Crossbow Glossary

WildGameRecipes
700 pages of very simple, easy to make gourmet recipes by one of the world’s great chefs,

A Glossary of Crossbow Terminology
Bookmark this valuable site

Thank you for visiting.

We are the largest animal, hunting and archery information sites on the Internet. We are also the most popular after Cabela's. Finally, we get more page views because there is so much more to see.

We started in 1996 as an all-volunteer public service to hunting. No one has ever taken a penny in salary. All our information and pictures are free. Please scroll down to learn more.

Edirorial

The Internet Hunting Society and it affiliated Hunting, Archery, Fishing and Boating sites are the largest and most popular outdoorsman sites on the internet with more than 6,450,000 visitors a year.

Today we announced our endorsement of John Edwards for President - for three reasons.

First, he is obviously very intelligent and well educated.

Second, he has the political experience and knowledge to guide our country out of this terrible time of troubles.

Third, he is a loving caring person who knows what the American family goes through to support themselves and educate their children

Fourth, he is what we call a "good old boy" who loves the land, who loves to fish and boat and hunt and who respects the cares for environment of this great gift from God that wee call America

Enhanced Fishing Society Site
Our enhancement program is 90% complete. Our volunteers have added over 800 pages. We now have over 3,000 and 30,000 links to Fresh and Saltwater fishing, guides, rods, reels, lures, recipes, fish and where and how to fish and the boats to fish in.

WildGameRecipes
700 pages of very simple, easy to make gourmet recipes by one of the world’s great chefs,

A Glossary of Crossbow Terminology size=4>
Bookmark this valuable site

ARMBRUST - German language term for crossbow which is often preferred in international circles.
ARROW - Synonym for bolt which is preferred by some modern crossbow manufacturers.
BALLISTA - Roman seige engine similar to oversized crossbow.
BARR - Section of the stock between the latch and lath; sometimes used as synonym for track.
BARR ED CROSSBOW - Crossbow having a tubular barrel rather than a track; used to shoot balls, usually of lead; synonym for slurbow. BASTARD STRING - String to brace a crossbow for installation of bowstring; synonym for bracing string.
B T HOOK - Metal hook(s) attached to belt to aid cocking.
BENDING LEVER - Hindged lever to aid cocking; pushes string back using lugs or a ring mounted at front of crossbow; provides mechanical advantage of about 5:1, varying with lever length.
BINDING - See BRIDLE.
BOLT - Short projectile for crossbow resembling arrow.
BOLT CHANN - See TRACK.
BOW - See LATH.
BOW IRONS - Metal fittings used to secure lath to stock; usually tightened with metal wedges.
BOWSTE - Steel lath.
BOWSTRING - String used on all archery weapons to transfer force from bow to projectile.
BRACING STRING - See BASTARD STRING.
BRIDLE - Binding, usually of twisted sinew cord, used to tie lath to stock on medieval crossbows.
BULLET CROSSBOW - Crossbow designed to shoot bullets; generally used in reference to double-string types.
BUTT - Rearmost portion of crossbow stock; also refers to earthen mound used in long range target shooting.
CATCH - See LATCH and SAFETY.
CENTER-SHOT - Bow or crossbow lath designed so that the arrow/bolt passes through its center; center-shot crossbows often have two separate limbs.
CLEAN DRAW- See POWER STROKE.
CLIP - Spring used to secure bolt to cocked crossbow prior to shooting; usually made of horn or metal.
CL0CKING LUGS - Metal protruberances on crossbow for anchoring bending lever, cranequin or goat's foot.
COCKING PEG - Peg required to set some crossbow trigger mechanisms prior to cocking.
COCKING RING - Metal ring bound to the front of the lath to anchor bending lever.
COCKSCOMBING - Method of serving sometimes used on loops of crossbow bowstrings.
COBMPOSITE - Combination of materials used to construct lath including horn, wood, sinew and baleen.
COMPOUND - Modern lath construction using cables and eccentric pulleys.
CORD AND PULLEY - Cocking aid consisting of cord with ends attached to crossbow butt and user's belt running through a pulley attached to bowstring; provides mechanical advantage of 2:1.
CRANEQUIN - Cocking device using rack and pinion; can provide mechanical advantage of about 145:1, varying with size and number of teeth.
DOG'S FOOT- See GOAT'S FOOT.
DOUBLE STRING - Complex form of bowstring designed to launch round projectiles from crossbow; has leather pouch at center to hold ball.
DRY-FIRE - To release cocked bowstring without projectile; term borrowed from firearms.
ENDCAP - Protective cap to protect rear of bolt; similar to arrow nock, but not forked.
FIRE - To light incendiary crossbow projectile; often used incorrectly as synonym for shoot or loose.
FOOTCLAW - See STIRRUP.
GAFFLE - See GOAT'S FOOT.
GASTRAPHETES - Greek weapon described by Heron of Alexandria similar to crossbow; literally "stomach weapon".
GOAT'S FOOT - Two-piece hindged cocking lever designed to pull bowstring from behind latch (curved shape of lever vaguely resembles goats leg); provides mechanical advantage of about 5:1, varying with lever length.
GROOVE - See TRACK.
HANDBOW - Term used to distinguish hand-held bow from crossbow.
LATCH - Mechanism for holding crossbow bowstring in cocked position, and for releasing bowstring when trigger is pulled. Synonym for catch.
LATH - Bow portion of a crossbow; synonym for prod.
LOOSE - To launch an archery missle.
MANUBALLISTA - Smaller form of ballista.
NOCK - Forked protective cap on rear of bolt; usually necessary with trackless crossbows to keep bolt in contact with string.
NOSE - Forward end of crossbow; sometimes used to refer to assembly attaching lath to stock.
NUT - Cylindrical latch usually made of ivory or antler.
PAVISE - Large shield used to protect military crossbowmen in the field while loading and shooting.
P LET CROSSBOW - See BULLET CROSSBOW; usually low powered weapon.
POWER STROKE - Distance between braced and cocked string positions as measured along track.
PROD - See LATH; term also used as name for light bullet crossbows (also spelled PRODD).
R EASE MECHANISM - See LATCH.
QUARR - Bolt with four-sided head; often used as synonym for bolt.
RISER - Thick, non-bending center section of bow or lath.
SAFETY - Mechanical device, usually in the form of a button or lever, used to prevent crossbow from shooting unintentionally.
SCORPION - See MANUBALLISTA.
SERVING - Wrapping of thread used to protect the center and loops of bowstrings.
SET TRIGGER - Trigger which may be set to release under very light pressure; 'hair trigger'.
SHOOT - See LOOSE.
SLED - Guide attached to the center of crossbow bowstring to lessen string wear and insure exact centering of the string when cocking.
SLURBOW - See BARR ED CROSSBOW.
SPANNER - General term for any device used to cock crossbows; possibly origin of English term for wrench.
STIRRUP - Device for holding the crossbow with feet while cocking; usually 'D' or 'T' shaped, sometimes made from webbing or rope.
STOCK - Portion of the crossbow to which all other components are attached and by which it is held.
STONEBOW - See BULLET CROSSBOW.
TASS - Traditional archery accessory worn on belt to clean bolts or arrows.
TILLER - See STOCK.
TOMMY-BAR - Type of bow iron tightened using threaded rods instead of wedges.
TRACK - Grooved portion of the crossbow between the lath and latch where the bolt rides.
TRACKLESS - Crossbow with an bolt rest in front instead of a full-length groove; forked nocks usually necessary to maintain contact between bolt and string.
WINDER - General term for windlass or cranequin.
WINDLASS - Crossbow cocking device using a system of pulleys and cords; provides mechanical of about 45:1 depending on construction.