Hunter's Crossbow This old- power and accuracy of a modern rifle. ¢ weapon has the hitting By E. Milton Grassell HIS crossbow, with all the romance and charm of a medieval weapon, is so power- ful and accurate that it is used extensively for hunting and precision target shooting. It’s a deadly weapon, not a toy, exceptionally fine for hunting rabbits, pheasants, squirrels, and even capable of killing big game like deer, elk, antelope, and cougar when used by one skilled in its handling. Therefore it is most imperative that the crossbow be handled care- fully. Never hold it in a position where it might endanger anyone if fired accidently, and always reckon with the area beyond the target or game in the event you should miss hitting the object aimed at. A similar crossbow would cost from $50 up commercially, but the total cost, if you make it, should not exceed $7.50, providing there are a few scrap hardwood pieces, a dab of lacquer, welding rod and some other common materials around your workshop. Sold on making one? Okay, here's how Mr. Chester Stevenson of Eugene, Ore., makes his most popularly demanded crossbow, and Mechanix Illustrated Photon by Frances H Sebults1. Aller steaming for about 1S minutes, the bow wood is placed in the bending jig which is held against the wood by means of an ordinary C-clamp, 2. The sheot metal strip of the jig keeps the bow wood from splintering while the rev made in the tips, Remove clamp whe 3. When gluing the Fiberglas to the back of the bow, use one-inch rubber strips cut from an old inner tube as clamps 1o hold materials together. 4, Weakest part of the crossbow is at the slot for the bow. To prevent horizontal play. a wedg shaped block is slipped into slot behind the bow. 5, The bow lock plate takes up any possible ver tical play once the lock nuts have been tightened. Ordinary wing-type nuts can be used if desired 6. A precision peop sight for target shooting can be made (see drawing) using only three drills. a hacksaw, and q file. It has two-way adjustments‘The proper method of cocking the crossbow with a bolt in firing position. As shown here, practice cocking without a belt until you acquire skill. eee Se ourer Pare ep Loc remeotces eed wen Clk BUNT wer ee ra HUNTING BOLTS TO 19" TARGET BOUTS 14°10 15 how you, too, can become a jet-age Robin Hood with this powerful weapon. ‘On crossbows, the “barrel” is included in the stock piece.” If you don’t have a hard- wood board about 114x8x36-in., glue scrap pieces together. This works just as well. In fact, the whole design can be modified, providing the draw (14-in, from the back of the bow to the trigger release latch) and the trigger unit are not altered. Follow the drawings and you'll have no trouble mak~ ing any parts of the crossbow. Alter cutting the general contour, a re- cess is chiseled in the stock for the trigger assembly. Between this and the end of the barrel, make a kerf (a bolt groove) approximately ;yx'%-in, deep down the center, Sandpaper is used to make the ¥%-in. chamfer on both edges of the bolt groove, ‘The unique trigger, modified by Mr. Stevenson, will fire the bolt with approxi- mately the same finger pressure used to shoot an ordi- [Continued on page 196] Making bolts is largely a matier of assembling stock items obicined from archery supply houses, Shown hore are: AA—blunt points for small game, BB—target points, CC—big game points. X—shaft, Y—trimmed feathers, and DD— « fully assembled hunting bolt. Meciranix Illustrated