Crossbows Description:
Crossbows: History Brief, Specifications & .
 Crossbows are a variation on the general bow design. Instead of the limbs being held vertically, they are mounted horizontally on a stock much like that of a rifle.
 The limb design can either be Compound or a Recurve with several different stock Design features, but the basic concept of firing is the same. The string is pulled back locked into place. The string remains in this locked position, held soley through mechanical means until the energy stored in its limbs is released by a trigger mechanism, which launches the bolt or arrow.
 Crossbows have a much shorter draw length than bows. This means that for the same energy to be imparted to the arrow (or bolt) crossbows have a much higher Draw Weight and will usually require some kind of cocking apperatus to overcome the extra resistance of much stronger bow limbs.

Crossbows History:
 Crossbows of the historical past were invented because they could be kept cocked and ready to shoot for some time with little effort, allowing military crossbowmen to aim better, of the time crossbows had crude sights and at the same time the first sighting systems were created to compensate trajectories.
 The disadvantage of crossbows is the greater weight and clumsiness compared to a bow, as well as the slower rate of fire and the lower efficiency of the acceleration system.
 Some of the arrow-like projectiles of ancient crossbows are called bolts. These are much shorter than arrows, but will be several times heavier. Bolts typically have three fletches, commonly seen on arrows and can be fitted with a variety of arrowheads. Modern crossbows, hunting crossbows, all shoot crossbow arrows.
 Crossbows have had vast improvements made too them over the last 10-20 years in the speed and accuracy departments, here is a look at some earlier model crossbows specifications.

2010 Crossbow Models, Overviews & Specifications:

See all crossbows on Cabela's.