# Crossbows



## stihl sawing (Aug 19, 2008)

Any crossbow hunters out there, I have always been facinated by them. Have bought and sold a few over the years. I still have the first one my parents bought me when i was about 14 and they definitely needed the money more than i needed a crossbow.. That would make it 40 years old. Pictured is another old one and the one i hunt with now. About two years ago i thought about a new and more powerful one untill i looked at the price. 699.99 So i kept mine and still use it. I know there are cheaper ones out there but mine works fine. If any of you have one put up a pic and let us see it.


Horton hunter 150lbs pull







Another old Horton With original box. This one is about 25 years old. 125lbs pull










This one is an original Whammo. They were the first crossbows to be sold to the public and it is a 80 lb pull. They were sold with wooden arrows. The bow is pictured with one.


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## stihl sawing (Aug 20, 2008)

Forgot about this Horton stagg.


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## huskycandoit (Aug 22, 2008)

Those are some interesting crossbows... Not to be bashing crossbows but there illegal in PA unless you have a doctors excuss that you cant pull back a regular bow. But anyways I shoot a Diamond Justice, I have an apex 4 pin sight, biscut rest, and carbon express arrows....

Dan


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## stihl sawing (Aug 22, 2008)

I knew they were illegal to hunt with in some states, Just didn't know which ones.


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## stihl sawing (Aug 25, 2008)

Now i can't believe i'm the only one that hunts with a crossbow. Somebody else has got to. Yeah i know crossbows are for sissies that can't hold a bow back for any length of time. Been told that a few times.LOL


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## PA Plumber (Aug 25, 2008)

huskycandoit said:


> Those are some interesting crossbows... Not to be bashing crossbows but there illegal in PA unless you have a doctors excuss that you cant pull back a regular bow. But anyways I shoot a Diamond Justice, I have an apex 4 pin sight, biscut rest, and carbon express arrows....
> 
> Dan



I'm pretty sure you can use them during the flintlock and regular rifle/shotgun seasons. During the flintlock season, I believe one has to have a muzzleloader tag.

I have a 20 year old, or so, Horton Hunter. I'll try to get a pic on here one of these days. It has never taken an animal, but I'm thinking of getting it out this year. Have taken all of my bow and flintlock deer, with bows and flintlock.


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## stihl sawing (Aug 25, 2008)

PA Plumber said:


> I'm pretty sure you can use them during the flintlock and regular rifle/shotgun seasons. During the flintlock season, I believe one has to have a muzzleloader tag.
> 
> I have a 20 year old, or so, Horton Hunter. I'll try to get a pic on here one of these days. It has never taken an animal, but I'm thinking of getting it out this year. Have taken all of my bow and flintlock deer, with bows and flintlock.


Take some pics of your flinters too. That's my favorite kind of huntin.


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## PA Plumber (Aug 25, 2008)

stihl sawing said:


> Take some pics of your flinters too. That's my favorite kind of huntin.



Only have one. PA Hunter by Thompson Center. It has taken a couple of anterless. One during an early muzzleloader opener the 1st year we had tha,t and the 2nd, was the very last day of the late muzzleloader season a few years ago.

Give me a few days, I'll try to get the pics posted.


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## ropensaddle (Aug 25, 2008)

I shoot a mathews mq1 rip cord rest and trophy ridge sight.
I had a hunter did not like it sold it I now want an excalaber!
I also have a osage bow home made and everyone has probably 
seen it but if not I could post another pic 
Ok I could not resist  here are both bows the Mathews killed 
the pope and young on my wall!


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## timberwolf (Aug 26, 2008)

I Like my Excal, shoots flat and well, built solid.

Just some practice here, adjusted the sight up on the 3rd shot. It sports a scope now and with a little tuning is shooting beter yet. 

Wont be long until practice time, the leaves are turning and mornings getting cool.

I used to bow hunt with a compound, but often did not have the time to practice enough to feel good about my shot. Crossbow reduces the number of wounded and lost deer IMO. Really the range is no greater than a modern bow. And there are as many disadvantages as advantages vs a bow. I sure prefer stalking with a compound bow. If the bow purists drew back this exomax a few times they would not be calling anyone sissy. Looking at my buddy's Hoyt at over 330 fps with high let off cams, fall away sights, stabilizers and all sorts of other gadgets, I don't see crossbows having any big advantage performance wise.


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## stihl sawing (Aug 26, 2008)

That's a nice buck Rope, Your eyes musta got big when you seen them horns comin through the woods. Nice bow too. And look like some turkey feathers on the other side.


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## stihl sawing (Aug 26, 2008)

Those are some sweet crossbows. I imagine they are really fast too.


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## stihl sawing (Aug 26, 2008)

PA Plumber said:


> Only have one. PA Hunter by Thompson Center. It has taken a couple of anterless. One during an early muzzleloader opener the 1st year we had tha,t and the 2nd, was the very last day of the late muzzleloader season a few years ago.
> 
> Give me a few days, I'll try to get the pics posted.


We'll be lookin foward to seeing them.


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## ropensaddle (Aug 26, 2008)

stihl sawing said:


> That's a nice buck Rope, Your eyes musta got big when you seen them horns comin through the woods. Nice bow too. And look like some turkey feathers on the other side.



Yeah that is my best of years of public hunting I have many I would
not mount! The dogs must have got an eight point rack I was drying
out that had to be the littlest in the world 8 points with about a 6 inch
spread  The turkey was killed with the Mathews also had 11 1/4"
beard and 1" spurs! I was going to take the small eight and make a jackelope:hmm3grin2orange:


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## huskycandoit (Aug 26, 2008)

PA Plumber said:


> I'm pretty sure you can use them during the flintlock and regular rifle/shotgun seasons. During the flintlock season, I believe one has to have a muzzleloader tag.
> 
> I have a 20 year old, or so, Horton Hunter. I'll try to get a pic on here one of these days. It has never taken an animal, but I'm thinking of getting it out this year. Have taken all of my bow and flintlock deer, with bows and flintlock.



Ya your right. I was just referring to archery season. You cant use a cross bow then. Unless you have that note saying that you cant pull a bow back.

Dan


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## PA Plumber (Aug 27, 2008)

Here's the ole Horton Hunter from years gone by. I do need to get a new string for this thing one of these days.


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## stihl sawing (Aug 27, 2008)

Nice crossbow, I think yours and mine are twins.LOL Okay where's ole sparky the flinter.


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## PA Plumber (Aug 27, 2008)

Here's the "Flinter."

Tough getting the camera and the flintlock timing down on the last one!


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## stihl sawing (Aug 27, 2008)

She's a beauty, Those thompson centers are some fine guns. Thanks for posting it.


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## 046 (Aug 27, 2008)

nice flintlock!


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## stihl sawing (Aug 27, 2008)

What do you shoot in your flinter, I like round balls with pillow ticking patch. I use 4f powder in the pan and 3f down the barrel. Is your barrel a 1 in 48 twist as most thompson centers are. If so you can shoot either round or conical bullets. A 1 in 66 twist is a round ball barrel. Do you buy the pre made flints or nap your own. Okay i'll shut up.LOL icould talk about muzzeloaders a while. We have member here[hugenpost] that makes them.


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## PA Plumber (Aug 27, 2008)

stihl sawing said:


> What do you shoot in your flinter, I like round balls with pillow ticking patch. I use 4f powder in the pan and 3f down the barrel. Is your barrel a 1 in 48 twist as most thompson centers are. If so you can shoot either round or conical bullets. A 1 in 66 twist is a round ball barrel. Do you buy the pre made flints or nap your own. Okay i'll shut up.LOL icould talk about muzzeloaders a while. We have member here[hugenpost] that makes them.



I have gotten more into recurves lately (I'll try to find some pics). Haven't taken that flinter out in a few years.

Yep, 3f in the tube and 4f in the pan. I have a new pound of 2f that is a few years old, just haven't used it yet.

I believe the PA Hunter is the 1 in 66 twist, so round balls only.

I do use the yellow pre-lubed patches.

Pre fabbed flints. It has been so long since I have bought any, I couldn't even tell you what type. 

Oh, this is a 50 caliber. The thing is brutally accurate. I just wish I could shoot as well as it does. Anything past 30 yards and I really need a rest to hold it steady.


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## PA Plumber (Aug 27, 2008)

This is from another thread, so hope you all don't mind seeing them again.

Great Plains Take Down Recurve
57 pounder @ 28"


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## stihl sawing (Aug 27, 2008)

Awesome recurve, Some really nice looking wood.


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## PA Plumber (Aug 27, 2008)

Thanks for the compliments.

The recurve was off of Craig's List. The fellow had hurt his back and had it hanging for 7 years. The thing had hardly been shot and he had taken good care when storing it.

I think I have just over 2000 arrows through it so far. I am planning to use it this coming bow season. I had a Hoyt Striker II for many years and was planning to upgrade to a Mathews compound. 

A neighbor had given me a couple of old Bear recurves and I took one out for a day of stump shooting with a friend. Fell in love with it. Sold my Hoyt and bought the Great Plains off of Craig's List.

Only consistent out to 15 yards and have gotten one ground hog so far.


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## ropensaddle (Aug 27, 2008)

PA Plumber said:


> Thanks for the compliments.
> 
> The recurve was off of Craig's List. The fellow had hurt his back and had it hanging for 7 years. The thing had hardly been shot and he had taken good care when storing it.
> 
> ...



Instinctive shooting is the best I was 85% at up to 30 yards with my
osage bow. The thing is; I decided to hunt with it and did not practice on a stand and wizzed arrows over the backs of two nice deer! I would have hit them square on the ground but twenty foot in the tree it shot high. I would
love to get one with my homemade bow maybe I will stalk a doe or shoot
one out of a blind this year! Mine has buffalo sinew backing and is getting
stronger with age typical of osage wood! It was 70# when finished tillering
and is probably near 76# now and is real fast.


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## PA Plumber (Aug 27, 2008)

ropensaddle said:


> Instinctive shooting is the best I was 85% at up to 30 yards with my
> osage bow. The thing is; I decided to hunt with it and did not practice on a stand and wizzed arrows over the backs of two nice deer! I would have hit them square on the ground but twenty foot in the tree it shot high. I would
> love to get one with my homemade bow maybe I will stalk a doe or shoot
> one out of a blind this year! Mine has buffalo sinew backing and is getting
> ...



Wow. 76 lbs. When I grow up, I hope to be able to pull back a bow like that. 

After a few dozen arrows, 57#'s feels like plenty.

I do shoot from 15' up while practicing. Sure changes how you "see" the target.


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## ropensaddle (Aug 27, 2008)

PA Plumber said:


> Wow. 76 lbs. When I grow up, I hope to be able to pull back a bow like that.
> 
> After a few dozen arrows, 57#'s feels like plenty.
> 
> I do shoot from 15' up while practicing. Sure changes how you "see" the target.



Yeah it is definately a workout but my Mathews is 70 too! The hold factor
is not the same though I want to shoot my longbow through a crono
to see just how fast it is but can not tell the differance shooting them both
they seem very close and stick into my block the same depth! It is built
just as Indian's did accept, I built mine with a draw knife and not flint! 
It is some work but they are a fine weapon and a delight to carry compared
to modern bows.


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## stihl sawing (Aug 28, 2008)

ropensaddle said:


> Yeah it is definately a workout but my Mathews is 70 too! The hold factor
> is not the same though I want to shoot my longbow through a crono
> to see just how fast it is but can not tell the differance shooting them both
> they seem very close and stick into my block the same depth! It is built
> ...


And where would the pic of the homemade bow be? I know ya gotta camera, Cause ya takin pics of them big bucks.


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## ropensaddle (Aug 28, 2008)

stihl sawing said:


> And where would the pic of the homemade bow be? I know ya gotta camera, Cause ya takin pics of them big bucks.



Go back look to the left of the buck you missed it!


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## stihl sawing (Aug 28, 2008)

ropensaddle said:


> Go back look to the left of the buck you missed it!


OOPS, Yeah i did, But ya can't see a lot.


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## ropensaddle (Aug 28, 2008)

stihl sawing said:


> OOPS, Yeah i did, But ya can't see a lot.



Wtf it ain't a chick, I will tell ya what I will string it up
tomorrow and take some pics aight? You have some nice
crossbows I thought about making one!


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## stihl sawing (Aug 28, 2008)

ropensaddle said:


> Wtf it ain't a chick, I will tell ya what I will string it up
> tomorrow and take some pics aight? You have some nice
> crossbows I thought about making one!


LOL, Can't post them any more. Look foward to the pics.


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## ropensaddle (Aug 28, 2008)

stihl sawing said:


> LOL, Can't post them any more. Look foward to the pics.



Tomorrow chicks I mean pics and bep


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## ropensaddle (Aug 29, 2008)

*my traditional*

here it is; hope its a little better!


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## stihl sawing (Aug 29, 2008)

That's a really cool long bow rope, I bet you get a lot of satisfaction shooting it. You will really be proud when ya finally take a deer with it. Also a sweet ghille suit too. Thanks for the pics.


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## ropensaddle (Aug 29, 2008)

stihl sawing said:


> That's a really cool long bow rope, I bet you get a lot of satisfaction shooting it. You will really be proud when ya finally take a deer with it. Also a sweet ghille suit too. Thanks for the pics.



Shhhhh I was at full draw on one:hmm3grin2orange:
I got to tan me a rattler skin or two to cover the
sinew and camouflage the bow it sticks out!


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## PA Plumber (Aug 29, 2008)

Thanks for the pics, rope.

Nice bow and suite.


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