REPEATING

CROSSBOW
By Austin H. Phelps

THIS REPEATING CROSSBOW has all the

handling characteristics of a fine repeating
rifle of the slide-action type. In the hands of an
experienced crossbowman it will deliver five
shots in five seconds with near-rifle accuracy
over ranges up to 40 yards. The steel-pointed
arrows, or quarrels, as they are correctly called,
are loaded from the top into a magazine just as
are the cartridges in a bolt-action rifle. After
loading, the bow is cocked by a slide, and the
quarrel is fired by pressing a trigger which re-
leases the bowstring. Nocking of the five quar-
rels in the magazine is done automatically by
the repeating mechanism as shown in the lower
detail in Fig. 3. The two-piece barrel, Figs. 1 and
2, has a square bore, the groove being cut to full
 depth in both halves. Then parts
of both halves are cut away so that
when assembled there will be an
offset slot for the bowstring as in
the lower detail in Fig. 2. Brass
runners, fitted with 3½-in. brass
strips soldered edgewise to them,
are screwed to the lower barrel as
in the center left-hand detail in
Fig. 2. Care must be taken to space
the runner strips so that the inner
edges are exactly flush with the
inner edges of the magazine liners.
After making a trial assembly, it
may be necessary to file the slant-
ing ends of the 3½-in. strips or the
underside of the upper barrel to
permit free passage of the bow-
string through the offset slot. The
purpose of the offset in the slot is
to force the bowstring upward suf-
ficiently to release it from the
notch in the quarrel, permitting
An assembly view of the two-piece barrel showing the pump the latter to enter the bore in free
slide, brass runners, and the top barrel in position. Stock should
be handmade to specifications that fit individual user in the same
flight.
way as a rifle or shotgun stock. Use hardwood for all parts In making the stock, it's a good
idea to copy a rifle or shotgun
stock that fits you and has a grip
and tang shaped to your liking.
Bandsaw the wood to the rough
outline of the stock selected, then
finish to contour with wood rasps
and sandpaper. Care must be used
in cutting and finishing the maga-
zine slot in the stock, as the maga-
zine liners must be spaced accu-
rately so that the quarrels drop
freely into firing position, Fig. 3.
The inner rear corners of the lin-
ers are rounded to a smooth curve.
To assure free movement of the
quarrel in firing position, it may
also be necessary to round the in-
ner corners of the brass runners.
The pump slide, Fig. 2, engages the
bowstring as in Fig. 1 when in
the forward position. Overhanging
brass strips, which are screwed to
Above, this repeating crossbow is loaded just like a bolt-action
the guide blocks, Fig. 2, ride on the
rifle, five quarrels being placed in the box magazine at one
brass runners. In cocking, the
loading. Below, note the trim lines of the finished job. If de- slide is drawn back as far as it will
sired, you can install either open or peep sights on the barrel go and the forward end is pulled

166 POPULAR MECHANICS

 NUT EMBEDDED
IN WOOD 15°
15°
2½" BOW

1¾"

2" 2" WEDGE

DETAIL A
¼"
Bow PLATE

BUTT HINGE WALNUT STOCK

7¼"
3"
1½" ½"

METAL CLAMP

STEEL POINT sQ.

DRLLED FOR
TENON ON SHAFT

LEMONWOOD, HICKORY OR YEW BOW

 COVER, 3/8" X 1 X 9" ROUNDED CORNERS

MAGAZINE LINERS,
¼ x 1½ x 5"'

2
2½"
TOP BARREL
TRIGGER GUARD,
3/8 x 1" x 5"
1" SQ. RUNNERS.
1/8" BRASS 5/8"
10¼ 1/8"
3
3½"
LOWER BARREL

3/8" 13½"

18"'

4½" 7½ 4
¾" 1½" .5 2½
BRASS PUMP SLIDE
1"

¼" ½"
14½"

1/8" 3/8" 3½"' ¼ 3¼

4½" 13½
5". 4
18"