Buy a crossbow - guide for beginners
The Gapola children's crossbow is just right for young shooters. The crossbow has a wooden shaft and shoots arrows with a suction cup tip. The toy from Gapola is surprisingly precise to a few meters, so that the youngsters get a first introduction to the world of the best crossbow.
Crossbow Buying Guide
The first question you should ask yourself when buying a crossbow is the intended use. In Germany, which is sheet or crossbow hunting prohibited. In the United States, however, many hunters use a crossbow to shoot the animals.
You will therefore shoot targets or other 3D targets made of solid foam in Germany . This also means that you can put more emphasis on target accuracy and neglect the mobility of the device a little. A basic distinction is made between two different designs, which have their advantages and disadvantages.
Recurve vs. Compound crossbow
Both the recurve and the compound crossbow have their right to exist in target shooting. Below you will find more about the strengths and weaknesses of the two designs.
Recurve crossbow
This type of crossbow has been around for many centuries. Similar to a recurve bow , the ends of the limbs curve away from the shooter in order to be able to develop more force when extended. The Recurve crossbow has no complex cable systems that you have to take care of. Accordingly, the Recurve crossbow is particularly suitable for beginners and all those who do not want to worry about adjusting their crossbow.
Compared to compound crossbows, however, they are usually made wider and therefore somewhat more bulky. The draw weight of a recurve crossbow is very high, but in terms of arrow speed it does not match a comparable compound crossbow.
Compound crossbow
Compound crossbows are somewhat easier to handle because the cams, i.e. the roller systems at the ends of the limbs, take up a large part of the pulling weight. Due to this design, the arrow speed also increases with smaller dimensions overall. This means that the compound crossbow is easier to carry.
Compared to the Recurve crossbow, a compound device requires finer adjustment and more regular maintenance. The cable and reel systems must be continuously checked for the appropriate setting.
speed
The arrow speed is an important purchase criterion for many interested parties. Unfortunately, the speed of the arrow is greatly overrated and staged accordingly by the manufacturers. You quickly get the impression "the faster the arrow, the better the crossbow". Unfortunately, this is absolutely not true.
The arrow speed determines the flight curve. In this context, a faster arrow appears to be the better choice because the arrow's landing point is easier to predict. The slower the arrow, the more the arrow sinks during its flight and the more difficult it is to plan the perfect shot.
Nevertheless: An arrow that is too fast, on the other hand, ensures that the smallest inaccuracy has a greater impact on the extract. It forgives fewer mistakes and is therefore difficult to master, especially for beginners.
The best is a speed that can still be controlled and whose impact on the flight curve is minimal.
Crossbow safety components
When used properly, the crossbow is a relatively safe piece of sports equipment. Nevertheless, it is a firearm, the safety aspect of which should not be underestimated. When buying a crossbow, the following safety components are important to protect you and your crossbow from damage.
Rule 1: Never fire an empty shot
As with archery, you must never fire an empty shot without an arrow. The tension on the tendon discharges directly into the limbs instead of the arrow when shooting without an arrow. This can lead to a tendon tear (in the best case) or even destruction of the limbs or the entire crossbow. If you want to buy your first crossbow, you shouldn't fire an empty shot out of curiosity.
For this reason, some crossbows even have a dry shot safety device that does not even allow you to fire such a shot. Smaller devices in particular usually do not have such a fuse. Before buying, you should find out about such a fuse (also known as anti-dry fire).
2nd rule: Rifle scope rail made of metal
The rifle scope is mounted on a rail on the device. When buying your crossbow, make sure that this rail is made of metal so that the riflescope can be firmly attached and does not change.
Rule 3: The crossbow needs enough space to grip
With an ordinary projectile weapon, very little happens if the support hand is a little too far above the stock. It is different with a crossbow: If the fingers of the support hand protrude too far, they get into the area of influence of the tendon. If a shot is released and the tendon slips against the fingers, it will result in a serious finger injury.
To avoid this danger, you should buy a crossbow that has a wide grip for the support hand on which you can put your fingers firmly and securely.
assembly
Most crossbows are shipped disassembled in the largest individual parts. The assembly of the device is normally not a complex matter, but you should be able to do it in good anticipation. The most important thing in this context is the mounting of the riflescope, which has to be screwed tight and precisely aligned.
But don't worry: The necessary documents are usually sent directly from the manufacturer. Even for unskilled shooters, putting your crossbow together is not a problem.
The choice of crossbow arrows
Some crossbows are sold directly as a set with matching arrows. The higher you rise in price, the sooner such a set combination is dispensed with. In this case, you should buy suitable arrows. The most important thing is the length of the arrows, their weight and their material. The manufacturer usually specifies which arrows are recommended for the respective shooting device.
Targets
Since the penetration of a crossbow is so much higher than that of a traditional bow, you should pay attention to the increased requirements when choosing the targets. On the one hand, the crossbow arrow eats through the familiar material much faster, on the other hand, the arrow can be so deep that it is difficult to pull it out.
Instead of a thin target including target, we recommend a three-dimensional target that can withstand the increased loads.
Shoot with the crossbow
After buying and assembling the crossbow, you will shoot your new sports equipment. There are five things you should consider here.
Never cock the device if you are not ready to shoot.
Do not fire a blank shot under any circumstances if you want to have some of your crossbow in the longer term.
Keep your fingers on the handles provided.
Never point your crossbow at something you don't want to shoot. Don't touch the trigger at all if you're not ready to aim.
Make sure what's behind the target. Even if you hit it perfectly, it doesn't guarantee that the arrow won't pierce the material. If you miss the target, no living creature may be in the trajectory. One way or the other: always play it safe when it comes to caution.
Frequently asked questions about the crossbow
Some questions and ambiguities keep coming up with new shooters. The main questions explained below:
Are there left and right handed crossbows?
Unlike archery, there are no left and right crossbows. The trigger and shaft can be held variably, as the arrow does not fly past one side of the bow, but is shot straight along the barrel.
Can you replace the tendon?
Of course, the replacement of a tendon is possible. Over time, a tendon wears out, especially under such high loads. Usually the tendon is changed using an arch press. But be careful: not every bow press can cope with the high draw weights of the crossbow. It is therefore best to ask a specialist shop whether they can take over the change.
Differences between arrows and bolts
Bolts have long been used as the projectile of choice with the crossbow. These bullets have no stabilizing feathering. Arrows are much more precise in the shot and are therefore usually the first choice - even with crossbows.
How far does my sports equipment shoot
If you want to buy a new crossbow, the question arises how far you can shoot with such a device. Theoretically, powerful devices can shoot an arrow several hundred meters, although a distance of 75 meters is really extreme to keep a little control over the arrow. Most beginners start shooting at a distance between 20 and 40 meters.
Stretch the crossbow by hand
Crossbows are stretched with a tensioning aid to achieve a uniform result and easier to apply the required traction. Clamping the sports equipment by hand is theoretically possible, but not really advantageous in practice. Especially with real sports equipment with tens of lbs. Tensile strength by hand is very tedious or almost impossible.
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