Just twenty years ago, a bow or crossbow for individual use did not exist in nature. Some eccentrics and fanatics of historical reconstructions took on making them at their own peril and risk, having absolutely no idea what they would get in the end. And all because the process of accumulating experience and honing skills in the manufacture and use of throwing weapons, which lasted several tens of thousands of years, in our time was once interrupted and anathematized.

Now all this rare knowledge has been taken out of dusty chests, they have learned to make bows and crossbows using modern technologies, and the army of followers of William Tell and Robin Hood is growing at an exponential rate. And today we have prepared drawings and diagrams for you that will tell you how to make a crossbow at home.

Despite the abundance of online stores selling throwing weapons, as well as a fantastic range of products, there are many who want to make a crossbow on their own. Most of them don't know where to start. Today we will tell you about the main design features of the crossbow. This knowledge will help you avoid manufacturing errors, as well as frustration and injury when using it.

Before starting work, there are two main points to know.

In our country, a crossbow is recreational and sporting weapons. Hunting with it is prohibited. Any throwing weapon with a tension force of more than 43 kilograms is considered a combat weapon, the right to use which is given by the licensing authorities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Crossbow is a structure that experiences enormous loads during operation. Therefore, any carelessness in its manufacture will most likely lead to injury. Any part of it must have a multiple safety margin.

So, let's learn how to make a simple crossbow at home.

The video below will tell you how to make a crossbow at home:

Onion

The crossbow's energy source is the bow - an elastic plate of complex shape, having one main bend and, as an option, two additional ones at the ends. You need to start making a crossbow with this particular part and adjust everything else to it - choosing the type of tension (recurve or block), the size of the stock, the type of trigger.

Wood and composite

The urgent question is what to use as a material for the bow: wood, composite or metal?

Tree- the worst choice. Available “pieces of wood” lying underfoot are garbage, suitable only for lighting stoves. Branches cut down in the forest lose their elasticity as they dry, crack and fall apart. From this material you can only make something for short-term entertainment in the country. Of the models sold in stores that contain wood, the one that is very popular is also the one.
Composite, created from fiberglass and epoxy, is very tempting and simple in appearance. But there is an obstacle - the need to scrupulously adhere to the technology of all work. Mix proportions, drying, aging. At home this is almost impossible.

Metal

There is only one option left - metal. If you have an old Moskvich with a set of leaf springs on hand, consider yourself lucky. One sheet is taken from the entire package - the second. If you are not too scared by the dimensions, then the first one will do. Moreover, it has tubes at the ends - an almost ready-made bracket for attaching blocks or bowstrings.

A block is used to attach the bow to the stock. This is a U-shaped design that wraps around the stock from the front. It can be welded tightly to the spring leaf, but in this case, when the bow is bent, the welds will experience excessive pull-out stress. Therefore, it is better to attach the ball joint from the VAZ 2108 to the block. The bow is attached to its pin. This is also convenient because there is a hole on the spring leaf.

If you are very strong, then you can choose the recursive method of tensioning the bowstring (as in, etc.). But it’s better to choose a block one (as in models, etc.). To attach the blocks to the bow, if you have chosen a second spring leaf, you need to attach brackets to its ends. A bolted (or even better, rivet) connection is preferable to welding, since this unit experiences strong vibration loads. As pulleys, use parts of the window lifting mechanism of the same Moskvich.

Regarding the bowstring, an obvious solution arises: a thin metal cable. But it is not entirely correct, since steel cables do not withstand variable loads well. It is better to choose a climbing cord with a diameter of 5-8 mm.

Once you've made your bow and attached the string to it, you can conduct full-scale bending tests. It’s great if you have a dynamometer of 100-150 kilograms. As a result, you will learn two parameters necessary for further work: the length of the bowstring stroke and the load.

Read below to learn how to make a stock for a powerful crossbow at home.

Lodge

For this part of a homemade crossbow, wood is the only option. But not everything. In any case, not aspen, alder, spruce or pine. Better beech, elm, oak. The product has been dried for twenty years. It is clear that you will never find something like this anywhere. Therefore, use moisture-resistant plywood with a thickness of 7-9 mm. 3 or 5 contours of the stock are cut out of it, and then this package is glued together with epoxy resin. Not very pretty, but extremely reliable.

Regarding the shape, give up the semi-pistol style and use a straight English stock. It is not only easier to manufacture, but also stronger.
When assembling the stock package, it is necessary to take into account both the course of the bowstring and the load. The first determines the distance from the block to the slot for the trigger mechanism. The second is the thickness of the stock walls at the place of its attachment. It is the straight English stock that will allow you to avoid excessive thinning when moving from the forearm to the butt.
The most important part of a crossbow stock is the arrow guide. It should be smooth and durable. For it, you can use the plates framing the side windows of the Moskvich, furniture fittings, and other similar-shaped parts.
If you use a block type of bowstring tension, then there should be a groove in the forend under the guide for the cable system. This is another element that weakens the stock, so give up the idea of making the forend dainty. High will protect your fingers from getting caught under the bowstring and traumatic amputation of the phalanges.

Typically crossbows have a plastic stock, such as models and others.

Below we will tell you how to make a homemade trigger mechanism for a crossbow at home.

This video will tell you how to make a crossbow from wood (plywood) with your own hands:

Trigger

If you are not a sixth-class mechanic, then give up the idea of making this element yourself. Make an effort and find the trigger for any spring-piston air rifle. In the most difficult case, you will only have to modify its tooth that holds the piston - it may be too small for a thick bowstring.

A casing with a height of 2 to 5 cm is placed above the trigger mechanism, which is necessary to protect it from moisture and dirt, and also serves as the basis for sighting devices - rails for optics or rear sights. Weaver, Picatinny or dovetail rails can be purchased at any online store that sells pneumatics.

The front part of the casing above the trigger mechanism is made in the form of a long (no more than 10 cm) elastic “tail”, which holds the back of the arrow on the guide.

Making arrows

Canonically correct crossbow ammunition is called a “bolt”. But many online stores sell crossbow arrows. For crossbows with a rifle stock, lengths of 14, 16, 20, 22 inches are suitable. To be completely honest, you won't find better magazine arrows. Unfortunately, none of them are worth less than 150 rubles. Therefore, it is worth trying to make them yourself.

They can be made from straight-layer wood without knots. As an option, use furniture parts - balusters from chairs, railings of cribs. Good arrows are made from aluminum tubes up to 2 cm in diameter. If desired, you can even use electrodes of the maximum diameter, but they bend hopelessly when hit and it is difficult to attach the feathers to them.

Thin plastic is used for the plumage. Natural bird feathers can give the unexpected effect of chaotic changes in flight direction, since they have natural curves that must be taken into account.

The main condition for a good, smooth flight is balancing. The center of gravity of a crossbow bolt should be after the first third of its length from the tip. If it is not metal, the end of the arrow can be loaded with lead wire wrapped around the shaft.

The issue of equipping an arrow with a tip must be treated without fanaticism. Sharpening metal on lathes, milling and polishing, giving it exquisite shapes - these operations are accessible to few. In addition, such a tip is extremely dangerous. If you do not need to pierce knight's armor, then a wooden bolt can simply be sharpened at an angle of 30 degrees using a regular knife.

We will tell you further how to make a crossbow that shoots with your own hands from paper, pencils and other materials.

Cool shooting games

Shooting with toothpicks or matches can be made from a wooden clothespin. To do this, disassemble it and remake it:

widen the narrow groove for the spring of one half to 1 cm, make the same on the second, but with an indentation of 1 cm;
at the front ends of both halves, on the side of the narrow grooves for the spring, make a longitudinal groove 1-2 mm deep;
assemble the clothespin halves “inside out” by twisting them with thread;
install the clothespin spring with its paws in the cut grooves, and with the spiral outward;
place a toothpick in the hole between the halves;
press the spring spiral, moving it into the semicircular cutout;

The spring tab will slide along the long slot, clicking on the toothpick and causing it to fly out.

To learn how to make a mini crossbow from pencils with your own hands at home, watch the video below.

Let's carefully study the photographs to make a compound crossbow

Hello, dear visitors to the blog site, I want to introduce you, as true lovers of homemade weapons, photos of a homemade crossbow, made from the simplest and most affordable materials. True, to make this crossbow we will need specialized equipment and perhaps even a lathe. However, for those who really want it, nothing is impossible, and if you don’t know any turners, then you can negotiate with strangers, for a small bribe, of course. Well, who said that everything should be easy and free?

So, to make another one masterpiece of a homemade crossbow prepare a piece of birch board on which you will need to make a rough marking of the contour of the crossbow bed, and a regular car spring measuring approximately 650x100x8. Make markings on the spring as shown in the figure below, so that in the middle it has a size of 35 millimeters, and at the edges - 18 millimeters.

And use a grinder to carefully cut out the part we need. Working with an angle grinder is a fairly safe activity, but still be careful when using it. Next, you can immediately cut out the crossbow stock so that the blanks are pleasing to the eye and instill confidence that everything will work out for you.

Next we will need emery; I’m sure many people have it in their personal garages. Using sandpaper, we process the crossbow arc blank so that the ends narrow to 5 millimeters. Process evenly from the middle to the edges until the desired size is achieved. After processing, we will stretch a steel cable onto the arch. to do this, clamp it in a vice, not forgetting to insert a round timber in the center so as not to interfere with the arch when bending, and tighten the cable, at the same time checking the strength and distance of the tension future crossbow shoulders.

Now we really need a weight. Similar weights were previously used in stores on mechanical scales, but now in some places they can be seen in warehouses, scrap metal collection points, in general, where a large load is required. Unfortunately, such scales are rare now; more and more electronic ones are used, but I think they are still available in stores.

Well, in general, we take a weight, make markings, drill a hole slightly to the right of the cut of the weight and saw it in the right places with the same grinder. However, fans of the “Golden Calf” can use a regular hacksaw for metal. As a result, we should get a hook like this - one of the most important parts of the crossbow.

Next for making a full-fledged crossbow lock we need to make a sear and trigger. They can be made from any steel plates as thick as the toe end. The picture below shows very clearly how it should be assembled.

There are no specific sizes, but you can print out a photo and make templates for the sear and trigger. Using these templates, draw their outline on steel plates and cut out the parts... that's right, with the same grinder. Drilling holes couldn't be easier.

Oh yes, do you see the red bolt on the hook in the photo? So for it you need to drill a hole approximately in the place where it is drawn in the photograph. This strip spring bolt is needed to secure the pin from axial movement. So, main parts of a crossbow lock We have it ready, now we’re making a body for it. The body will probably be the most difficult part of the lock, since in addition to the figured cutting of the body parts from sheet iron, their subsequent welding is required.

Unfortunately, there are no specific sizes either, but why do we need straight arms and strong judgment? We look at the photographs and try to make something similar, focusing on the dimensions of the internal parts of the castle. I think you can use aluminum sheets instead of steel sheets. They are much easier to saw, bend, and solder.

Well, I think you coped with the task and you have a lock body. We try on the parts: hook, sear, trigger to the lock body, adjust and drill holes for the pins. We make the pins from steel rods, insert them and saw them off along the body.

Now you can use a strip of the same aluminum to make a protection for the trigger, which we attach to the lock body with bolts.

Don’t forget to insert the spring inside, resting it against the sear, and insert a fixing bolt with a thrust spring made of a strip of elastic steel into the back of the hook. Let's try the lock on the wooden stock blank, everything seems to be in order, everything is the right size.

Let's start carpentry work. Let's drill and hollow out a place for the lock in the stock using drills, chisels and files. We insert the lock inside, fitting everything tightly to its size.

Let's put all this aside for now. Now we need to make a dovetail to mount the rear sight. Solder it to the lock body.

Now we need to drill holes along the edges of the arch with a Pobedit drill for attaching the clamps with bolts.

I think making the clamps will not cause you any difficulties, but the rollers will need to be ordered by a turner, since their manufacture requires a lathe. However, you can look in the store and pick up nylon rollers. As they say, whoever finds what. Let's adjust the clamps to the size of the rollers. Let's drill holes in them and prepare axles (fingers) for the rollers.

Now we need to make a clamp with which the arch is attached to the crossbow stock. By the way, all the clamps can be easily cut from a U-shaped channel. Attributes such as bolts, bushings, pins can be picked up in auto parts stores.

We bend a stirrup from thick steel wire and fasten it in a clamp.

We screw the arch to the clamp. For the bowstring, you can use a thin steel cable. Having cut off the required size of the cable, we make loops at the ends, inserting them into copper tubes, and crimping them with a special crimping tool, which is used by electricians.

By the way, instead of copper tubes, you can use ready-made crimps for electrical wires, which can also be purchased at an electrical goods store. This is what our roller block should look like.

All metal parts can be subjected to.

Now let's take up our bed again. We need to hollow out a groove in it and insert a metal or aluminum guide, which you can find in hardware stores. Place the guide in the groove using epoxy glue.

I use carpenter's chisels to give the butt an aesthetic appearance.We make a slot in the stock for the bowstring to move; it must have a free gap of at least two millimeters between the stock and the bowstring.

For lovers of homemade weapons, we invite you to sit back, as in this material we will present an overview of the manufacture of a crossbow with a reverse design. First of all, let's explain why the design of this crossbow is called reverse: the fact is that its bowstring is pulled in the opposite direction, which allows it to obtain significantly more power.

What do we need to make such a crossbow:
- wooden plank 15 mm thick and 28 mm wide;
- ruler;
- pencil;
- hacksaw;
- drill;
- bolts, washers and nuts;
- two rollers;
- spring;
- two metal corners;
- nylon rope;
- door hinge;
- metal plate.

We take the bar that needs to be used to cut out four blanks. The length of the first blank should be equal to 43 cm, the second - 31 cm. The remaining two blanks should be equal to 15 cm.

Next, take two short blanks and make 1 cm marks from each edge. Also, make one 5 cm mark from one edge of both blanks.

The next step is to take the middle bar and make marks 1.5 cm from both edges.

We make holes in the marked places.

At the edges of the short planks we make through holes going to the holes drilled in the previous stage.

Next, we fix the middle bar to the very length of the bar at the 25 cm mark. We will do this using bolts, washers and nuts.

For greater reliability, the author of the idea applies a layer of glue between the two planks.

Now we take two rollers, which were also used to make the compound bow, and secure them with bolts next to the middle bar, as shown in the figure below.

After this, we take a spring, which can also be purchased at the car market, and secure it to the crossbow using a metal corner.

The angle should be installed on the edge of the long bar with self-tapping screws, but it will interfere with the flight of the arrow. To avoid this, we make a small depression on the bar.

The next step is to take short strips, which we fasten to the resulting base of our crossbow with the same bolts.

We take a piece of nylon rope and fasten it to the shoulders of the crossbow using through holes. Thus, we connect the shoulders together.

Next, we take another piece of rope, attach it to one of the shoulders, thread it through the roller, then through the spring, through the second roller, finally attaching it to the second shoulder. The length of the rope should be such that it is difficult for the spring to reach its middle.

Let's move on to making the trigger mechanism. To do this, fully tighten the crossbow string and make a mark at the end point.

We make a hole along the mark.
We take a metal plate and cut out a blank from it, similar to the one that can be seen in the figure below.

We fasten the plate so that the hole on it coincides with the hole on the crossbow.

We take the door hinge and connect it to the metal corner using a bolt.

Do you want to make a real crossbow that will not only look like it, but will also shoot? Then don’t pass by and read our article on the topic of how to make a crossbow with your own hands. In the article we will not only talk about the intricacies of this matter, but also show the whole process in the photo. The topic is especially relevant in the summer, when you can go out into nature and shoot at targets. And a thing made with your own hands will delight not only the eye, but also your friends or acquaintances, who, having seen such a product, will certainly set a goal and desire to own it!

How to make a crossbow with your own hands

Among simple tools created with one's own hands, the bow definitely wins. However, crossbows are also very popular. If you want to make a crossbow with your own hands, you just need to read the instructions below. A medieval design was chosen as an example due to its simplicity. Such a crossbow does not require metal welding; it can be made at home; it also does not require the presence of springs, as in its other, more advanced variations.

All that is needed to make a simple medieval crossbow is the desire to craft. Initially, you need to find a suitable stick for the base of the structure. It is recommended to use bird cherry, since after drying the wood retains good elasticity characteristics. When a suitable branch is found, you should carefully saw it off, completely remove the bark and leave it to dry in a warm place.
Typically the drying time is about 5-7 months.

Step-by-step instruction:

In addition, it is recommended to immediately bend the stick so that it does not crack during processing and fixation, as well as during use. If bird cherry is not available in the area, you can use elm or other alternative wood.

It should be remembered that for good strength, durability and elasticity of the launching part of a home crossbow, you need to stand it well. Moreover, in this case, the chances of a crack during operation of the crossbow will be significantly reduced.

To have the opportunity to practice and to avoid the need to wait again, it is recommended to prepare several sticks at once.

You can use any type of board or dry wood on the stock of a homemade crossbow. It all depends on how accurately you want to replicate the medieval model of the weapon.

Once the wood has been selected and processed, a notch needs to be made in the front of the wood to accommodate the crossbow bow. You can make a notch with any tool from a metal file to a regular knife.

The next step in making a crossbow with your own hands at home is to drill holes for the bow bolts. They are placed at a distance of 8-10 cm from the front of the bed. Previously, holes were made with red-hot metal, so you can also use this method if you don’t have the right tools at hand.

Moreover, if you don’t have any bolts at hand, you can use the same wood.

The upper plane of the stock should have a groove in which the crossbow bolt will be placed. Often this groove is made round, but it is recommended to plan it triangular to increase the accuracy of the bolt.

When everything is ready, you can fix the bow. This is applied to the cutout made in the front of the stock and tied tightly with rope to the previously installed bolts or their wooden alternatives. This will be enough, but for a tighter fixation it is better to use glue.

The last element of a homemade crossbow is the organization of the trigger mechanism. Usually the simplest lever type is used. The crossbow drawing below shows how such a system works.

When the bracket-lever is lowered, the pin instantly launches, and it launches the bolt forward. It is important that this system does not have any safety mechanisms, so the bolt must be installed only before firing.

The created crossbow must have a tension force of about 40 kg, so the design will not be included in the list of edged weapons. The bowstring is tensioned by hand, so additional mechanisms are also not required.

Drawings for making at home

The photo above schematically shows a crossbow with all the necessary dimensions. Its main value is to understand what size its parts should be in relation to each other. Its entire length is 732 mm, with a height at the sight mounting point of 223 mm. The drawing shows a “pistol” handle (shaped like a pistol), for a reliable and comfortable grip.

The second hole is made to facilitate the construction, since the total thickness of the plywood handle (can be made of wood) is 30 mm. The arms are 302 mm long and are a universal option; their total length is 532 mm. For the first time, it is enough to make exactly according to the dimensions indicated in the diagram, and after testing, make adjustments.

Shooting, as a form of sport and an ability for self-realization, has enjoyed success among people for a long time. An indication of this is the countless competitions using various types of weapons. One of the oldest types is throwing weapons. The heightened emotionality of these days resonates in archery and crossbow tournaments.

Sports crossbow shooting in our country is not as developed as bow shooting. This state of affairs is not due to a lack of interest, but to an obvious shortage of shooting equipment. Crossbow sport itself certainly contains many advantages. Today we suggest making a crossbow with your own hands. It will be a wide field for the discovery and application of certain types of talents.

DIY crossbow made of wood

As a way out, you should make a crossbow with your own hands. This is not as problematic as it might seem at first glance. The design of the crossbow is light. In sections of bullet or bow shooting, there are weapons workshops where it is easy to find professional craftsmen. Such a specialist has the right to make a crossbow from whatever he has on hand, replacing missing building materials with identical ones. A homemade crossbow is sufficient for target shooting.

We drew a drawing of a crossbow and assembled it with our own hands. When creating the crossbow, the developments of foreign manufacturers and fellow athletes who themselves make crossbows without the help of specialized companies were taken into account.

Our crossbow differs in that we chose bow limbs as the elastic component. This selection is justified by the lighter weight, in contrast to steel shoulders. Plastic shoulders also even out physical contact from powerful recoil. To gain the ability to shoot accurately at distances of up to 60 meters, all you need to do is tighten these arms without applying much force. The ability to use limbs from broken bows is another positive feature of our device. The main thing is to find a pair based on strength. We advise you to carefully study the crossbow drawings and begin assembly. To create a crossbow is not to cross the field. Read on to learn how to make a crossbow with your own hands.

Crossbow device: stock, shoulders, trigger mechanism, sighting devices.

To create the bed, real wood is used, solid or glued, mostly hardwood. Approximate dimensions can be seen in the pictures. (1 and 3)- crossbow drawing. We choose the shape of the hands ourselves, guided by the convenience and ergonomics of the stock and the desired image. When choosing, you must also take into account the possibility of correct manufacturing.

Using a small arms stock makes it possible to significantly reduce energy costs for making a crossbow. The trace of the trunk left in such a stock must be hammered in with wooden blocks, firmly seated with epoxy glue.

The processing of the arrow guides and bowstring deserves special attention. Their finishing is quite dependent on the accuracy of the hit. The guide lines must be immaculately straight and smooth. The desired option is grinding on a milling machine and subsequent processing with fine-grain sandpaper. Then the guides need to be polished. It is possible to study the proportions of the guide groove for an arrow with a diameter of 8 mm at rice. 3. The crosspiece, with the shoulders attached to it, is mounted at the end of the stock. As a rule, it is cast from an aluminum alloy, but it is also possible to create it from an aluminum blank. Wood can also serve as a suitable material.

The window from which the crossbow arrow will fly must be located opposite the groove that guides it. This is exactly how the window must be located on the bed of the cross containing elastic elements. In this case, at the moment of departure, the bowstring can be pressed against the smooth plane of the stock. Each arm is attached to the crosspiece using 2 M8 screws. The mechanism for triggering the trigger device was created in accordance with the description of the design of crossbows of the Middle Ages. It can be done without any special problems even with an average level of illumination in the workshop.

DIY crossbow trigger mechanism

How this mechanism is structured and works becomes clear from figure 4- DIY crossbow diagram.

When the bowstring 1 is cocked, it is engaged with the protrusion a of the lever 2. When the lever rotates, it holds the trigger 3. When the hook is pressed, at the same time the lever is released, at this moment the bowstring, straightening, sends an arrow. The stop 4 is limited during the movement of the lever. In order to soften the impact force on the stop, it is necessary to put a rubber tube on it. The stop must be in a position in which the extreme position of the protrusion a of the lever is lower than the guide surface of the stock. This prevents the string from sliding. After the shot is fired, spring 5 holds the lever in its extreme position.

In the process of pulling the crossbow, the bowstring is focused on protrusion 6, lever 2 takes its original position. Spring 6 acts on the trigger so that it rotates, the lever and the bowstring are fixed. To prevent the string from accidentally jumping off protrusion a, the release mechanism is closed with a cover 7. A flat-type spring 8 is attached to this cover, which holds the arrow on the guides while aiming the sight. Bearing 9, which is attached to the tip of the trigger, sufficiently weakens the force of the trigger. The level of trigger force is selected by sawing the surface resting on the lever bearing 2. In order to reduce the weight of the lever, it is better to make it from light alloy D16T. Safety pins can serve as a replacement for springs 5 and 6. The trigger mechanism can be mounted in a metal housing, after which it is inserted into the stock socket and secured with two screws. In this way, reliability and ease of adjustment can be significantly increased. But this method makes the design more complex, and metal-cutting machines will also be needed to implement it.

The sighting device of a crossbow consists of a rear sight and a front sight. Vertical adjustments are made entirely, mounted on the cover of the trigger mechanism, and horizontal ones - by a front sight mounted on the bracket of the elastic element.

There can be many design options for these devices, depending on the possibility of manufacturing, the availability of ready-made sights for sports bullet weapons, etc.

It should be borne in mind that the flight path of a crossbow arrow is quite high, so the rear sight must be installed significantly higher than the front sight. Angle of elevation of the aiming line ( cm. Figure 1 - crossbow drawings) depends on the weight of the arrow, the tension of the bowstring, the shooting distance, etc. In our crossbow at a distance of 50 m it is approximately 6°.

The design of the crossbow rear sight is convenient, allowing it to be removed or folded during transportation.

Our homemade crossbow, the manufacture of which is described above, is designed to shoot crossbow arrows with a diameter of 8 mm and a length of 350 mm. Arrows for a crossbow can be easily made from a duralumin (D16T alloy) tube with a wall thickness of 0.5 mm. The arrow is equipped with a tip and fletching in the same way as is done for archery. It should be borne in mind that the shank of an arrow for a crossbow, unlike an arrow for a bow, should not have a cutout for the bowstring. It is convenient to carve it out of wood in the form of a cork and insert it into the end of the tube using glue.

In conclusion, I would like to express the hope that you understand how to make a crossbow; making it yourself will give you a lot of pleasure, and shooting from it will give you the opportunity to have a good time in the fresh air. Just do not forget that a crossbow, like any weapon, requires a responsible attitude and compliance with all safety measures when shooting. And the amount of pleasure directly depends on how the crossbow is made.

Crossbow Arrows (Bolt)

The striking element of a crossbow is considered to be a bolt. It has even greater stopping power than an arrow. Even Kevlar vests lose their effectiveness against this seemingly simple medieval weapon. That is why you should not forget to follow safety rules when shooting from a crossbow. Even though the article is about something else, it is very appropriate to remind you of the rules. In most cases, a bolt wound is fatal. Even the sight of a bolt protruding from the body can cause the death of a victim.

To make the bolt, a durable material is used, which is characterized by sufficient elasticity and low weight. The bolt is also made from straight-grained wood, that is, from suitable blanks. A prerequisite for the flexibility of the boom is the longitudinal arrangement of the layers of wood. In order for there to be small mechanization, you need to use, for example, an electric drill. The bolt must have a perfect shape.

The center of gravity is between the second and first thirds of the bolt. And this, mind you, is already assembled. True, the parameter can be changed at your personal discretion. Also, due to the different materials used for the shaft, the sizes and materials of the toes and tips, the weight of the bolt can be changed.

To protect wooden shafts of bolts from moisture, they are impregnated with special protective compounds and also stored in a horizontal position.

The best bolts are made from broken telescopic fishing rods (from their sections) made of fiberglass. They weigh relatively little and at the same time are very durable, and they are also not afraid of dampness.

To shoot from a crossbow, you can use fairly heavy arrows, even welding electrodes. That is why clearly defining the optimal bolt is a serious matter. In the process of selecting the required mass of bolts for your crossbow, it is worth remembering the golden mean: if the bolt is heavy, it does not fly far, but if it is light, it loses speed quite quickly.

If the bowstring is of high quality and you take good care of it, you will use it for a long time. As a rule, steel is used for the bowstring (strings or cables) or weaved from silk. True, nowadays there are a huge number of synthetic materials. If you make a bowstring from Kevlar, it is used as a material with high tensile strength (specific resistance).

In powerful crossbows they use a thin steel cable, which serves as a bowstring. You can find this in both cars and motorcycles. Breaking loads are most easily borne by a braided bowstring. This happens due to the fact that a particle of energy goes into friction between synthetic threads. In order to protect the bowstring from abrasion on the stock, use special linings made of plastic or metal.

DIY crossbow drawings

Follow the download link to create a crossbow.

DIY compound crossbow

Sports crossbow shooting in our country is not as developed as bow shooting. This state of affairs is not due to a lack of interest, but to a banal shortage of small arms equipment. Crossbow sport itself undoubtedly has a lot of advantages. It is a vast field for the discovery and application of a certain kind of talent.

Technical characteristics of a homemade compound crossbow:
Overall length -730 mm;
Overall width - 530 mm;
Shoulder length -300 mm;
Height without sight - 180 mm;
Height with sight - 230 mm;
Weight ~3kg;
Cocking force ~30 kg;
Bowstring stroke - 210 mm;

Sight type - optical only (installed software 3.5x17.5, dovetail mounting brackets).
The material of the shoulders was a spring from a 412 “Muscovite”, cut with a grinder, constantly poured water on it to avoid tempering, simply burned the holes with electric arc welding (the edges didn’t seem to come loose);

The trigger force varies from approximately 1 to 1.8 kg, the trigger operates with a warning, and an increase in force is felt before the shot. Shooting performance (shooting was carried out lying down from a rest indoors at a distance of 25 m in three series of 5 shots, fiberglass arrows, weight 25g, length 300 mm. Triple tail height 8 mm):
- maximum radius from the midpoint of impact is 75 mm.
- maximum diameter between extreme hits is 120 mm.
- the average radius of a 100% hit in three series is 68 mm.

The trigger mechanism “rotary nut with sear”, made from spring scraps, was first annealed (t0 = 8500C red heat, held for 10 minutes and slowly cooled with a furnace) and carried out all metalworking, but left an allowance for processing in the places where it will occur friction, then hardened to approximately 45-46 HRC, (t0=8300C light cherry red heat, holding for 10 minutes) and tempering (t0=2950C bright blue tarnish, air cooling). Then I polished all the rubbing surfaces. The mechanism itself is installed directly into the guide on pins. The springs are made from a folding metal meter.

The stock was cut from solid wood (oak), the base was a 30x180 board, the groove in the center was selected using a jigsaw, a drill and a narrow chisel, the treatment was first done with 10% ferric chloride (gives it a black color), and then varnished, but I don’t like this coating I liked it, it was too slippery in wet or sweaty hands.

I had to sand everything and treat it with a special impregnation (I used Danish Oil, which is used specifically for impregnating wood on knife handles), applied the coating several times until it stopped being absorbed, and then sanded the holding areas with fine sandpaper (~500-100 grit for imported paper).

The size of the butt is adjusted to me personally, so if you repeat it, do it with a margin, and then adjust it. The guide is assembled like a package of duralumin/getinax/duralumin/getinax/duralumin, on M3x35 screws, the central plate comes out from the bottom for fastening with the butt, assembled on M6x30 furniture bolts with a semicircular head, on the opposite side it is attached with nuts (the holes for the nuts on the butt are hexagonal, I burned them out attached to a long rod with several nuts).

The material for the guide was a 30x4 duralumin strip; 8 mm of getinax was taken from the instrument panel of the electrical cabinet. The guide drawing is made with a margin, because during manufacturing, the stroke of the string may differ, so it is first necessary to assemble the bow and measure the stroke of the string, and then drill holes for attaching the deck. The deck is argon welded from an aluminum plate 50x5 (bus from a transformer) and duralumin corners 40x20x4, secured to the guide with two M6x40 bolts .

Fastening the shoulders to the deck through spacers (this is necessary because the shoulders have an initial bend, and the deck is straight) and pressure plates with three M6x25 “furniture” bolts (for one shoulder); The earrings for the blocks are made of steel, like the blocks themselves, the weight of one block is ~65 g, if you make the same ones from aluminum alloys, the weight will be reduced to 25 g, I tried to make blocks by casting them in a sand-clay mold, it generally worked, but they were quickly cut by the cable.

The material was technically pure 99% aluminum, and it was not possible to age the material, so I’m content with steel, and I’m thinking about where to get a duralumin blank of a suitable size (or maybe I’ll try using epoxy plastics). The diameter of the blocks is 46 mm, the eccentricity is 11 mm. The bowstring is made of 3 mm steel rope. in a PVC shell, in places of contact with surfaces, additional layers of heat-shrinkable tubing are put on; I use loops to seal the ends and crimp them in the tube, like a clutch on a motorcycle, and the use of studs is necessary both for initial tension and for subsequent tightening during operation.

The string is attached to the blocks through a pin that is inserted into the central hole, and opposite the hole with a dimer of 8 mm, which is opposite the hole through which the axis of rotation of the block passes, under two holes with a diameter of 3 mm are drilled in the groove of the block through which the cable enters the block and wraps around the pin. The string enters the blocks through holes perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the block, and the loops at the ends are placed on the pin, one loop on the upper part, and the other on the lower part of the pin. It was through these holes that my aluminum blocks were cut.

The stirrup is a fabric belt that is draped around the deck, although a steel one can be attached to the deck, and by making it swivel, it can be used as a bipod when shooting prone or from a rest.

When tensioning, I use a device consisting of a pair of blocks and a rope, when I cock it, the rope is thrown over the butt, and I attach a bowstring to the clips of the blocks and pull the ends of the rope, the gain in strength is twofold, which is quite enough for non-tiring shooting, I took the idea from the book by Yu. IN. Shokarev "History of weapons, bows and crossbows."

A powerful crossbow with your own hands at home. Making a crossbow