Mechanism for tensioning the bowstring of a crossbow. Installing a bowstring with a stringer. Crossbow shot
How to make a combat crossbow
INTRODUCTION
The crossbow is an advanced bow that allows the shooter to aim without straining the bowstring. It improves accuracy and penetration power, and can be used by people who do not have the accuracy and strength needed for an archer. Crossbow appeared around 500 BC. in China, by the 12th century it had spread to Europe; at first it was used as a military weapon, then it became a weapon of hunters and athletes. Homemade crossbows were used until 1918 (World War II). An arrow for a crossbow is heavier than for a bow, it is more often called a bolt. The advantages of a crossbow over a bow are obvious: a large penetrating power (some crossbows pierced any armor from 100 m), an increased firing range (up to 400-450 m), but there are also disadvantages: a long reload time, the high cost of manufacturing a trigger (as a result of which the crossbow only wealthy citizens could afford), the impossibility of using it when moving on a horse (for this reason, it did not find application in the East - among horse archers), as well as the fact that the crossbowman, due to the bulkiness of the crossbow, could not use other types of weapons, his had to be defended - this required a good organization of the troops. Therefore, the crossbow received the main distribution only by the 14th century AD. A bow for a crossbow was originally made similarly to composite bows - from several materials, but when damask and Damascus steel appeared, they forgot about the composite - the tension force of such a crossbow did not exceed the tension force of the bow, and the expediency of its use disappeared.
Crossbow shooting is different from archery and includes three stages:
1. Tension. In the simplest version, the shooter pulls the bowstring with his hands and fixes it with a restraining stop, while the crossbow is fixed with his foot using a special bracket. Over time, tensioning devices appeared, which allowed the use of more powerful bows.
2. Bolt overlay. The shooter holds the crossbow at a slight upward angle and places the bolt in the groove, while the rear end of the bolt is on the stop of the bowstring. Some crossbows are equipped with a spring to hold the bolt, which allows you to shoot at any angle and in any direction.
3. Aim and shoot. The crossbow is applied to the shoulder like a gun, aiming is done by analogy.
Devices for string tension:
1. Brace for the leg and both hands. The method was used with relatively weak bows.
2. Tension strap with hook. The leg fixes the crossbow machine, as in the first method, the shooter bends, the hook on the belt hooks the string, when the arrow is straightened, the string is pulled and fixed.
3. An improved version of method 2: a rope with a movable roller is used, also mounted on a belt.
4. "Goat's leg". The shooter places both curved levers on pins protruding from both sides of the stock, the opposite end pulls towards itself, dragging the bowstring with movable paws.
5. Release lever. It clings to the crochet in front of the stock and presses the bowstring back.
6. Gate with gear rack. Appeared around 1450 in Germany. The bowstring is pulled through the collar. Used for the most powerful crossbows. He was popular with hunters, as the military was not satisfied with the speed of tension and the low rate of fire.
7. Integrated tension arm.
Ways to tension the bowstring of a crossbow.
There were varieties of crossbows for shooting bullets or stones. Their difference is a forked bowstring with a pocket for a bullet. In the 19th century, China began to use repeating crossbows, in which non-feathered bolts were used, which were fed automatically from the magazine when the bowstring was pulled.
They had a good range and were more powerful than most bows, but they took a lot longer to reload. On average, most crossbowmen fired 2 shots per minute.
The crossbow was held horizontally and fired with a trigger that lowered a tight bowstring. To load the crossbow, they put it on the ground and held it with their foot. The bowstring was pulled back with both hands or with the help of a device. The crossbow fired a projectile that was much shorter than a normal arrow. It had feathers to stabilize it in flight and had a pointed end.
The crossbowman often carried a passive shield in combat to provide cover while reloading. It was a tall shield with wooden braces attached. A detachment of crossbowmen was a wall of such shields. As they fired, only crossbows and their helmeted heads emerged from the shield wall. This kind of detachment forced the enemy to retreat in open space.
The crossbow was a deadly weapon and was very popular for the simple reason that it took a little time to learn how to shoot. Relatively raw soldiers could become proficient crossbowmen in a short amount of time, and a well-aimed shot could kill an armored knight who took a long time to train. The crossbow was considered criminal in some circles (knights primarily) because it requires so little skill. Richard I of England, the Lionheart, was wounded twice by crossbow arrows. The idea of such great people being killed easily by ordinary soldiers or worse was terrible for noble people. In the twelfth century, the pope tried to ban the crossbow as an inhumane weapon.
1. BATTLE CROSSBOW XIV-XVI CENTURIES. The bow, originally "complex", from the beginning of the 15th century. replaced with steel. Tension force up to 200 kg. The tension was carried out with a "goat's foot" - an iron lever of complex shape, resting on two ledges. When the lever is turned, with an increase in the tension force, the radius of rotation of the lever decreases. Firing range up to 300 m. Rate of fire - 2-3 rpm. Descent - "nut". Worn on the shoulder or belt.
2. BATTLE AND HUNTING CROSSBOW XIV-XVII CENTURIES. The bow, originally "complex", from the beginning of the 15th century. replaced with steel. The tension force reached 300 kg. It was pulled by the "German collar" - a gear rack with two claws in an iron case with a gearbox. Firing range - 300-400 m. Rate of fire - 1-2 rpm. Descent - a rotating "nut" with notches at the top (for the bowstring) and at the bottom (for the nose of the trigger guard). In combat crossbows, the trigger guard is just a lever on an axle, in hunting crossbows it is a complex and very delicate device. Worn on the belt or at the saddle.
3. BATTLE AND HUNTING CROSSBOW XI-XIII CENTURIES. The bow belongs to the type of "complex" bows - it is glued from wood, glued on the inside with bone plates, on the outside - with tendons and covered with birch bark. Tension force up to 120 kg. It is pulled with a foot inserted into the stirrup and a hook on the belt. Firing range up to 200 m. Sighting range, like all crossbows, about 60 m. Rate of fire - up to 4 bolts / min. Descent - a notch with an ejector or a retractable stop. Worn on a belt over the shoulder.
4. ITALIAN BULLET HUNTING CROSSBOW XVI-XVII CENTURIES. Ballestra Bow steel complex profiled. On the string there is a special leather or wicker nest for a lead bullet. Tension force 25-30 kg. Firing range up to 100 m. Sighting range up to 20 m. Stretched by hand. Rate of fire up to 6 bullets per minute. It was used in court hunting for small birds, usually by women.
5. HUNTING CROSSBOW XVII-XVIII CENTURIES. A bow made of steel, often from earlier crossbows. Tension force up to 200 kg. It was pulled with a "goat's foot" - a two-piece lever made of wood. Firing range up to 200 m. Rate of fire 2-3 b/min. The descent is a notch with a stopper. Worn on a belt over the shoulder. When installed over the bowstring strap with a chute from a crossbow, it was possible to shoot with lead bullets.
6. BATTLE CROSSBOW XIV - EARLY XVI CENTURIES. AND TARGET XVI-XVIII cc. Steel bow. Tension force - up to 530 kg. It is pulled by the "English collar" - a system of blocks, chain hoists and a collar. Weaker crossbows had one block, the most powerful ones - 4. Firing range - 300-700 m. Rate of fire - no more than 1 rpm. Descent - "nut". The collar was worn on the belt, the crossbow - on the shoulder.
DO IT YOURSELF - Crossbow "Domoboy"
The crossbow is made of a spring from Moskvich. Dimensions are visible from the photo. The tension knot allows even a teenager to cock a crossbow into a combat state. The cable is pulled in two steps and put on the fuse.
Mounted boom flight of at least 400 meters. Tension force up to 50 kg. A device for making arrows allows you to get round blanks from wood bars (preferably hardwoods - oak, hornbeam, beech) using a drill. The stabilizer is made of thick electric cardboard.
The optical sight with a laser pointer is not shown in the photo.
BLUEPRINTS
(click on the picture to enlarge it)
DIY - Crossbow "Lord"
Characteristics:
Crossbow medieval 14-15th century, England, with a collar.
Length with stirrup - 850 mm
Weight - 4 kg, with a collar - 5.5 kg
Fusiform arrows, beech, birch, plumage - leather 2.5 mm thick. Bolt weight 70 grams, length - 350 mm
The arc is made of a spring from a ZIL car. Length - 700 mm, width: in the middle 45 mm, along the edges 25 mm; thickness: in the middle 8 mm, along the edges - 6 mm
Arc force over 150 kg
Trigger - walnut with a diameter of 32 mm and a thickness of 25 mm
Arc in a protective casing (leather)
The bed is made of oak; covered with natural drying oil
Bowstring - polyamide thread, the diameter of the finished bowstring is 10 mm
Horn stock with mahogany groove
Decorative caps - brass, etched pattern
The gate is made of steel, blocks - brass
Charging a crossbow with a collar is 40-50 seconds. Effort was not measured, but even children charged quite easily
Rope on the collar - capron
Arc fastening - with steel wedges
Aiming range - 250 meters
Bolt flight range - more than 1000 meters
It took several months to collect materials on the collar.
When shooting at close targets up to 100 meters, the wooden part of the bolts was destroyed when it hit the target, punching through a board 8 cm thick.
TRIGGERS
Mechanism?1.
The drawing is schematic and the arrangement of parts is rather arbitrary, but I think everything is clear. Approximate length 8-9 cm.
Mechanism?2.
Mechanism?3.
Mechanism?4.
BEST CROSSBOWS 2007
Modern powerful crossbows are match and field. It is known that the invention of the field crossbow is attributed to the American Marine archers. Field crossbow ammunition - feathered arrows, duralumin or carbon. In field crossbow shooting competitions, a standard five-color archery target is used. Tension in competitions - 43 kg, shot distance in the open air - 35, 50 and 65 meters, indoors - 10 and 18 meters.
Match crossbows are fired with non-feathered bolts, and the tension when firing from 10 meters is 70 kg, at a distance of 30 meters - 120 kg. Competitions are held in closed or semi-closed rooms - specially equipped shooting ranges.
It should be noted that in terms of their combat characteristics, and most importantly, in terms of the versatility of use, modern, technologically advanced crossbows are in many ways superior to firearms in specific conditions of use. For example, during the Vietnam campaign, crossbows proved themselves well and entered the arsenal of American rapid reaction units.
First of all, crossbows have such an important quality as noiselessness. The absence of interacting metal parts avoids the clanging that accompanies shots even from low-noise and silent rifles and pistols. In addition, the energy capacity of modern materials used in the creation of such crossbows, such as Tenpoint Pro Elite (the best crossbow of the year according to the American magazine Inside Archery) or Stryker (the best new technologies from Outdoor Canada), significantly exceeds the muzzle energy of a nine-millimeter bullet fired by from a pistol.
What are the features, what is the charm of hunting with a crossbow? Each hunter chooses for himself the type of hunting that is most pleasant for him and, as they say, "Caesar's is Caesar's, and locksmith's is locksmith's." Someone likes to stand on a tower near the salt marsh and wait for their doomed victim, someone is interested in driving the beast in a crowd and shooting him as an enemy of the people, and someone enjoys hunting with a crossbow. For many people, hunting with a crossbow is not a trade, but an exciting sport. The main feature of hunting with a crossbow is that the hunter becomes equal with the victim, he himself creates conditions for hunting centuries ago, complicates the process of hunting and, accordingly, raises its prestige. Everyone can fill up a boar from a screw cutter, and there is nothing special to be proud of. If you want to eat - buy pork and eat, and if you want hunting, sports, courage - put your multi-shot cannon aside, pick up a crossbow and go into the forest - show your peasant prowess. The main beauty of hunting with a crossbow is that such hunting is almost silent. A shot from a rifle can be heard from several kilometers away, and in the area all people and animals know who, where and with what caliber ... A shot from a crossbow is almost silent - a light cotton that sinks in the foliage after a hundred meters. Often there are times when the bird does not even fly away and it is possible to reload, correct and shoot again.
What do you need to successfully hunt with a crossbow?
Of course, the crossbow itself. Modern crossbows can be divided into two classes - classic crossbows with recursive (curved) shoulders and block crossbows, equipped with a system of eccentric blocks that facilitate loading the crossbow and accelerate the acceleration of the arrow.
Recurve crossbows have a number of advantages - they are light, easy to operate and extremely reliable. With shoulders with a pull force of more than 50 kg, recurve crossbows are suitable for hunting any small, large animal and bird. They are easy to assemble and disassemble, easy to transport. They are universal on a long trip, where every kilogram is counted. Heavy block crossbows are good for outdoor hunting for large, often dangerous animals, when you need a large supply of power and high energy. A block crossbow is not always needed.
Shooting at a capercaillie or at a beaver from a "blocker" is the same as shooting sparrows from a cannon.
In general, crossbows are perfect for various types of hunting: both from ambush and from an approach. Modern crossbows most often have shoulders made of high-modulus composite materials, devoid of "fatigue" - the crossbow can be worn cocked for several hours - this gives the hunter the opportunity to quickly shoot at an unexpected target.
The only type of hunting in which a crossbow is useless is shooting at a flying target - it is extremely difficult to hit, almost impossible.
How powerful should a hunting crossbow be?
The power of a crossbow theoretically depends on two parameters:
1) the force that the arc develops at the limiting point of the bowstring;
2) the ultimate ability of the arc to bend or the course (excursion) of the bowstring. There are eccentrics who dream of buying a crossbow with a pull force of 200 or more kilograms. Of course, these are crazy ideas.
For confident shooting at a large hoofed animal at a distance of up to 50 meters, a crossbow with a tension force of 50-70 kg is enough. For hunting wild boar, it is better to take a crossbow a little more powerful - with shoulders of about 80 kg. I want to emphasize once again that you should not chase power - the right ammunition and a good shooting skill will give you much more advantages than the shoulders of monstrous power.
Aim devices.
The main feature of sighting devices is due to the ballistics of the projectile (arrow, bolt) flight, which causes a significant change in the position of the sighting line relative to the departure line with a slight change in the distance to the target. Modern crossbows always have a dovetail, on which you can install whatever your heart desires.
In fact, a crossbow does not need powerful more than 4x optics. 4X32 or 4X24 is optimal, but it is best to use a collimator sight - it is convenient both during the day and at dusk, when you need to aim with two eyes.
The collimator is also good for quick shooting at moving targets. I recommend the collimator as the optimal sighting device for crossbows.
What ammunition is used for hunting with a crossbow?
For hunting a large game, it is advisable to use professional, branded arrows (bolts) made of carbon or fiberglass - they are very light, durable with perfect geometry and the correct "weight distribution". There are sometimes good aluminum arrows, but they are more suitable for training shooting or hunting "by feather".
Often, hunting arrows have a threaded insert on the front cut of the shaft, which allows you to change the tip from sports to hunting and vice versa. The hunting tip is most often equipped with three or more steel blades, in some cases, the tips are collapsible with the ability to replace individual blades.
The plumage of hunting arrows is always longer than that of sport arrows. This is due to the fact that the arrow must instantly stabilize in flight and take up a combat position, this is especially important when shooting at short distances - up to 30 meters. The length of the arrow usually corresponds to the guide of the crossbow and the excursion of the bowstring - most often hunting arrows are 40 to 50 cm long.
The weight of a hunting arrow is approximately 30-35 grams.
Arrows for hunting birds and small game are usually shorter and lighter, their maximum weight is 25 grams, and the length is 30 cm. Fiberglass and aluminum are ideal materials for cheap, "bird" arrows.
Harpoon arrows for hunting fish deserve special mention. By the way, in America, shooting at fish with a crossbow and a bow is a popular pastime, like our hunting with a spear. The harpoon arrow has a special needle shape that allows the arrow to move easily under water and a spearhead with a "tooth". On the back of the arrow there is a small hook to which a nylon thread is tied, the thread itself, in turn, is wound on a non-inertial coil and fixed on a crossbow.
The optimal distance for shooting with a crossbow.
For hunting, it is desirable to use a crossbow with such power that a conventionally direct shot at the chest figure is at least 50 meters. The trajectory of a crossbow arrow has its own characteristics and it is difficult to calculate it at long distances, so it is advisable to shoot at a conditionally direct shot distance - up to 50-60 meters. You don’t have to worry about the accuracy of fire - any decent crossbow is several times superior to a smoothbore gun in accuracy of fire.
Where to shoot?
Killer places for crossbow shooting are not only the chest and neck, but also the stomach. For example, a wild boar, after an arrow hits the abdomen, simply sits on the ground and screams, a couple of seconds and the second, control arrow stops the torment. The most “lethal” places, of course, are the neck and chest: a hunting arrow easily pushes the ribs apart and, even breaking one of its blades, goes deep inside and inflicts mortal wounds. When hit in the chest of an adult deer from a "60-kilogram" crossbow from a distance of about 50 meters, the arrow goes 20 centimeters inside and reaches the vital organs. If the tip was fixed "tightly" and does not unscrew, then it is no longer possible to remove the arrow from the victim, you can only cut it out.
How humane is hunting with a crossbow?
First, a hunter with a crossbow has only one responsible shot and must clearly decide whether to shoot or not. If the distance or power of the crossbow does not allow you to confidently lay down the beast, it is better not to shoot at all. The crossbowman never shoots like a madman in bursts through the bushes - everything is always decided by a single arrow.
Secondly, it has long been proven that a shot from a crossbow at distances up to 60-70 meters is more effective than a bullet. Unlike a bullet, an arrow does not have a shock, stopping effect, more precisely, a "stopping action" is achieved in a different way - a crossbow or bow arrow, falling into the victim's body, makes it impossible to move, paralyzes.
With a three-edged arrowhead, the arrow inflicts serious damage and causes rapid blood loss.
There are practically no wounded animals in crossbow hunting, so hunting with a crossbow is more humane than with other types of hunting weapons.
What should be paid attention to when hunting with a crossbow?
First of all, safety precautions. This technique is exactly the same as that of a firearm, with only minor additions. The most important thing is that while shooting, it is important to vigilantly monitor the fingers of the left hand - they should not fall on the line of movement of the bowstring - we do not have so many fingers to spread them.
It is necessary to carefully monitor the shoulders of the crossbow so that during the shot the shoulders do not touch branches or foreign objects. It is also necessary to monitor the condition of the bowstring - it should not have any visible damage or tears that could cause the bowstring to break during a shot. Blank shots should not be allowed - they can damage the shoulders and the bowstring. Otherwise, the rules for handling a crossbow are based on the same laws of reason and the rules of conduct on a hunt.
© "Encyclopedia of Technologies and Methods" Patlakh V.V. 1993-2007
The invention relates to crossbows, and in particular to a method of tensioning the bowstring of a block crossbow. The method of tensioning the bowstring of a block crossbow consists in placing the arrow on the stock, laying the string around the arrow and the cocked trigger mechanism, fixing the central part of the bowstring from longitudinal movements and alternately tensioning first one free end of the bowstring, and then the second. EFFECT: reduced load on the string tension mechanism. 1 z.p. f-ly, 1 ill.
The proposed technical solution is applicable to reduce the load on the block crossbow tensioner. Known block crossbow patent RU№2150651 C1, the platoon of which is carried out by simultaneously pulling the two reverse ends of the bowstring. The disadvantage of the prototype is the load on the string tension device.
In order to reduce the load on the bowstring tensioning device, a method of string tensioning is proposed, which consists in installing an arrow on the stock, a bowstring is laid around the arrow and a cocked trigger mechanism, its central part is fixed from longitudinal movements and pulled alternately, first one free end of the bowstring, and then the second. The tension of the bowstring can be carried out step by step in several stages in order to reduce the transverse load on the trigger mechanism.
The proposed method can be implemented by the device shown in figure 1, where: 1 - bed, 2 - bow, 3 - arrow, 4 trigger mechanism, 5 - bowstring lock, 6 - winch, 7 - string, 8 - free end of the string , 9 - rotary block. The work of the crossbow according to figure 1, except for the sequential cocking of the shoulders of the bow 2, the proposed method is no different from the work of a traditional crossbow. For example, the total force on the trigger is set to 120 kg, the tension algorithm according to formula 2 can be as follows: first, the free end of the right part of the bowstring 8 is cocked to 30 kg, then the free end of the left part is cocked to a force of 60 kg. And in conclusion, the right free end of the bowstring is pulled up, also to a force of 60 kg. Thus, the force on the cocking mechanism, consisting of two winches, did not exceed 60 kg. The bowstring latch 5 can be spring-loaded, and the bowstring 7 can have thickenings on both sides of the trigger 4. Finally, the latch 5 may be absent, and instead the central part of the bowstring can be made bifurcated and go around the trigger 4 on both sides. In this case, bowstring distortion during cocking can be monitored and corrected visually. At the end of the cocking, the bifurcation of the bowstring should be symmetrical with respect to the trigger mechanism. If the crossbow accelerates the arrow with the carriage, the bowstring lock may be missing.
1. The method of tensioning the bowstring of a block crossbow, which consists in installing an arrow on the stock, a bowstring is laid around the arrow and the cocked trigger mechanism, characterized in that the central part of the bowstring is fixed from longitudinal movements and alternately, first one free end of the bowstring is pulled, and then the second.
2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the tension of the bowstring is carried out step by step.
Non-mechanical means
Stirrup + arm strength
The shooter pulls the string with his hands, holding the crossbow near the ground with his foot with the help of a stirrup (the material for manufacturing is wire with a diameter of 5-6 mm). The method is acceptable for athletically developed people, and the bow tension force is up to 60-70 kg.
The figure on the right shows a modern device in the form of blocks and cables passing through them. At one end, the cables are fixed near the butt, behind the trigger mechanism, and at the other end they are attached to the handles, for which the shooter pulls. Using it allows you to get a 2-fold gain in strength by increasing the distance traveled by 2 times.
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Belt hook
It does not change the applied effort, but only transfers it from hands to feet, because the muscles of the legs are 3 times stronger than the muscles of the hands and are much more enduring. The essence of the method is that the shooter puts on a belt to which a rope of a certain length with a hook at the end is attached in front. Crouching, the crossbowman hooks the bowstring with a hook, and, straightening his legs, pulls the bowstring up until it is hooked by the trigger mechanism.
Mechanical means
Three types of mechanical means of tensioning a crossbow bowstring are known: a lever cocking of the "goat's leg" type, a rack and pinion (German) gate, and a block-pulley (English) gate.
"Goat Leg"
Lever cock simple type consists of two wooden blocks - a cocking lever and a tension lever. The cocking lever is intended so that, by pressing it, the crossbowman can use the second lever to tension the bowstring. At the lower support end of the cocking lever, a small hook is attached to the axle. This hook, when cocking the bowstring, serves as a support for the cocking lever, so it is limited in its movement in relation to it. The tension lever is connected to the cocking lever by means of an iron axle at some distance from its supporting end.
To cock the bowstring, the crossbowman installed a tension lever on the bowstring, for which special cuts were made on it, and the hook at the supporting end of the cocking lever was inserted into a metal ring fixed in front of the arc of the crossbow.
Having installed the "goat's foot" on the crossbow, the shooter began to forcefully move the cocking lever to the stock, rotating it around the support, which was formed when the hook was engaged with the metal ring. As a result of this action, the tension lever, converting the rotational movement of the cocking lever into translational, pushes the bowstring to the connection with the lock.
As a rule, the achievable increase in applied force approaches 5-7. That is, if the shooter applies a force equal to 5 kg to the cocking lever, then when the bowstring is pulled, a force of about 30 kg will develop. But if the crossbowman puts pressure on the lever with a force of 20 kg, then the "goat's leg" will increase it to 120 kg.
Goat's foot feature folding type consists in the fact that the lever arm in the process of tension changes its length, due to which at the final stage of tension (when the tension force is close to the maximum), the ratio of the lengths of the levers is also close to the maximum. At the initial moment, the tension force, due to the difference in the length of the two levers, cocking and tension, increases by 3-4 times, and at the final stage - by 7-8 times. The performance of the folding "goat's leg" is approximately equal to the usual one, however, its light weight, size and portability contributed to its wide distribution during the Middle Ages.
simple type
Gates and block systems
The most complex and cumbersome option. When using these devices, you will significantly lose in rate of fire, although you will win in strength.
For beginners who want to make a sample of ancient weapons themselves, there are always questions: where to start, how can this be done at home; how to repeat the work of the ancient masters; who can help. If you set out to make a crossbow yourself, no need to get lost. The work is completely feasible in modern conditions, if you are a person who loves and knows how to work with his hands, has the necessary tools.
You will need a hacksaw, a hammer and a screwdriver. But this is not enough to create a serious crossbow model. It is convenient to assemble it in parts (Fig. 1). Take the bed as a basis and attach a bow, a trigger mechanism to it. Attach a stirrup to the bow, and sights to the trigger mechanism. And even this is only an approximate scheme, in your case everything can be different.
Some parts for the crossbow can be bought or ordered at the relevant industries: auto repair, metal and woodworking workshops, workshops, factories, companies that produce glass and carbon fiber products, other organizations and institutions. Before constructing anything, let's figure out what technical characteristics we want to get, where and how the assembled structure will be used.
Rice. 1. Scheme for creating a crossbow.
Crossbow stock and guides
When making a stock and a crossbow guide, care should be taken to combine aesthetic beauty, convenience and durability. The main materials for the manufacture of the bed are now either natural wood materials - beech, birch, ash, walnut, rosewood, or molded plastics.
The wood of these species does not warp from moisture, it is quite viscous, does not prick and is beautiful if it is sanded and varnished. The initial workpiece is a board about 30 mm thick. You can make a rigid metal frame and attach plastic (wooden) pads to it in place of the forearm, handle, butt. The stock of most modern crossbows has an anatomical lightweight shape, which gives the crossbow not only ergonomics, but also a modern design. Sometimes the shape of the bed is specially made in strict accordance with ancient patterns and contains artistic carving or inlay.
The guide in modern crossbows is significantly different from ancient counterparts
In modern crossbows, the guide is mostly made of a different material (metal, fiberglass) and is mounted on top of the stock. Sometimes the crossbow guide is rounded metal rails along which the arrow moves like it is on rails. Such a system provides high accuracy and wear resistance.
As for the distance between the guides (groove width), it depends on the diameter of the tube (pole) that will be used to make arrows, as well as the height of their plumage. As a rule, the width of the chamfered groove should be such that the axis of the arrow crosses the center of the bowstring, which, in turn, lies (without vertical force) on the guides and moves parallel to them when fired.
Sports bow.
Crossbow Compound Bow
The block bow of a crossbow differs from the classic one in that it has at least twice, or even three times, the reported speed of the arrow. A compound bow is always more powerful and faster than a classic or recurve bow (with the same string tension and shoulder material). The difference is that "compounds" - compound bows work not only by the force of elastic elements - shoulders. They provide the power of the shot in the same way as on its predecessor - a recurve bow.
But the initial speed of the boom depends mainly on the special eccentric blocks located at the upper ends of the arms, interconnected by a system of cables for synchronous operation. This system of blocks and cables allows you to accelerate the bowstring (and, accordingly, the arrow) to high speeds.
The system of blocks, in fact, is a system of levers, due to which, by reducing the force transmitted to the bowstring, the speed of its movement increases. At the very end of the course of the stretched bowstring, the blocks provide a significant reduction in the effort required to hold them. These include the following: the complexity and bulkiness of the design, its greater (compared to a recurve bow) weight, one and a half to two times longer bowstring travel (and, accordingly, a longer stock), more stringent requirements for accuracy and reliability of manufactured parts .
Attach the string to the bow of the crossbow
There are various ways to fasten the bowstring to the bow of a crossbow. One of them is the use of blocks. The block consists of a bearing, on which a ring is put on with a groove for a bowstring machined in it. The bearing rotates freely around an axis fixed at the end of the arm. Pieces of metal are also put on the axis, to which the bowstring is attached.
A simplified scheme without a bearing has proven itself well. The end of the string is fixed around one of the axes, then the string goes along the groove of the opposite ring, fits into it, returns to the original axis, wraps around the groove of the ring and is finally fixed on the opposite axis (Fig. 2). What is the benefit of such a design?
Firstly, two blocks and a bowstring extended 3 times give a gain in strength. Pulling a bow like this is several times easier. Secondly, after pulling the trigger, the bowstring will slide over the surface of the bed 1.5-2 times faster. This means that the initial speed of the arrow will increase by the same amount. Draw your own conclusions. When designing, the main difficulty lies in how to attach blocks to the ends of the bow (Fig. 3).
Rice. 2. Fixing the bowstring on the crossbow (dimensions in mm): 1 - bed; 2 - sighting device.
Rice. 3. Fastening blocks to the ends of the crossbow bow (dimensions in mm): 1 - handle; 2 - elastic element; 3 - trigger mechanism.
Shoulders of modern crossbows
Bows or, more correctly, the shoulders of modern crossbows are made from a wide variety of materials: steel, aluminum, fiberglass laminate, composite materials, carbon. Composite shoulders have proved to be the best, which is a multi-layer structure made of fiberglass and carbon.
The fiberglass structure of the shoulders gives them a high energy intensity, and carbon - reinforcing properties. The shape of the shoulders, depending on the purpose, can be either straight or recursive, that is, with a characteristic bow-shaped bend. Crossbow shoulders at the ends have the so-called endings - seats for the bowstring. The great advantage of the latest generation of shoulders is their "tirelessness" - they retain the stability of their characteristics even after several thousand shots.
Make a quality crossbow
If you want to make a quality crossbow with your own hands, you need to start with a bow, which is made from a spring. It is necessary to take a "grinder" and grind the spring so that in the middle the thickness is 4 centimeters, and along the edges - 1-2. If you have never cut metal before, ask someone experienced.
Do not forget that the spring can break and fragments will fly in different directions and can seriously injure. Therefore, before shooting, wrap the entire spring (this will already be a bow) with insulating tape, several layers of adhesive tape, or glue it with leather - insurance will not hurt (Fig. 4).
Crossbow stock
A crossbow block is a part that connects the shoulders to the stock of a crossbow. This part may not be in your crossbow. For example, in the Middle Ages, in general, a bow was tied or tied to a crossbow. In modern models, the block is made of steel or aluminum alloys (to facilitate construction). The block (or cross) is cast or milled.
You can also make it from wood. Its presence makes it easy to disassemble and transport the crossbow, to have one stock and several interchangeable arms of different tension to it.
Rice. 4. Fixing the crossbow.
Crossbow string
The bowstring of a crossbow during a shot receives significant tension and rupture pressure, therefore one of the conditions for it is its ability to withstand a large number of shots, i.e. durability and vitality. In addition, the bowstring should be light and slightly stretchable. For its manufacture, lavsan, dacron, kevlar, deinema, SVM, fastflight and other synthetic fiber threads are used.
In this case, it is necessary to have a simple device consisting of a wooden plank, in which on the one hand there is a slot and a moving threaded rod that allows you to install and fix it in various places, on the other end of the plank on the axis there is a V-shaped part made of plywood or wood with a thickness about 10 mm. Two rods are permanently fixed at the ends of the part. The V-shaped part is fixed in two positions. In the absence of such or similar device, the winding of the bowstring can be done between two nails driven in at the required distance along the length of the bowstring. The winding of the thread is carried out with a circular motion of the hand with its uniform tension. The number of threads depends on the strength of the bow.
After the bowstring is wound, make a safety winding of the loops and the middle. Safety winding is performed with twisted silk, kapron, nylon, cotton bobbin thread. When making a bowstring from Kevlar threads, it is necessary to strengthen the loop, either by making an additional lining of threads and weaving them into the bowstring, or by doubling their number in the loop. After winding the middle of the loop, the V-shaped plate is turned to its original position and the end of the bowstring is wound. Thus wrap the second loop. In this case, it is necessary to accurately maintain the middle of the winding. The bowstring worn on the bow should not have sagging threads, their presence indicates poor-quality manufacture of the bowstring. As a rule, this happens if the winding is not produced with the same tension.
A safety winding in the middle of the bowstring is done at the moment when it is put on the bow. It should not be made too tight: this significantly lengthens the life of the bowstring. To protect against moisture, the bowstring is lightly rubbed with beeswax. Rub the wax carefully so that the threads of the bowstring do not break or deform. Experts especially note that lubrication increases the weight of the bowstring and leads to a decrease in the speed of the arrow, so it should be lubricated with a small amount of wax. The threads from which the bowstring is made, under the condition created by the work of the shoulders, lengthen (from lavsan or dacron by 2-3%, from kevlar - by 0.8%). In this regard, when making a bowstring from Kevlar, it is recommended to make it a little longer than from lavsan and dacron.
Crossbow.
Shooting practice involves changing the string after 5000-10000 shots.
Kevlar strings last much less and withstand about 2000-5000 shots. By twisting the bowstring, you can change its size until the accuracy of fire is satisfactory. The maximum number of turns to change the length of the bowstring is 30. If more turns are required, then the bowstring is too long and a new one should be made.
Crossbow trigger
The locks, or triggers, of modern crossbows are made using precision equipment from high-strength metal, most often from gun-grade steel (Fig. 5). Such locks are able to withstand huge loads and are practically not amenable to wear. The designs of locks themselves can be different - from simple, elementary, similar in design to medieval "nut" type locks, to complex sports ones with adjustable trigger pull.
Expensive match crossbows often use electronic trigger locks that are triggered by the light touch of a finger. With self-production, this component of the crossbow is the most demanding on the accuracy of manufacturing parts. Otherwise, spontaneous descent of the bowstring, premature wear of parts and frequent breakdowns are possible. No need to chase complex structures, it is better to do it simpler, but more reliable. The greater the number of parts, the faster their natural wear and tear will occur.
Rice. 5. Trigger.
When designing the trigger mechanism, attention should be paid to the simplicity and convenience of the design; durability and wear resistance of parts; prevention of spontaneous shots, bowstring failures; reliable fastening of the mechanism in the crossbow bed; the presence in the design of a strap for attaching sights, a spring-holder of an arrow and a fuse (even better - a self-cocking fuse). The arrow shank must be able to touch the bowstring (otherwise, if the string tension force is more than 20 kg, the accuracy of fire may deteriorate and the arrow shank may be destroyed when fired).
Crossbow sights
You can, of course, do without them. Aim and shoot intuitively, let your hands and body choose the position of the crossbow in space when shooting and hit the target accurately. If you still decide to install (or make your own) sights, then know that the most important property is the ability to install them at different firing ranges, as well as maintaining the constancy of the settings made during the shooting process and when transporting weapons. A high-quality sight, taking into account all the above requirements, is difficult to make, it is easier to buy it.
Any standard scope can be used.
You can use any standard sight: mechanical, optical, collimator, diopter or laser designator. Many modern crossbows have a dovetail mount, and everything you need can be mounted on it. In the cocked position, the bowstring is hooked on the ledge of the lever. The lever keeps the trigger from turning. When the hook is pressed, the lever is released and the string, rushing forward, sends an arrow.
The movement of the lever limits the stop. To soften the blow, a rubber tube should be put on the stop. The position of the stop is selected so that the protrusion of the lever in the extreme position is located below the guide surface of the bed, thereby not preventing the bowstring from sliding. After the shot, the lever in the extreme position is held by a spring. When pulling the crossbow, the string rests against the ledge and turns the lever to its original position. The trigger at the same time under the action of the spring turns and fixes the lever and the bowstring.
To exclude the possibility of accidental jumping of the bowstring from the ledge, the trigger mechanism is closed with a lid. Between the lid and the bed leave a gap for the passage of the bowstring. A flat spring is attached to the cover, which holds the arrow on the rails when aiming. A bearing mounted on the end of the trigger significantly reduces trigger pull. The required amount of trigger force can be selected by sawing through the surface of the lever, which rests on the bearing.
Mechanical sights of a crossbow
Mechanical sights of a crossbow include a front sight and a sight. The sight is usually a rear sight (i.e. an open sight) or a diopter. The rear sight is a complex-shaped plate with a slot, and the diopter is a wire ring or a round hole in the plate. The rear sight should also not create glare that enters the shooter's eyes, and the edges of the rear sight slot should be vertical and parallel to the front sight.
Vertical corrections are carried out entirely, fixed near the trigger mechanism, and horizontal ones - with a front sight mounted on the block bracket. The front sight can be open or closed, enclosed in a ring or a half ring. On a crossbow, as a rule, several of them are installed. This is due to the different trajectory of the arrow from firearms. The trajectory of the crossbow arrow is quite high, so the rear sight must be mounted well above the front sight. The angle of elevation of the sighting line depends on the weight of the arrow, the tension of the bowstring, the shooting distance, etc.
Crossbow Tensioners
Non-mechanical crossbow tensioners include the formula: "stirrup + arm strength". The shooter pulls the string with his hands, holding the crossbow near the ground with his foot with the help of a stirrup (the material for manufacturing is wire with a diameter of 5-6 mm). The method is acceptable for athletically developed people and bow tension force - up to 60-70 kg.
Crossbow Belt Hook
It does not change the applied effort, but only transfers it from hands to feet, because the muscles of the legs are 3 times stronger than the muscles of the hands and are much more enduring.
The essence of the method is that the shooter puts on a belt to which a rope of a certain length with a hook at the end is attached in front. Crouching, the crossbowman hooks the bowstring with a hook, and, straightening his legs, pulls the bowstring up until it is hooked by the trigger mechanism.
Crossbow string tension
Three types of mechanical means of tensioning a crossbow bowstring are known: a lever cocking of the "goat's leg" type, a rack and pinion (German) gate, and a block-pulley (English) gate. "Goat's leg" (Fig. 5). A simple cocking lever consists of two wooden blocks - a cocking lever and a tension lever. The cocking lever is intended so that, by pressing it, the crossbowman can use the second lever to tension the bowstring. At the lower support end of the cocking lever, a small hook is attached to the axle.
When the bowstring is cocked, it serves as a support for the cocking lever, therefore it is limited in its movement in relation to it. The tension lever is connected to the cocking lever by means of an iron axle at some distance from its supporting end. To cock the bowstring, the crossbowman installed a tension lever on the bowstring, for which special cuts were made on it, and the hook at the supporting end of the cocking lever was inserted into a metal ring fixed in front of the crossbow arc. Having installed the "goat's foot" on the crossbow, the shooter begins to forcefully move towards the stock / cocking lever, rotating it around the support, which was formed when the hook was engaged with the metal ring. As a result of this action, the tension lever, converting the rotational movement of the cocking lever into translational, pushes the bowstring to the connection with the lock.
As a rule, the achievable increase in the applied force approaches 5-7, i.e. if the shooter applies a force equal to 5 kg to the cocking lever, then when the bowstring is pulled, a force of about 30 kg will develop. But if the crossbowman presses the lever with a force of 20 kg, then the "goat's leg" will increase it to 120 kg. The peculiarity of the “goat leg” of the folding type is that the lever arm changes its length during the tension process, due to which at the final stage of tension (when the tension force is close to the maximum), the ratio of the length of the levers is also close to the maximum.
At the initial moment, due to the difference in the length of the two levers, cocking and tension, the tension force increases by 3-4 times, and at the final stage - by 7-8 times. The performance of the folding "goat's leg" is approximately equal to the usual one, however, its light weight, size and portability contributed to its wide distribution during the Middle Ages.
Rice. 5. "Goat's leg."
Arrows and crossbow bolts
A good shooter will be able to achieve stable shooting even with a bad crossbow if he has good arrows, but when the arrow is bad, nothing will make the shot accurate. Their durability, accuracy and range of fire, the safety of the shooter and those around them depend on the quality of the manufacture of arrows.
Arrows are made of duralumin, carbon, aluminum tube, fiberglass and wood.
If you are going to make them yourself, you can remake the arrows from sports bows, making them heavier and reducing the length. Approximate parameters of arrows for crossbows: length - 300-400 mm, diameter - 6-9 mm, number of feathers - 3 or 4 pieces, feather length - 50-70mm, feather height - 10-12 mm, weight
arrows - 15-40 g.
Set of arrows for crossbow
A set of arrows for a crossbow must meet the following requirements: all arrows must be of the same length and thickness; have identical weight and plumage; have the same rigidity (boom deflection under load); have the same distance between the center of gravity and the middle of the boom; the boom shank (tube) must have minimal bending deformation.
Currently, three types of plumage stickers are used on arrows: straight, angular and screw (spiral) of three or four plumages. The smaller the diameter of the shaft, the length of the arrow, the thickness of the plumage, the less external forces will influence (gusts of wind), the aerodynamic resistance will decrease, and the flight range will increase. The shank of the crossbow arrow is even, the end is without an eye for a bowstring.
Shafts for crossbow arrows
Shafts for crossbow arrows in modern conditions can be done like this: take a straight-cut glazing bead, plan it a little, clamp it into an electric drill and drive it through a lerk - a die for threading. Then sand the arrow with sandpaper. And be sure to check for straightness with a shot without a tip into the wall.
Arrows with an oblique layer cannot be used, since when they hit a hard surface they can break, their tail part can break off. For better protection against moisture (so that the arrow does not “drive” from dampness), it is recommended to cover the arrow with wax (preferably natural, but paraffin is also suitable) by rubbing it evenly with a dense cloth. It's better than varnish or paint because the wood breathes.
Crossbow arrow plumage
The quality of the arrow, its behavior during flight largely depends on the plumage. Properly chosen and precisely fixed on the arrow plumage determines the stability of the flight of the arrow, the accuracy of hitting the target and significantly affects the result of shooting.
The plumage is subdivided: according to the material of manufacture, the shape of the plumage, the size and number of feathers attached to the arrow, and the type of sticker. The material of the plumage may be bird feathers, hard plastic, paper, cardboard, synthetic or similar material.
Arrowhead.
Crossbow arrowheads
The arrowheads of a crossbow can be capped (the tip is put on the shaft of the arrow), socketed (the tip is inserted inside the arrow tube), mortise (a cut is made in the arrow, into which the tip is inserted, after which everything is wrapped with threads or wire, glued).
Mortise tips are less durable than others and more labor intensive to manufacture. For arrows with a shaft made of wood, cap tips are optimal, which can be easily, in large batches, made on a lathe.
Arrow shaft centering
While the arrow shaft is not completely cut off, it's time to check the centering. The arrow can be balanced in the middle (for range) or a third of the tip (for accuracy). Arrows are often lost and difficult to find in grass, leafy litter.
Crossbow shot
The shooting of a crossbow as a single event, and shooting as a process, depend primarily on three factors - the crossbow, the arrow (or arrows) and the shooter. Each of these factors is very important. Crossbows are fired at a target. You can start with a small distance of 5-8 meters, gradually increasing the distance to the target until you achieve the desired result. The main goal of zeroing is to adjust the sight so as to understand at what distance at what point the arrow will be. Make adjustments to the position of the sight should be when the crossbow is not cocked and unloaded.
Keep in mind that if you shoot a crossbow with one type of arrow, you will have a different result when using a different type of arrow. Shooting accuracy is reduced when using deformed and bent arrows, when firing shells of different masses and different centers of gravity, loosely fixed and skewed bows. Do not forget to securely fix all the elements of the sighting mechanism so that none of its parts hang out or move out, otherwise you will have to shoot the crossbow again.
For all crossbows, regardless of type, there are rules developed over the years that should never be violated. In no case should you shoot empty - all the energy of the bow will go not into the arrow, but into the shoulders, and they can simply crack. It is necessary to place the fingers of the hand holding the crossbow by the forearm in such a way that the bowstring does not hit them when fired.
Crossbow.
You cannot shoot at hard objects.
You can not shoot at solid objects - an arrow, hitting a hard surface, either changes the direction of flight, or simply collapses.
The area for shooting from a crossbow (bow) must be specially equipped, have one line of fire. Targets (shields) are set in front of the shooting line perpendicular to it at the required distance. To the right and left of the site, safety zones are measured, and behind the target line they provide at least 25 m of free space or install a fence or a rampart.
Back from the shooting line, a distance of 5 m is measured parallel to the shooting line, forming a holding area. In the open air, shooting is carried out in the direction to the north. The center of the target is set in this way; so that the base of the perpendicular, lowered from the center of the target, is on the line of targets at a height of 130 cm. The shields are set with an inclination of 15 degrees from the shooter.
Safety precautions must also be strictly observed.
You should also strictly observe safety precautions (when shooting in an open range). Archery can be carried out only in specially designated and equipped places with a fence. The site is limited by safety zones from the sides of at least 10 m, behind the shields - 25 m. Shooting at different distances should be carried out from one common shooting line.
An arrow can be inserted only if the target area and the space in front of them is free. It is allowed to direct a crossbow with a loaded arrow only from the shooting line and in the direction of the target. With a cocked crossbow and an enclosed arrow, it is forbidden to talk or turn to the side. It is not recommended to hail or touch the shooter aiming at the target. It is not recommended to shoot in the air, up. The shooter is responsible for any incident that occurs as a result of his violation of safety rules.
Few people, having acquired a crossbow, will postpone its assembly until tomorrow, even if you have played enough with the exhibition sample, and did not wait a week and a half for a package from the online store.
Having unpacked the box, first of all, check the completeness indicated in the passport, as well as the presence of three photocopies certified by the seal of the store: Certificate, Annexes to the certificate and Information sheet. These documents plus those downloaded from the Web and printed "Changes No. 1 to GOST R 51905-2002" will help with possible communication with police officers.
The assembly procedure for the crossbow is described in its passport, and intuitively everything should be clear. If you have acquired a "blocker", do not rush to take on the hexagons. I advise you to do one strange, at first glance, thing: take a picture with good sharpness of the shoulders - the general plan, then close up - the blocks themselves.
The fact is that abroad it is not customary to set up a crossbow on your own, let alone repair it, including changing the bowstring and cables - this is done by professionals. (By the way, this largely explains the high GDP figures of developed countries: an abrasion on a child's finger is treated by a doctor, a light bulb in a car is changed by a dealer - and all the money paid for this will be taken into account in the country's gross product. But this is not our method, fortunately, hands and many still have technical knowledge.) The “pros” have all the digital data, they have solid work experience, they have all kinds of certified devices, for example, crossbow “presses”. You, except for the passport working stroke of the bowstring, by which you can calculate the “bow base”, will have nothing. Our sellers can also be understood: you describe in the instructions the technology for setting up the “blocker”, and then the client, having neither experience nor equipment, will break such firewood!
If you have a crossbow and archery center or its dealer nearby, all problems are easily solved. For the inhabitants of the hinterland, there is only one way out - to slowly become a specialist yourself.
What are photographs for? Serious sellers, and even more so in crossbow and archery centers that assemble and put their name on products, all products must undergo pre-sale preparation. That is, your new crossbow right now, before the first shot, is perfect! The blocks are optimally tuned, and the correct position of the various technological holes and grooves relative to the shoulder faces will now be fixed (example in the photo on the left). When you have to change the bowstring or, even more so, the cables, you can use the twisting to set the original position from the photo. Of course, it would be better to thoroughly understand the kinematics of the block operation process, but even in this case you will have a wonderful cheat sheet!
Now let's do the assembly.
Recursive crossbows that do not have a block have a mark in the center of the elastic elements. This is not the ultimate truth: it is quite possible that, according to the results of the “thread test” (more on it below), you will have to shift them slightly to the right and left.
The assembly of "recursives" with a block should not cause any difficulties. It is better to put on a bowstring with an assistant or using the “stringer” that comes with the kit (photo on the left). From the following photo, you can understand the principle of its operation, but just for every firefighter I’ll explain: we put on a stringer, cock a crossbow with it, then we put a twisted bowstring on bent shoulders and, holding the stringer with the phalanges of our fingers, as in cocking, press the trigger with our thumb and gently loosen tension. Due to the longer length than that of the bowstring, this whole procedure does not require much effort. If you have a crossbow with protection against idle descent, you will have to block it with an arrow simulator, for example, with a pencil.
When installing block shoulders, the main thing is not to damage the cables and the bowstring on the sharp edges of the guide (on some products) and do not forget to install the “slider” correctly. This is a small piece of plastic with two slots through which the cables will slide. It is clearly seen that the slots have different depths. Insert the cable from above into the deep one, and the lower cable into the shallow one. The runners themselves have a different configuration (depending on the model of the crossbow) and are inserted into the special grooves of the guide.
Now is the time to do the "thread test". On the bowstring, in the place where it touches the right or left side of the guide groove, tie a thread loop. Now insert your foot into the stirrup and begin to slowly cock the crossbow. Look carefully to see if the loop is moving in one direction or another from the edge of the gutter (goes to the side or crawls onto the guide).
If this happens, most often the reason lies in the non-synchronous operation of the blocks, and this is not very cool - adjustment will be required. We can recommend that even when buying a crossbow, take a 5-centimeter piece of thread with you and, as agreed and with the help of the seller, conduct a test right in the store. I think he will not refuse, he is also unlikely to want to face a warranty case.
Just keep in mind that you need to pull the string by pressing the phalanxes of your index fingers quite tightly against the sidewalls of the guide, otherwise the string may involuntarily move towards your "weak" hand.
Not always a negative result of the “thread test” indicates a malfunction of the blocks - this can happen on the “recursive” and, as a rule, indicates a block that has not sat down in place. In this case, you need to try to plant it until the small gaps with the end of the guide disappear. Without a hammer, of course, but gently and gently, and then tighten the main fixing screw.
True, technology sometimes likes to throw out knees! About two years ago, on a completely new crossbow, I ran into the unknown. The blocks worked absolutely synchronously, there didn’t seem to be any gaps, so I saved two minutes on the “thread test”. After the first shots, I noticed abrasions on the right edge of the central groove of the guide, there were also characteristic micro-scratches on the corresponding side of the arrows - the most typical signs of bowstring withdrawal. That confirmed the good old threads. No matter how he fought, no matter how he tightened the fasteners - to no avail. He took off his shoulders, examined all the mates, saw nothing - and assembled again. The problem has vanished! That's what it was: a “bad” influx of paint broke off, flash, or just a random mote fell out?
A recursive crossbow, of course, is not a bow - and it weighs several times more, and you don’t squeeze flexible elements in your palm. (The “blocker” has, in general, not so much the shoulders as the whole complex of eccentrics, cables and bowstrings.) But he also has his own “golden mean”. Fortunately, on some models of recurve crossbows, there are special marks on the top of the rail. If they are absent, be guided by the working stroke of the bowstring indicated in the instructions. Let's say it is 33 centimeters. The course of your actions is as follows: twist the bowstring 10 turns, put it on, measure the distance from the bowstring to the base of the “nut” latch, which is, say, 36 centimeters, remove the bowstring, twist it another 5 turns - and so on, until you reach the passport value . Do not forget that you need to twist the bowstring in the same direction in which its winding is twisted.
For, as they say, experienced users: when your feeling of a crossbow “settles down”, try experimenting by twisting and unwinding the bowstring for a couple of turns and comparing the sensations of a shot.
Replacing the bowstring and cables of a block crossbow is not so simple, but on many models it is available without the use of additional tricky devices. You can find some ways in the article "".
With shoulders, perhaps, finished. It remains to consider some more accessories that often come with a crossbow.
The so-called shako (in the photo on the right), in my opinion, should not be fixed according to the instructions. It looks beautiful, but it shifts the balance of the crossbow forward even more, adding extra “hooks” to the already wide-legged weapon. A shako can be adapted to be worn on a belt, like a quiver, and even better, before shooting, put a bucket of sand next to a stool and stick arrows in there shallowly - it turns out very convenient.
A carrying strap in civilian life is also not really needed - you are still far from "running hunting".
That's all. In the next article, we will look at the most important topic -.
Characteristics of crossbows MK-250 and "Caiman"
All of them trace their pedigree from the old model "Rattler" of the famous company "PSE archery" (in the photo on the left, on the right - MK-250 and Cayman).
And they fall into the "golden mean" between the weak ones at distances of more than 25 meters ("Jaguar" / "Scorpion") and powerful ones ("Lancelot" / "Ifrit" / MK-400). The latter on country shooters are too bulky, especially for girls, besides, it is much more interesting to shoot from them at 50 meters - even with standard shoulders there is enough strength for this. Our heroes, in principle, too, at the very limit of the vertical divisions of the reticle. When hunting with original shoulders (150 lbs), the most realistic is hunting “by feather” (“ “), as well as a number of fur-bearing animals, in some ideal version of ultra-short distances - a yearling boar.
A truly professional hunter is able to squeeze much more out of these devices.
Brittany A. Longoria from the South African province of Limpopo (the same fabulously legendary one) carries out about one third of all her hunts with a crossbow. And he sees its essence in "the conscious and almost religious humility of a person who limits his superiority ...". In general, yes, this is far from a carbine with optics.
By the way, although it was not possible to accurately identify the model, it is noticeable that this is certainly not a modern high-speed crossbow, but something like the heroes of our today's story - the "junior" blockers MK-250 / "Interloper Cayman" and others like them. What complicates the process of hunting even more, one exit to the real working distance for him is worth something.
Speed characteristics of crossbows with original and GOST shoulders
Tension force Speed
150 lbs (68 kgf) 265 fps (81 m/s)
95 lbs (43 kgf) 213 fps (65 m/s)
As you can see, even with “adult” shoulders, these crossbows do not reach the generally accepted minimum of 100 m / s for animal hunting (see ““.
Necessary explanations for crossbow and archery units of measurement:
1 Lbs (lb) = 0.45 kg
1 grain (grain) = 0.0648 grams
1 fps (foot per second) = 0.304 m/s
The Cayman was my first blocker, the MK-250 has been working in the country shooting range for several years now. And just the other day, on my own advice, a friend bought an "emkashka" - strictly for money and for its intended purpose. Using his example, you can clearly understand many of the nuances of both these models themselves and the features of operation. Moreover, the acquaintance managed to step on the “rake” traditional for beginners.
Let's start with the little things.
Even in the store, he conducted a “thread test” (details in the article “”), carefully examined the shoulders and the stock for damage, but, carried away, forgot about the spare bowstring. As a result, the "holiday of the novice crossbowman" had to be stopped after about 120 shots - the winding crept.
The bowstrings themselves are pretty good, but the factory central protective braid has to be rewound. There is nothing complicated there, and the thread itself is not damaged, but it slips, so that it can be used again without immediately resorting to a purchased fishing “braid”. Therefore, if you have two bowstrings, you can shoot for years with virtually no breaks, periodically changing them and “repairing” the shot. And rewound (after some practice, of course) is enough for a long time.
Replacing the crossbow string
Removing and installing a short bowstring on the MK-250 and Cayman is much easier than on most other blockers. It's all about the design.
Its loops cling to the original “anchor paws” - the ends of the cables. That is, it is enough just to pull the bowstring so that the assistant can easily fix the spare on the free “paws”. Then you begin to pull on a new bowstring, and the assistant removes the old one. This operation can be performed alone. We count the turns of the old bowstring (about 10), cock the crossbow, hook a new bowstring to the free hooks, twisted clockwise by a known number of revolutions, remove it from the safety lock and, holding the bowstring, as in cocking, press the trigger with the thumbnail. Then we slowly and carefully straighten our arms, without releasing the bowstring. We cock the crossbow for the second time already for a new one, remove the damaged one, and again carefully discharge the weapon.
For the first time, doing this procedure is a little scary - suddenly the bowstring will break and a blank shot will occur. But in reality, any more or less strong teenager can easily do all this.
There is another way. True, there is a possibility of damage to the shoulders with careless execution.
Pay attention to the technological round hole in the block on top of the shoulder strap. When cocking the crossbow, the block will begin to rotate counterclockwise, and after passing a semicircle, it will be below the bar. Then it will be enough to insert a screwdriver into it or the largest hexagon included in the crossbow kit to fix the shoulders. The string will be loose and you can easily replace it. Please note that you will have to pull the bowstring a little further than the lock. That is, the hands will not have to be placed close to the guide, but placed a little wider and after the hook is triggered, continue the tension.
To replace the cables, you need to pull not the bowstring, but the corresponding cable. In this case, the block will rotate in the opposite direction, and the technological hole into which the latch is inserted will also be on the other side of the shoulder.
In this way, you can even change cables or cables and a long bowstring for other block models, for example, "Cheetah" or "Archon". But here, maximum care, accuracy and knowledge of the principles of operation of the entire kinematics of the “blockers” are already needed.
And one more thing: it is better to wrap the fixing tool with a couple of turns of electrical tape to prevent contact of the steel with the shoulder polymer.
By the way, about the polymer. Even on the budget MK-250 and Cayman, even after many years of operation and a many-month break, the so-called “shoulder fatigue” is not observed. You set the sight to its rightful place, several times - to "warm up" the mechanics - you pull the bowstring without cocking the crossbow completely, and the machine immediately starts showing the expected result. Naturally, at the distances that were once shot and the sight settings were not shot down. This stability is another advantage of "blockers" over "recursives", from which it is desirable to remove the bowstring during a long break. The load on the shoulders of block crossbows is much less.
But back to my friend.
Not all scopes are the same...
When choosing a scope, he did exactly what 99 percent of beginners do. My recommendations boiled down to the following: an inexpensive sight of constant magnification - 4x24, 4x32 with a "mildot" reticle or any other with a vertical adjustment scale (in the photo, on the right - the original crossbow).
Such requirements are determined by the specifics of crossbow shooting - short distances, low arrow speed. Moreover, special "bells and whistles", such as variable multiplicity, here do not help as much as harm. For a very reasonable amount, you can pick up a wonderful option (see "" and "").
In our case, for a little less money, a “smart” pancratic (with variable magnification) 3-9x40 sight was bought. With all the highlights and detunings... But, as you can see, with the usual "duplex" grid.
Well, what can I say. A hefty pipe on a small, in general, crossbow looked a little awkward, but “cool”. Focusing slightly leveled the parallax phenomenon, however, for some reason, only when set to 15 yards, further rotation of the tuning wheel had no effect on the picture. When changing the magnification, the aiming mark crawled away where it wanted, so I had to leave it at “4x” and not touch it anymore - one wonders, what were you fighting for !? During the initial shooting (about the technology - in the article ""), it turned out that the arrows can only fly to the right of the target, it was not possible to move the middle point of impact (STP) to the left, since the lateral adjustment drum rested on the limiter.
This is fixable - just unscrew the two screws, reinstall the dial (circle with a scale) and perform "zeroing" (adjustment). Having removed the protective cover, I found that the limb rests only on one frail screw with slots torn off at the factory, the second one is missing as a class. At the top handwheel, oddly enough, everything turned out to be normal. For comparison, in the photo on the left is an example of a classic fastening of the limb of permanent correction devices for consumer goods sights, on the right - "tactical" drums.
Nevertheless, all the necessary operations were completed, the limb was fixed in half with one screw, and field trials began.
Shooting a crossbow optical sight
All my targets were left at the dacha - they are for guests, I practically don’t shoot at “paper” myself. Therefore, they habitually managed with A4 sheets with a circle drawn with a pencil with a diameter of 3 cm. The target shield was also promptly made from a microwave box ().
This "target" was not fixed first. Pay attention to where the hits were originally grouped - on the right and at the bottom. It was just the initial sighting of our slightly crooked sight. But back to how you can get by with improvised means when shooting.
Yes, in fact, even for zeroing, no professional targets are needed. This is again due to the ballistic characteristics of the crossbow projectile. There is such a unit of measurement - 1 MOA (minute of arc). With regard to shooting, this means a rifle accuracy of 3 cm at 100 m. The price of one click (“click”) of the correction drum is most often 1/4 MOA, which, with a known target grid pitch, makes it easy to correct the STP. Do you understand what the problem is? The distance of the "actual fire" of the crossbow does not exceed 60 meters, flatness, as such, is absent, the basic sighting is generally carried out at 20 meters. What kind of MOA are there ...
However, no technical knowledge can be superfluous, it is quite easy to replenish it on the Internet. And then successfully use, say, to calculate and enter lateral corrections when shooting at 50 meters.
So, the crossbow has its own characteristics. The initial operations are described in detail in the article "". The next steps are as follows.
1. Primary sighting.
The wing nut of the coarse adjustment mechanism is set to positions 1-7.
At the same time, the sight tube has a minimal slope, and the aiming line is almost parallel to the line of fire.
The target is set at 10 meters. At such a distance of a direct shot, even with a sight not set, the arrow in the vast majority of cases will hit, if not on the target, then on and will not be beaten or lost.
(In our case, the arrows landed on the right edge of the shield, and only after the adjustment of the sight described above was it possible to bring the STP to the center of the target.)
We point the “cross” of the sight at the center of the drawn circle, shoot (necessarily from the stop), look where the arrow stuck. Then we proceed according to the following method.
After shooting at least three times, look at where the holes are grouped relative to the center of the target, and depending on their position, start turning the tuning turrets according to the following method: if your arrows are collected from above from the center, rotate the elevation adjustment turret clockwise, if from below - counterclockwise; in the case of a left shift of the heap, turn the horizontal adjustment wheel counterclockwise, if the heap is on the right, vice versa.
Moreover, first make vertical corrections, periodically shooting and turning the upper drum, then, using the right one, horizontal ones. It is not necessary to regulate both at the same time - you will get confused.
2. Then the target is moved to 20 meters - the basic zeroing distance.
Again we shoot "in the cross", rotate the handwheels of the amendments. We achieve STP in the center of the circle and leave the drums alone.
3. Next distance - 30 meters. We do not touch the drums, point the next after the “cross” at the risk of the vertical correction scale to the center of the target and shoot. If the arrow went lower, repeat the shot with the next division of the scale, if higher - with an interval between divisions. We remember the successful outcome. If necessary, we make lateral corrections with the right handwheel. As a rule, they are not required or minimal.
We repeat the steps from the previous paragraph with the following divisions of the scale at distances of 40, 50 and 60 meters. Then we return the target to 20 meters, make a control shot “in the cross”. In the absence of backlash of the aiming bar, the synchronism of the blocks, the uniform position of the hands when cocking the bowstring (the absence of its skew towards the “weak” hand) and the not quite narrower “left” sight, the departure of the STP from the center of the circle will be minimal. At this point, we consider the zeroing completed - you can carefully (the thread is very small) tighten the protective caps of the drums.
Should get something like this:
Please note that even with the original crossbow sight (on the right), there will be no exact correspondence between the divisions of the vertical scale and certain distances in reality. Firstly, all crossbows are different, arrows are also different, and, finally, crossbow nets are designed for powerful foreign shoulders, and also not meters, but yards (0.91 m). But in the first approximation, the whole picture will be quite working.
In our case, everything turned out not so rosy. Take another look at the photo of the sight bought by a friend. It also shows his reticle, the so-called "duplex". She has her own characteristics, I think it is easy to get acquainted with them on the Internet. For firearms or airguns at short and medium ranges, close to a direct shot, it works great. In our case, the divisions of the scale are not enough. The maximum that we managed to squeeze out of it is this:
The speed is too low and the decrease in the trajectory of the crossbow projectile is too great compared to even a bullet from an air rifle.
However, you shouldn't be too upset. At my dacha, for example, crossbow-beam distances are marked exactly at 20 and 30 meters - more simply free territory does not allow. A friend's area is even tighter.
In addition, there is such a practice-tested phenomenon. It concerns ordinary people - not the army, not hunters, not topographers, surveyors or sailors. Somewhere on the street, find, say, a tree that you think is 50 meters away, and then measure the distance with a tape measure (not steps, etc.). As a rule, at best there will be no more than 35 meters. So, in fact, 30 m is a very real hunting distance not only for crossbowmen, but also for rifle shooters. This, for a moment, is the height of a 10-story building with serious apartment ceilings.
In addition, you can switch the “nut” of the coarse adjustment mechanism to the “3-9” position (pictured).
The aiming line goes down, the shooting line, respectively, lifts up, and the arrow's flight path becomes steeper.
Here's what happens in this version.
Control switching to the "1-7" mode and shooting at 20 and 30 meters showed that the settings do not go astray, and this pleases.
Shooting from a crossbow
In general, there were no special, all the more unpleasant, surprises with the crossbow, with the exception of the worn paint on the guide.
Like the old Cayman and the current veteran of the dacha shooting range, the freshly bought MK-250 proved to be worthy. Even when shooting, a friend was delighted and a little upset by the so-called "robing hoods" - an arrow hitting an arrow with mutual destruction. And most of the arrows lay flat. I note, however, that this happened at distances of 20-30 meters and when shooting from a stop, when shooting from the hands of a beginner, everything was not so rosy, and here the “target shield” and arrows got to the fullest. But more on that below.
Also note that he fired with cheap aluminum arrows AL 2219 made in China that came with the kit and bought in reserve.
Their performance and ballistics are quite consistent with the price and wide availability - you can even buy these not in a specialized store, but in the usual section of sporting goods. And yet, even with them, the result was quite on the level.
I took with me a couple of very budgetary carbon shells, the main ones for a country shooting range. Their ballistic characteristics are already significantly different for the better (see "").
As it should be, they went a little higher, but the introduction of lateral corrections was not required. This means that the shooting was nevertheless carried out by us "well." And all the crossbow mechanics worked just as well.
The hunt has already begun. True, for this, in addition to strong, so-called “correct” shoulders, one would still need to have a hunting ticket and the financial ability to travel at least to farms practicing aviary hunting, or fraternal Belarus. And frankly speaking, it is better to change the weapon itself for something more suitable (""). But this is a livelihood. The shoulders are just the simplest.
Now an acquaintance is also studying manuals on shooting techniques downloaded from the Internet, including from a pistol. Feels my heart, it will soon come to ....
ATTENTION! In 2016, the Russian Customs banned the shipment of bows, crossbows and ALL components to them for individuals. Therefore, all information related to their purchase on foreign global resources is for informational purposes only!
