Roman crossbow pics

[Warhammer1]

I am guessing a hunting rather than a military context for these crossbows?

A forty five pound pull like has been suggested and especially with a short throw crossbow such as the medievel types with a foot or less of draw, would not be suitable for hunting purposes. For it to hit even 40m one would have o aim pretty high, the animal not see and watch the slow arrow coming.

The chinese repeating crossbow was made for rather unskilled crossbowers and was perfect. AT about 45lbs it was simply pointed in the air at angle and a volley of arrows let go.

This way the gravity became a friend instead of trying to aim horizontally where gravity and a slow moving arrow dont mix well at any distance.

If I was in a treestand waiting for a deer to pass below, then it would be fine.

An inswinger proponent, I have a nice little inswinger "scorpio" or manuballista (your choice in terms), about 60lbs of pull, and gets right at 174fps with a 350 grain arrow.

However, my use of the wide spacing varies in use from either Nick Watts inswinger or Alan Wilkins outswinger designs. Thus I can get fairly good speeds from low pull. A medievel crossbow with a short throw would have to be about 160lbs pull to get same velocity.

I will tell you that if performance and range count for anything at all, then the Orsova would have been an inswinger. Watch Nick hit over 400fps - probly 425. His new arm design and rest position comes from my study of the Orsova find as housed in the Museum - which is kinda whacky as it is incorrectly constructed as on display.

Did anyone notice that the artist interpretation of a relief suggests the bow limbs were in fact detachable? Looks like the crossbow was made to be disassembled and reassembled at will. Not one solid piece.