Posted on 12/10/2013 5:12:07 AM PST by Carriage Hill
"Unless you're fighting zombies, skip the crossbow."
While many preppers are busy stockpiling hordes of rifles, shotguns, and handguns plus cases of ammunition for a looming doomsday scenario, others are thinking more broadly about other weapons options. Thanks to the success of AMC’s The Walking Dead, one of the options that has become popular with preppers is the crossbow. On TWD, one of the main characters (Norman Reedus’s Daryl Dixon) uses a crossbow with quite an astonishing amount of lethal success. But is this even remotely realistic? Let’s take a look at this bolt (arrow) shooting implement to see its implications as a true SHTF tool.
Excellent,I have a suppressed MP5 for close work.
There are times you don’t want to make any noise. The crossbow is nice for (let us say) shooting a buck that’s in your back yard. But the bolts are indeed expensive.
Whoa thats very uncouth, you might want to engage your brain before posting.
Silence in an ambush, but the first shot had better be dead on. Long reload time for multiple targets.
We must do what this guys as he knows how to spell.
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Look at the YT vid in Post #13; it has a crank on it that’s pretty fast.
Ambushes are all about speed, overwhelming force, and violence of action. Stealth and silence only comes into play during the setup of the ambush.
Silver tips good enough?
The Daryl Dixon character only uses one when he needs to be in stealth mode. Otherwise, he’s armed with guns.
As always people see but do not understand. The bow Stallone used in the movie was not a crossbow but a brake down compound bow. I have never found one of these bows so I think it was a movie prop. My Golden Eagle compound bow has served me well for many years. I’ve taken Elk, Mule Deer, White Tail, Pronghorn, small game and varmits. A crossbow is a great weapon to get the vermin out of your garden. I don’t have a problem with deer in my garden as I just eat them. They never come back.
“Silent killer”? I just use my hands.
Pull a Kung Fu Rambo. I’ve been watching Kung Fu on DVD - learning the moves.
Cross bows are extremely accurate and with my Horton I can put bolts thru same hole at 25 yards . The broad head selection makes a big difference in killing power but most are very effective. You are correct that some crossbows are not accurate but all manufactures have made great strides in technology .I would still take my 10-22 Ruger over my bow but nice to have in your arsenal
I thought I read somewhere on FR that he refused to use firearms in that series, as a ‘political statement’, and instead, chose the crossbow? No?
I have a Horton RDT (Reverse Draw Technology). It is more accurate inside 40 yards than my deer hunting firearms. The bolts don’t stick in much but my target and that is a special (Hurricane) target for the speed of the bolts. I have ruined several bolts when they have been fired through hay bails, dense foam targets, tree branches and animals (Fletching damage).
Though I have never shot at an animal with anything other than a broadhead, I doubt there is much chance of a bolt sticking unless it hits big bone just right.
The RDT X-bows are VERY well balanced but still relatively heavy. The power and accuracy are impressive. I have found, however, that anything shooting faster than about 385 FPS starts to have mechanical problems and accuracy issues compared to 385 FPS and lower. I believe that between 350 FPS and 385 FPS is the right speed for most X-bows for distance, accuracy and durability. But that is just my opinion. My Horton does 350 and it is a really fine weapon. Each bolt may have it’s own personality, but it can be counted on to fly the same way every single time.
There is my take in case anyone cared.
Never did care for a crossbow myself.
if you don’t want anyone to know you are around but need to kill food they are an excellent choice
The accuracy of mine amazed me. I can put the same bolt through the same hole every time with a bench rest at 40 yards. Mine is more accurate than my deer hunting firearm (Shotgun w/ slug barrel). But you only get one shot. I am gold up to 50 yards provided there is a clear shooting lane. The bolts don't like twigs, grasses or strong wind especially out past 40 yards. I only hunt at 40 yards or less as a rule with it. I have more confidence in my X-bow than my shotgun.
There are significant quality differences in X-bow. And there are significant price differences that, for the most part, coincide with the quality.
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