crossbows

WCC · 03-23-2009, 04:54 PM

anyone here into crossbows? i live in the UK... gun laws are very strict here. you can't even buy air guns off the internet anymore, you have to visit a gun shop and bring ID and proof of address.
i went to my local gun shop a couple of weeks ago intending to buy an air rifle. i had a good look around the shop and came across a rack full of crossbows. up until then i'd never even seen a crossbow. i had a look at them and noticed how cheap they were - the best crossbow they had was only about as expensive as a mid-range air rifle. i had a chat with the guys there and they let me test a couple of them out. i ended up buying this:

the quality is good. it's all metal apart from the trigger and foresight. limbs are made of fibreglass. it has a draw weight of 80lbs and shoots 6" alloy bolts at 160fps. the power is impressive - way better than any air rifle. the accuracy is pretty good as well. the only let down is the sights. i've fired lots of guns (airsoft guns, air guns and firearms), and never have i come across such crappy sights. it does come with a scope rail though, so i'll buy a red dot sight for it.
overall great value for money, and it only cost me ?27.60. by comparison a B2 air rifle (cheapest one they sell) would have cost me ?10 more - i used to have one and it was the most inaccurate, badly made piece of **** i have ever fired (i had a spring airsoft pistol that was more accurate).

it's pretty amazing how cheap they are, and how easy they are to get - you can still buy crossbows online. they seem to have slipped the government's attention. air guns are strictly regulated - the power limits are ridiculous (6ft/lbs for pistols and 12 for rifles) and you can't buy them online. the restrictions on airsoft guns are even more strict believe it or not - unless you're a registered member of a skirmishing site, they must be painted in bright colours so they look like toy guns. yet bows and crossbows (which can do a lot more damage) are unrestricted.

i love my little crossbow and i'll probably get a full-size one some time soon.

misc_brah · 03-23-2009, 05:41 PM

you can go above 12ft/lbs on air rifles with a firearms certificate.

Just so you know, its illegal to hunt with bows/crossbows in the UK

WCC · 03-23-2009, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by misc_brah

you can go above 12ft/lbs on air rifles with a firearms certificate.

... which is ****ing hard to get. i'd rather apply for a shotgun certificate anyway - it's easier to get. when applying for an FAC, you have to prove to the police that you need one. when applying for an SGC it's the other way round - the police have to prove that you aren't fit to have one. and if i was going for my FAC i'd get a .22, not an air rifle.

Quote:

Just so you know, its illegal to hunt with bows/crossbows in the UK

yeah i know. i'm not using it for hunting, just target practice.

misc_brah · 03-23-2009, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WCC

... which is ****ing hard to get. i'd rather apply for a shotgun certificate anyway - it's easier to get. when applying for an FAC, you have to prove to the police that you need one. when applying for an SGC it's the other way round - the police have to prove that you aren't fit to have one. and if i was going for my FAC i'd get a .22, not an air rifle.

yeah i know. i'm not using it for hunting, just target practice.

I would'nt bother with FAC air either, springers have horrible recoil and PCP's have a tiny shot count.

btw you have to supply good reason for both FAC and SGC. Though it is alot easier to join a local clay grounds than it is to find some land to shoot over