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Crossbows - Everything about Building, Modding, and Using your Crossbow Gear

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» 12th Century Chinese Crossbow Chronographed
by stuckinthemud1 Fri Nov 24, 2023 3:50 pm

» Crossbow Stock
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» Colletiere a Charavines continuing experiment
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» flexible string
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» [solved]Skane/Lillohus crossbow thread
by stuckinthemud1 Sun Mar 19, 2023 7:44 am

» jens sensfelder
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» Codex Löffelholz crossbow
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» Digitar prodsc
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» Troubleshooting
by Andy. Fri Jan 06, 2023 12:29 pm

» Wood Prods
by stuckinthemud1 Fri Dec 30, 2022 12:47 pm

» Colletiere a Charavines crossbow
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» Simplified Löffelhotz speedloader
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» Fiberglass H-bows
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» Bad Antler
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» Anyone make their own bolts?
by Juniper Mon Oct 17, 2022 8:20 am

» Josef alm in English
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» Qin/Han lock drawings
by kenh Fri Sep 23, 2022 8:16 pm

» stirrup dimensions?
by stuckinthemud1 Thu Sep 01, 2022 1:49 pm

» Skane/Lillohus lockbow information needed
by stuckinthemud1 Sun Aug 14, 2022 6:23 am

» need help contacting le musee Dauphinois Grenoble
by stuckinthemud1 Sat Aug 13, 2022 3:22 pm


3 posters

    Greetings from Croatia

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    Juniper
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    Post by Juniper Sun Nov 13, 2011 8:35 am

    Hello, I have been visiting this forum for some time gathering resources and admiring other people's work but didn't feel like registering until I come up with something to contribute. I'm 25 years old and have been making selfbows since I can remember but I always wanted to build crossbows as well. I built several smaller models several years ago with really light prods and simple locks and gave them away to children and cousins.


    Few months ago a friend of mine told me he wanted to build his own and I was immediatly hooked again. So by now the complete crossbow is finished; the stock and mechanism are beech from hardware store, overall length about 3 feet, 40 mm at widest point; leaf spring, bolt clip and guide block are ash, spring and clip were bent with steam; prod is oak (Quercus Robur) 34''ntn, 100# at 12'' draw, 42 mm at widest point, double nocks for bastard string. String, stirrup and bridle are store bought hemp, I made the stirrup just like completely served endless loop bowstring but I plan to put an iron one someday or wippe ring.


    The mechanism is a hybrid of roller nut and claplock, after the nut is released it moves forward until the string hits the slanted notch and rolls out. This way pressure is applied behind the axle and hopefully less strong material is needed. I live in an apartment now so everything was done with hand tools, not that much of a problem since stock wood was cut in square blanks. I had to glue two pieces to gain extra depth though, and will try to find real wood in the future and to lay it out to my true heart's content.


    And there it is. Sorry about picture quality. Any comments and questions are welcome. Also I would like to ask if there is a method of matching bolts to prods. It's nice not to have to worry about spine but are there recommended bolt weights for different strength prods? In primitive archery it is now an unofficial standard to shoot 10 grains of arrow weight per bow pound yet I have a feeling 1000 grain bolt would be a bit too much for a 100# prod
    Greetings from Croatia 2nw2xvm
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    stoneagebowyer
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    Post by stoneagebowyer Mon Nov 14, 2011 2:40 pm

    Juniper, I do agree that spine is not an issue with crossbows, since there is no paradox to contend with. I finished a German style crossbow wiht a 100# prod, and made my bolts from 3/8" oak dowling, 15" long with 125 grain heads and 2 fletch using natural feathers, and they seem to be working out fine. Probably making up a number of bolts of different weights / lengths / materials and testing them to see what your weapon likes is the best approach, just as you would with an assault rifle or handgun to find the best ammo for your intended purpose.

    You did a beatiful job. I hope you can get some better quality pictures later, so we can see more details. I like the hybrid lock system you made for this one.

    Dane
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    Post by jake-owa Mon Nov 14, 2011 3:19 pm

    Cool. I absolutely love the all wood crossbows. How are the accuracy and range? Are the arrows flying and sticking pretty straight?
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    Post by Juniper Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:09 am

    Thank you, guys! I'm sorry it took me a long time to reply but I was away from home for awhile and didn't get any opportunity at all to try it out :-/ I did some testing today and it shot 355 grain bolt to a distance of 158 yards. I laid small drawing triangle on top of the stock to be sure I get straight 45° so no room for speculation. I don't know if I'm qualified to talk about accuracy since I have yet to become a good shot, but from a distance of something between 20 and 30 paces horizontal spread never exceeded 10 inches, while it will take me some time to learn judging distance properly. It is certainly easier than with a selfbow though. Bolts were fletched with cardboard (I save feathers for arrows hehe) and they flew quite true, release is really clean and I didn't get any misfires yet. Just about time I was packing a rain shower started but didn't feel like testing extreme conditions performance Very Happy luckily everything fitted under my huge umbrella. Sorry no beter pictures but the whole thing is quite plain, when I make something flashy I'll go nagging for a real camera :p

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