A pump action repeating crossbow-alternative to firearms

[Hollow Point]

http://www.vintageprojects.com/archery/cross-bow-plans.html

Found this site awhile back. Answers the question I think for those who can't/won't buy a gun in their location. I think Juliette Lewis had something like this in From Dusk Til Dawn. Beats a pointy stick and a kitchen knife, I'd say.

[Plannin' Man]

Saved and printed.

Nice one, thanks for that

Plannin' Man

[thecheeto]

Nice find!

[jamoni]

I don't know how effective that would be as a firearm alternative, but I bet it would be a hell of a lot of fun!

[Brash]

It's a cool design but it could be improved a little to make it more effective. A foregrip to aid in reloading perhaps. Little things like that.

[AwPhuch]

Dude thats sweet!

I wonder if you could put a compound bow on it...would be kick butt to see if this sucker would fire a bolt like a rifle!

[jercamp45]

I saved it too....will look into making a couple for the experience.
One day, I may be living overseas and knowing how to make one might come in handy(here or there!)
Depending on the power you get, it might be very useful in a PAW environment. Silent training, small game, might go through a Z'skull too.
Nice idea, reborn.

[SavageArcher]

Well I see one problem with the design. In order to recock the crossbow you have to use you weak arm. So it's not likely you have much more than 50 pounds of pull. About the same as one of those POS crossbow pistols from China. It might work for bunnies at 20 yards and thats about all I see it useful for. Real crossbows generally have a draw weight of 125 up to 200 pounds and even then they don't have any real advantages, other than the tacti-cool noobie factor, over a regular modern bow and arrow.

[jamoni]

Well I see one problem with the design. In order to recock the crossbow you have to use you weak arm. So it's not likely you have much more than 50 pounds of pull. About the same as one of those POS crossbow pistols from China. It might work for bunnies at 20 yards and thats about all I see it useful for. Real crossbows generally have a draw weight of 125 up to 200 pounds and even then they don't have any real advantages, other than the tacti-cool noobie factor, over a regular modern bow and arrow.

I also noticed that. You could probably get a better pull if the cocking piece had tactical style foregrip. But still not enough to make this thing anywhere near as powerful as a bow.
The ancient chinese had a similiar design, but theirs used a lever mounted on top of the crossbow. It was also designed to be firmly mounted to a wall. I

[mr. right-wing]

Well I see one problem with the design. In order to recock the crossbow you have to use you weak arm. So it's not likely you have much more than 50 pounds of pull. About the same as one of those POS crossbow pistols from China. It might work for bunnies at 20 yards and thats about all I see it useful for. Real crossbows generally have a draw weight of 125 up to 200 pounds and even then they don't have any real advantages, other than the tacti-cool noobie factor, over a regular modern bow and arrow.

I also noticed that. You could probably get a better pull if the cocking piece had tactical style foregrip. But still not enough to make this thing anywhere near as powerful as a bow.
The ancient chinese had a similiar design, but theirs used a lever mounted on top of the crossbow. It was also designed to be firmly mounted to a wall. I

Chu-Ko-Nu?

[jamoni]

http://www.atarn.org/chinese/rept_xbow.htm
This is from the actual book I saw it in.

[Jeriah]

Well I see one problem with the design. In order to recock the crossbow you have to use you weak arm. So it's not likely you have much more than 50 pounds of pull. About the same as one of those POS crossbow pistols from China. It might work for bunnies at 20 yards and thats about all I see it useful for. Real crossbows generally have a draw weight of 125 up to 200 pounds and even then they don't have any real advantages, other than the tacti-cool noobie factor, over a regular modern bow and arrow.

I also noticed that. You could probably get a better pull if the cocking piece had tactical style foregrip. But still not enough to make this thing anywhere near as powerful as a bow.
The ancient chinese had a similiar design, but theirs used a lever mounted on top of the crossbow. It was also designed to be firmly mounted to a wall. I

Chu-Ko-Nu?

A friend of mine bought one of those from an estate sale, for an obscenely low price (like $20 or whatever); it dated from the Boxer Rebellion if not earlier! Missing some pieces, though.

[Thibaut]

Unfortunately I'm not a DIY kind of guy...

If there were pre made kits to inbstall I would get one in a heartbeat.

When/if the shit hits the fan I'm behind a rifle for sure, but I'd like one of my guys to be able to do silent work at a decent speed.

I'm awaiting autorization for an USP Tactical, but I'm fairly certain cans are out of reach for civilians here in Belgium...damn reds...

[Fire]

We are gonna try to build one. and see where it goes- will probably make improvements- like a steel string and foregrip- will let you know how it turns out.....may take a while

[Jeriah]

http://www.atarn.org/chinese/rept_xbow.htm
This is from the actual book I saw it in.

The small and light arrow of the comparatively weak Chinese crossbow here described had little penetrative power. For this reason the head of the arrow was sometimes dipped in poison, in order that a slight wound might prove fatal.

The impetus of the heavy bolt of the mediaeval European crossbow which had a thick steel bow, was sufficient to destroy life without the aid of such a cruel accessory as poison.

Interesting.

[Jeriah]

Also, some improvements to the Popular Mechanics design, to allow the use of a more powerful bow:

1. Use a strong conventional bow for the prod (bow-part), or forge one out of an automobile's leaf spring. Leaf spring crossbows can be VERY powerful.

2. At the muzzle end of the bow, fix a foot loop. This is best made of metal, like a stirrup (in fact, a stirrup might work, if mounted correctly), although for moderate weights a leather strap would work. When cocking, place the loop against the ground and step on it, for greater leverage. This method was used for early medieval war bows, before they become obscenely strong.

3. A belt-and-claw can be made, in which a belt worn round the user's waist terminates in a hook or claw which can be looped over the bowstring; the bow is drawn by straightening the back (standing up). This method was used for later medieveal bows.

The strongest medieval bows were drawn with a windlass.

[BishopOfBattle]

1. Use a strong conventional bow for the prod (bow-part), or forge one out of an automobile's leaf spring. Leaf spring crossbows can be VERY powerful.

I was thinking about that too, I'd like to build one if I can get the time and such together to do one but I'm not confident at all about building a reliable, flexible section for the bow. I was planning on modifying the design to fit a regular bow or a crossbow (maybe one of those little kid ones with the string stretched a little tight), but a leaf spring could be fun too.

[isotek]

biggest problem i have with that design is the triggering mechanism is absolutely retarded one good bump and its going to fire. if you attempted to add a lashing to the end of it and draw it like a traditional crossbow theres a very good chance that your going to be making a trip to the doctor to get a bolt removed from your foot.

besides that though.

i've made several bows before. and tillering a 30-50 lb bow is generally a piece of cake.

[Runzombierun]

So how would you go about making a good bow if you had the craft skills of a 12 year old...

[Jeriah]

So how would you go about making a good bow if you had the craft skills of a 12 year old...

This book explains it well:

http://www.primitive.org/sptbook.htm#ancestral

Also, try googling "primitive bow making", "how to make a bow", etc.

[Brash]

I did a thread on this a while ago. Might be of some use.

http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopi ... bow+making