References to the crossbow can be found over 2500 years old in both Chinese and Greek literature. Some of the early crossbows were giant weapons designed to catapult missles against enemy walls. Today crossbows are almost extinct as a military weapon, instead most crossbows are used for either recreational shooting or hunting.

There are two main types of crossbows in production today. The first type is the recurve crossbow. The recurve crossbow has limbs which can be either straight or curved, however the crossbow string anchors directly to the limb ends. This design is hundreds of years old yet even more effective when made out of modern materials such as spring steel or fiberglass. The second type of crossbow is the compound crossbow. At the limb ends wheels (which can be round or oval) are mounted. The crossbow string along with two cables anchor to the wheel instead of the limb tip.

Each crossbow design has advantages and disadvantages when compare to the other. The recurve bow is very simple, it has few parts that can break or go wrong. In addition its strings can easily be replaced in the field if needed unlike the compound crossbow which almost always requires a specialized press for changing strings. The compound crossbow requires much shorter limbs then the recurve crossbow to be effective. This makes for a smaller, easier to handle weapon. Because of the leverage effect produced by the wheels the amount of energy required to hold the bow at full draw is greatly reduced from the peak weight of the draw cycle. This means less weight to be held by the trigger mechanism which helps in keeping trigger pull at a resonable poundage.

A crossbow is a weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles, often called bolts or quarrels. The medieval crossbow was called by many names, most of which derived from the word ballista, a torsion engine resembling a crossbow in appearance.[1]

Crossbow with Scope

NcStar CROSSBOW WITH SCOPE (CS) Features Compact light weight design-fun for all ages! Strong steel cable with brass pulleys Unique rear cocking system Ninety pound draw weight Front and rear sights pous a 3/8"dovetail rail Includes ten long arrows ten short arrows and arrow retrieving kit with string spool & four arrows Specifications Crossbow with 4x20 Scope Weight: 56.60 oz. Manufacturer: NcStar Model Number: CS SKU: NC_CS


Barnett 18028 RC-150 Crossbow Package

The RC-150 features an adjustable rear stock, veloci-speed cam system, synthetic cable system, extended trigger mechanism, quad limb desigh, super lightweight.


80 lbs Cobra Self-Cocking Crossbow Pistol Cross Bow 15 Arrows

YOU ARE LOOKING AT 80 LBS SELF-COCKING COBRA CROSSBOW THAT COMES WITH 15 ARROWS, AND IT'S BRAND NEW. WHY BUY SELF COCKING ? SELF-COCKING ALLOWS YOU TO SHOOT OVER AND OVER FASTER THAN REGULAR ONE.. YOU CAN EASILY LOAD AGAIN WITH YOU HANDS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE MUCH FORCE. WHY BUY ANY OTHER? ITS MUCH FASTER THAN OTHERS..... COMES WITH METAL ARROWS..... WOULDN'T BREAK EASILY... SELF-COCKING FEATURE, SIMPLE AND SAFE WHILE ENSURING PRECISE STRING ALIGNMENT ALUMINUM ALLOY CONSTRUCTION HIGH-TECH FIBERGLASS PROD. "AUTO" SAFETY THAT ENGAGES WHEN COCKING TRACK STYLE FOR GREATER CONTROL AND ACCURACY BOLT RETAINER


80 lbs Pistol Crossbow with Free Pack of Arrows New

ALUMINUM DIECAST BODY ALL OVER FIBER GLASS BOW POLYESTER STRING ALUMINUM ARROW WITH IRON HEAD NI-PLATED SECURITY DEVICE OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE PINPOINT ACCURACY POWERFUL PORTABLE COMES WITH FREE PACK OF ALUMINUM ARROWS 12 IN PACK


Crossbow with Red Dot

NcStar CROSSBOW WITH RED DOT (CD) Features Compact light weight design-fun for all ages! Strong steel cable with brass pulleys Unique rear cocking system Ninety pound draw weight Front and rear sights pous a 3/8"dovetail rail Includes ten long arrows ten short arrows and arrow retrieving kit with string spool & four arrows Specifications Crossbow with Red Dot Weight: 56.20 oz. Manufacturer: NcStar Model Number: CD SKU: NC_CD


Barnett 18071 Quad 400 Crossbow Package

FAST and furious! All NEW Barnett Quad 400 Crossbow delivers a heart-stopping 345 F.P.S. Faster than a teenage boyfriend with a midnight curfew! Barnett has done it again. Born is the top performance Quad 400 Crossbow. Speed. Comfort. Mean looks. And peak performance. It all collides to form cutting edge technology second to none. My heart is pounding. Check the exciting, all new composite stock. Vented parallel quad limb assembly. And the exclusive "Veloci-Speed" high-energy cam system, along with a thumbhole grip. Bottom line... you've got unmatched power at an affordable price! Now available through my special volume buy. Take a closer look: 15.5" power stroke; 150-lb. draw weight; 122 ft. / lbs. of sizzling energy; 345 F.P.S. (is there an echo in here?); 39.63" string length; 5 lb. trigger pull; Machined scope mount with peep sight and sight pins; Synthetic cable system; Measures 37 x 26 3/4" w, weighs a feathery 7 lbs. Don't wait. Be the first to own this techy wonder that the Sheriff of Nottingham could only dream of. Order ONLINE Today! Barnett Quad 400 Crossbow... WARNING: You must be 18 or older to purchase Crossbows. All Crossbows are shipped UPS and require an adult signature upon delivery. Crossbows cannot be shipped to North Carolina, Puerto Rico or Canada. Please check your State, County and City laws for restrictions before ordering Crossbows.


150 Lbs Wood Crossbow with Scope and Pack of Metal Arrows

FEATURES: FIELD TO USE 110 YARDS NOT A TOY...... Safety mechanism Auto safety when cocking ARROWS GO 200+ fps AT 60 YARDS WITH PIN POINT ACCURACY REGULAR CROSSBOW DRAW WEIGHT 150LBS WITH 1 FIBER GLASS BOW 8 ALUMINUM ARROWS AND A SCOPE. THIS IS A HIGH POWER CROSSBOW INTENDED TO BE USED BY THOSE WHO ARE 18 OR OVER.


150 Lbs Crossbow Laser + Scope + 8 Arrows Cross Bow

FEATURES: New and Improved Field to use - 200 yards Safety mechanism Auto safety when cocking Speed in Arrows Travel - up to 220 F/S Draw Weight - 150 lbs Weight - 5.1 lbs Length - 29 1/2 " String Length - 27" Limb/Prod - Compression Molded FiberGlass Barrel Aluminum Not a Toy Very Power Full Will Last you a Long Time. Total Package Includes - 4x20 Scope + 8 Aluminum Arrows + Laser + String + Foot claw + Limb + Rifle + Screws + Instructions