Another crossbow

[stuckinthemud]

Had some fun building a sort of replica crossbow based off an archaeological drawing of a group of finds from Colletieres a Charavines dated to the 1040s. Beautiful little crossbow with a subtly sophisticated design I think most copies have missed, they use the wrong shape trigger, the original used a very upright trigger you push against with your thumb but all the replica I have seen use a flatter shape you squeeze down. The bottom photo shows the trigger in the fired position. This shape allows you to hold the bolt in place with your trigger hand while still gripping the tiller, leaving your other hand better able to support the bow, which was 4 feet long and 1.5 inches thick.  This one isnt, its a garden toy, 30lb draw weight, 33 inch lath 1.5 cm thick but good fun at 50 feet 

[muttley9050]

Nice. What wood did you use?

[stuckinthemud]

Scrappy  bit of apple for the tiller, took a lot to get it squared up and shaped, holly fork for the trigger, walnut sapwood for the bow. 

[Unframed Dave]

Love it, are you making period bolts or using modern? 

[stuckinthemud]

I am trying to go as light as I can while staying 'safe' so I'm using blunts, 12 inch  bamboo shafts, 2 inch feather fletch with a 1 inch brass screw as a screw-in tip.  Not totally happy using blunts think I might end up switching to bullet points