| Model | Draw Weight | Stroke | Velocity | Suggested Arrow Length | Crossbow Length / Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAMX Chaos 325 Crossbow Check price on Amazon.com | 175 lbs. | 12.25" | 325 FPS Crossbow Academy: ballistics, sighting, tuning | 20" | 35.5" / 7 lbs. 11 ozs. |
| Pros: - Very Well Built - Crisp Trigger - Accurate - Butt Spacers Supplied - Very Easy to Cock - Strong Attention to Detail - Well Thought Out Cons: - Built for Functionality, Not Looks | Small Game Hunting? |  |
| Deer, Elk Hunting? | |
|
| Moose, Bear Hunting? | |
|
| Target Shooting? | |
|
| Today's Online Prices: | Compare Prices |
CAMX Chaos 325 Package Contents
The folks at CAMX have chosen to approach crossbow construction, and accessories as well, with a focus on quality and on functionality. When ordered with the Peak Performance Pack, you truly get a high-quality package where no component has been overlooked. From the 4×32 Aero™ Scope, to the wishbone 4-arrow quiver, you can tell that the ‘package’ contents are not your typical budget components. Also included are 6 Accuspine™ arrows, a Lo Ready™ sling (more on this later), a spacer kit for the stock and a Parker EZ Roller rope cocker.
Kinetic Energy of the Chaos 325
The CAMX Chaos 325 is a super-hard-hitting crossbow. With the 175 lb. draw weight pushing a 410-grain projectile at 325 fps, you end up with a whopping 96 ft. lbs. of muzzle energy, delivering 90 ft. lbs. at a 30-yard range. This is a truly impressive amount of power considering the modest draw weight. Something that was very refreshing about CAMX is that they actually rate their speed using a real-world arrow weight, not using some ridiculously low-weight projectile!
Use our arrow ballistics calculator for more valuable information.Design, Safety, Comfort and Accuracy
The Chaos 325 has so many innovations, we weren’t really sure where to start. It is very evident when you really look at this crossbow that there are many, many years of experience behind the designers. Of course you would expect to see the oversize trigger guard for use with gloves. You would probably also not be surprised to see the ‘red wings’ on each side to serve as thumb guards – but would you expect those to fold out of the way during cocking to make things easier? To eliminate noise, the arrow retainer actually pivots up and out of the way when firing, and in the down position, serves as an anti-dry-fire system. The riser and rail are machined out of a single piece of aluminum, called the Monobloc™ and translates to a rock-solid scope mounting platform. Even the Wishbone™ quiver was designed from scratch and mounts to the underside with a large knob that you can easily turn with gloves on. We don’t normally talk that much about quivers, but in this case, it deserves a bit of mention. When you remove the quiver, there is nothing that remains on the crossbow – no bracket, nor any bolts. And the quiver actually has dual grippers for each arrow which means there is no foam to dull your broadheads. The stock is even designed specifically so it will rest on the top of your thigh when in a sitting position and not create a pressure point!
Ballistic Data For The CAMX Chaos 325
- Speed Reduction
- Kinetic Energy
- Hunting Requirements
Your actual results will vary slightly depending on weather, and significantly with arrow weight change. See our Crossbow Ballistics Guides section for a complete understanding of how we conducted our tests and why this data matters.
Hunting with the Chaos 325
Here is where this crossbow really shines. The folks at CAMX claim the Chaos 325 was built specifically as a hunting crossbow. After spending some time with it, this is very easy to believe. There are so many little features they included that make a big difference in the field. As mentioned before, the stock has a curve underneath as well as a wider flat area that allows you to rest it on your thigh and actually have it hug it comfortably.
The Accuspine™ arrows are truly top notch and were engineered to work with this crossbow to allow for nock-splitting shots. The spacer kit allows you to fit this crossbow exactly to your length needs and the crisp trigger means you will never have to guess when the 325 is going to release. Here again we need to talk a bit more about something we usually don’t – the sling. The Lo Ready™ sling that comes included is truly a revolution in crossbow slings. It allows you to attach the crossbow and carry in front of you much like a tactical M4 sling might work. You have both hands free to glass and can bring the crossbow up instantly to firing position without having to disconnect from the sling.
The other cool feature is that the sling also allows you to place the crossbow over your firing shoulder and carry in a more traditional fashion on your back, but again without ever having to disconnect from the front firing position. They say this crossbow was meant for hunting, and they proved it.
How Quiet is the Chaos 325
Given the punch of the 325, it was actually fairly quiet to shoot. We say ‘fairly quiet’ as crossbows inherently are not that quiet. The Chaos 325 is as quiet as most on the market, and will benefit from suppressors or dampeners much like many others.
Cocking the Chaos 325
Given the hard-hitting power of the Chaos 325, we were surprised at just how easy it is to cock. The included Parker EZ Roller makes it an absolute snap and this also allows for decocking without having to fire an arrow. The folks at CAMX didn’t try to reinvent something that already worked well, and we congratulate them for that. What we didn’t expect was that we would be able to cock the 325 by hand without much effort either…that’s right, 96 ft. lbs. of punch cocked by hand!
Quality of the Optics
The 4×32 Aero™ scope is a nice step in the right direction for crossbow optics. It is evident when you take a closer look at this scope that it was truly designed as a crossbow scope. The most important feature, aside from the crisp optics, is the eye relief. Most scopes out there have a 4” eye relief, which means you often have to move your head back from the most comfortable firing position.
The 1 ½” eye relief of the Aero™ means you can shoot much quicker and more instinctively. The included steel rings will also ensure you maintain a good zero. Also important to note – CAMX actually bore sights the Chaos 325 before they ship it, so you end up with a pre-mounted scope that is already hitting on paper!
See our detailed guide on how to sight-in your crossbowWhat Arrows to use with the Chaos 325
CAMX has designed a line of arrows they brand under the name Accuspine™ that are custom performance matched to the Chaos 325. These are truly very high quality carbon arrows that should work well for you in any hunting situation. Something pretty cool is they actually send you six, not just three, so you don’t have to run out and buy arrows to go hunting!
You can also learn more about crossbow arrows and take a look at our broadhead recommendationsOverall Thoughts
Overall we are incredibly impressed with the Chaos 325. We have heard from many that the 325 looks like “just an ordinary crossbow” and frankly, we have to agree. What truly sets the 325 apart is the attention to detail, showing this is truly a crossbow designed by hunters, for hunters. From the simple ergonomic design of the stock, to the folding thumb guards, to the innovative quiver design, nothing was left out by the design team. The fact that it comes bore sighted and also has a quality package shows that CMAX means business with the Chaos 325.
One last feature that truly stopped us in our tracks and proves that CAMX stands behind their crossbow is the warranty. CAMX offers a lifetime warranty on the crossbow, not the original owner. They will honor the warranty even if the crossbow is sold or given to someone else. The usual wear parts aren’t covered (strings, cables, bearings, etc.), but knowing they will honor warranty issues for the life of the crossbow is pretty impressive. Take a look at today's amazon.com price on this crossbow and check out our top 10 crossbows rankings for more.
