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Here are some pictures of the bow in question: http://www.flickr.com/photos/swifthoundbows/sets/72157625564511304/
This is the long overdue review of my Maximilian crossbow from New World Arbalest. Some of the extras that I ordered with the crossbow were the heavier 150 pound steel prod, bow irons and micarta track insert.
Fit and Finish: This one beautiful well made crossbow. The one thing everyone has commented on when looking at the bow is how well it is made. The various bone, brass and micarta pieces that are in the tiller are all cleanly done with no gaps. The tiller itself is walnut with some type of matte finish that really compliments the look of the bow in my option. The wood working is really top notch.
Feel: The “feel” of the crossbow is what surprised me the most. The Maximilian, when held in a shooting position, felt very different from my other crossbow and from anything else I have shot. Looking back it should have been expected. The butt of the Maximilian has roughly square cross section which gives it a unique shoulder feel that took a bit of getting used to but works for that bow. The other thing that I noticed was the weight and balance of the Maximilian. With the bow irons and steel prod it has some heft to it and put the weight more forward than I was expecting. But in this case the weight can help to stabilize the bow, keep it from feeling squirrely in the hand and gives it a bit of presence.
Shooting: I have only been able to get to the range a couple of times but so for when everything is going right it I can really put the bolts on target. I am looking forward to seeing what I can do with this crossbow when I get some more practice under my belt. As for which method of holding the Maximilian works better, either the classic “rifle” method or the traditional on the shoulder method? I tried both personally prefer holding it more like a rifle but the stock does look like it was originally designed to be on the shoulder and works well for that. It really came down to comfort and what I was used to. I did notice that it does have some strong vibrations when shot. I am looking to try some heavier bolts to see if that will help quiet the Maximilian down. Currently I am using bolts with 11/32” Port Arthur Cedar shafts and 125 grain points going to try some thicker oak shafts with 160 grain points and see how it reacts. Any excuse to get more range time is good.
Odds and Ends: With the vibrations from shooting I noticed that the bow irons can loosen up and the prod can shift a little. So I centered the prod and marked the inside so that I have a quick reference to align too. And make sure the irons are tight before going to the range.
Summary: Ok I’ll wrap this long post up by saying that Maximilian is defiantly a good buy. It has a unique and solid feel that really lends to good shooting. I am very happy with it and consider it money well spent.
I'll rate the Maximillian 5 bolts out of 5
This is the long overdue review of my Maximilian crossbow from New World Arbalest. Some of the extras that I ordered with the crossbow were the heavier 150 pound steel prod, bow irons and micarta track insert.
Fit and Finish: This one beautiful well made crossbow. The one thing everyone has commented on when looking at the bow is how well it is made. The various bone, brass and micarta pieces that are in the tiller are all cleanly done with no gaps. The tiller itself is walnut with some type of matte finish that really compliments the look of the bow in my option. The wood working is really top notch.
Feel: The “feel” of the crossbow is what surprised me the most. The Maximilian, when held in a shooting position, felt very different from my other crossbow and from anything else I have shot. Looking back it should have been expected. The butt of the Maximilian has roughly square cross section which gives it a unique shoulder feel that took a bit of getting used to but works for that bow. The other thing that I noticed was the weight and balance of the Maximilian. With the bow irons and steel prod it has some heft to it and put the weight more forward than I was expecting. But in this case the weight can help to stabilize the bow, keep it from feeling squirrely in the hand and gives it a bit of presence.
Shooting: I have only been able to get to the range a couple of times but so for when everything is going right it I can really put the bolts on target. I am looking forward to seeing what I can do with this crossbow when I get some more practice under my belt. As for which method of holding the Maximilian works better, either the classic “rifle” method or the traditional on the shoulder method? I tried both personally prefer holding it more like a rifle but the stock does look like it was originally designed to be on the shoulder and works well for that. It really came down to comfort and what I was used to. I did notice that it does have some strong vibrations when shot. I am looking to try some heavier bolts to see if that will help quiet the Maximilian down. Currently I am using bolts with 11/32” Port Arthur Cedar shafts and 125 grain points going to try some thicker oak shafts with 160 grain points and see how it reacts. Any excuse to get more range time is good.
Odds and Ends: With the vibrations from shooting I noticed that the bow irons can loosen up and the prod can shift a little. So I centered the prod and marked the inside so that I have a quick reference to align too. And make sure the irons are tight before going to the range.
Summary: Ok I’ll wrap this long post up by saying that Maximilian is defiantly a good buy. It has a unique and solid feel that really lends to good shooting. I am very happy with it and consider it money well spent.
I'll rate the Maximillian 5 bolts out of 5
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