Barnett Wildcat C5 Crossbow

The Wildcat C5 was Barnett's budget compound crossbow - a lightweight GAM composite stock with a thumbhole grip, an aluminum riser and vented quad limbs. It is rated at 320 FPS from a 150 lb draw with a 13-inch power stroke, measures 35.25 inches long and 26.75 inches axle-to-axle, and weighs 8.5 lbs. Those are entry-level numbers by current standards, but they are honest hunting figures: 320 FPS with a 20-inch Headhunter bolt is enough kinetic energy for deer-sized game inside sensible range.

Barnett sold the C5 in several package variants over its run - most commonly with a 4x32 scope, though some shipped with a premium red dot sight. All of them included a quick-detach quiver and three 20-inch arrows. The C5 and its close sibling the C6 were the volume Wildcats; both are gone from the current catalog now.

There is no Hyper in the Wildcat C5's name, so it takes standard-diameter Headhunter bolts rather than the narrow Hyperflite shaft - the package came with three 20-inch carbon arrows, and 20-inch Headhunter is the correct replacement.

The string length confirms the fit independently of the name: aftermarket makers cut the Wildcat C5's bowstring at 37 inches. That is the figure to quote when ordering a replacement set, because Barnett string lengths vary model to model and the wrong set will not time correctly. The full list sits on the fit by model page alongside every other Barnett.

The Wildcat C5 package did not include a rope cocker, but the stock is built with a crank attachment point, so owners add either a basic rope cocker or a crank cocking device separately. At 150 lbs of draw a rope cocker is manageable for most shooters and halves the effort while centering the string for an even limb load - the main thing that keeps a cheaper bow shooting a consistent group.

If you buy one secondhand without a cocker, factor one in. Cocking a 150-lb bow by hand is both hard and inconsistent, and inconsistent cocking is the usual reason an older Wildcat throws bolts left and right of center.

The C5 is discontinued, so a new one means the used market. Before buying, check the structural parts the same way you would on any older Barnett: limbs, cams, rail and trigger group are model-specific and are not made aftermarket, so a crack or delamination there ends the bow. Every wear item - string and cable set, bolts, rail wax - is still available, so a C5 with sound limbs and rail has years of hunting left in it.

If you want a new Wildcat instead, the current model is the Wildcat CRX, a modern package that is still sold new. Either way, re-zero the scope at 20 yards before the first hunt - the sighting-in guide covers the order that avoids wasting arrows. For the broader Barnett range and where the Wildcat sits among the discontinued models, see the model overview.