CROSSBOW FAQ

Last-modified: 4 May 2007

This FAQ was untouched between 1997 and 2001. It is being maintained by Ausbow Industries on behalf of the World Crossbow Shooting Association (WCSA).

GLOSSARY

Note:

Some of the terminology preferences used in this list are the author's and not common modern useage. Crossbow terminology is not altogether standardized and one should not be too pedantic about it.

ARBALIST
Latin language term for crossbow, derived from arcuballista (also spelled ARBALEST).
ARMBRUST
German language term for crossbow which is often preferred in international circles.
ARROW
Synonym for bolt which is preferred by some modern crossbow manufacturers.
BACK
Side of bow or lath facing target.
BALLISTA
Roman seige engine similar to oversized crossbow.
BARREL
Section of the stock between the latch and lath; sometimes used as synonym for track.
BARRELED CROSSBOW
Crossbow having a tubular barrel rather than a track; used to shoot balls, usually of lead; synonym for slurbow.
BASTARD STRING
String to brace a crossbow for installation of bowstring; synonym for bracing string.
BELLY
Side of bow or lath facing shooter.
BELT HOOK
Metal hook(s) attached to belt to aid cocking.
BENDING LEVER
Hindged lever to aid cocking; pushes string back using lugs or a ring mounted at front of crossbow; provides mechanical advantage of about 5:1, varying with lever length.
BINDING
See BRIDLE.
BOLT
Short projectile for crossbow resembling arrow.
BOLT CHANNEL
See TRACK.
BOW
See LATH.
BOW IRONS
Metal fittings used to secure lath to stock; usually tightened with metal wedges.
BOWSTEEL
Steel lath.
BOWSTRING
String used on all archery weapons to transfer force from bow to projectile.
BRACED
Position of bowstring when mounted on bow or lath, but not cocked.
BRACED HEIGHT
Distance between braced bowstring and belly side of riser, measured from the bowstring's center.
BRACING STRING
See BASTARD STRING.
BRIDLE
Binding, usually of twisted sinew cord, used to tie lath to stock on medieval crossbows.
BULLET CROSSBOW
Crossbow designed to shoot bullets; generally used in reference to double-string types.
BUTT
Rearmost portion of crossbow stock; also refers to earthen mound used in long range target shooting, and as a general term for backstop.
CATCH
See LATCH and SAFETY.
CENTER SHOT
Bow or crossbow lath designed so that the arrow/bolt passes through its center; center-shot crossbows often have two separate limbs.
CLEAN DRAW
See POWER STROKE.
CLIP
Spring used to retain bolt to cocked crossbow prior to shooting; usually made of horn or metal.
CLOUT
Long range archery shooting. Modern practice uses a horizontal target 15 meters in diameter outlined with flags; scoring is determined by measuring distance from center.
COCK
To draw bowstring from braced position to latched position.
COCKING LUGS
Metal protruberances on crossbow for anchoring bending lever, cranequin or goat's foot.
COCKING PEG
Peg required to set some crossbow trigger mechanisms prior to cocking.
COCKING RING
Metal ring bound to the front of the lath to anchor bending lever.
COCKSCOMBING
Method of serving sometimes used on loops of crossbow bowstrings.
COMPOSITE
Combination of materials used to construct lath including horn, wood, sinew and baleen.
COMPOUND
Modern lath construction using cables and eccentric pulleys.
CORD AND PULLEY
Cocking aid consisting of cord with ends attached to crossbow butt and user's belt running through a pulley attached to bowstring; provides mechanical advantage of 2:1.
CRANEQUIN
Cocking device using rack and pinion; can provide mechanical advantage of about 145:1, varying with size and number of teeth.
CROSSBOW
Archery weapon consisting of a lath mounted to a rigid stock, having a mechanical means to hold and release the drawn bowstring. See also ARBALEST, ARMBRUST, BARRELED CROSSBOW, BULLET CROSSBOW.
DOG'S FOOT
See GOAT'S FOOT.
DOUBLE STRING
Complex form of bowstring designed to launch round projectiles from crossbow; has leather pouch at center to hold ball.
DRY FIRE
To release cocked bowstring without projectile; term borrowed from firearms.
END
Shooting phase of an archery competition; a set number of arrows or bolts shot consecutively before determining score.
END LOOP
Loops at either end of bowstring.
ENDCAP
Protective cap to protect rear of bolt; similar to arrow nock, but not forked.
FIRE
To light incendiary crossbow projectile; often used incorrectly as synonym for shoot or loose.
FLIGHT GROOVE
See TRACK
FOOTCLAW
See STIRRUP.
GAFFLE
See GOAT'S FOOT.
GASTRAPHETES
Greek weapon described by Heron of Alexandria similar to crossbow; literally "stomach weapon".
GOAT'S FOOT
Two-piece hindged cocking lever designed to pull bowstring from behind latch (curved shape of lever vaguely resembles goats leg); provides mechanical advantage of about 5:1, varying with lever length.
GROOVE
See TRACK.
HANDBOW
Term used to distinguish hand-held bow from crossbow.
LATCH
Mechanism for holding crossbow bowstring in cocked position, and for releasing bowstring when trigger is pulled. Synonym for catch.
LATH
Bow portion of a crossbow storing motive energy for propelling projectile; term preferred by some archery historians; not common parlance among modern crossbowmen. See PROD.
LIMB
Portion of lath to right or left of center.
LOOSE
To launch an archery missle.
MANUBALLISTA
Smaller form of ballista; from the Latin "manus" meaning hand.
NOCK
Forked protective cap on rear of bolt; usually necessary with trackless crossbows to keep bolt in contact with string. Notches at each end of bow or lath to accept string are also called nocks.
NOSE
Forward end of crossbow; sometimes used to refer to assembly attaching lath to stock.
NUT
Cylindrical latch usually made of ivory or antler.
PAVISE
Large shield used to protect military crossbowmen in the field while loading and shooting.
PELLET CROSSBOW
See BULLET CROSSBOW; usually low powered weapon.
POWER STROKE
Distance between braced and cocked string positions as measured along track.
PROD
Bow portion of crossbow; term also used as name for light bullet crossbow (also spelled PRODD).
RELEASE MECHANISM
See LATCH.
QUARREL
Bolt with four-sided head; often used as synonym for bolt.
QUIVER
Container for carrying arrows or bolts.
RISER
Thick, non-bending center section of bow or lath.
SAFETY
Mechanical device, usually in the form of a button or lever, used to prevent crossbow from shooting unintentionally. Often referred to as "safety-catch," "-button," or "-pin."
SCORPION
See MANUBALLISTA.
SERVING
Wrapping of thread used to protect the center and loops of bowstrings.
SET TRIGGER
Trigger which may be set to release under very light pressure; 'hair trigger'.
SHOOT
See LOOSE.
SLED
Guide attached to the center of crossbow bowstring to lessen string wear and insure exact centering of the string when cocking.
SLURBOW
See BARRELED CROSSBOW.
SPANNER
General term for any device used to cock crossbows; [German, winding tool, from spannen, to stretch, from Middle High German, from Old High German spannan.]
SPANNING
Physical act of cocking a crossbow.
STRING LOOP
Loop bound to center of some crossbow bowstrings to engage latch.
STIRRUP
Device for holding the crossbow with feet while cocking; usually 'D' or 'T' shaped, sometimes made from webbing or rope.
STOCK
Portion of the crossbow to which all other components are attached and by which it is held.
STONEBOW
See BULLET CROSSBOW.
TASSEL
Traditional archery accessory worn on belt to clean bolts or arrows.
TILLER
See STOCK.
TOMMY-BAR
Type of bow iron tightened using threaded rods instead of wedges.
TRACK
Grooved portion of the crossbow between the lath and latch where the bolt rides.
TRACKLESS
Crossbow with an bolt rest in front instead of a full-length groove; forked nocks usually necessary to maintain contact between bolt and string.
WINDER
General term for windlass or cranequin.
WINDLASS
Crossbow cocking device using a system of pulleys and cords; provides mechanical of about 45:1 depending on construction.
Written by: Dave DeLaurant (ddelaurant@yahoo.com)
Credits:
Yogi (Y.) Shan (yshan@bnr.ca) (Book), Lyn Clark (Lyn@ausbow.com.au), Roy Nielsen (roy@arctic.nmt.edu), Howard Thelemann (hthelem@wctc.net), Matthew J. Rapaport (mjr@crl.com), Carl & Kathy White (kwhite@nbn.net), Chris Smith (chriss@rand.nidlink.com), David R. Watson (iolo@crossbows.net), Barbara Stephen (barbaras@rom.on.ca)
Also check out the more general archery glossary provided by the Society of Archer Antiquaries - A Glossary of Archery complied by Stephen F. Wyley. You can find it at:
http://www.student.utwente.nl/~sagi/artikel/misc/glossary.html

Please direct all comments, suggestions, updates, news to John or Lyn Clark at sales@ausbow.com.au

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