Crossbow Fun Part 3
In the previous posts on this subject (Crossbow Fun Part 1, Crossbow Fun Part 2), and especially the last one, I mentioned this target below, and hinted at what it was for.
This was the first target acquired for the crossbow hobby, and it was not especially for crossbows. It was really to shoot arrows from the Umarex Air Javalin, that shoots arrows using compressed CO2, instead of a bow string. It uses 88 gram CO2 cartridges; or, with an adapter, two 12 gram CO2 cartridges. There also is an adapter that screws onto the front of a 88 gram cartridge that allows removal of the cartridge before it is empty, this saving the remaining gas. It is a AR-style frame with a shoulder stock for stability.
The Air Javelin shoots 170 grain arrows at around 300 feet per second, and can be used on small game, such as foxes, squirrels, rabbits or birds. We use it only for fun target practice, so our rabbits are safe! From our experience, the adapter for the 12 gram cartridges was a bust, as after about a dozen cartridges, it started leaking so became unusable.
In the above image, the CO2 cartridge tip can be seen, and the arrow is actually straight, not bent… The arrows are hollow and are shot by the compressed air pushing it from the front, so are very stable in flight.
The other toy we have fun with is another arrow/bolt crossbow device, but different from the usual crossbow in several ways.
Firstly, it has a crossbow AR-style configuration, with a stock for shoulder bracing. It uses the stock to re-cock the string, rather than manually pulling the string back by hand, or using a cranking device. It also has multiple limb weights available, but comes with a 75-pound limb, good for all-around shooting. The other major difference is it shoots multiple 6-inch bolts held in a 10-round magazine that inserts from the top. This interesting device is the Steambow M10 Tactical Crossbow.
The ten aluminum bolts stack in the magazine and are held in place by the magazine clip until inserted into the crossbow. Each cocking action loads another bolt, ready for firing. This allows very rapid shooting action, but is primarily designed for target shooting fun, not for small game. Other applications may apply. There are less expensive bolts available that will fit into the magazine, but ones with aluminum for the front part and plastic for the rear half are not durable, and the nock portion may break off during the cocking action, thus making the bolt useless. Also, the bolt may separate when pulled from the target, leaving the plastic part in your hand, and the aluminum portion embedded in the target, unable to be removed. That’s not such a good thing as that part will damage any arrow that may hit it during further shooting. So, it’s worthwhile to use the Steambow bolts, as, “You get what you pay for!”
So, that’s it for the crossbow series, as I have exhausted the subject for now. Have a fantastic day, and may God Bless you and yours.