Filling out order form for Crossbows.net, got a few questions, sorry! lol

WEll, ive narrowed my choice down to either the Maximilian or the flemish, but im stuck on prob choice.

As i stated i want to just target shoot/punch paper out to 30 MAYBE 40 yards, what prod weight will allow my bolts to hit with the force to EASILY stick into those thick yellow stuff walmart targets...the ones with that mesh plastic screen wire stuff inside.

I dont want the bow to look awesome but shoot like a kids toy because i picked a prod too weak, but also i want to be able to shoot alot so 200# is way out since i cant afford a gaffe.

I guess my choices are down to those 75# aluminum or a 100# steel, what kinda speed difference will i see between those, and how effective are they for my target shooting. ive looked, i cant find any ballistic information to judge this myself.

Lightly has already been in contact with me, and gave some great info, now im just down to these last few choices!

#75-100 is definitely target archery range.

The difference between the two is the more powerful the bow, the flatter the trajectory. Lighter bolts for a lighter bow also help balance things out, but careful not to go too light as you might land in the dry fire range (not good for the prod)...You should write David Watson (known here as Geezer ) an e-mail, he should have bolt specs for each # setup.

As for a cocking aid, you can always grab a cocking rope. It's simple, inexpensive, and gives one the 2:1 mechanical advantage to span a heavier bow (oooh it does feel better to unload a monster at the range ). Another good thing about those ropes is they draw the string evenly which aids in the accuracy.

Alrighty, Good luck.

Ivo

PS: Definitely jot New World Arbalest an e-mail, it's good to have stuff on the forum, but it is more professional to deal with the crossbowyer directly. No trust issues there - Geezer and Lightly of the New World Arbalest are at the top of our cool book. Very friendly and knowledgeable guys.

Oh yeah, Lightly is awesome to deal with, very friendly lady thx for the info man,

Ivo's right, it's best to do business on the business line, and keep this one for fun, but I will answer your question about the prods. My 70 lb. prods are aluminum alloy... they're relatively light and fast. A 100 lb. prod from my shop will be steel, which is heavier, so not as efficient. There's not gonna be much difference in performance between a 70 lb. aluminum-alloy prod and a 100 lb. steel prod. Where you WILL see the diff is about 5 years down the line, when the aluminum prod begins to get soft, and slow down. It will continue to shoot a long time after that, but performance will definitely sag. So if you anticipate doing lots and lots of shooting with your bow, spend the extra bucks and buy a steel prod... I'd recommend going closer to 120 lb in steel. That really Will show a difference in performance.
Then again, if what you want is a plinker for shooting 20-30 yards, the aluminum prods are easy to pull and have very low recoil. What's more, I'll replace an aluminum prod free if you ever wear it out. Why can I do that? Because most people who buy a crossbow shoot it for a few months and get distracted by the latest computer game, or whatever and hang it on the wall. Only a few customers actually turn into shooting fanatics. Then they eventually trade up to a stronger steel prod anyway. If you wanna pursue this towards purchasing something, send me an e mail: iolo@crossbows.net
Apologies to the gang for doing business here, but I thought you guys might wanna hear my thoughts on this. Geezer

Oh hey sorry for doing business here, but thats some good info too Geezer.

NO, no, this is great information, I'm asking the same kind of questions right now, just getting a wealth of different answers. I did not know that New World Arbalest would replace an aluminum prod on one of their crossbows if it wears out. I was not considering steel, but now I have even less reason to do so.