Bullet/Stone cross bow

[Kmaddock]

Hi
I purchased the attached on a whim as it was going cheap at an auction and I had no real clue as to what it is except that it was a cross bow

so i now know it is a stone bow, approx 11 mm barrel

v well made with nice carving and a compartment in the but stock for "Bullets"
The trigger functions beautifully with the locking catch capturing the string (not present)
then to fire you pull the very heavy main trigger to get ready to fire and then to release you pull the smaller hair trigger, very sensitive

It was locked up when i got it but a bit of wiggling and lubrication of the components got it all functioning

some small worming but nothing too major

I put some rope in for a draw string and pulled back the springs about 2 inches or so and it functioned flawlessly (I will will not do this again as it cant be good for the weapon)

it is totally devoid of markings and i do not think it ever had any markings as the metal and brass is in v good condition

screws never opened and are in lovely condition

not much about these on the web that i could find
but i reckon it is late 18th century bird or small animal hunting bow for someone with money and bow is of European origin?

has anyone got any ideas as above is based on conjecture

comments, observations and questions welcome

Regards to all

Ken

[fernando]

Nice thing, Ken .
You can always toss it over to the 'continent', when you get tired of it ... but not far too late .

[Kmaddock]

Thanks Fernando,

I was v surprised at what i bought it for as there were a lot of swords and guns in the auction, It just said "bring me home" and when the gavel fell on my maiden bid i was shocked.

It is nice to purchase something you never had before and you learn so much from these sort of purchases

what age and origin would you put on it?

Regards

ken

[fernando]

I am afraid i am not the indicated person to place it in time and place, Ken but, hopefully others will.
But tell me, is that thin rod a "hair trigger" in front of the shooting one ... with a tension adjusting screw in between ? This would make it a precision bullet crossbow, for target shooting. Together with that type of butt, could it be aged somewhere in the 19th. century ?
Pity no marks ... no better tracing.

[Kmaddock]

Yep it is a v v senstive hair trigger
I will check what the screw does when i get a chance (I am not sure if it is siezed or not though) I will not be forcing it !
Thanks
Ken

[Mel H]

Nice item, it's always worth keeping your wits about yourself in salerooms, you never know when something's going to slip through.
Looks to be 19th C. Most of the English stonebows tended to be open on the top, in a similar style to a crossbow, the difference being that the 'string' had a pouch / cup in the centre to hold the projectile. I think the barrel is more of a continental style.
The book, The Crossbow, by R. Payne-Gallway is probably one of the best sources of information and I'm sure that it has been 'digitised' and probably available for free out there if you do a search.

[Norman McCormick]

Hi Ken,
Payne-Gallwey first pub 1903 Chapter XLVI The bullet-shooting target crossbow with a barrel as now used in Belgium. An adaptation of the 16thC slurbow which discharged a bolt without flights. Fires a spherical bullet equal in weight to 3s/9d in silver coin of the realm. It shoots with considerable force and accuracy up to 50 yards with an extreme distance of 380 yards. Good for rooks and rabbits. Popular in Belgium for for shooting at wooden birds set on the top of a pole about 100ft in height. This crossbow shoots with more force than the English bullet crossbow as it has a single bow-string which acts directly on the projectile. The Belgian bullet crossbow requires a separate lever to bend the bow. As regards accuracy for rook shooting, the Belgian crossbow is quite equal to a rifle and its bullet will knock a rook lifeless without cutting it to pieces. I hope this condensed rendition is of some help.
Regards,
Norman.