• Crushed or flattened spots: Run your clean fingers along the string and cables to feel for soft spots, deep dents, or flattened areas. A flat spot indicates that inner core fibers have broken or collapsed under high pressure.
• Wear around the cam tracks: Inspect the cables right where they wrap around the tight grooves of the metal wheels. High friction in these tight radiuses can shred fibers rapidly. Any severed strands in these track areas mean the bow is unsafe to draw.

Never take a gamble on a questionable string. If you spot broken strands or separated wraps, put the bow away and schedule a maintenance visit with an authorized shop before drawing it again.

How do you apply serving fluid the right way?

Proper lubrication is the most effective way to help your strings survive their full 200-shot lifespan. High-speed crossbows generate intense friction and heat whenever the string slams forward. Keeping the protective wrap slick prevents heat buildup and stops the outer threads from unraveling early.

You must use approved liquid serving fluid rather than standard bowstring wax on the center section. Heavy paste wax is meant for exposed string bundles, not tight center servings. If you rub thick wax on the center wrap, it scrapes off inside the trigger housing. That thick wax attracts dirt, gums up internal latches, and can prevent the safety mechanism from catching the string securely.

Follow these steps to lubricate your serving correctly:

1. Wipe away surface dirt: Use a dry, lint-free cloth to gently wipe the center serving, the cables, and the barrel track. Remove any grit, dust, or pine needles before adding fluid so you do not rub abrasive debris into the fibers.
2. Check for damage first: Inspect the wraps under bright lighting before you apply anything. Lubricating damaged or broken serving will not fix it and only masks structural failure.
3. Apply the liquid sparingly: Place one or two small drops of approved serving fluid directly onto the center serving thread. You only need a tiny amount because liquid lubricant penetrates deep between the tight wraps very quickly.
4. Work the fluid into the thread: Use your bare thumb and index finger to gently rub the fluid across the entire length of the center serving. Rub back and forth until the thread looks evenly dark and saturated, making sure no excess liquid pools on the surface.
5. Allow the fluid to dry: Let the crossbow sit for several minutes so the fluid absorbs fully into the thread matrix before you cock the bow or shoot an arrow.

Apply this fluid every 20 to 30 shots, or whenever the center wrap starts looking dry and pale. Doing this takes less than two minutes and dramatically reduces friction wear over the course of a long hunting season.

Can you change Ravin strings yourself at home?

You should not attempt to replace Ravin strings on your own workbench using generic tools. These bows feature an extremely narrow wheel-to-wheel length, which refers to the tight distance between the two axle pins at the limb tips. Because the limbs curve deeply past parallel angles, they hold an incredible amount of stored energy that requires specialized handling.

A bow press is a metal clamp tool that squeezes limbs to loosen strings so you can safely remove them. Standard archery pro shop bow presses built for wide compound bows can slip off narrow limb tips or crush the carbon fibers. Compressing these compact limbs with makeshift shop clamps or ratcheting tie-downs is dangerous and can cause the bow to explode out of the fixture under hundreds of pounds of force.

Only an authorized press designed specifically for this limb profile can compress the assembly safely. Beyond the physical press tool, setting up a fresh string requires precise mechanical timing. The technician must set the rotation of both cams so they roll over at the exact same fraction of a millimeter. If the cams do not rotate together, your arrows will fish-tail in flight and your fresh strings will wear out prematurely.

A qualified archery pro shop will also replace your string and cables as a complete, matched set. Installing a new string while keeping old, stretched cables ruins your cam timing and places uneven stress across the limbs. If you want to read about how other premium brands configure their cams and limb systems, check out our TenPoint TX Ultra 265 review to see how modern engineering balances power and maintenance.

FAQs

Can a dry fire instantly ruin new Ravin strings?

Yes, a single dry fire can ruin brand-new strings and cables immediately. A dry fire happens when you fire the crossbow without an arrow loaded, meaning the bow has no heavy projectile to absorb its violent energy. That raw shock wave reverberates through the string, often stretching the synthetic fibers beyond their elastic limit, snapping serving threads, or derailing cables from the cam tracks. If an accidental dry fire happens, stop shooting at once and have an authorized shop inspect the limbs and replace the string set.

Does leaving your crossbow cocked for hours stretch strings?

Leaving the crossbow fully cocked during a day in the field does increase tension stress on the fibers. Modern hunting bows are engineered to stay cocked safely through legal hunting hours, but keeping them drawn for eight to ten hours straight accelerates fiber stretch and compacts the serving under the cocking hooks. To preserve string life, never leave your bow cocked overnight or inside a vehicle between hunts. Always use your cocking handle to de-cock the system safely as soon as you finish your hunt.

What happens if you shoot past the 200-shot limit?

Shooting beyond the 200-shot limit drastically raises your risk of sudden string failure. Over extended shooting, the center serving thins out and separates, exposing the delicate load-bearing strands underneath to severe friction. Stretched strings also alter arrow velocity and shift your point of impact downrange, causing missed targets or poorly placed hunting shots. Continuing to shoot worn rigging can eventually result in a broken string that shatters limbs and ruins your optic.

Should you replace cables every time you change the string?

You should always replace your cables whenever you put on a new string. The main string and the side cables operate as a balanced system to keep the limb tips bending and recovering at identical rates. If you attach a brand-new string while leaving old, stretched cables in place, the cams will tilt out of proper alignment and create erratic arrow flight. Buying and installing a complete matched set ensures consistent shooting speed and protects your bow from uneven limb fatigue.