The Spanish one in short words:

Today I have been at the "weapon control" department of the police wich handles it (the Guardia Civil, very friendly agents) but this doesn't change the laws or the absence of them.

To have one, the only way is to get the shotgun license, which has as an extra, the crossbow license, with a maximum number of 12 weapons (seems enough for me). But as anyone wich will have a shotgun, I must pass a practical exam on its use, and to have either a hunting license or be a member of the olimpic shooting federation to explain my interest on having one (I have none! ).

No, research or reenactment is not an option. I'm sure that there is no Crossbow federation, competitions or anything related, and that crossbow hunting is nearly to marginal.

But now the better: making them.

Each crossbow, by law, must have a serial number. The serial number consists of the numbers of the years, weapon made that year and factory number. Still wondering what I must do to be considered one. Perhaps the funnier is to come...

I will write to demand that the crossbows, along any other weapons made or designed before than 1890, can be handled with the AE or "special autorization". That currently only apllies to firearms. I think that would be more logical than the current situation. What do you think on that? it's the simplest solution that I can think. And that way, mangonels, scorpios, trebuchets or any other siege weapon can be legally owned too (currently they are not at any law).

As a curiosity, as the law is written, no Museum in Spain can have a crossbow. Seems that while making the law they just forgot that My general impression is that they took in account the crossbow to includeo it, but did nothing more...they don't even say what it's one.

Building a trebuchet capable of hurling a hundred kilos stone to hundreds of meters is much easier! They are not in the law! Mad, mad, mad ...and my crosbow projects are stopped for the moment

I wonder how is the law in your country. There is a crossbow federation? How do you legally make one? It is possible to have one for reenactment? If the law is better in France, I can get there in two hours...

I am fortunate to live in the USA where there is not much restrictions (except maybe in some cities). I can make and use them here with no problems. Sorry to hear about your situation.



Todd

Seems very much like in Norway, if you own one purchased before 1993 you can legally own it but today it`s easier to get a modern semi auto handgun than a crossbow

The same goes for Denmark but in Sweden you can get a license but it has to be registered even if you make a medieval one yourself

I too think crossbows and crossbow designs made before modern times should be legal to build and own without any restrictions

I am very sorry to hear this as well.I though the law's regarding air rifle's and fire arm's were bad enough here in the U.K.Seem's they are not that draconian here after all then as you have to be over 17 year's of age to own a crossbow but you are not leagally allowed to hunt with a bow or crossbow.All i can say here is i wish you good luck on getting past that hurdle.

In Lithuania stuation pretty same as in Spain. You must have a hunting license to legally own a crossbow from 200 to 1200 newtons, but you can't hunt with crossbow or handbow in Lithuania. Bows/crossbows with draw weight under 200 N are not reglamented, but such draw weight for crossbow is quite low...

About building bows - I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that if you make one stonger than 200 newtons, it is considered the same as making a gun, which is, of course, illegal.

If 200 N (=45 lbs) is the legal limit, then rubber based slingshot crossbows might be an alternative. Rubber allows long tillers = long acceleration. With a rifle sized slingshot crossbow, you can easily achieve 80 Joules of energy with less than 45 lbs draw.

In Germany, we are quite lucky. Crossbows are entirely unregulated EXCEPT you must be 18 or older to own one. You may even shoot it in the open, without any permit.