In this post, we’re going to show you how to string a crossbow pistol. Based on it’s more ancient predecessor, the bow and arrow, crossbow technology changed how wars were fought. Wars were won and lost when the crossbow was introduced into Europe from Asia (where they had been used from as early as the 6th Century).
Like any other mechanical device, a crossbow requires regular maintenance. This also applies to the modern crossbow pistol.
A great equalizer
Almost anyone can use today’s version of the bow, namely guns. This trend toward highly-accessible projectile weapons started with the crossbow. No longer did an archer need to be trained from early childhood to be able to fire a projectile accurately over long distances.
With powerful military technology placed into the hands of the common man, the days of the knights were numbered. Though this weapon no longer rules modern theatres of war, the crossbow remains important as the weapon of choice for hunters or marksmen who want to put their skills to the test.
Crossbow pistols
A crossbow pistol may not be the most practical crossbow variant to take on a hunting trip. It is, however, undoubtedly one of the coolest. Today’s crossbow pistols are made from the highest quality materials. These tactical crossbow pistols are works of art in of themselves. As such, it’s important to know how to look after them.
With draw weights approaching 100 lbs, everything needs to be in good working order to ensure the safety of the user. At the end of the day, the best hunters and marksmen are also the safest. That means looking after your weapon and maintaining it regularly.
Changing the string
The string of a crossbow pistol experiences just as much tensile force as the rest of the crossbow. However, it isn’t nearly as strong as the body. This makes the string the weakest link, and the part that needs the most attention. You must change the crossbow string from time to time.
This can be a tricky process, but it’s one that you need to master and be able to do with confidence. If your crossbow is incorrectly strung, whoever ends up using it may have a very bad time indeed.
You can restring a crossbow by yourself, but the process is a lot easier with two people. If you can, call up a buddy who owes you a favor. If you don’t happen to have an assistant on hand, that’s okay! Just follow these steps to ensure your bolt flies true to its intended destination, whether that be small game or a target.
Stringing A Crossbow Pistol
The first thing to do is mount a metal plate in front of the limb between the grunt screw. If you don’t have a metal plate, a penny will do the job. You just need to keep the grunt screw from pushing into the limb itself.
Make sure the caps at the end of the limbs are on nice and tight. You can give them a little tap with a hammer just to be sure. Take a 3 ft long piece of parachute cord (or any heavy duty nylon string) and tie two loops at either end. The loops should be about an inch long, so the cord should be around 24” overall.
Take one end of the crossbow string and fix it to the cap on one of the limbs. Slip one of the loops over that and slide towards the center of the limb a couple of inches. Then, slip the loop at the other end of the cord over the other end of the limb. Thread the crossbow string through this loop.
Placing your foot on the stirrup (just as you would if you were going to draw and cock the crossbow). Pull the cord back towards yourself. The crossbow string can simply be pulled further through the loop and slipped over the cap. Release the tension on the cord slowly and all being well everything will be in place.
Do a final once-over to check everything is secure. A few twangs on the string to see that it sounds like it should and, presto! You are ready to shoot!
Image credit via Flickr Creative Commons: Jeff S.