Now a very popular weapon is a crossbow. Despite the complexity, a crossbow can be made at home. In ancient times, it was used as a formidable weapon. Now the crossbow is used in sports at shooting ranges at short and medium distances. Nowadays, you can buy everything, including a crossbow. But it is much more interesting to do it yourself. For those who are skilled, know how to use machines and tools, this will not be a big deal.

Earlier we described how to do it, if you are interested, take a look.

For a crossbow, we need a wooden blank and iron.

A wooden blank is cut to such dimensions.

We take a spring plate measuring 650 × 100 × 8. Cut off the excess with an angle grinder. In we make an arc with a size of 35 mm - this is in the middle and with edges of 18 mm.

With an emery machine, we reduce the edges from the middle to the edge, reaching up to 5 millimeters in thickness. We pull a steel dart onto the arc (you can use a cable). We firmly fix. In order not to interfere with the arc to bend exactly in the middle, we put a wooden round timber. Simultaneously with the tension, we look at the stresses and the tension gap.

These dimensions are the basis of our work on making a crossbow at home.

We cut the iron billet and get the part that will be the main one in our crossbow-hook, it is also called the “cat”.

To make a lock, we need a trigger and a sear. On top of the axis we make a hole into which the bolt of the strip spring should fall, which fixes the pin from moving

Next, we will make the lock and the case.

We carefully measure and make holes for the pins.

Then we make protection for the trigger and measure it to a wooden base.

Cut out a hole for the lock.

We insert the lock

We fix the whole. We make a "dovetail" and solder an aiming device to it. Depending on the heating temperature during burnishing, this can be done with POS or PSR.

It is necessary to drill holes in the arch, this must be done with a victorious drill. All this is necessary for fastening the clamps.

We sharpen the rollers to the required dimensions.

We cut the clamps to the size we need and then we fix the clamp to the arc of the crossbow.

Making stirrups

I clamp the bowstring (cable) with a vise. Tip, do not try to rivet, you need to squeeze!

In the process of manufacturing.

Detail made.

We make an opening for the guide from a wooden blank

We glue the metal bar in the form of a groove.

With the help of cutters and chisels on wood, we make a butt.

The crossbow belongs to small arms. The principle of shooting is similar to archery. Nowadays, crossbow shooting is a fairly popular sport. But the cost of a crossbow starts from a few tens of dollars. Therefore, many adherents of the crossbow try to make it with their own hands, at home.

Pull it only if you need to. Wilbur shook his head, grinning. "I think soon one of us can tell you more, you don't have to talk like a hunter." "Hope so". Mia took the crossbow and the tremble and walked over to the small alcove at the back of the room where her bed lay. When she returned, Wilbur had already cleared the bowls.

Even if you do it just for me. "Now don't think about anything." Mia chuckled at him, ignoring the suffocating feeling in her stomach. Wilbur got up. You will see. The church will send help. Or, if you decide to write this letter, your father will be back soon.

Consider what components the crossbow consists of:

• Bed;
• Trigger mechanism;
• bowstring;
• Arrows or bolts.

What do you need to make a crossbow out of wood with your own hands?

Minimum set of tools:

• Very sharp knife;
• Drill;
• Bulgarian with a disk for wood or a regular hacksaw;
• A hammer;
• Plane;
• Chisel.

To craft a crossbow, you need a piece of wood. The tree is desirable to take:

"If there". Mia couldn't help herself. Wilbur accepted her remark gratefully. "I hope my father will do everything to protect us." Wilbur looked at her seriously. Mia walked over to him until her nasal tips were almost touching. She then placed her hand on his forehead and gave him a gentle push.

Wilbur laughed in surprise as he stumbled backwards. Wilbur grinned and waved his hand before turning around and leaving the hut. Mia went to the door and watched him disappear at night. It was the right answer to his stupid face. The serenity of this evening did not last long. The days were weeks that were cold and overcast. As winter approached, the mist extended its gray arms farther and farther from the lake to reach the village before the weak sun could carry it back to the shore.

• hazel,
• ash,
• poplar.

You can also use birch or oak. The wood of these trees is more resistant to moisture, viscous, does not splinter and is beautiful. The wooden blank should be about 900 mm long and 30 mm thick. Coniferous wood must not be used.

To make a crossbow, the wood must be properly prepared. Only from the “correct” wood will the crossbow shoot for a long time with great power. Having cut a tree trunk or a branch of the required length and thickness, the saw cuts must be painted over. This is done so that the moisture from the wood comes out gradually, and, consequently, the wood will dry more slowly and evenly. Clogged branches will be laid away from sunlight. They stay like that for about a year. A year later, the bark is removed from the blanks, and it dries for another week. And only after all these procedures have been completed, the branch is sawn lengthwise, and they begin to manufacture a crossbow. From the two parts of the branch, they take the northern one, guided by the annual rings. On this side, the fibers lie closer to each other, which means that the material will be stronger.

On a cold morning, he even made it to Mia's cabin on the hill. Mia kept her crossbow near her bed at night and took her time to practice her safety. During all this time there was no church huntsman. Soon the merchants' carts were completely lost, and more and more fishermen were squeezed, moaning and whispering around the market place. Mia gave in and wrote to her father. Ten projects crushed her before sending a brief and formal request for help.

Not long after this, Postreiter did not return to the village. Within two days, the story that Gitrog ate from rumor to narration became fact. Mia thought that the poor fellow didn't want to make the difficult trip to some remote village before the cold. He probably decided instead to spend the winter in Durnau.

photo.correctly carved tree for a crossbow

On the board, draw the shape of the future base and cut it out with a grinder or a hacksaw. Make a groove for the arrow on top. On one side, a groove is cut to secure the arc. If knots or chips appear during work, they must be processed with a sharp knife, and then with sandpaper.

However, there were many rumors about Gitrog, for which Mia did not find such a simple explanation. Three more sheep disappeared before the first snowfall. Every time the fence was destroyed in a different place - as if someone was trying to use the resilience of his horse. Or, as Mia reminded herself, the frightened sheep had simply broken through at various points along the fence. The last time she heard that the fence had burst at night, but when she ran out of the hut, crossbow in hand, there was nothing to be found but split wood and a distressed bleat.

After that, she finally intervened to ask a local carpenter to help her strengthen her horse's fence and pay off the money her father left her. Although she hated spending something she didn't deserve herself, she knew she was lucky to have such a nest egg. The fishermen, who have been driven from the lake since the start of the season, have struggled to find a livelihood with the snow. Many trusted their neighbors' willingness to help, but the village's sparse fields barely provided enough food for everyone. The number of battles in the village administration has increased.

The second step is to make the arc. For her, take a board with a thickness of 20 mm, and a length of at least 750 mm. The board must be taken even, without knots. The board must be well dried, kept for several days, and only then trimmed. The width of the arc is approximately 40 mm in the middle, towards the edges its width decreases to 15 mm.

The curses on Githrog grew louder. More and more villages retired early and early in the evening to their homes, shutting their doors and nailing down their windows as the stubborn fog grew thicker and denser than ever before. Wilbur seemed to be right when he thought his father was going to do something. As the winter became more severe, armed men and women began patrolling the streets. Some carried torches and blades, but many carried only a dung fork or a butcher's knife. They always wore heavy coats, the hood of which was drawn deep into their faces - on the one hand, as protection from the cold, but also as a uniform.

photo.string of a homemade crossbow

An arc for a powerful crossbow can be made from a UAZ car spring petal. Using a grinder, cut an arc out of the spring. Its dimensions are as follows: length 850 mm, width from the ends to 15 mm, and in the middle 30 mm. Next, using a whetstone, bring the thickness to 8 mm in the center and 4 mm on the periphery. Drill holes for fastening with a drill bit

Mia didn't know what the baker should do with the Bread Knife against Gitrog. It gnawed at her until one afternoon she made the mistake of asking Wilbur for it. "We'll be careful and alert when we see something." Wilbur looked irritated, his lanky design dripping with moisture from the rain.

"I'm just wondering if it's actually useful." Mia wondered why he refused to take off his coat and boots. "Some of us have to worry about something else." Wilbur crossed his arms over his chest, and Mia thought as he overhead. Do you need to walk around and swing your fishing rod to protect people? The words were already there before her heart begged her, but please be silent.

We are preparing a groove for the arc. We make a hole for fastening from a rope, at a distance of 100 mm from the cut groove for the arc. We insert the arc into the groove, and fix it with a rope. Or you can make a metal frame that will cover both the stock and the bow. The next step is to fasten the bowstring to the ends of the arc, using pre-made incisions for this. Stretch the string as you would when shooting. Thus, we will find the most distant point. After that, we determine the optimal size of the crossbow, which is equal in length to your forearm.

You have only a superficial understanding of what we are doing to protect the village and keep the people alive, and everything you do is derisive. The truth in his words scraped her off like sandpaper on her heart, leaving her bloody and shattered.

"Why are you still here, Mia?" Mia looked at the stern line of her mouth, at her wrinkled forehead and cold, questioning eyes. Her stomach rumbled with laughter of anger and sadness as her throat burned. Wilbur continued, "Why didn't you show up at Shields headquarters to take the test and leave us like your father did?"

We will make a bowstring from lavsan or fastflight. You can use thin wire. Wind the threads stretched between two nails, and at the ends we make loops for putting on.

Threads are wound up to a thickness of 5 mm. Then, without removing the threads from the studs, we wrap the threads once so that they are tight to each other. After that, at the first carnation, we collect both halves of the bowstring, and again tightly wrap it up to the second nail. As a result, we got a bowstring with loops at the ends. The middle part of the bowstring must be wrapped very carefully, since a very large friction force acts on this part. The cut threads must be well coated with glue so that all the threads are monolithic. We stretch the bowstring with a stirrup made of wire. Having fixed the bowstring, we adjust the degree of its tension. If the bowstring is too thick, then the strength of the shot decreases, and if it is too thin, it will break. Therefore, you need to make a bowstring of medium thickness. You can make a bowstring in the likeness of sports models.

Wilbur laughed, and Mia's heart sank. She had never heard of him and she was full of joy and dagger. You knew there would be snow before your birthday. You knew that after that, the passage would go through the passage. If you really wanted to take the exam, you would have already gone. His words were as cold and biting as the cluttering cold air. You are afraid. Be afraid that you can no longer remember all these rules and play you.

Mia grabbed a bundle of wool and threw it at him. Take it. Wilbur reached for the cat on his belt, but Mia pushed him hard. I said, "Get out of here!" Keep your father's money. "You mean you don't need it." It was her fault that he knew exactly how to hurt her.

photo.crossbow trigger

An important step is necessary to make a homemade powerful crossbow

And so, we came to the most critical node of our design. We will make the trigger mechanism of the crossbow. It will be a pin type lock. To do this, drill a through hole in the place of maximum tension of the bowstring. Make a transverse recess in the upper part of the bed. The next step is to fix the lever at the bottom of the crossbow. The axis is made of wood, and fastened with wire.

Wilbur turned around with the wool under his arm and tossed the purse behind him as he stepped through the threshold. Coins fell out and spread across the floor. Despite the cold, she was sweating. This was the third time today that she had to change the water for her sheep and break the ice that had formed in the Trgen River. In addition, all the other assignments and homework that she had to do, she barely had time to breathe. The sun was already sinking below the horizon, throwing a few last faint rays into a sky filled with lead clouds.

The wind howled as she returned to her hut and dragged her through her cloak into the marrow. At least it's not snow, she thought. Two hours later, she was looking out the window as a white whirlwind slowly enveloped the landscape. What a fitting end to a cold and miserable birthday.

Another type of trigger is called a walnut. It consists of a cylinder that freely rotates around its axis. On one side it has hooks for the bowstring, and on the other side, an L-shaped trigger rest. If the power of the crossbow is up to 30 kg, the cylinder can be made of wood, and with a power of over 30 kg it must be made of metal. Make the "nut" that will hold the bowstring out of a piece of iron without welding to make it stronger.

She hoped to get into the village, hoping to find her way to Wilber's house. They didn't talk to each other after their fight. The passage of time weighed heavily with each passing day, maintaining the silence between them and widening the gap that now separated them. Although she has little hope, she believed that her birthday might have forced Wilbur to visit her, as he always did.

She sighed and pressed her forehead against the windowpane. She didn't know when she left. She only knew that something had triggered her some time later. The fire had been burned to warm glowing embers, and outside the pale moonlight outlined the landscape as sharply as with scissors. The storm was clear and the stars sparkled in the sky. But why did she wake up?

We fix the bed and the lever with ropes so that the lever moves with minimal friction.

For an arrow, the groove should be located from the top hole of the lock to the leading edge. The depth of the chute is equal to a quarter of the diameter of the boom.

The wooden crossbow is ready. Now let's work on the details. First, we will process all the details with sandpaper. After that, they can be coated with protein mixed with water. Then check how the lock works. Make sure the mechanism is as strong as possible.

There was a loud explosion in front of the hut. Mia shuddered and with a furious heart. She listened and looked into the silvery semi-darkness - all feelings were sharpened, thoughts were delirious. She took a deep breath and leaned back. Her head rested sleepily on her hand again. It was probably only a frozen tree as its resin expanded in the cold.

Suddenly, Mia jumped up, reached for her crossbow, flung herself on her cloak and ran outside, fear and terror lying around her like bands of iron. The sound did not frighten her. Silence followed. Without bleating, the sheep was afraid. Even when she ran out into the snow, she didn't hear anything. She held the crossbow ready to fire and slowly approached her, getting closer to the handle.

To give the crossbow beauty, open the wooden parts with stain and varnish, and the metal ones with black paint.

Now let's move on to the arrows. You can also make them yourself. To do this, you can make blanks from a regular board. Then these blanks must be carefully planed. Wood is recommended to choose light. In the manufacture of the tip, nails should not be driven in, since if it hits the target, the arrow may split.

The sight of her suggested to her the frozen blood in her veins. The entire side of the horse was in ruins, the fence poles were torn off the ground. Scattered boards lay in the snow, and as she still watched, one of the supporting posts in the dugout, whose trump card had collapsed. Mea approached slowly, still excited and hopeful even though she already knew what she was expecting. When she stepped cautiously, her fears were confirmed.

Not a single sheep is visible. Instead, blood and viscera covered the ground and smeared the few remaining boards. A cold wind blew through the wreckage, and the biting smell of innards hit her. The crossbow fell to the ground as she pressed the sleeves of her coat against her mouth and tried to calm her stomach.

We examined the method of making a conventional "medieval" crossbow.

The crossbow is blocky. It can also be made at home. It is made of fiberglass, 10 mm thick.

First, fiberglass shoulders are made. To do this, you need to cut from 30 to 40 strips of fiberglass or Kevlar. Glue them together with epoxy glue and lay under a press until completely dry. After 24 hours or more, these structures must be leveled and well cleaned.

As she caught herself again, the strange shape of the snow caught her attention. She cursed that she hadn't brought the torch and moved slightly to the side to move her shadow. Bright moonlight fell on a huge footprint in the fresh snow. The imprint looked like a large foot with floating pools and three claw-like spikes at one end. As she looked down at the pencil, she saw further impressions of that sight between the sanding marks and the bloodshed.

Mia's heartbeat roared in her ears as she stared into the distance. A wide trail of tracks and thirteen prints led from the pen to the forest by the lake. Fraud threatened to take over. He ate her herd. And that meant he was far enough away from the lake. And that meant he was probably in the village too! She should have told Wilbur. She had to apologize. She started with her boots crunching in the snow on her march to the dim lights in the distance when a stubborn voice in her head stopped her.

photo mount homemade crossbow

The bed, as in the previous case, is made of wood.

Blocks are made of aluminium. Better if they are on bearings. Great for this purpose, the middle parts of the wheels for roller skates. Axes for them need to be taken with a diameter of 5 mm. They can also be taken from skates. Fasteners are made of steel or other durable material. If, when making the shoulders, the ends are made thicker, fastenings are not necessary. The next step is to install a trigger mechanism with a trigger and an arrow holder on the crossbow. All this is connected with bolts and washers. In block-type crossbows, the bowstring is somewhat longer and stretched differently. It seems to cross, and the arrow flies with redoubled energy. A thin cable is used as a bowstring, which can withstand sharp pressure when fired.

If the threat from the monster, and not from the person, is guaranteed, the hunter must follow the monster and render it harmless. Keep him away from villages and cities - avoid the panic and chaos of frightened innocent people. Mia stood there, her breath frozen to pale clouds as she was torn to the point of what she was supposed to be doing. Surely she couldn't handle something like a Jitrog. In order not to warn the village, she seemed incredibly stupid. She had to talk to Wilburg, or rather her father.

Kalim and the elders knew what to do. But could they help her? And even if: what could they do? The gaze of bakers and peasants armed with bread-knives and marbles appeared before their inner eyes. Mia looked at the crossbow in her hand. The silver shone in the moonlight. She ran her fingers over the runes engraved on the side. She reached up to her hip and placed her hand on the handle of a long dagger. The familiar blade was used much more often than knives, but its cutting edge of cold wrought iron was meant to slay ghosts and witches.

Read how:

In order to conduct aimed shooting from a do-it-yourself crossbow at home, you need to adjust the stock. It must be adjusted taking into account the trajectory of the arrow flight. The bed should be at an angle of 5-6 degrees. Better yet, decide on the firing distance and shoot the crossbow made, after each series of shots, changing the angle of the stock.

photo. homemade wooden crossbow

The trigger mechanism can be anything, but so that it does not work prematurely, under the force of the bowstring. The string should, after the shot, return close to the bed, but without much friction.

Video instruction on how to make arrows for a crossbow

Video instruction on how to make a toy crossbow

One of the most popular types of small arms is the crossbow. And although hunting with such a device is prohibited in our country, there are still many who want to acquire such a “toy” in order to shoot at targets. At the moment, you can buy such weapons on many sites or in stores, but such a purchase will be very expensive. It is much more profitable to make a crossbow with your own hands at home, and you will find out what is required for this.

Training

To date, there are many varieties of this sporting weapon. First of all, these are classic models familiar to us from historical films and block crossbows - modern weapons equipped with complex mechanisms. The last option to create houses will be quite difficult, so let's focus on the classic.

What parts does a crossbow consist of:

• Trigger mechanism;
• bowstring;
• Crossbow stock;
• Bolts and arrows.

Making a crossbow at home will be much easier if you immediately stock up on all the necessary materials and tools. For this you will need:

• Well sharpened knife;
• A hammer;
• Drill or brace;
• An ordinary hacksaw, which can be replaced with a grinder with a wood disk;
• Plane;
• Chisel.

How to make a crossbow with your own hands

In addition to the tools, you will need a piece of wood 900mm long and 30mm thick to make this ranged weapon. In this case, fit:

• ash;
• hazel;
• poplar.
• Birch.

First of all, you need to prepare a wooden blank. To do this, cut the branch of the desired size and paint over the cuts. This is necessary so that the liquid from the wood comes out slowly and evenly. Please note that the wood must lie in a dark place for at least a year, only in this case the weapon will shoot with special power. After that, the bark is removed from the workpiece and left to dry for another week. Further, the log is sawn into two parts and from the northern - the most durable, they make the actual crossbow.

Draw the stock of the weapon on the board and cut it out with a hacksaw or grinder, then make a small arrow chute on the top of the workpiece. From the front side, cut a groove in which you will fix the arc. If knots or chips appear on the bed during the process, then remove them with a knife and treat the place with sandpaper.

How to make an arc

This part will require a flat board with a length of at least 750 mm and a width of 200 mm, a thickness of 60 mm. We dry the workpiece well and withstand several days, and equalize it. The width of the part in the middle is 40 cm, and narrows at the edges to 15 cm.

At a distance of 100 mm from the cut groove for this part, we create a through hole through which we stretch the rope - it will become the main fixator for the crossbow arc. Then we insert the part into the groove and firmly fasten it with a rope, as shown in the lower figure.

This detail plays a rather significant role in the "lethality" of the weapon, and to create it you will need the following materials:

• kapron threads;
• wooden plank;
• two nails without a hat;
• rubber glue.

First of all, you need to make a special machine for weaving this part: take a rope and measure the length of the bowstring. After that, saw off a board with dimensions slightly larger than this parameter. Next, mark the length of the string on the board and drill two holes in these places - this is where you need to insert your nails.

Take a thread, tie it to one of the nails, and leave a margin equal to the length of the bowstring. After that, start wrapping the threads evenly around the nails (lavsan ones are best). Continue this process until the base of the string reaches 5mm. To do this, you need to make 5-6 full turns. Try to keep the threads evenly stretched.

Next, wrap the base several times near the nails on both sides with wrapping material. This will give you loops at the ends. You can understand how to do this from the diagram above. Don't forget to wind the middle of the bowstring, because this part suffers a lot from friction. Tie the cut ends of the threads with a marine knot and grease well with glue so that the whole structure is strong. After that, you can pull the bowstring on the arc and adjust the degree of its tension.

How to make a trigger

The simplest option would be a pin-type lock, which we will choose for our weapons. Pull the bowstring to the maximum distance and drill a through hole in this place. Also make a small transverse recess in the upper part of the crossbow bed. Now fasten the lever at the bottom of the part. Make a wooden axle and secure it with wire.

Fix the stock and lever with ropes so that the latter moves with maximum friction. The depth of the “ammunition” groove should be equal to 1/4 of the volume of the arrow, and this recess must be “cut through” from the top of the lock to the front edge of the crossbow.

How to make arrows

In order to get ammunition for your small arms, it is not necessary to run to a sports store, because they can be easily made at home. To do this, you will need several ordinary wooden blanks that need to be well planed and processed with fine sandpaper. For arrows, it is better to choose light woods, in which case the shooting will be more accurate. As for the tip, if you don’t have special ones, then sharpen the tip of the arrow - it will be quite possible to shoot at targets with such ammunition. You should not drive nails into the head, because in this case there is an increased chance that the arrow will be able to split when it hits the target.

Be that as it may, you should remember that in our country shooting from crossbows is equated with the use of firearms. So if you want to make such a device, then in no case do not use it for its intended purpose. Treat the crossbow as a beautiful souvenir, and then there will be no claims from the law against you.

The crossbow is one of the inventions that changed history. Prior to its invention, an archer needed to train for many years before becoming an effective warrior. With a crossbow, even the average peasant could be a soldier. In addition, by using a cocking mechanism, cross force is no longer a limiting factor.

Here is my instruction on how to make a wooden crossbow with photos and drawings.

Be careful because the crossbow can kill or injure you, your dog, etc.

Step 1: Crossbow Bow

All you need is to decide on the size.

The overall length is 125 cm with a width of 6.5 cm in the center, tapering to 1.25 cm at the edges. The thickness is 1.1 cm.

I made the fasteners for the bowstring from hardwood pins.

I also covered the arc with denim. I just put a piece of jeans and soaked it in glue, rolled it out with a rolling pin.

Step 2: Crossbow Stock

The stock was modeled in ProE. In fact, these are two rectangles - one 7.5 x 50 cm 14 x 37 cm, the other 14 x 37 cm.

Take the measurements from the picture and cut two pieces out of 2cm plywood (I used plywood because I had it on hand).

Once the two parts are ready, they are connected to each other with wood screws because they will need to be taken apart several times.

Now it will be useful to use a planer to align the top edges of the two pieces. If you don't have a planer (I didn't), screw the stock to the board and level the edges with a saw. The top edges must be flat and even.

Step 3: Trigger

1. Break the box into two parts.
2. Work on the inside of one of the pieces.
3. Measure 50 cm from the longest part, and then go down 5 mm. This will be the center of the circle. Using a compass, draw a circle with a diameter of 4 cm.

Draw a line from the bottom of the 6mm circle, then drop this line down to the end of the stock. Make an orthogonal line from the end of the line inside the circle to the end of the stock.

Inside this area will be your trigger. You can see in the picture where I sketched out the lines to mark the hole.

The hole is the pivot point for the hook.

Step 4: Trigger Continuation

Here I used a wood router to cut the wood 6mm deep. Subsequently, I put a sheet of paper on the cutout and made a contour to transfer this cutout to the second part of the stock. At this point, it is important to drill a hole in the center of the circle, as your marks will be inside after assembly.

Step 5: Assembling the Crossbow Stock

Glue and screw the two parts of the stock together, being careful not to get glue on the trigger. Attach a 0.5 cm piece of hard wood to the top of the stock, I used maple. After the glue has dried, use a hole saw to make a 4cm hole where the trigger will be.

Then use a grinder or sandpaper to remove the burrs.

Step 6: Nut

The nut will hold the string when the crossbow is cocked. It must be strong and strong. I made a nut out of red oak plywood and glued the layers together with epoxy. Honestly, five layers is not enough, and here you can try better.

In any case, once the stock of the crossbow has dried, you need to insert the nut into the hole.

The width of the nut should be the same as the width of the stock.

The bottom half of the nut is cut off to make the trigger. The top half is cut in half to make notches that will hold the bowstring. An additional incision is also made so that the arrow can come into contact with the bowstring.

The nut will be held in place with blocks on both sides.

Step 7: Trigger

You need to take a sheet of paper on which you marked the cutout on the bed. This will help determine where the trigger will sit.

The top edge of the trigger should be straight. Just make the hook strong enough and small enough to support the weight of the crossbow and make the nut spin.

I used a piece of hardwood plywood. This is a bad choice as it crumbles. To fix this, I reinforced the piece with a carpet nail.

Once you've made the trigger the same as in the photo, finish drilling the pivot hole and make sure the hook can rotate.

Step 8: Attaching the Crossbow Bow

To make it easier to attach, I use a bolt that goes through the bow into the stock and secure with a nut hidden in the cross.

Step 9: String

I made a hemp string with 16 strands 122 cm long. This is not a very good string, but for the first time it will do.

Step 10: Conclusion

A wooden crossbow made with your own hands is ready, what remains to be done?

• Since it's plywood, I'll probably paint the crossbow.
• There are no security mechanisms.
• Front sight to shoot straight.
• Make an arrow holder, if you tilt the crossbow, the arrow will fall out.
• The thread needs to be done better.
• Various fasteners.
• I measured the kinetic energy. The shot gives an energy of 28 J, which is below the recommended minimum of 33 J for hunting, so you need to make a stronger crossbow.

The crossbow was invented by the Romans many centuries ago. Later, it was no longer used in battles, but after seven hundred years, the Europeans returned the weapon to use, having modernized it well. You can try yourself in the role of a warrior now. If it is not possible to buy expensive weapons, then we will please you. A simple crossbow can be made with your own hands at home.

A handmade homemade crossbow is made of wood, paper or metal. It all depends on what is at hand at home, and what you will use it for.

There are recommendations on how to easily assemble a block, spring, toy and repeating crossbow yourself, using step-by-step instructions and simple diagrams. Therefore, everyone has the opportunity to use the assassin's hidden weapon or arrange a battle with colleagues using a small wrist office crossbow made of cardboard.

The history of the appearance of the crossbow

The main advantage of a block or simple crossbow compared to a bow is that there is no need for training or special skills. There is no need to use force to aim. Due to the levers, the device helps to cope with the bowstring.

In past centuries, many officials and rulers considered the possession of these weapons a dangerous undertaking, as they were afraid of rebellion. Therefore, the "Gun Control Order" was soon issued, when crossbows were banned throughout Europe. But after the outbreak of hostilities with the Turks, the decision was canceled. Richard the Lionheart made it a staple in the equipment of his warriors.

Making a crossbow yourself is not so easy, but it is possible if you have the basic skills of a designer, blueprints and a few power tools. You are required to comply with safety regulations, since you still create weapons. Therefore, it should not be directed at people, as well as given to small children.

Now you will no longer need medieval spare parts in the form of bundles of animals or special fibers, improvised materials will do. But this is enough to shoot at cans or bottles.

How to make a crossbow out of wood

A wooden shooting crossbow made of PVC or block-type plywood is the most famous option.

Manufacturing instructions:

• take a bar of wood, which will be the base, fasten a metal plate or corners at the end;
• take another block, smaller in size (width about 5 cm, thickness - 2 cm), make holes on the sides, install at the base, 10 cm from the edge;
• in two plates of 15 cm in the middle, make fasteners for the springs, make a hole at the edge to install the shoulders to the base;
• on the other side of the plate, make holes for a roller that is sold in any market. Repeat these steps with the other plank;
• attach the shoulders to the base;
• use small spring springs (they act as a return mechanism), attaching one end to the shoulders and the other to the steel plate;
• install rollers on the edges of the smaller beam, fix the part at the base;
• create two organic glass guides;
• build a trigger from clothespins, rubber bands or something more powerful;
• paint the device and put the stock in a suitable place for the hand.

How to make a paper crossbow? Even easier!

Making a paper crossbow out of cardboard that also shoots is as easy as shelling pears. Paper weapons shoot arrows from pencils, pens, matches, Lego skewers or rulers. In general, everything that is light in weight and looks like real arrows. For manufacturing you will need:

• 12-18 sheets of paper;
• three spatulas or ice cream sticks;
• threads;
• scissors;
• pencil;
• paper knife;
• scotch.

Step-by-step instruction:

• fold five sheets in half;
• unbend and cut at the fold;
• wind the halves on a pencil and secure with tape;
• put a mark on a stick (spatula) and on a 4 cm tube;
• insert the spatula to the mark, then break off;
• wrap the tube with tape for strength;
• bend the sides of the crossbow;
• take five sheets of paper and wrap around a pencil;
• attach to the side tube;
• fasten the bowstring, pull it and make a mark at the limit point;
• make a hole for the hook;
• make a hook from a piece of stick and fix it in the hole;
• cut one sheet in half, twist the tubes and fix in the descent area;
• make another 5 cm tube, insert into the front (it will be a guide).

How to make a mini crossbow for a child

A small children's crossbow will be an unusual gift for a child. The power is small, since the bowstring will be a simple elastic band. This will require a minimum of materials. It is done like this:

• you need to connect three small boards to each other;
• make shoulders out of metal and secure with screws;
• cut off the grasping part from the clothespin;
• the handle can be taken from a ski pole and installed with glue;
• you can make a couple more shoulders for rubber bands, for this, bearings that are mounted on a common plate are suitable;
• for the pusher, a small piece of wood is taken, which is driven under the clothespin;
• a groove is made for fastening the bowstring;
• a bowstring is created from a strong elastic band;
• for the trigger, it is enough to take a spare part from a children's pistol, attach a metal part to it;
• connect the shoulders and the base;
• attach the trigger with a screw;
• fasten the elastic;
• fasten the sight, if desired.

How to make a powerful crossbow for hunting or fishing

To create a real military weapon for hunting or fishing, more serious details and schemes will be required. What are the shoulders made of? Take a metal arc, make a bed of wood, a bowstring of elastic synthetic fibers.

The mechanism and fasteners from bolts are the most difficult, only those who know how to work with metal can do it. But you can order the necessary spare parts in the workshop according to the drawings, and then assemble all the houses. But bolts and a nod are easily made of wood or plastic, arrows with tips are made of wood or iron rods.

Not everyone can assemble a hunting or underwater crossbow. Therefore, it is better to entrust the work to the master in order to be sure of the result.

How to make a crossbow

Throwing-type long-range weapons are often not subject to prohibitions and regulatory documents. However, "wild" cans and bottles are not the only possible target for hunting.

Therefore, let's look at how to make a crossbow at home.

Step by step instructions on how to make a crossbow

Between firearms and throwing, between slingshot and sniper - there is an inverted bow - an elegant long-range weapon within 250 meters. Penetration is within the limits allowed by the constitution of the Russian Federation (Figure 1).

The law does not consider this type of hunting tool as cold or firearms. The only restriction is as follows: a crossbow made from improvised materials should not have a shoulder tension force of more than 43 kilograms. After overcoming this mark, the master is likely to meet with the outfit of the guardians of the law. Consider this point before you make a crossbow with your own hands.

In general, this is a relatively accurate, reliable, cheap to manufacture and, due to the specifics of the design, an absolutely quiet weapon. An excellent tool for quiet hunting or defending land rights. Historically, this invention dates back to the 5th century BC. Contrary to popular belief, it did not replace the bow, but complemented existing tactical solutions. Learning to shoot from a device is simple: just pick it up at least once. It looks like a gun with a trigger - cock and shoot. True, then you should pull the rope over a new one, and put the bolt in the stock, but this is only practice.

Modern models have the following mechanisms for cocking the bowstring into a combat position:

1. Manual: you in normal mode, without the use of mechanical devices, insert your foot into a special pedal located in front of the arch (or stand with both feet on the arch, resting it on the ground) and pull the string to the stop, passing it through the locking mechanism.
2. Mechanical: the design of a gear and a toothed rod (pump loader, auto-reload, etc.) is built into the crossbow, which pulls the bowstring instead of the shooter. True, you still need to apply force and rotate / twist / move the levers / handles, but to a lesser extent.
3. Outlandish-archaic: breaking, rotating or folding vertical frame. Facilitated process of setting the bowstring.

Figure 1. Crossbow - a very unusual type of weapon

Both subspecies - both manual and mechanical - can be implemented with your own hands, but for the sake of simplicity of narration, we will skip the complexities of the second method and talk about the first.

The scheme of a crossbow made of wood is known, well studied and amenable to modernization. Given the specifics of the simplicity of design, the crossbow was chosen by artisans and craftsmen. Do-it-yourself drawing of a crossbow does not involve significant technical bells and whistles. Therefore, its manufacture does not require narrow-profile qualifications or specific tools. The main thing is the correct selection of materials, verified processing of parts and consistent assembly of the entire structure.

If you were wondering “how easy is it to make a crossbow?”, We answer: this is a relatively simple, but painstaking process. If you are familiar with the process of home repair, installation of mezzanines or repairing a bath, remember this experience. Below we will give instructions on how to make the easiest crossbow at home.

Device features and main parts

What is this rifle made of? There are three main components in the classic variation, followed by solutions with increasing complexity (stocks, grips, components, Picatinny rails, etc.). Our instructions on how to make a crossbow do not involve the installation of optical sights or other technical bells and whistles (Figure 2).

The main detail that concentrates energy for shooting is the arc. Due to the tension of the rope along it, it can transfer kinetic energy to the projectile. Around this "capricious lady" the whole structure revolves. The main materials for its manufacture are metal and wood, but there are also more exotic solutions, such as glass reinforcement or butter knife blades. The requirement for the arc is flexibility, rigidity and plasticity. So, for example, a solid steel frame will not work as a bow, while an automobile spring or a saw blade is fine.

To make a crossbow frame from wood, pay attention to such species as hazel, birch bark, acacia, ash, yew or bean. Before cutting the frame, you should hold the log in a dry, dust-free place for about a month or two. A fresh log does not have the required qualities to pass the processing procedure.

How to make a stock for a crossbow? Choose a durable wood, the same yew, beech, ash or oak. Hazel and conifers will perform well. The further process depends only on the flight of fancy and your skill.

Figure 2. Main structural elements

The main controller of the mechanism is the trigger block. It is he who holds the bowstring until the lever is pressed. The cocking mechanism of the crossbow is made of a solid block of metal, less often it is a recess inside the stock with a cylindrical pusher rod.

The above methods are not the final solution. Despite the fact that the crossbow is a single-shot design, there are workarounds. The most common way is to make a repeating crossbow by making a special magazine for storing and feeding projectiles.

Varieties of crossbows

Consider the basic configurations (Figure 3).

The simplest: material: wood; intended use: historical reconstruction, recreational shooting; production time: assembly - 1 day, preparation - from 30 days. Ease of replacement: simple, one log; number of shells at a time: 1; wear resistance: high; repair complexity: medium; bowstring: hemp, flax, hair, veins.

To make a wooden crossbow, you will need an ax, a sharp, strong knife and ingenuity. And another month of time to dry the wood and process it. It is much easier to make arrows for a crossbow - carve an even cylinder from wood with a section diameter of 0.5-0.7 mm. Roughly speaking, no thicker than the index finger. Their correct name is bolts. These are short, pointed projectiles with a low mass. Visually similar to regular bow arrows, but with a different geometry. The plumage for them should be made of hard plastic or carved from wood and planted on wood glue.

Figure 3. Regardless of the type, you will need a blueprint to make a weapon

Composite: material: metal; intended use: hunting, window dressing, aggressive defense of the territory, live shooting; production time: assembly - 2 days, preparation - up to 7 days; ease of replacement: difficult, specific part needed. Number of shells at a time: 1, the ability to install an additional store; wear resistance: high; complexity of repair: easy (depending on the design); bowstring: steel cable with a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm, high-strength ropes.

For urban areas with high rates of free parts in use, this is a good solution. Knives, saws, springs, steel fittings - a complete abundance of details. For industrial regions, refinement on the machine due to ingenuity is also implied. Of the tools, a hacksaw, a needle file, a drill, a polishing wheel, a cutting wheel (grinder) are very useful.

It is realistic to implement a block crossbow with your own hands: just find blocks and a rope for a solid bowstring in the grocery store. The very principle of construction is similar to that of a wooden counterpart, the key difference is that the shoulders are not plastic, but have increased strength. The impact force is stored in spring mechanisms, less often in the frame itself. It is better to order composite models, their production requires high qualification.

A similar category includes a spearfishing crossbow, made more like a slingshot. In such a design, energy is stored on elastic elements (springs, rubber cords), without arch arms. The next subtype is pistol. In short, this is a smaller counterpart of the blocky and classic, made in the form of a pistol. The range of a pistol-type shot is small, but it wins in compactness. If you want to try to make a crossbow weapon, it is better to start with smaller variations, make a small prototype model, and then move on to larger designs.

Material selection and preparation

Before proceeding to the instructions on how to make a crossbow out of wood, prepare the materials in advance. Look around the neighborhood and try to remember which of the necessary tree species grow in the area (Figure 4).

We repeat that at home, a wood crossbow can be made from the following species: birch bark, acacia, oak, ash, yew, hazel, beaver or acacia. Most often, these species are found in local forests and forest plantations. If there is a nearby coniferous forest, we recommend looking for spruce and pine forests. Particular attention should be paid to maple groves. After finding the central maple daddy, look for straightened saplings and pick up one with a thickness of 5 to 15 cm. The search radius around the main tree is from 40 to 50 meters.

Learn the ax factor, or better yet, the chainsaw factor. Try not to harass the forest area too much. Having cut a log for yourself, do not rush to carve a crossbow out of it. First, it will need to be dried and then processed. The term for drying in a warm, dry room is from two weeks to two months. Cover all the cracks, pores and other irregularities with oil paint and throw it on the mezzanine.

Figure 4. Weapons can be crafted from wood and metal

If it is impossible to get wood directly from the forest, order a bar of the breed you are interested in via the Internet. A variable advantage will be the time savings in processing the wood, the operators can often clarify the dryness of the beams and the way they are processed. But this negates all the romance of traveling and finding the right driftwood.

Working on the shoulders will take the same amount of time as creating the stock. Both processes require basic woodworking tools - a planer, knife, ax, files. The bed can be decorated with carved patterns or fitted with shapes to fit your own hand, here it’s whatever you like. There are no restrictions on the use of materials, both components can be made from the same breed. It is recommended to cover the beam with special solutions to prevent corrosion and decay, as well as wood varnish. The blank of the shoulders should also be treated with protective solutions, but not varnished.

The next item is what to make a bowstring for a crossbow from:

1. You can also make a bowstring from scratch from Dacron or Kevlar fibers, but for this you will need to knit the rope yourself (Figure 5).
2. Of the finished models, attention should be paid to durable varieties of ropes: cord, polypropylene, nylon, hemp, hair. Of these, only the last two are vulnerable to moisture.
3. The golden rule is to focus on the ability to stretch: it should be minimal.
4. The edges of the rope attached to the shoulders should be treated in a special way, but not tied. To do this, the cord is wrapped around the workpiece to obtain a shape, then the end is applied to the base and tightly wrapped with a thread of smaller diameter.
5. The recommended margin is 5 cm. Along the way, each layer of the winding is covered with heavy-duty glue (anaerobic, epoxy, hot-melt adhesive), and at the end the whole structure is tightly wrapped with a piece of felt. Any knots fray the rope, worsening its quality and increasing the chance of breaking under loads.

The final stage before the shooters is to make arrows for the crossbow, or, as they are also called, bolts. The manufacture of consumables requires blanks from solid wood or even branches. If you have woodworking equipment, cut the bolts from the bars in several pieces. They can also be printed on a 3D printer, but such shells will not last long. Get two sets of bolts - with soft tops and without.

Figure 5. The bowstring must be strong, but elastic enough

The former are perfect for reenactment and role-playing battles, the pointed type tip should only be used for hunting. The point for hunting is made of wire, tin or aluminum. Keep it light! For plumage, separate blanks made of wood and plastic will be required.

Manufacturing of shoulders and bed

Let's say you have everything you need on hand. How to make a crossbow with your own hands, at home, point one - carve your shoulders. They are made from a single piece of wood, not separately. The workpiece must not have defects, knots, etc. The inner part of the arc should have a semicircular relief, similar to the letter D, while the outer part should be flat.

Figure 6. Shoulders of a crossbow are usually hewn out of wood.

Initially, the shoulders are carved like a slightly bent plank, after which they can be processed and bent already during assembly. The shape is diamond-shaped, beveling towards the ends of the arc, the bevel angle is small. Take a closer look at the growth rings on the log: it is desirable that the entire structure of the shoulders be on the same layer. To make a powerful hunting crossbow, use a more resilient wood. In general, the safety margin and performance characteristics should be enough for medium-sized game (Figure 6).

Shoulders are fixed in two ways:

1. The first is winding. It is performed both by drilling a bed, and by making a carving in it, followed by winding the rope on a fixed piece of wood. The main point is that the shoulders are not drilled, retaining their structure. But this is a laborious process that requires time for tight winding. For reliable fixation, it is recommended to use the rope through the ring that presses the frame in the middle.
2. The second is fixation. For wooden ones, it is implemented in a tricky way: a conical groove is made at the end of the bar with a wall inclination angle of 80-85 degrees, shoulder-width. The frame is squeezed into this recess, after which it is compressed by the winding. The implementation of the winding is as follows: at the bottom of the log, another groove is made, rectangular. A timber beam 5-10 cm thick is taken, a rope for winding is fixed on it, after which this anchor should be pulled to the recess and driven in there. The beam should be wound 5 cm earlier than the groove itself, in order to be able to fix the shoulders with its tension.

Steel shoulders are calmly fixed both by the listed methods and by ordinary bolts (Figure 7). How to make a crossbow arrow at home?

Three execution options:

1. Simplest- the presence of a circular saw, a drill with a wide nozzle, and a vise. On the circular, dissolve the timber into small bars, no more than 2 cm thick. After that, you process it with a planer until the primary roundness is reached. Next, fix the workpiece in the nozzle of the drill and, starting the rotation process, pass through the cutter fixed in the vice. An alternative to this indecency is a wood lathe.
2. Average, calculation for luck and straight pieces of wood. You will need a knife for turning rounded shapes. An alternative is the processing of small bars sawn on a circular saw.
3. Complicated- sharpen a straight branch.

Figure 7. Arrows must be perfectly straight

For plumage at the back of the bolt, make a thin, even cut with a hacksaw. Find a wide plastic cap (plastic paint bucket, flat sheet of plastic from the store) and cut out the blades for the bolt. You can fix them by also making holes instead of sawing the whole part. The dimensions of the trigger for a crossbow are different, you should mainly rely on monolithic types of levers. They can be made both from metal and from rigid and thick wire.

Trigger Mounting

The last part remains: the trigger mechanism (Figure 8).

There are three variations on how to make a trigger for a crossbow at home:

1. Dedovsky, wooden: a certain number of centimeters are measured from the end of the stock (depending on the capabilities of the bowstring) and, having set a notch, make a rectangular recess of half a millimeter. It is recommended to take a distance of 15-20 cm from the tension shoulders. Next, drill a hole in the center of the recess. After that, a flat board should be fixed at the base of the bed from the side of the arc, exactly adjacent to the previously drilled hole, but from below. A cylinder similar in diameter to a hole is fixed in the plank. Then it's a matter of technique: the bowstring is lowered into the groove, it is pushed by the rod from below, after which it sends the bolt flying. Such a cocking mechanism for a crossbow is well suited for home-made in your spare time on the weekend.
2. Sophisticated, aluminum: we sell only if we have at hand tools for working on metal: grinder, cutters, lathe, files. Requires the creation of a special part. The crossbow trigger device looks like this: a small aluminum disc, with a hole in the center and two grooves. Its shape is modified, on the upper part at an angle of 90 degrees a sawtooth tooth with an even recess in the middle is made. Parallel to it, a cutout was made in the lower part for a similar clove, but without a groove. The mechanism takes the load, preventing the bowstring from spraying, resting on the trigger. For a shot, one press is enough, after which the lever of the locking part will pop out of the groove, the blocker will rotate along its axis and release the bowstring.
3. Artful, mechanical: more than one piece at a time. Complex structures with force transfer. In a simplified version, they represent the following trick: an intermediary part rests against the trigger of the crossbow, which in turn blocks the creeps of the part holding the bowstring. We advise you to think over the drawing in advance before implementing this option.

Figure 8. The trigger mechanism is the basis for the successful use of weapons

If you swung at the power, then you probably thought about the springs. A spring crossbow requires a well-oiled cocking mechanism that can withstand greater loads than a wooden one. It will require the assembly of a starting block made of metal with leverage.

Assembling a crossbow

When all the details are in hand, it remains only to assemble a homemade crossbow together. Please note, if you want to make a butt for a crossbow, then start doing this at the stage of forming the blank.

Start by creating a bed, roughen the surface with a bar for evenness. Make a channel with a length of 15 to 25 cm, form a groove at its end for the trigger mechanism and drill a beam through and through in this place. You can saw through the channel both with a hand saw and with a special cutter, at the end having processed the groove with a file for smoothness.

Further, in the front part of the bed, a recess is made under the shoulders, followed by a recess on the lower part. The second groove should be located 5 cm earlier than the hole in the groove. How to make a trigger for a crossbow - take a board with a thickness of 4-5 cm, drill holes in it according to the plus (+) principle.

The vertical hole should match the diameter of the hole in the middle of the groove. After that, insert the cylinder into the board, drill, fix. The trigger guard can be secured by tying it to the locking bar. In some cases, use an elastic band to secure the bracket. The string is pulled last.

In the end, you should get a good shooting crossbow, try to use it well.

A master class on making this weapon is shown in the video.