If you are getting into crossbow hunting, then knowing the crossbow anatomy can really help when you’re in the field. While some of these terms may not make sense now, you’ll quickly learn that anyone who hunts with a crossbow knows what each part of the bow does.
Riser And Limbs
Riser are the base or what you hold when you are shooting the crossbow. All limbs are attached to the riser, which is typically made from cast or machined aluminum. Some of the high-quality bow risers include CNC machined using solid billets or extrusions, while a lower cost riser will have cast aluminum.
Limbs store all of the kinetic energy that is needed to transfer to the cams when you draw the bow. There are various types of limbs (or wings), including solid and split designs. They are different advantages with each style. These are some bows you might find in your search:
- Recurve
- Compound
- Pistol
- Rifle
- Bullet
- Repeating
As stated previously, recurve and compound are the two main types, but within compound crossbows, you’ll find different limb types such as the pistol crossbow.
Arrow Track
Some refer to this as the bolt, flight, or barrel track. This is the structure that your bolts rest on and travel down when you trigger release. With very detailed and precise measurements, you’ll have more accurate targeting and shooting, particularly for bolts downrange.
Slight And Power Stroke
Typically you’ll have a small scope or sight at the top of the crossbow where you can aim and lock on your target. There are also more advanced attachments that help you target precisely.
The string on your crossbow moves from resting to cocked position. The power stroke is the physical distance between those points. With a long power stroke, you generally have a faster shot because the long power stroke accelerates the arrow sharply and greater distance.
Draw Weight
This measurement always appears in pounds and refers to how much pull required to draw the limbs into a fire position. With a higher draw weight, you’ll typically have faster-shooting speed and more power.