Do crossbows shoot bolts or arrows?

Crossbow Hunting

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Tired Rooster
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Re: Do crossbows shoot bolts or arrows?

Post by Tired Rooster »

It's just a pointy stick whats got feathers glued on it and gets shot by a strang. Thats all it is........but technically/historically I think that "arrow" is most correct.
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Re: Do crossbows shoot bolts or arrows?

Post by j.krug »

MADMAX2 wrote:Call them what you want just make sure you have one in place before you shoot cause that is called a dry fire!! :lol:
Good enuff for me!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Do crossbows shoot bolts or arrows?

Post by okdeerslayer »

they shoot that there pointy thing that kills stuff ya know what that there thing is who cares what its called long as it does its job
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Re: Do crossbows shoot bolts or arrows?

Post by DaGriz »

Here's a quote form the Founder of north American Bowhunter:

“Da, well the crossbow ain’t archery `quipment cause it shoots bolts, not arrows!” claims the anti-crossbow expert.

"Jeez, I hate it when I hear that statement! I would like to put forward some simple information to clear up this murky subject, once and for all. The modern hunting crossbow does not shoot bolts, it shoots ARROWS!
If a projectile has a guidance system in the form of feathers or vanes on the end of it, it is an ARROW!



Can we say the word “ARROW” boys and girls? Crossbows shoot ARROWS! You can argue, rationalize and fantasize, but the fact remains – IT IS AN ARROW!



The crossbow bolt is a short dowel-type projectile that was once used for indoor and outdoor target shooting. It is seldom, if ever used in the twenty-eighth (or so) century of crossbow shooting. Now is time for crossbow shooters, arrow and crossbow manufacturers and even those opposed to the existence of crossbows to all crawl onto the very same page and come to the realization that the crossbow shoots arrows, not bolts."
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Stash
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Re: Do crossbows shoot bolts or arrows?

Post by Stash »

I'm going to stick with the major manufacturers, plus the dictionary definitions of "bolt".

Merriam-Webster: "a missile (as an arrow) for a crossbow or catapult"
Dictionary.com: "an arrow, esp. a short, heavy one for a crossbow"
Google Dictionary: "A short heavy arrow shot from a crossbow"
TheFreeDictionary: "A short, heavy arrow with a thick head, used especially with a crossbow"
Cambridge Dictionaries Online: "a type of short arrow shot from a crossbow"
Encarta: "arrow for crossbow: a short arrow for use with a crossbow"

I'm not saying "arrow" is incorrect. I AM saying that "bolt" is also correct and perfectly acceptable, and I'm not going to change my language to make it more acceptable to "antis". Screw 'em.

And by the way, it's "hunting", "shooting" and "killing", not "harvesting". :D
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Re: Do crossbows shoot bolts or arrows?

Post by DJH »

This is what I think, just in case anyone gives a rip.....

BOLTS AND ARROWS
A look on the lighter side of projectile name-calling.
“Da, well the crossbow ain’t archery `quipment cause it shoots bolts, not arrows!” claims the anti-crossbow expert.
Jeez, I hate it when I hear that statement! I would like to put forward some simple information to clear up this murky subject, once and for all. The modern hunting crossbow does not shoot bolts, it shoots ARROWS!
If a projectile has a guidance system in the form of feathers or vanes on the end of it, it is an ARROW!
Can we say the word “ARROW” boys and girls? Crossbows shoot ARROWS! You can argue, rationalize and fantasize, but the fact remains – IT IS AN ARROW!
The crossbow bolt is a short dowel-type projectile that was once used for indoor and outdoor target shooting. It is seldom, if ever used in the twenty-eighth (or so) century of crossbow shooting. Now is time for crossbow shooters, arrow and crossbow manufacturers and even those opposed to the existence of crossbows to all crawl onto the very same page and come to the realization that the crossbow shoots arrows, not bolts.
Those who scorn our weapon of choice claim that we shoot bolts because they are shorter than those shot from vertical archery equipment. Okay, let me get this straight, if that is the definition of a bolt in their superior little minds, then archers that shoot short arrows from an over-draw are shooting bolts, right?
I dare say that if you walked up to a vertical archer who is using short arrows with an over-draw system and say, “Hey Dude, really good looking bolts you are shooting there!” there would be hell to pay.
How about going to a junior archery league where youngsters are using 18-inch youth arrows? Give those kids on the shooting line the all clear and then tell them they can go pull their bolts out of the targets. Even a newbie child knows that they are shooting arrows and not bolts and they will, in no uncertain terms, let you know that you do not have a clue as to what you are talking about.
Why then, do some of us as mature adults insist on calling our arrows, bolts? I understand that a lot of folks just do not know any better. It is a simple matter of knowledge washing away the ignorance. Well, if you are reading this article, then you can no longer plead ignorance! Start calling your projectiles what they are, ARROWS!
If you are shooting something similar to the photographs included with this article, you are shooting bolts. If you are hunting with this type of projectile, you should seriously consider taking up another sport, because “you ain’t right”!
However, if you are hunting with a 20 to 24 inch projectile with feathers or vanes at the nock end, you are shooting an arrow. Get used to the fact and call them what they are.
If you are an arrow manufacturer and you are manufacturing and selling projectiles for crossbows, please take note. If those projectiles look like the photographs in this article, you are indeed manufacturing and marketing bolts. In that case, please feel free to call them bolts. However, if you are manufacturing projectiles that look like arrows, complete with vanes or feathers on the nock end, then you are manufacturing ARROWS. For Heaven's sake, please call them ARROWS, because that is what they are.
It is time to end the arrow/bolt confusion, people. Crossbow hunters shoot arrows, not bolts. I have heard it said that it doesn’t really make any difference what you call them. Excuse me?
I have also heard it said that a whitetail buck has nice horns, you know what I mean?
NO! A buck has ANTLERS; cows and automobiles have horns.
I got a bunch of polecats under my barn, you know what I mean?
NO! You have a bunch of SKUNKS under your barn! Polecats live in Europe and Asia.
Boy there sure is a good crop of akerns, this year, you know what I mean?
NO! There is a good crop of ACORNS this year! There is no such thing as an akern!
My crossbow sure does shoot a bolt fast, you know what I mean?
NO! Your crossbow shoots an ARROW fast, not a bolt. A bolt is a short featherless dowel like projectile once used for target practice at indoor and outdoor ranges.
Just because a lot of folks choose, for whatever reason, to mislabel something, it doesn’t make it right, you know what I mean? So….Let’s all, shooters AND manufacturers, get in the practice of properly addressing our projectiles for what the really are – ARROWS! NOW SAY AMEN!
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Stash
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Re: Do crossbows shoot bolts or arrows?

Post by Stash »

I don't understand why some people are so concerned about what other people call their crossbow projectiles. Bolts, arrows - what difference does it make?

DJH - I'm not absolutely sure what part of your post is a quote from someone else - I think all of it after the first line?

In any event, who wrote that, and what makes him a greater authority on definitions in the English language than several established dictionaries? Show some concrete lexicological evidence that "bolts" is the incorrect term to use in order to describe a feathered crossbow projectile.
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Re: Do crossbows shoot bolts or arrows?

Post by TPM »

I don't understand why some people are so concerned about what other people call their crossbow projectiles. Bolts, arrows - what difference does it make?
It's because we're not hunting and we're bored.

Carry on....
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Re: Do crossbows shoot bolts or arrows?

Post by TPM »

Stash wrote:You can call them whatever you like, and don't let anyone intimidate you into insisting they must be "arrows" or must be "bolts".

I think they're "bolts", and so do ALL of the major crossbow bolt manufacturers.

Excalibur calls theirs Firebolts
Easton calls theirs Powerbolts
http://www.eastonarchery.com/products/hunting_bolt
Carbon Express calls theirs Crossbolts
http://www.cxcrossbows.com/cms/content/crossbow-bolts
Gold Tip calls theirs bolts:
http://www.goldtip.com/category.aspx?catid=13
Victory calls theirs Xbolts
http://www.victoryarchery.com/XBolt.aspx

Draw your own conclusion. :D
Ya, and the Oxford dictionary defines "Excalibur" as "the magic sword of King Arthur".
And here we all think it's a crossbow. :wink: :D
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Re: Do crossbows shoot bolts or arrows?

Post by DJH »

Stash - I know what you mean. I personally know the guy that wrote that article and he is kind of an opinionated moron and that article is nothing more than his opinion. Think for yourself Amigo. Remember, the only right opionions are your own.
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Re: Do crossbows shoot bolts or arrows?

Post by TPM »

So, conversely, could this be considored an arrow? :wink: :wink:

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Re: Do crossbows shoot bolts or arrows?

Post by DJH »

That my friend, is a bonified crossbow BOLT. But one can easily see why it could be confused with a crossbow ARROW.
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Re: Do crossbows shoot bolts or arrows?

Post by TPM »

DJH wrote:That my friend, is a bonified crossbow BOLT. But one can easily see why it could be confused with a crossbow ARROW.
:D :D :D :D
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Re: Do crossbows shoot bolts or arrows?

Post by DuckHunt »

It's just one more thing for folks to argue about that don't like crossbows.

I have killed deer with GoldTip Series 22 carbon shafts fired out of my Exomax and my compound bow. The one fired out of my compound bow is longer (29" vs 20") and therefore heavier. The only difference in the components to make them is the flat aluminum nock for the crossbow and a plastic nock for my compound.

I fire arrows out of both of my bows. At least once a year I tighten their bolts. :lol:

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Re: Do crossbows shoot bolts or arrows?

Post by PA Prof »

DuckHunt wrote:It's just one more thing for folks to argue about that don't like crossbows.

I have killed deer with GoldTip Series 22 carbon shafts fired out of my Exomax and my compound bow. The one fired out of my compound bow is longer (29" vs 20") and therefore heavier. The only difference in the components to make them is the flat aluminum nock for the crossbow and a plastic nock for my compound.

I fire arrows out of both of my bows. At least once a year I tighten their bolts. :lol:

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I think calling them shafts decisively solves the issue. :lol:

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