How strong is a modern crossbow?

Today’s crossbows are all but universally more powerful than any of today’s compounds. Finished crossbow bolts weigh around 400 grains on average, and some are quite a bit heavier. That’s as heavy or heavier than the average compound shooter’s hunting arrow. Most crossbows shoot those bolts at 350 fps plus.

How heavy is a medieval crossbow?

Hunting crossbows from the late medieval and renaissance tend to be in the 450 – 600lb weight while war crossbows range from around 700-1300lb.

What is a medieval crossbow?

crossbow, leading missile weapon of the Middle Ages, consisting of a short bow fixed transversely on a stock, originally of wood; it had a groove to guide the missile, usually called a bolt, a sear to hold the string in the cocked position, and a trigger to release it.

How old is the oldest crossbow?

The earliest known crossbows were invented in the first millennium BC, not later than the 7th century BC in ancient China, not later than the 4th century BC in Greece (as the gastraphetes).

How powerful is a crossbow?

Crossbows are known for their ability to store a massive amount of energy in each shot, which makes them extremely fun and satisfying to shoot. In medieval times crossbows would have draw weights of up to 1250lbs! This made them extremely powerful and fast but also excruciatingly difficult to shoot.

How heavy was a medieval crossbow?

The most-potent medieval crossbows were also very large and heavy and very slow to load, as you needed a windlass or “cranquin” to pull the massively-heavy “prod” back. Some of those had a draw-weight of anywhere from 800 to 1200 pounds…

What is the difference between a crossbow and a longbow?

The crossbow was the main rival for the longbow in the Middle Ages, and popular because it required minimal training. Yet it could only deliver 1-2 bolts per minute and had an effective range of 20-40 yards, whereas a longbow could deliver 6 arrows per minute at a range of 300-400 yards.

How many longbows were in the Middle Ages?

When rediscovered in the 1970’s, the wreck was like a Tudor-era time capsule. Among the countless historical artifacts were about 175 longbows and 4,000 arrows, the analysis of which rewrote our understanding of English longbows in the Middle Ages.