Modern High-Tech Bows and Crossbows?

[Hierax]

Can anyone point to some good information resources on leading edge Modern High-Tech Bows and Crossbows, one that compares them to traditional ones and hopefully even modern firearms?

 

Hero System stats would be a nice bonus but real world articles would be great too.

 

Thanks!

[Gadodel]

Re: Modern High-Tech Bows and Crossbows?

 

Cabelas and Galls might have them in their catalogs, that might be a good place to start.

[Guest Major Tom]

Re: Modern High-Tech Bows and Crossbows?

 

The only modern crossbow that I've ever heard of is the Barnett Commando

crossbow, which is supposedly part of the arsenal of the British SAS, and is

used in the silent sentry-removal role.

 

 

Major Tom

Feuer Frei!

[gewing]

Re: Modern High-Tech Bows and Crossbows?

 

The only modern crossbow that I've ever heard of is the Barnett Commando

crossbow, which is supposedly part of the arsenal of the British SAS, and is

used in the silent sentry-removal role.

 

 

Major Tom

Feuer Frei!

 

 

I'm not sure, they may have quit making it. There are a bunch of companies making modern ones, At the SHOT show last year, I saw one with a winch built into the stock for drawing the bow.

[Hierax]

Re: Modern High-Tech Bows and Crossbows?

 

The British Commando x-bows look to be out of stock.

http://www.xbows.co.uk/

But I just found a North American manufacturer (Excalibur):

http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/

They've got one ("Exomax") that has:

• 225 lb. draw weight vs. the Commando's 150 lb.
  
  
• 355+ FPS! vs. the Commando's 220 ft/sec

What do these kind of numbers mean in comparison to medieval crossbows and modern firearms?

[Lanith]

Re: Modern High-Tech Bows and Crossbows?

 

I can't say anything regarding medieval crossbows or bows, but here's a starting point for modern firearms.

 

http://www.springfield-armory.com/index.shtml

 

You could also try HK, Reuger or any of the other gun makers, most will list bullet speeds for a gun.

 

EDIT: I actually did some looking for myself and had to look at some bullet manufacturers pages to find:

"Rated at 1225 feet per second muzzle" that's for a .45 ACP round. The manufacturer claims this is "High performance" ammunition also, I do not know how this compares to normal rounds.

[Hierax]

Re: Modern High-Tech Bows and Crossbows?

 

Wouldn't the mass of the projectile have some sort of bearing on the force of impact (FxMxA or somesuch) so the heavier but slower arrow/bolt vs. bullet is harder to compare, any idea how to do that?

[gewing]

Re: Modern High-Tech Bows and Crossbows?

 

The British Commando x-bows look to be out of stock.

http://www.xbows.co.uk/

 

 

But I just found a North American manufacturer (Excalibur):

http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/

 

 

They've got one ("Exomax") that has:

• 225 lb. draw weight vs. the Commando's 150 lb.
  
  
• 355+ FPS! vs. the Commando's 220 ft/sec

What do these kind of numbers mean in comparison to medieval crossbows and modern firearms?

 

 

I shot a "commando" when I was about 11. I could charge (damned nannysoftware) it even at that age, despite the 175 lb draw. I still wish they made a stronger, compound version.

 

That might make up for the short limb length of the bow.

[gewing]

Re: Modern High-Tech Bows and Crossbows?

 

Wouldn't the mass of the projectile have some sort of bearing on the force of impact (FxMxA or somesuch) so the heavier but slower arrow/bolt vs. bullet is harder to compare' date=' any idea how to do that?[/quote']

 

 

That is a really difficult determination, we can't even reach agreement on bullets.

 

When you compare the blunt penetration of a bullet to the much more efficient CUTTING penetration of a broadhead...

 

IIRC a 40 lb bow can drive a broadhead through a deer.

 

I hope to see what a 65 lb can do in the next week or so...

[Toadmaster]

Re: Modern High-Tech Bows and Crossbows?

 

Wouldn't the mass of the projectile have some sort of bearing on the force of impact (FxMxA or somesuch) so the heavier but slower arrow/bolt vs. bullet is harder to compare' date=' any idea how to do that?[/quote']

 

 

Well it depends on who you talk too, but in my opinion (and many professional opinions which I base mine on) yes it does and that is one reason I base my damage largely on energy which drives some people crazy (projectile weight x velocity squared), however the actual size of the projectile also plays a large part as a smaller diameter projectile penetrates better (less surface to generate friction), where an arrow really pays off is in its length x diameter ratio, a lead ball is 1-1 (.45" round ball), most pistols 2-1 (.45" diameter, .75"-1" length) and rifles 3-1 (.308" diameter and roughly 1" length), an arrow is likely 90-1 (.36" or so diameter and a 28-32" shaft length) so it has a lot of mass behind a small point. I am pretty sure a broad head makes the already fairly small diameter (8-9mm?) even smaller.

 

If you compare the weight of a bullet (typically 100-250 grains to an arrow 300-500 grains you start to see why bows can still be pretty effective despite their fairly slow velocity.

 

You can't really just take the formula for a gun and apply it to an arrow but the same principles should apply, its just finding the right adjustments to take into account the fact an arrow leaves a long shaft in the target instead of just a little piece of metal.

 

Here are some websites that might help

 

http://www.huntersfriend.com/arrowhelp/arrow-selection-5.htm

 

http://www.bowsite.com/bowsite/features/practical_bowhunter/penetration/index.cfm

[Barton]

Re: Modern High-Tech Bows and Crossbows?

 

I can't say anything regarding medieval crossbows or bows, but here's a starting point for modern firearms.

 

http://www.springfield-armory.com/index.shtml

 

You could also try HK, Reuger or any of the other gun makers, most will list bullet speeds for a gun.

 

EDIT: I actually did some looking for myself and had to look at some bullet manufacturers pages to find:

"Rated at 1225 feet per second muzzle" that's for a .45 ACP round. The manufacturer claims this is "High performance" ammunition also, I do not know how this compares to normal rounds.

The first military spec for the .45 ACP was 230grain (7000grains/lb) ball (or rounded) bullet at 930ft/sec. 1225ft/sec is what I would call .45ACP+ ammo. Most ammo that I purchase for my Thompson or my wife's Kimber 1911 is around 1000ft/sec. We make our own ammo and prefer under 800ft/sec for target practice.