The perfect survival weapon

[proudpatriot66]

I just purchased a 150 pound crossbow from big 5 for 90 bucks. Never run out of ammo and capable of taking deer and "deer sized targets"

[Madcow]

look it over good, and if you get a bad feeling about anything send it back.

[proudpatriot66]

I have shot about 100 arrows through it and when compared to a 70 pound bow it had the same penetration very pleased and the price was more than affordable

[treepotater]

How many bolts do you have prepped to equal "never run out of ammo", and are you going with carbon, aluminum, or hybrid shafts? It's true bolts can be reused, but they do break or become unsafe to use after awhile.

[steve5]

once a arrow is shot at something other than a target it is usually trash

[Hagalaz]

Originally Posted by proudpatriot66

I just purchased a 150 pound crossbow from big 5 for 90 bucks. Never run out of ammo and capable of taking deer and "deer sized targets"

Good score.

But I disagree with the "never run out of ammo" part. Arrows & bolts can be damaged from regular use, even if you are careful with them. Crossbows bolts can take even more damage than arrows because of the amount of force used to propel them.

[Madcow]

Originally Posted by proudpatriot66

I have shot about 100 arrows through it and when compared to a 70 pound bow it had the same penetration very pleased and the price was more than affordable

Sounds like it. Wasn't knocking it, just know folks who have had issues with sub $100.00 crossbows.

[Madcow]

[quote]"How many bolts do you have prepped to equal "never run out of ammo"[quote]

I imagine they grow on a tree very near his house. Not allot of prepping needed for arrows, and especially not cross bow bolts.

[steve5]

I imagine they grow on a tree very near his house. Not allot of prepping needed for arrows, and especially not cross bow bolts

yea try shooting a wood arrow through that thing

[Madcow]

Originally Posted by steve5

I imagine they grow on a tree very near his house. Not allot of prepping needed for arrows, and especially not cross bow bolts

yea try shooting a wood arrow through that thing

Would do it with no issues what ever as long as the contraption is sound. A 150lb crossbow is pretty weak as far as they go. The guys on Arbalest guild shoot wood off bows with way more gusto then 150 lbs.

[treepotater]

Originally Posted by steve5

once a arrow is shot at something other than a target it is usually trash

It depends on what the arrow hits. I'm up to 6 deer on the same shaft, pass-throughs into the dirt. But I've also ruined arrows on a single shot that struck a rock while plinking varmints. My point is if a person plans to rely on a modern bow or crossbow for long term meat gathering they need to have a large supply of shafts and parts too. With a home bow shop a person can really do most of the maintenance themselves as long as they have spare strings, cables, serving, fletching, nocks, inserts, tips, broadheads, etc.

Guys who are into making their on trad bows and components can probably fashion their own arrows when they run low, but that won't work well with high draw weight compounds (neither vertical or crossbow). As Steve mentioned in another post, shooting home made wood arrows through a compound is asking for a shaft to explode on release and possibly causing serious injury to the shooter.

[Madcow]

Originally Posted by treepotater

It depends on what the arrow hits. I'm up to 6 deer on the same shaft, pass-throughs into the dirt. But I've also ruined arrows on a single shot that struck a rock while plinking varmints. My point is if a person plans to rely on a modern bow or crossbow for long term meat gathering they need to have a large supply of shafts and parts too. With a home bow shop a person can really do most of the maintenance themselves as long as they have spare strings, cables, serving, fletching, nocks, inserts, tips, broadheads, etc.

Guys who are into making their on trad bows and components can probably fashion their own arrows when they run low, but that won't work well with high draw weight compounds (neither vertical or crossbow). As Steve mentioned in another post, shooting home made wood arrows through a compound is asking for a shaft to explode on release and possibly causing serious injury to the shooter.

And to think, humans made it this far. Strings and arrows, are about the least complicated components to make. I have not paid some one to make me a string since middle school. The only a bolt would explode is if it was made crappy which is real hard to do. Wood on modern compounds is a bad idea, but in the early 80's was done routinely. You can look at rose city archery and even find a spine chart for compounds. I do believe the op is referring to a recurve crossbow. You wont get wheels for $90.00. As for prods, fiberglass replacements can be had cheap. Don't know where you get the idea that this stuff is difficult. Its not. If the op was wise, he would address any issues about his bow here-

http://thearbalistguild.forumotion.com/

Much knowledge, little blather, and links to all the parts he would need.

[Madcow]

@proudpatriot66, If you check out the guild look up Todd The archer. Awesome guy, and has built many cross bows. Dang trustworthy as far as the internetz go.

[Yonco]

The first time i took out my crossbow, i set up a 3/8 thick plywood target leaning on a tree. Fired off (12) aluminum shaft bolts and they shot great! But...all bent when they broke through the plywood and lodged into the tree. The tips were never recovered but all the shafts were bent .020 or .030 when rolled on a flat surface. Lesson learned. -Jon

[Madcow]

Thats why I only use carbon. If it aint straight its broken.

[Luminara]

Originally Posted by Madcow

Would do it with no issues what ever as long as the contraption is sound. A 150lb crossbow is pretty weak as far as they go. The guys on Arbalest guild shoot wood off bows with way more gusto then 150 lbs.

Draw weight is not the end-all of measurement for a crossbow's power, it's merely one of several factors which determine the total kinetic energy stored and delivered. Some crossbows can handle wooden arrows, but it's not recommended for many modern crossbows, nor is it wise unless you're experienced in making arrows. For handmade models, or cheap Chinese/Korean plinking bows, wood might be usable. Still shouldn't be done without the right equipment, skills and experience, and shouldn't even be attempted with compounds, nor with recurves from companies such as Tenpoint or Excalibur, which were designed and constructed with modern projectile materials (carbon and aluminum) in mind.

[proudpatriot66]

it is a recurve no wheels. I have 12 bolts but I have made several arrows for my recurve in the past and figure bolts would be easier to fashion to to the shorter length and less need to straighten

[Madcow]

Originally Posted by proudpatriot66

it is a recurve no wheels. I have 12 bolts but I have made several arrows for my recurve in the past and figure bolts would be easier to fashion to to the shorter length and less need to straighten

If you want to be thrifty, you can use busted knocks, and old bent aluminum if you have enough left behind the bend to.

[deadair]

Originally Posted by Madcow

Thats why I only use carbon. If it aint straight its broken.

and those carbon shafts grow on the carbon trees?

[Madcow]

Originally Posted by Luminara

Draw weight is not the end-all of measurement for a crossbow's power, it's merely one of several factors which determine the total kinetic energy stored and delivered. Some crossbows can handle wooden arrows, but it's not recommended for many modern crossbows, nor is it wise unless you're experienced in making arrows. For handmade models, or cheap Chinese/Korean plinking bows, wood might be usable. Still shouldn't be done without the right equipment, skills and experience, and shouldn't even be attempted with compounds, nor with recurves from companies such as Tenpoint or Excalibur, which were designed and constructed with modern projectile materials (carbon and aluminum) in mind.

The wheel bows were covered already. TI would not shoot wood off of them. The other two primo recurve cross bow companies May void warranty's if you use wood, but its done anyway. They dont have any type of super power stroke that will cause arrows to blow up. Again, there is no special tool needed to make arrows. Just fetching, shaft, and a way to secure the fletching to the shaft. No magic, no rocket science, just the stuff, and a touch of common sense.