How to shoot a crossbow: 5 steps to hitting the target

• March 25, 2020
• Weapons and ammunition
• Makarova Kristina

Many fishermen prefer not to sit with a fishing rod on the shore, but to hunt underwater. It brings much more pleasure and thrill. At least you can hide underwater, hide and see the predator in all its glory. And in order for hunting underwater to bring extremely positive emotions, you need to purchase a good speargun for spearfishing, and also learn how to use it correctly, so that later during spearfishing you will not have questions such as loading the gun and much more. And also in order not to get hurt yourself and not to harm others.

Currently, there are two main types of spearfishing weapons. These include the following:

1. Airguns. It runs on compressed air.
2. Crossbow. It has rubber traction.

Some novice underwater hunters have questions about what cartridges to load in a gun? Both of them are loaded with a harpoon. Recharging occurs differently for each of them.

Types of crossbows

Crossbows are divided into:

• sports;
• for hunting;
• homemade;
• for fun;
• "pneumatic".

Sports models include match and field models. Outwardly they are similar. The difference is that the match type does not have a stirrup for manually cocking the bowstring. Various devices, in some cases built-in, help in this process.

Field models have a stirrup and manual cocking. Tension force according to GOST up to 43 kg. In this case, small targets (about 4.5 mm) are used at a distance of 10 m.

Sports crossbow

Technical characteristics of the sports look:

• weight up to 21 kg;
• length – 20 cm;
• diameter no more than 8 mm;
• tension gain no more than 20 kg;
• The maximum stroke of the bowstring is no more than 30 cm.

These parameters comply with the standards of the International Crossbowmen's Union.

Crossbow for hunting

The hunting model is recursive. Searching for prey involves long stalking in the forest. Sometimes in a “kneeling” position. The shots are quick and quiet. They are distinguished by:

• greater accuracy;
• ease of platooning.

The arrows are designed to pierce the skin of an animal. The structure consists of:

• long bed;

  
  Crossbow shooting: features.

• heavy butt;
• blocky, sweeping shoulders;
• fuse.

The kit is complemented by:

• sight mount;
• sometimes with a laser pointer;
• a lantern.

This is the most expensive variety. It can only be purchased at a specialized hunting store.

Features of a crossbow for recreation and hobby

A crossbow for entertainment and recreation can be:

• block;
• recursive.

The distances are small, ranging from 15 to 40 m. The type of shoulders affects the distance.

The homemade version is made with your own hands. At home, it is possible to take into account:

• body type;
• height;
• weight.

Crossbow: drawing and dimensions.
A drawing is required for production. The material is based on wood.

The accuracy of the sight is affected by:

• sharpness and sharpness of arrows;
• bowstring tension.

Sharing our experience

From someone's easy words, underwater weapons using rubber rods to throw a harpoon began to be called CROSSBOWS.

How legitimate it is to judge this way, you can decide for yourself; the weapon called “ CROSSBOW ” (not a rubber band, of course) has been known for a very long time. The current name comes from the French language, in which it in turn was derived from the Latin “arc ballista”, and began to sound like “arbalete”. The Latin name consists of two words: “arcus” - arc and “ballisto” - to throw. There is definitely no arc on underwater slingshots, but otherwise, if you try, you can find common features with true CROSSBOWS. Finding out this is not the purpose of this article; the main thing is that both land and underwater weapons of this type have a lot in common, and a sufficient number of examples for comparison.

A little history: according to scientists, reliable data suggests that crossbows first appeared in China around the 5th century BC, or a little earlier as easel military weapons intended to protect fortifications, throwing heavy short spears at the enemy. The author of the first crossbow, which could be fired from hand, remained unknown, but the fact that this happened around the same time is evidenced by a find in the city of Chinsha (China) in the form of a small stock. From that moment on, hand crossbows began to be used not only as combat weapons, but also as hunting weapons.

The crossbow always existed together with a device (mechanism) for loading it, which is its characteristic feature. These components of the crossbow could be integrated into it, or represent separate mechanisms attached to the crossbow at the time of loading it. Their presence can be considered both an advantage and a disadvantage.

The more complex the loading mechanisms were, the more powerful the CROSSBOW was, but at the same time you had to put up with their additional weight and dimensions.

And so the ancient designer made the first and very important discovery by adapting an ordinary horse stirrup at the beginning of the crossbow: a leg inserted into it made it possible to press it to the ground, freeing up two hands with which one could pull the bowstring by straightening the back, i.e. applying great force to pull.

Crossbow with a “stirrup” based on a miniature from an Anglo-Saxon manuscript of the 11th century. British Museum libraries

But since the bowstring cut the hands, and it was necessary to bend strongly, a device immediately appeared that eliminated these problems - hooks, which were, as they say, simpler, and more complex.

Crossbow hook from the 15th century. with two teeth from the Paris Museum Hook for string tension with two handles. On one there is a hook for hanging the device from the shooter’s belt

Loading a crossbow became much more convenient, this method began to be used everywhere, and for hunting, these devices lasted until the demise of the crossbow.

A crossbowman drawing a bowstring, from a 12th-century manuscript. "The Story of the Holy Grail"

I can imagine what kind of secret can be revealed to a person who does not have basic knowledge on the topic.

The devices that some of us call “Crossbows” out of ignorance, in fact it would be more correct to call them “Crossbows” (they don’t have an arc!!!) have such a huge opportunity to draw from the vast arsenal of true “Crossbows” N- There is such a large number of loading devices that concealing a mysterious silence in the spirit of “Shen Bi Gong” is simply not in the spirit of this site. So Zhenya, honestly tell the people what you took as the prototype, and for now I will continue.

Here, for example, is a combination crossbow from the 15th century!!!

It's not just a crossbow, it's also a flintlock gun!!! + Integrated cocking system!!!

Here is loading using the "English Gate"

A warrior pulling the bowstring using an English (pulley) collar. On the belt of another crossbowman hangs the same collar (based on a miniature from the 14th century manuscript “The Chronicle of Froissart”)

Here is loading using the “German Gate”

An Italian crossbowman loads his weapon (from a late 15th century painting)

German rack and pinion gate mounted on a crossbow. The rope loop of the gate is held on the stock by side pins

Both with the help of English and German gates you can simply pull crossbows

for whale hunting! People! I would like to draw your attention to this; without any hint of a hernia or bruises on the chest

Here is another weapon of this type - “Gastrofet”; “shooting with the belly”, this is roughly how this word is translated from Greek. Well, why not our crossbow? But here again – there is an arc. But he was cocked somewhat the other way around. The butt plate of the weapon was applied to the stomach, and resting the front part against anything solid, the whole weight of the body leaned on it and the bar protruding from it pressed on the bowstring, forcing the latter to move until the trigger engaged.

The supposed structure of the Greek "gastrofeta"

My friend Sergei Vasilievich swims with a Soviet elastic band for 11.80 rubles. already thirty years old, long ago modernized:

1. Harpoon 6mm, length 1200mm
2. Rubber 18mm – “Bushka”
3. On top of the pipe there is a guide for the harpoon
4. The trigger has been redesigned, which is tied to an active line reset.

He loads this miracle only with the help of his legs, that is, in the front part of the gun there is a transverse rod inserted into which he rests with his heels, stretching the rods by the acorns.
There are no bruises on the chest, but a hernia has begun to appear. So choose for yourself, as Scarab said, all the music was written three hundred years ago.

Crossbow design

Crossbows differ in the way they are drawn:

• manual (with a hook on the belt); Crossbow: device.
• “goat leg” (single-arm lever);
• gate (with rack) and block;
• ordinary (with bolts - arrows with metal tips).

The main detail is the bed. There is a trigger mechanism inside. A groove for the arrow is made on the top surface. Install the crosspiece (on which the shoulders are attached) and the stirrup.

The trigger mechanism includes:

• lever arm;
• nut (in the form of a washer);
• retaining spring.

At the moment, the basis of the device may be:

• duralumin;
• plastic;
• stainless steel.

The bowstrings are based on:

• Kevlar;
• Dacron.

The design is:

• light – with a reinforcement of no more than 27 kg;
• medium – gain in the range of 27 – 110 kg (imported options);
• heavy – gain more than 110 kg.

  
  Lever crossbow.

On sports crossbows there is no:

• optical sights;
• folding or folding stocks.

Bow trigger

The material for making the trigger is a sheet 6-7 mm thick.

The parts are mounted directly into the stock, without making a separate housing. A socket is cut out in the butt of the bow, through holes are drilled for the axles on which the trigger parts will be fixed, and the mechanism is installed

During the operation of this trigger design, not a single (!) spontaneous operation was noticed. The descent is smooth, comfortable, and requires extreme effort.

Safety precautions

Be sure to follow the safety rules:

• do not point at objects they are not going to shoot at;
• it is forbidden to point at people;
• from the moment of cocking they are directed towards the target;
• the crossbow must be loaded at the moment the bowstring is pulled;
• do not keep their finger on the hook when the device is discharged and not cocked. The finger is lowered after taking aim. Use a safety clip;
• load and cock on the shooting line after permission from the supervisor;
• do not fire upward shots;
• do not fire unintended projectiles;
• select targets taking into account the trajectory;
• shoot with safety glasses;
• do not leave weapons unattended;
• before firing, check the technical condition;
• do not disassemble a loaded or cocked device;
• repaired and adjusted in special workshops;
• It is prohibited to go beyond the shooting line;
• do not transmit a charged or cocked device;
• do not touch someone else’s product;
• do not touch the eyepiece of a device with a telescopic optical sight with their eyebrows, as recoil can injure the eye;

  
  A crossbow requires precision and precision.

• at competitions, a senior is appointed who gives commands;
• after the end of the competition, the senior inspects the weapon;
• there should be no foreign objects in the direction of the target;
• newcomers must undergo instruction;
• in case of violation of the rules, immediately notify with a loud voice signal “STOP” and eliminate the violation;
• the distance between spectators and shooters must be more than 2 m according to the marking level.

How to charge a pneumatic gun

Some people ask how to load a gun.

If the gun is already inflated with compressed air, then its piston will rest against the muzzle shock absorber. Next, you need to insert the harpoon and move it into the barrel so that it can catch on the sear. After this, it is recommended to set the trigger to the safety and remove the charging handle. This needs to be done as quickly as possible.

Many novice underwater hunters wonder how to load a gun with bullets.

To answer this question, you need to understand what a gun is. An air gun consists of a head, a handle, a harpoon, a supporting tube and a bowstring with rubber rods. How to load a gun was said a little earlier. Based on the principle of compressed air.

How to load a gun so that there are no distortions? It is very important that the air gun's harpoon fits evenly into the barrel when shooting. And to do this you need to hold on to the receiver with one hand. It is advisable to do this closer to the barrel. In addition, both ends of the weapon must be directed away from you. And, of course, from other people.