Crossbows

Crossbows

A crossbow is 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 firearm. The limbs can be either compound or recurve. The string is pulled back either manually or with a windlass and locked into place. The string remains in this locked position, held through mechanical means until released by a trigger, which launches the arrow. The energy stored in the shortened limbs is comparable to the longbow but packed into a smaller design that is easier to aim. Crossbows shoot quarrels or bolts, which are shorter arrows than those generally used for bows.