Early Designated Rifleman

[buffalowinter]

Swiss target crossbow circa 1900. Came without a butt plate so I'm fitting an appropriate brass swiss hook. Crossbow shooting is a popular sport to this day in Switzerland.

Modern crossbow shooting in Switzerland. When I was shooting in Switzerland, the Match Director gave us a tour and we visited a Crossbow range. The enclosed grassy range had a herd of rabbits that were kept on the range to eat the grass. This was common practice and the 300m ranges had cattle and sheep grazing on them.

 

[buffalowinter]

Mounting the butt plate

Do this a couple hundred times:

 

[ZG47A]

No issues with lead cleanup. Makes me wonder if some of the smaller Swiss ranges could change over to crossbows where they cannot afford to upgrade lead containment.

 

[buffalowinter]

 

[Douglas-001]

I am always stunned by your projects Sir! If I ever am able to retire (comfortably) I would feel like a loafer if I were not attempting some sort of project or hobby. Please be sure to include the range report!

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Nice work… those Scheutzen plates are
Hard to fit!

That crossbow is going to be very cool!

Sirhr

 

[buffalowinter]

 

[USMCsean]

Those are pretty neat. The type that I would like to find is the one that carries many traits of the Vetterli rifle series.

 

[buffalowinter]

Finished. Works great. Re-cut the sear and corrected some trigger butchery that was previously foisted upon it. Set trigger works fine. Installed a period Mortimer tang sight.

Bolts

cocking lever

 

[camocorvette]

Outstanding!
Is replacing the "string" a good idea before test firing? What's that made out of?

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Outstanding!
Is replacing the "string" a good idea before test firing? What's that made out of?

Probably gut! Also probably lasts 100 years!

Sirhr

 

[buffalowinter]

The string appears to be made up of numerous small fiber strings wrapped by a thicker fiber string. The bow itself is steel. It is very hard to cock, having to place the bow on the ground and then using all my strength on the lever to cock it. I've shot it at a commercial bow target and it sinks the bolts up to the fletching.

 

[308pirate]

I've shot it at a commercial bow target and it sinks the bolts up to the fletching.

Yikes

 

[camocorvette]

That's awesome. Thanks for sharing. Never had hands on something like that.