What do I have to consider when buying a crossbow?
- What does crossbow performance mean?
- The crossbow’s dismountability
- How does the trigger work?
- Do I need a cocking aid for the crossbow?
- Are the crossbow's weight and size of importance for me?
- Is the crossbow's weight of importance for me?
- Is the crossbow ready for shooting?
- Are you offering a basic setting for the crossbow?
- How important is the tractive force for the arrow's energy and speed?
- Does the crossbow offer a dry fire safety?
- Is the scope rail made of plastics or metal?
- Is the scope fulfilling the requirements for shooting?
- Do I need further attachment parts for the scope including the attachment rings?
- Which arrows can I shoot with…?
- Is the barrel made of plastics or metal?
- How great is the chord’s pressure on the barrel?
- How great is the chord’s abrasion / the roll’s abrasion?
- Is it recommended to use a crossbow with or without a barrel?
- Cost / performance ratio
- Are the strings and cables made of different materials?
- The energy transfer of compound crossbows is characterised by:
- The energy transfer of recurve crossbows is characterised by:
- Are arrow speeds comparable?
- How accurate shoots the crossbow?
1 What does crossbow performance mean?
The performance of a crossbow = how much energy can be transmitted on the arrow independent from draw weigths (lbs). The rule of thumb is:
A crossbow with a draw length (= distance from the chord’s rest position to the lock) less than 10 inch (approx. 25cm) can not achieve the power of modern high-performance crossbows. Even if advertising draw weights of 200lbs and other superlatives, you should not be deceived.
However, the cross-recurve-spool-system of the swiss manufacturer “Swiss Crossbow Makers” is an exception. This system tightens the chord in 4 points simultaneously producing extraordinary fast propulsion on a distance less than 8 inch.
2 The crossbow’s dismountability
A quick release fastener has not proven itself because of being subject to great abrasion resulting in a negative influence on the precision.
The common system with one or two bolts in stock and bow testified itself as the most reliable and simplest construction. Among these solutions the form-closed one is the best choice because of the exact fitting of two parts, like the riser into the stock, into each other before fastening them with bolts.
3 How does the trigger work?
Opens the lock’s lid (holding the chord in the lock) up or down?
- higher quality trigger systems open up, not necessariliy meaning that those opening down are less precise, but mostly they have a higher draw weight due to the more simple construction of the entire system.
From which material is the trigger system manufactured?
- Hardened steelparts or low-grade sheet steel, plastic or die-casting parts?
Do stronger draw forces (draw weights) affect the trigger system negative, meaning an increase of the draw weights?
4 Do I need a cocking aid for the crossbow?
Generally, it is always reasonable to use a cocking aid. Not only because of the easier cocking, but especially in order to achieve constant cocking which is the basic condition for an exact hit pattern.
Of course is recommended to use a cocking aid with nearly all powerful recurve crossbows purely out of safety reasons.
5 Are the crossbow's weight and size of importance for me?
Normally, the weight differs from 3 to 7 kg. Recurve-crossbows may reach a size (bow x stock) of 1 sqm.
6 Is the crossbow's weight of importance for me?
Normally, the weight differs from 3 to 7 kg.
7 Is the crossbow ready for shooting?
Can I start shooting immediately with the crossbow in its delivered basic setting? And is the standard scope adjusted for my desired distance?
8 Are you offering a basic setting for the crossbow?
Important parts are for example the peep sight, pin sight and arrows.
9 How important is the tractive force for the arrow's energy and speed?
The crossbow’s tractive force is only of second rate importance for the arrow energy and speed. What matters is the translation and transformation (draw lengts, spool and chord system, optimal linear energy consumption).
10 Does the crossbow offer a dry fire safety?
The dry fire safety prevents the crossbow from shooting without being loaded with an arrow. Deliberate or accidental shooting without an arrow destroys or damages the bow.
11 Is the scope rail made of plastics or metal?
Meant is the area in which the scope is mounted with the scope rail to the crossbow.
- plastic is less recommendable – an exact setting of the scope is not possible, because the metal installation is galling into the plastic scope rail causing the position of the scope to change constantly. As a result, the aim gets inaccurate.
12 Is the scope fulfilling the requirements for shooting?
Key point: “Prellschlagverträglichkeit” – some scopes, even good rifle-sopes can “fall apart” after 2 – 3-hundred shots into their parts (lenses).
13 Do I need further attachment parts for the scope including the attachment rings?
14 Which arrows can I shoot with…?
… and how expensive are these compared to the arrows of other crossbow models?
15 Is the barrel made of plastics or metal?
Synthetics or plastics are less recommendable, unless you are using carbon arrows!
16 How great is the chord’s pressure on the barrel?
Is the chord "hanging" loosely from the barrel? More than the chord's strength is too much and results in a fast abrasion of the rolls due to a high friction.
17 How great is the chord’s abrasion / the roll’s abrasion?
18 Is it recommended to use a crossbow with or without a barrel?
A so called “Trackless”- crossbow, where the arrow is not laying on a rail, but on 2 points only, the lock and the front arrow rest (equally to a bow) that is known from older models of the company Jennings/Bear, PSE and ProLine has certain advantages that are however counterbalanced by employing modern materials like Teflon in the production of newer crossbows.
19 Cost / performance ratio
performance ration = what are my personal requirements of the crossbow
20 Are the strings and cables made of different materials?
Are the strings and cables made of different materials, such as metal and synthetic fibres or is the string hung in a stringcable (Tear Drop Ear, often used in older compound crossbows, results in power loss)?
The string should be made of a non-elastic (very low elastic) material and should not stretch like a rubber band. Any other string-material will result in unprecise shots and power loss.
21 The energy transfer of compound crossbows is characterised by:
A comparatively slow starting speed of the arrow in the first third of the barrel (in the area of the draw length) and a high acceleration in the last two-thirds.
The fact that the arrow is being pushed smoothly in the beginning and becoming subject to the whole force in the end, allows the arrow to overcome its inertia and to erase the symptoms of fatigue generated from the vibration when shooting.
The energy transfer of compound crossbows causes only a comparatively low abrasion of the string. Nevertheless, it should only be changed by a professional or with a press.
22 The energy transfer of recurve crossbows is characterised by:
A high acceleration of the arrow in the first half of the barrel (in the area of the draw length).
The arrow receives the maximum power immediately after the shot. Thus, the arrow’s inertia is not erased and early symptoms of fatigue due to the high vibrations when shooting are possible. A higher abrasion might occur. This characteristic is not necessarily marring the functionality of the crossbow. The so far in point 22 mentioned characteristics apply to crossbows having a comparatively great bow and an accordingly great draw (e.g. Excalibur).
Smaller recurve crossbows like the Barnett are not subject to the context mentioned above in the same extend due to the smaller energy transfer.
23 Are arrow speeds comparable?
You can compare arrow speeds of different models with different arrows via the performance or via the „standard arrow“.
The standard arrow (same size, feathering, weight) is shot with all models to compare in order to achieve a reference value.
24 How accurate shoots the crossbow?
Every crossbow shoots accurate.
Unless the parts important for shooting and aiming change their positions and their stability or their durability. Even the smallest discrepancies make the crossbow become unreliable and as a result shoot inaccurately. Reasons for those discrepancies can be a worn out chord, non-uniform limbs, falsely inserted arrows, a contorted scope mount, and so on.
Even the best crossbow shoots only as accurate, as the marksman allows her to.
