Seven Crossbow Myths Debunked

A crossbow is many things. It has been portrayed in pop culture as the weapon of choice for badass hunters in medieval or pseudo-medieval settings. It is not, however, any of the following.  Very Different from the archery bow  - Fit a projectile to a string, draw the string back, aim, and shoot. This sounds like how a bow would work, right? Well, that’s also the basic mechanism of a crossbow. Crossbows are comparable to bows shot horizontally. Also, an elaborate mechanism controls the precision, speed, and power involved in firing a projectile, instead of human hands (at least, not directly). Its heavier, gun-like appearance, however, makes it less appealing for archers who are used to the lighter, but just as powerful, bow. Takes less skill to use  - A good weapon is little use in the hands of an incompetent soldier. In other words, it’s possible to make terrible shots even if you own the best one in the market. You still have to learn technical skills like using the sight, cocking the weapon, maintaining a good stance while firing, etc. Can shoot 100 yards  - Experienced hunters would tell you that it’s a bad idea to try to shoot that far, even if your weapon is capable of doing so. There are just so many things that can happen from the time the bolt leaves your weapon to the time you hit your intended target. The wind might suddenly change, or your target might be alerted to your presence and move to safety. The farthest (and, in most hunters’ opinion, most ethical distance) you should aim is 50 to 60 yards. More likely to injure animals  - Since it works a lot like a conventional bow, there isn’t much difference in the “wounding rate” between the two weapons. Can be shot like a firearm  - Filmmakers know that it would be unrealistic for medieval kickass characters to use guns, so they arm them with the next best thing: crossbows. Because they function more like bows than firearms, however, the shooting technique between them and firearms is different as well. (Hint: It’s impossible to dual-wield crossbows.) Is the weapon of choice for unethical hunters and poachers  - Again, this is a case of blaming the tool, rather than the tool’s wielder. There’s no sufficient evidence to prove that crossbow hunters have it easy compared to bow hunters, or the other way around. Is dangerous  - Any weapon is dangerous in wrong, inexperienced hands. Most crossbows have a safety device that prevents accidental releasing of the bolt while the weapon is at rest. Of course, relying on this device 100 percent of the time doesn’t guarantee that accidents will be prevented 100 percent of the time too. Just like any weapon, a crossbow’s effectiveness depends on many things: how well-designed it is, the skill of the user, the surrounding conditions during the hunting season when it was used, etc. A crossbow is many things, but it certainly does not deserve to have all those myths heaped upon it.