Crossbow / Firearm formula ?

[Brainiac]

Is there a formula for crossbow to firearm power ?

[wabi]

Just use the same formula you would use for apples to oranges.
They aren't even similar, except fot the fact they copied the crossbow's stock when the built the first shoulder arms.

[DOXNUT]

I agree with Wabi, you can not compare apples to oranges. They both have their place in the world of hunting tools.

[dnepr]

Yup you just have to accept the fact that x-bows work completely different than firearms . I am new to the archery world and have been a firearm enthusiast for many years. I also at first tried to compare x-bows and vertical bows to firearms. I finnally just learned to look at archery as archery and not compare it to fireams. Arrows is like a scalpel and bullets are like a baseball bats . Once you get into it Archery is easier to figure out. with bullets there are so many variables and factors . There are a bunch formula's out there to try to figure out bullet performance, kinetic energy, Taylor knock down and others . I don't believe that any of these give the whole story. In both cases bullet or arrow placement trumps performance numbers every time.

[ecoaster]

He may be wondering about Kinetic Energy comparisons. I believe Bill T mentioned once (maybe on the Excal video) that the bolt carried about the same K.E. as a .22 rimfire. In a very short range of course.

[Brainiac]

On the History channel, there was a show where they tested old weapons.
They said a 110 lb 13th cen Chinese repo crossbow.Had the same power as a .357cal handgun ?

So, what would todays 175,200,225lb crossbow be ?

[Grizzly Adam]

On the History channel, there was a show where they tested old weapons. They said a 110 lb 13th cen Chinese repo crossbow.Had the same power as a .357cal handgun ?

So, what would todays 175,200,225lb crossbow be ?

Hey, Brainiac ...

I suspect the reason you're not getting many answers to these questions is that there's just not much more to say than what has already been said.

Guns are guns and crossbows are crossbows.

The thing that makes any arrow an effective killing device is the sharpened blade-type point at the tip, of which the most developed example is the modern razor-broadhead. Arrows kill by slicing through tissue, arteries and vessels, creating massive hemmohrage and subsequent death. It doesn't take much velocity or a lot of striking force (foot-pounds-energy) to make that happen. Even a very light bow can drive an arrow completely through the vital heart / lung area of deer-sized game. Many primitive hunting bows proved to be only about 30-35 pounds draw weight (or less) in tests by the reknowned Dr. Saxton Pope.

The only reason crossbows feature such heavy draw-weights is that they have a very short power stroke, and so must be much heavier to develop the same velocity as a lighter vertical bow with a longer draw stroke.

The question of "power" as applied to hunting crossbows is really a moot point, as what is needed is enough power to drive a broadhead-tipped arrow deeply into or cleanly through the intended animal at a speed sufficient to make "string-jumping" unlikely. Any of the Excalibur lineup greatly exceeds that minimum standard.

You can indeed find out what striking force (foot-pounds-energy) a certain arrow setup shot from a particular bow will generate, and it seems to me I've seen such a chart detailing the performance of Excalibur bows, but I don't know where it is. Maybe it's found on their home site.

As for relative "power," if someone asked me if I would rather be shot in the chest with a blunt arrow from a 110 lb. 13th century Chinese crossbow or a round from a .357, I'd say "Cock that bow!"

Just remember this: For big-game hunting purposes, the "power" of an arrow is a super-sharp broadhead.

[Woody Williams]

More like comparing watermelons to grapes....

They only similarities is that they will both kill.

[Brainiac]

Yes, I understand that guns are guns and crossbows will be crossbows.
Hear some links
http://www.atarn.org/chinese/bjng_xbow/bjng_xbow.htm http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/index. ... topic=2275

[Huntinfool]

Brainiac like others have said Apples to Oranges leave it to the History Channel to spout something like that There's no way to compare a bow of any type to a gun.

This isn't the first time the History Channel has been wrong!!

First off if you wanted to do something damage you'd use a razor sharp broadhead on the crossbow!

And something like a Black Talon from a .357 again apples to oranges!

Most all bullets kill by shock as well as hemorage. All arrows kill by hemorage!

~HF~