In his book Crossbows, Frank Bilson begins with: “The overriding points to be striven for in good weapon design are, first, balance, which can be achieved only by trial and error, second, an apparent simplicity of line, which means ridding the surface of every irregular knob, joint, lever and unsightly angle, and third, accuracy in shooting, which can be affected by the kind of stock used, the groove the missile runs in, the angle at which the prod is attached to the stock, and the size, weight and fletching of the bolts.”
Bilson goes on to prioritise the groove in terms of straightness, friction, and dimensions with regard to accommodating the bolt – which he suggests can travel at up to 320kph. Get it wrong at this point, and everything…
