Arrow Precision Inferno Wildfire 2 Review

This Arrow Precision Inferno Wildfire II review was written by Daniel Wino.

Specs

Inferno Wildfire 2	Speed	Draw Weight	Length	Weight	Rating
Check Current Price on Amazon.com	345 FPS	225 lbs.	39.5"	7 lbs.	9/10

Pro’s

• The fastest and most powerful crossbow in this price range.
• As accurate as crossbows get.
• Will take down any game in the world, with kinetic energy to spare.
• Comes with a fantastic scope.

Con’s

• Draw weight is quite heavy. Some people might need a crank cocking device.

Package Contents

The Inferno Wildfire II comes in one of the most complete packages on the market. Here are the parts you’re going to find inside the box, assuming you make your purchase after May 2013:

• The Inferno Wildfire recurve crossbow with string
• 4×32 multi reticle crossbow scope
• Regular front sight
• Four 20″ carbon arrows
• Four 100 grain field tips
• Quick-detach arrow quiver
• Maintenance kit
• Protective goggles
• A recurve crossbow stringer
• Cocking aid (rope)
• Crossbow sling, padded
• Owner’s manual and warranty card (1 year)
• Assembly bolts, wrenches and accessories

How To Assemble The Inferno Wildfire II

The assembly instructions inside the owner’s manual are among the best and most detailed I’ve seen to date, and all the steps are covered in detail with lots of pictures showcasing each separate step of the assembly process. There are no surprises here:

1. Screw in quiver mount
2. Secure the riser to the stock
3. Attach the cocking stirrup at the front of the x-bow
4. Mount the reticle scope included and secure it

The crossbow comes unstrung, so you will need to use the included stringer. I like this part because it teaches beginners how to string a crossbow – something many shooters don’t know even after using their crossbow for many months.

First Impressions: Design, Comfort, Safety Features

• I didn’t particularly enjoy the fore-grip. A little too square for my tastes and does not offer any padding. It is however low enough to help keep your thumb safe and out of the string’s flight path. This is a personal preference kind of thing though.
• The stock butt is large, comfortable, and partially makes up for the uncomfortable fore-grip.
• The stock, while not particularly beautiful in design, is fantastically sturdy and light-weight at the same time.
• Camo finish on the other hand is beautiful and does not glitter / is kind of matte.
• The limbs are secured VERY tightly in the riser pockets. The attachment needs to be tightened once while assembling the crossbow; after that it will hold forever without the limbs coming loose or vibrating during the shot.
• Very solid arrow retainer. Some crossbows lack in quality where this part is concerned; the Wildfire II doesn’t suffer from this problem.
• Quiver mount attaches very securely, and the attachment remains tight regardless of how many arrows you shoot. (This is important as far as vibration reduction goes.)
• An ADF (anti dry fire system) mechanism is included as well, and the safety has an ambidextrous design. ADF automatically engages safety as soon as the crossbow is cocked, making it impossible to release the string unless an arrow is properly seated in the flight rail.

Overall: not the most beautiful crossbow in the world, and the foregrip could have a more ergonomic design. Overall though, it’s comfortable to hold (thanks to the shoulder plate) and the individual elements and attachments are highly durable.

Trigger Assembly

Smooth action and decent pull pressure. If you prefer heavier triggers though, you might find this one a little disappointing. Trigger travel distance is a little short, but overall it’s comfortable to pull with consistency after you go through a few dozen arrows and get used to it. A soli trigger overall that does not require any maintenance, except for the occassional lubrication.

Shooting Speed And Kinetic Energy (KE)

• Advertised shooting speed is 345 feet per secon (FPS). After firing three arrows through a chronograph and averaging the resulting speeds, I concluded the actual output is closer to 348 FPS. Tests were conducted using the arrows in the package.
• Using 400 grain arrows (including field tips), the crossbow produced over 107 ft-lbs. of KE.

Overall: I think this is the fastest and most powerful crossbow in this price range currently available on the market.

Accuracy Of The Wildfire II

• The quality of the included scope allows for very consistent shooting.
• Even though I didn’t particularly like the fore-grip, the crossbow is well-balanced and very comfortable to aim. Holding it steadily is no problem at all. See what other reviewers have to say about the Wildfire II.
• Hitting tiny (2″ circle) targets from 50 yards is not a problem at all, even without much practice. In fact, I successfully hit targets with high accuracy from over 70 yards using the Wildfire 2.

Overall: very stable and easy to aim. High FPS means the arrow will fly straight for much further than on say a 320 FPS crossbow.

Arrows For The Inferno Wildfire II

• 20″ arrows are recommended, though 22″ will work fine as well.
• Carbon arrows are your best bet with a crossbow as fast as this one.
• The weight of the arrows won’t make much of a difference on such a powerful crossbow. Anything 350 grain and above will work perfectly fine. Just remember that using very heavy arrows (500+ grain) will impact accuracy at longer ranges (over 40 yards). Sticking to the 350-450 grain range is the safest bet for someone without experience.
• Whenever uncertain, just go for any 20″ carbon arrows sold by Arrow Precision – you can’t go wrong with them.

How Good is The Scope Included In The Package?

• One of the finest crossbow scopes on the market.
• Four reticles in total; top-most should be sighted for 20 yards, and the remaining reticles for 30, 40 and 50 yards, respectively.
• You can enable and disable illumination of the cross-hairs (either red or green). With this enabled, aiming in darker or foggy conditions becomes really easy.
• Surprisingly good light-gathering properties of the optics. Very clear view, no blurring around the edges whatsoever.
• The scope mounts very securely and does not shake or vibrate while shooting. This is also the reason the scope can hold zero for so long – once you sight it once, there’s no need for any adjustments in the forseeable future.
• The construction of the scope’s frame makes it both water and fog proof. No need to worry about the current conditions outside and whether they’ll negatively impact your optics.

Overall: a really great scope that requires no upgrades.

Is The Inferno Wildfire 2 Suitable For Beginners?

Yes, absolutely. Here are some reasons why I think it is so:

• You won’t break the bank buying this one.
• It’s fast enough that you won’t feel the need to upgrade for many years to come.
• Accurate and low-maintenance (due to the recurve design and lack of cams).
• The scope will not disappoint and can be relied upon to perform in all conditions without any extra tweaking.
• Safety features will make an inexperienced beginner far less likely to suffer an injury.

Overall: if you’re a beginner looking for a really powerful and accurate crossbow at a very affordable price, you can’t be anything but happy with the Inferno Wildfire II.

Is The Inferno Wildfire II Suitable For Hunters?

Not only is it suitable, but it’s perfect for the job:

• More than enough kinetic energy to harvest the largest game in the world (elk and even cape buffalo don’t stand a chance).
• Accurate enough to let you take successful shots at your prey from more than 40 yards away – a feat that can be difficult to achieve with other crossbows in this price range.
• Very light-weigh and comes with a padded sling – you can carry it all day long without fatigue.

The crossbow is close to 40″ long (without the stirrup), which is the only caveat. If you plan on using a hunting blind, make sure this x-bow won’t be difficult for you to maneuver.

Inferno Wildfire II String Quality

One string will last for approximately 900-1000 arrows if you keep it properly waxed at all times, and if you properly cock your crossbow. Always have a replacement on you and replace the string as soon as you notice the slightest wear or serving separation.

Cocking The Crossbow

I figured I’d devote a few words in this review to cocking the crossbow. It has a heavy draw weight of 225 lbs., so you absolutely should use the rope cocking aid included with the package. The rope will cut the force required to draw the string in half, making it ~112 lbs. instead of 225. However, 112 lbs. can still be too much for some people to draw. If that is the case, your only option is to get a crank cocking device.

Where To Buy The Inferno Wildfire II?

Make sure to take a look at Amazon.com’s price on the Wildfire 2 if you are interested in buying it.

Thanks for reading our review.