BADGER.BRAD Posted January 5, 2020 Report Share Posted January 5, 2020 (edited) Hello everyone, I am interested in having a go at crossbow shooting and to start with am looking for a re-curve Cross bow that both me and my wife could use (she is quite small and slight but does use a 12 gauge) I also I'm looking for something with a good parts supply that would be usable in the average back garden without being over the top. Any ideas ? Thanks all. Edited January 5, 2020 by BADGER.BRAD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strimmer_13 Posted January 5, 2020 Report Share Posted January 5, 2020 (edited) I've only experience of using a older barnett wildcat crossbow and can honestly say I'd never dream of firing that other than in conditions I'd use a rimfire. We used shuttering ply at 50 odd yards and it went clean through taking the flights off at the same time. I think it was 150lb draw. More modern ones can be twice that. Im not saying don't, they are good fun and surprisingly accurate once you get the hang of it, but even those crappy hand ones which are roughly 30lb draw, travel a good 150 yards, but because its a plastic bolt they are prone to ricochet without penetrating. Not the wildcats, that just gos clean through anything with the Ali bolts 😂 See if you can find a archery club, maybe to have a go, but also as it's a bit taboo they are usually cheap to pick up second hand 👍 Edited January 5, 2020 by strimmer_13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultrastu Posted January 5, 2020 Report Share Posted January 5, 2020 The biggest issue with any arrow ,imo, is that they can ricochet off stuff or more often glance off an edge and go upwards and away over a wall or fence etc .this is very dangerous as even a very slow arrow can penetrate through to human vitals and cause a fatality . I would never shoot an arrow in an urban environment. Too risky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncher Posted January 5, 2020 Report Share Posted January 5, 2020 I had one years ago, the bolt went miles, last shot I had was a ricochet of a shed roof and went straight down a row of houses. I put it away and never used it again, that must of been 35 years ago now, scared me to death that I might have hit someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmboy91 Posted January 5, 2020 Report Share Posted January 5, 2020 I got a pistol bow to use in the garden with my lad and had the same problem, struggled to find anything to stop the bolt. Punched a hole clean through the door of the tin shed and hasn't been used since 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonepark Posted January 5, 2020 Report Share Posted January 5, 2020 (edited) Most crossbows have either gone upmarket and very powerful with very few inbetween that and kids of a reasonable quality. Not used them but Ukcrossbows do a range of inexpensive recurve crossbows, one of which a mate has sourced from elsewhere which is a basic one but still cabable of punching though tin sheet. https://angloarms.com/index.php/crossbows/recurve-crossbows.html Edited January 5, 2020 by Stonepark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted January 6, 2020 Report Share Posted January 6, 2020 Been the silent choice of poachers for years. For back garden fun a air pistol can be great with some spinners etc. Lot less chance of major damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demonic69 Posted January 6, 2020 Report Share Posted January 6, 2020 I've got a little, cheap pistol crossbow that I've had for years. At 30m the bolt was well embedded into a fence post. If you've got a decent length garden and a good target area to shoot at it could be OK. They're under £30 so just buy a second for spares Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve s×s Posted January 6, 2020 Report Share Posted January 6, 2020 20 hours ago, BADGER.BRAD said: Hello everyone, I am interested in having a go at crossbow shooting and to start with am looking for a re-curve Cross bow that both me and my wife could use (she is quite small and slight but does use a 12 gauge) I also I'm looking for something with a good parts supply that would be usable in the average back garden without being over the top. Any ideas ? Thanks all. My recomendation is don't Please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted January 6, 2020 Report Share Posted January 6, 2020 19 minutes ago, steve s×s said: My recomendation is don't Please I’ll second that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenholland Posted January 6, 2020 Report Share Posted January 6, 2020 got a small one in the loft of the grandson , still there . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel b3 Posted January 6, 2020 Report Share Posted January 6, 2020 On 05/01/2020 at 18:50, BADGER.BRAD said: Hello everyone, I am interested in having a go at crossbow shooting and to start with am looking for a re-curve Cross bow that both me and my wife could use (she is quite small and slight but does use a 12 gauge) I also I'm looking for something with a good parts supply that would be usable in the average back garden without being over the top. Any ideas ? Thanks all. i dont know much about crossbows dude , but if you get one , youre more than welcome to use it at our place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddoakley Posted January 6, 2020 Report Share Posted January 6, 2020 I'm always amazed that we (any shop) can sell cross bows to anyone. We have always asked for ID the same as buying an air rifle but there's no requirement for us to do so and they are incredibly powerful. I used to have one many years ago and used to shoot it into and old fridge at about 80 yards. It would go clean through one side and the bolt would be hanging out of the other side. That's more than enough to kill someone. We don't sell them anymore. Edd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BADGER.BRAD Posted January 6, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2020 Thanks everyone for the replies, I have sent an email to the National cross bow federation of great Britain in order to find somewhere I could have a go with a Crossbow but a lot Archery clubs seem to be hell bent against Crossbows and seem to be really expensive to be a member of and only operate on certain days making it really difficult to attend. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can find some where local to have a try. I was hoping to find something me and my wife could have a go at which was a little cheaper than the clays. Mel I'm going to have to come up to your place in the near future for a grand tour I do pass that way quite often doing a few of my other hobbies. Thanks very much for the offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonepark Posted January 7, 2020 Report Share Posted January 7, 2020 14 hours ago, BADGER.BRAD said: I was hoping to find something me and my wife could have a go at which was a little cheaper than the clays. Field Target with airgun would be cheaper and can be enjoyable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord v Posted January 7, 2020 Report Share Posted January 7, 2020 14 hours ago, BADGER.BRAD said: Thanks everyone for the replies, I have sent an email to the National cross bow federation of great Britain in order to find somewhere I could have a go with a Crossbow but a lot Archery clubs seem to be hell bent against Crossbows and seem to be really expensive to be a member of and only operate on certain days making it really difficult to attend. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can find some where local to have a try. I was hoping to find something me and my wife could have a go at which was a little cheaper than the clays. Mel I'm going to have to come up to your place in the near future for a grand tour I do pass that way quite often doing a few of my other hobbies. Thanks very much for the offer. Most archery clubs are against them because they make a terrible mess of the (not inexpensive) targets they use, will just strip your bolts or you will lose your bolt in the middle of them. Plus they need a heftier backstop or longer distance behind the target which most clubs just don't have. Its easier to just say no. Most Archery clubs share land so cant be open everyday, though tbh I never found them that expensive. The last one I was a member of was about £120 for the year with no additional fees. Clubs tend to be against randoms turning up with a bow they purchased as you need to know range protocol and ideally not shoot yourself or someone else... Honestly, as you can't hunt with them in this country I just cannot see the point in them. Especially when a low powered air rifle is just as accessible and IMO more appropriate for some back yard plinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCat Posted January 7, 2020 Report Share Posted January 7, 2020 I've always wondered how airguns are limited on power yet you can buy a crossbow that will kill an elk with ease and no licence requirement. They are seriously powerful bits of kit, even the small pistol bows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted January 7, 2020 Report Share Posted January 7, 2020 On 06/01/2020 at 03:15, figgy said: Been the silent choice of poachers for years. For back garden fun a air pistol can be great with some spinners etc. Lot less chance of major damage. Any recommendations on which air pistol? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted January 8, 2020 Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 HW44 or 45 good choice but expensive. For plinking any you like the feel.of in a local shop. Range isn't going to be far. A crossman, artemis, Hatsan are all about same price. The crossman 1377 is s pump up pneumatic so no recoil like a Springer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.C Posted January 8, 2020 Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 18 hours ago, Stonepark said: Field Target with airgun would be cheaper and can be enjoyable. And hunter field target cheaper still. A sub 12 ftlb S400 with a 2nd hand scope and away you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
washerboy Posted January 8, 2020 Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 When I shot field target archery there was one or two that shot crossbows but they were hard on the targets, as already said the shafts would go that far in you would spend half your round helping someone remove their bolt. If they missed and hit a tree or the target support posts then they would often come back as fast as they got shot out. They were really accurate but didn't seem as much fun as a standard recurve or American flatbow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonwolf444 Posted January 8, 2020 Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 I always wondered about them as over a few years we used to find deer wounded by crosbow bolts every few week. Anyhow found a reasonably modern one that my friend had, it was just a cheap one i'm told but i think it will be over 80LBS. Shot it into some round straw bales stacked in an empty silage clamp, the bolt went clean through the first and into the second by 6 inches or more. The power was quite incredible I'm at a bit of a loss to see what would stop a bolt that you could easily set up in the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BADGER.BRAD Posted January 8, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 (edited) I was told by a crossbow user about the dangers of using a crossbows without using the correct back stops and if I was to use a particularly a high powered one to make sure I used the correct deep foam back stops and treat it like a rifle and make sure what ever was behind the line of fire + and minus a a fairbit was soft enough to absorb the bolt rather than allow it to bounce off else where. I am really amazed at some of the videos on Youtube where they load the bolt into the crossbow either facing the sky or at chest level before aiming it at the target and these people make themselves out to be experts ! I understand the danger as a kid I visited a friends house, his uncle had obtained a Barrnet Crossbow ( lots of people had their catapults/bows and crossbows as we lived very near their two factories in Wolverhampton and the local kids would climb over the fence and make stuff up out of their reject stock in skips ) His dad laughed at it and shot at his van thinking it would bounce off, it went straight through both sides and whistled off down the middle of the road and a lad from my school shot a girl through the leg when he shot one of their Imp crossbows across a field again not understanding how far it would go. Edited January 8, 2020 by BADGER.BRAD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HW95J Posted January 9, 2020 Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 A lot of the arguments against can be said of the firearms we discuss 99% of the time on this forum. I.e the projectiles travel far and they're dangerous if you're an idiot with them. Learn from someone who knows what they're doing. Make sure you have the right kind of environment to use one i.e backstop and space. Then crack on 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
washerboy Posted January 10, 2020 Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 I would find a field target bow shooting club, 3d targets are good. An 8ft life sized bear or an elk shooting it with home made shafts you've spent time constructing is the nearest you can get to the real thing. Long bow is the real test, I shot one badly for 2 or 3 years. Great achievement if you actually hit what your shooting at 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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