Wicked Ridge’s Raider 400 De-Cock is advertised to shoot bolts up to 400 fps and features silent and safe cocking and de-cocking through the ACUdraw De-Cock crank system, complete with Auto-Brake technology.
November 15, 2022
By Jon E. Silks
As a sister to TenPoint — one of the top crossbow makers in the world — Wicked Ridge is in the unique position of being able to take advantage of a solid stream of innovation and technology coming from the industry icon and incorporating it into its budget-friendly crossbow line, providing an excellent performance-to-price ratio to customers.
For 2022, the company brings its A game with the Raider 400 De-Cock . This rig features a best-in-class cocking/de-cocking device called the ACUdraw De-Cock that uses Auto-Brake technology. Other components include a two-stage D-1 Trigger, new Dry-Fire-Prohibitor, TACtical X stock, S5 Cams and WRX limbs. Let’s dig in!
Name Says It All You know a feature is important when a company puts it right in the name of its product, and that’s certainly the case with the Raider 400 De-Cock. Wicked Ridge wanted to bring the ultimate in control and safe cocking and de-cocking to its budget-friendly bows, and it did this by outfitting its new rig with the ACUdraw De-Cock. With the Auto-Brake Gear system, there is no chance of losing control regardless of where you are in the cocking or de-cocking process; whether you accidentally or intentionally let go of the handle, it remains in place. This silent system also reduces the effort needed to fully cock the Raider to only 5 pounds.
Handling the bull work with the ACUdraw De-Cock is a 1,000-pound strength nylon strap. Once cocked, a simple push of a button releases the dock lock and moves the trigger to de-cock mode, allowing the shooter to safely de-cock the crossbow with the built-in ACUdraw crank cocking device (You can also manually de-cock with a traditional rope cocker). The bottom line is there is no chance of a freewheeling crank and no need to shoot a bolt into a target when you are done hunting for the day — just push the button and back the string down safely.
Power Generation The Raider is advertised to reach an impressive 400 fps with a 370-grain bolt. The “bow” assembly of the rig generates the power, and it starts with a super compact, lightweight, cast aluminum riser that features a large, dished-out area for broadhead clearance. A portion of the riser and limb caps are paired to create the limb pockets and align the Raider’s 11-inch WRX, double laminated, 185-pound limbs to the riser.
Finally, a set of stout, dual S5 Cams outfitted with DynaFLIGHT 97 string and cables introduces the kick needed to propel bolts downrange.
Connection Collection The shooter’s interface with the rig is a collection of connection points focused mostly on the stock and trigger. Wicked Ridge’s Fusion RX stock is molded from glass-filled polypropylene material and features a raised comb for proper eye alignment, along with a pistol grip and add-on, pass-through foregrip for enhanced control. Safety wings are mounted between the foregrip and shooting rail to keep the shooter’s fingers below the flight deck and out of harm’s way; the unibody forms the rail as well.
Sitting at the rear of the rail is the trigger housing, which is home to the company’s two-stage D-1 Trigger that is designed to eliminate creep and produce a crisp break at 3.5 pounds. A new Dry-Fire-Prohibitor (DFP) system will not allow the Raider to release the string without an appropriate bolt loaded, while the auto-engaging trigger safety provides an additional safeguard. Finished in Peak XT Camo, the Raider 400 De-Cock is factory sighted and comes with an easy-to-take price tag of only $849.
What’s in the Box? The Wicked Ridge Raider 400 De-Cock comes with TenPoint’s 3X Multi-Line Scope, 3-bolt quiver and mounting brackets, three Match 400 Carbon Bolts (±.004-inch straightness) and removable crank handle.
At the Range Wicked Ridge’s ACUdraw is hard to beat for ease of operation and safety — it’s silent and you can literally let go at any time and it will remain at that position. This crossbow nearly put three bolts in the same hole at 35 yards — the .44-inch group was one of the best we’ve tested all year. Shot noise was relatively low for the 420- and 500-grain bolts, and the hunting weight with accessories on was barely more than 9 pounds. Of course, when testing this crossbow, the performance markers are even more impressive when you consider the price tag!
The Specs Manufacturer: Wicked Ridge Crossbows, 330-628-9245; wickedridgecrossbows.com Model: Raider 400 De-CockSafety Features: Dry-Fire-Prohibitor, safe de-cocker, auto trigger safety, safety wingsCam System: 5S Dual CamsRiser: Cast A380 aluminum, black anodized, compactOverall Length: 33.75 inches (with stirrup); 31.5 inches (without)Axle-to-Axle Width: 19 inches (at rest); 15 inches (cocked)Weight (bow only): 6.5 poundsString: D97, 36.125 inchesCables: D97, 20.3125 inchesLimbs: WRX Double Laminated, splitDraw Weight: 185-pound limbs; 5-pound cocking force with ACUdrawPower Stroke: 13.5 inchesStock: Fusion RX, raised comb, ACUdraw De-Cock, contoured pistol gripForearm: Molded pass-through, integrated safety wingsFinish: Peak XT CamoAdvertised Speed: 400 fps with 370-grain boltMSRP: $849.99Comments: A tack driver; wallet friendly; fully controlled cocking/de-cocking.Test Measurements Maximum Width: 21.2 inches (at rest); 18.9 inches (cocked)Overall Length: 33.1875 inchesMass Weight: 7.71 pounds (crossbow only); 9.19 pounds (with accessories)Average Trigger Pull: 2.14 poundsLength of Pull: 13.69 inchesAverage Shot Noise: 104.9 dBA with 420-grain bolt; 103.5 dBA with 500-grain boltMaximum Shot Deviation at 35 Yards: .44 inch
