Crossbows?

[Mercutio]

has anyone seen some one use a crossbow one the field? if so do you know how it worked out for them?

i want to get a small pistol crossbow, just as a one shot thing, mostly just for laughs. but i cant even find one on the net that is a 15 lb one. any one know a site where i can find one?

thanks alot.

[Thomas MacFinn]

Build your own or take a scale with you through the toy aisle.

[Tordek]

ive seen one used rather effectively, although the thing had extremely limited range as compared to the bow.

[Narin]

there's someone from muxlovia that uses a cross-bow, people come up to him after the battle and say how much they underestimated it.
it's very accurate and very powerful (not so much that it surpasses the legal max poundage) but it carries across the field quite well.
I'm not exactly sure how he made it, he doesn't make it on the boards very often, so i'll ask him to check them, and maybe he'll post here...can't promise anything though, but i'll talk to him.
good luck and happy fighting!

[Augustine]

D-i-c-k's Sporting Goods (insert Beavis & Butthead laughs here) sells a 15-pound draw hand crossbow for junior archery.

-edit- stupid word filter... it's a major sporting goods chain, not a phallus joke...

[Big King Jimmy]

there's someone from muxlovia that uses a cross-bow, people come up to him after the battle and say how much they underestimated it.
it's very accurate and very powerful (not so much that it surpasses the legal max poundage) but it carries across the field quite well.
I'm not exactly sure how he made it, he doesn't make it on the boards very often, so i'll ask him to check them, and maybe he'll post here...can't promise anything though, but i'll talk to him.
good luck and happy fighting!

This is false, it was tested at Octfest and found to be over the legal limit for poundage, and then passed anyway, because it was safe. People were taking face shots from it at weapons check.

[Mercutio]

ok cool thanks man, id like to talk to him and see how he made it legal.

[Peregrine]

it was passed for "play testing" it is still technically illegal.

[Arrakis]

Those are the only types of x-bows I've ever seen on a field: Too high to be legal, but passed for "playtesting" because they're heck of safe.

[Juicer]

Wasn't there talk of changing the rules on Xbows to go by Power Stroke instead of poundage? Whatever happened to that?

[Derian]

Everyone got confused.

[Oznog]

Well if you search the forums you can see all the background on it. I am a pretty strong expert in this field and did my best to advise on it.

It all comes down to inchpounds, which people are making out to be far more difficult than it is. Moreover, if a weapon doesn't hurt at close range, I really don't see what the motivation is to even worry about whether it meets the rules designed to keep it from hurting at close range.

Pistol crossbows are underpowered to begin with, yet far over what the rules would actually allow the way they're worded.

I do build LARP crossbows, in fact I'm the only one who can make recurved fiberglass prods to a specific low poundage. But I keep getting into this "can you make a 15lb crossbow?" In theory, yes, but it's a complete waste of time because you can literally throw an arrow faster. A sprinter running past you can outrun the arrow. It won't be useful for the intended LARPing purpose. I wouldn't mind if someone wanted to buy my work to smash on-camera in a movie, no problem there, but I don't like making something which won't work for its intended use even if that's what's being asked for.

[Mekoot Rowan]

Oznog, in your opinion, would a pistol crossbow be safe and useful on a belegarth field?

[Thomas MacFinn]

Pistol crossbows are underpowered to begin with, yet far over what the rules would actually allow the way they're worded.

Oznog, in your opinion, would a pistol crossbow be safe and useful on a belegarth field?

Since he already said legal pistol crossbows are useless, I believe you are asking about an illegal one? That would, of course, depend both on the individual weapon and what you considered safe.

[Oznog]

Actually the best pistol crossbows can shoot a very well-designed arrow a fairly reasonable distance. The shot speed's low and gives ample opportunity for anyone facing you to simply jump out of the way.

By "underpowered", I mean it's less than optimum, but it CAN still be effective. You could shoot someone in the side from somewhat nearby and have to chase them down because they didn't feel the shot. IIRC the pistol crossbows advertised as "80lb" are more like 50lb, but anyways, the rule still wouldn't allow them.

Remember, the pistol crossbow, being a little one-handed shooter, is somewhat out of context for a medieval-type LARP. It does not directly resemble any period weapon in form or function. I have one and I've used it kind of as a gag, but to me it's just kind of a "funny once" thing. Personally, I'd frown on people setting themselves up as pistol-crossbow archers.

[Black Cat]

If I used a pistol-style crossbow on the Belegarth field, it would be one of Chinese design. That way, it's actually period and it would have a decent bolt speed without being unsafe or requiring an excessively high poundage.

I'm talking about these:

[kree]

does anyone remember the crossbow some kid was using that screamed Nintendo but worked rather well, i think it was just this last Armageddon

but that would be the person to ask......


pretty sure he made it out of pvc

it didnt look all that bad

[Halbrust]

that screamed Nintendo

When I first read that I though tyou meant it literally screamed Nintendo. As in had a speaker that played a sound effect that said Nontendo when fired. LOL

[Soo Ma Tai]

The only legal one I have ever seen shot about 10 feet. WORTHLESS.
Anything>crossbows in Bel.

[Mekoot Rowan]

I have a fairly high poundage pistol crossbow that I picked up for $20 years ago. I think I'm going to need to make some bolts for it and test it out.

[Oznog]

If I used a pistol-style crossbow on the Belegarth field, it would be one of Chinese design. That way, it's actually period and it would have a decent bolt speed without being unsafe or requiring an excessively high poundage.

I'm talking about these:

Sure, that would work fine!
I would not call that a "pistol" crossbow by any means. It's actually two-handed. A pistol crossbow's only like 12" long and has a power stroke so short that the poundage would have to be impractically high to be able to throw a bolt well.

You wanna be careful if you EXACTLY reproduce that design. See many people trying it would instinctively wrap their fingers around the bottom and allow them to stick up across the shot line. It's not gonna rip a finger off or anything, it'll probably sting like getting slapped with a bowstring on the forearm. You might lose a nail. I'd build up the forward handhold like an inch deeper at least so that doesn't happen.

I believe that mechanism is drawn incorrectly, or at least misleading. The trigger and nut are separate pieces sharing a common axle. The shaping on the example looks poor (or maybe it's just in a misleading position) in that the backside of the nut's claw should be vertical or leaning back so the string does not jump itself off the nut when leaning forward like this pic shows.

[kree]

remember there is a 15 pound draw limit on crossbows

the only tactic that really works with them is hiding behind a line of fighters and popping up here and there and taking quick little "pop shots" at people

someone has to have a picture of the one from last arm

[Arrakis]

remember there is a 15 pound draw limit on crossbows

the only tactic that really works with them is hiding behind a line of fighters and popping up here and there and taking quick little "pop shots" at people

someone has to have a picture of the one from last arm

Kree, did you NOT notice that this whole thread is revolving around ignoring the BoW limit on crossbow strength?

[Rasheab]

And is related to this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=66&t=26058

Which is linked to the older thread.
(But sadly, doesn't seem to be working.)

[kree]

remember there is a 15 pound draw limit on crossbows

the only tactic that really works with them is hiding behind a line of fighters and popping up here and there and taking quick little "pop shots" at people

someone has to have a picture of the one from last arm

Kree, did you NOT notice that this whole thread is revolving around ignoring the BoW limit on crossbow strength?

no

giggity

[Mercutio]

I have a fairly high poundage pistol crossbow that I picked up for $20 years ago. I think I'm going to need to make some bolts for it and test it out.

do you remember where you picked it up?

[wwebb]

I have a fairly high poundage pistol crossbow that I picked up for $20 years ago. I think I'm going to need to make some bolts for it and test it out.

do you remember where you picked it up?

I'm also interested on it.
Where did you pick it up dude?
I'd like to know.
Thanks.
PM me if you like.

[Mekoot Rowan]

do you remember where you picked it up?

I'm also interested on it.
Where did you pick it up dude?
I'd like to know.
Thanks.
PM me if you like.

Going out of business sale at a small outdoors store in Colorado.

[wwebb]

do you remember where you picked it up?

I'm also interested on it.
Where did you pick it up dude?
I'd like to know.
Thanks.
PM me if you like.

Going out of business sale at a small outdoors store in Colorado.

I'll check it out this coming weekend.
Thanks.