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Chapter XLVI
The Bullet Shooting Target Crossbow with a Barrel -
as Now Used in Belgium
Fig. 159, next page, represents one of these powerful and highly finished
crossbows and explains its general mechanism.
It is an adaptation of the sixteenth century slurbow shown in Chapter
XXIX, which discharged a bolt.
This weapon is, however, constructed for bullets, which it shoots with
great accuracy and considerable force up to fifty yards.
The bore of its steel barrel is 5/8 in. in diameter. Its spherical bullet
is equal in weight to 3s. 9d. in silver coin of the realm.
The steel bow is 4 in. longer - and 1/4 in. wider and 1/8 in. thicker
at its centre - than the bow of the crossbow last described, its power
being proportionately greater.
It will be seen that the barrel has a slot cut for some distance through
its centre to allow the bow-string to travel to or fro.
Fig. 158.- Section of the Barrel of a Bullet
Shooting Belgian Crossbow.
The bullet and part of the bowstring are also shown.1
When the bullet is in the barrel upon the stretched bow-string, its
upper and its under surface each fit, for a depth of about 1/8 in., into
the grooved halves of the barrel. The impact of the released bow-string
comes, therefore, against the centre of the bullet when the crossbow is
discharged, fig. 158.
1 The barrel and the bullet are here given
larger than full size so as to indicate the position of the latter clearly.
The bullet is shown distinct from the barrel for the same reason. The bullet
should fit exactly, but not so closely that it will not roll down to the
bow-string when it is inserted in the muzzle of the barrel. |
