What is a self cocking crossbow?

[rajstuff109]

I am a newbie, so please try not to use any technical terms.
Are they any easier to cock than a normal bow?

Many thanks

James

[awshucks]

I only know of two of them. The first would be a Bnett Commando I had a long time ago, which would be considered an under powered dinosauer by todays standards, and I think the Swiss TwinBow II, but have never handled or shot one, way too high priced for me.

You "broke" the commando open like a single bbl shotgun and two fingers pulled the string back for you. Both it and the TwinBow had/have very short power strokes.

How about it guys? Any more of them out there?

[Mike Van Veghten]

It's a crossbow...that if left on a table long enough...it will cock itself!

Actaully...it's a misrepresentation or misspoken term for a crossbow that with a motion like a breakdown shot gun, when folded at the hinge, a pair of fingers will retract the string into the trigger box.

As awsh says, the Twinbow, the old Barnett Commando and a few of the "pistol" (can be seen on e-bay) type crossbows have this feature.

As simple as Barnett made it 30 years or so ago...I'm surprised that only Twinbow has designed it into their crossbow.

Mike

[Bocajnala]

Man! I have a barnett at home (I'm away at school) wish I could post the picture. But thats the only two I am aware of. That Barnett was my first crossbow, I loved it. But as said above, no where near modern standards.

[rajstuff109]

Sorry, but I still don't understand how it works.

I have noknowledge of shotguns.
And am a Newbie tobows.

Thanks

James

[awshucks]

ORIGINAL: rajstuff109

Sorry, but I still don't understand how it works.

I have noknowledge of shotguns.
And am a Newbie tobows.

Thanks

James

Don't worry about how they work, your chances of coming across either of the two I know of are fairly remote. The Bnett is kinda a collectors piece now and the Twin Bow was over $2000 last I knew.

You would need pictures that I doubt any of us have to see how they work. Haven't you ever seen some guy carrying a double barrel shotgun under his arm broke open in a movie or something? That's how you cocked the Commando, it was hinged in the middle and two brass fingers outside the rail grabbed the string and pulled it back until it latched in the trigger box.

Somebody rebuilt a Commando and had an article in older issue of HBM, quarterly publication of ACF, w/ photo's, if/when you join that org ask DJH for that back issue. Google the Swiss Twin Bow, maybe their web site shows how it cocks. Have fun!

[jjw]

hi i do have a barnett commando break cocking cross bow its draw is 175 pounds the reason they made it a break draw is becous there is no way you could draw back the string with your hands with out cutting your hands open not shure what model it is but it is black and brass kinda a pane in the but as you have to buff the brass all the time to keep it looking nice but it has more then enof power when shooting like i sead its 175 pound draw it was passed down to me from my dad befor he passed on along with 13 other guns i dont use eaneymore

[Wyvern Crossbow]

Yes...I am on a diet and this photo makes my gut look worse than it really is (I keep telling my wife that when you have a "tool" like mine you have to build a shed over it ) but this is a shot of the Twin bow being cocked.
Wyvern

[Moonkryket]

I wish I had a "self cocking" crossbow :-)

The SCM Twinbow is a unique design that has the cocking mechanism built into the fore end of the crossbow.

[martinfaw]

I found one on ebay, looks like a nice one it will be interesting to see what it goes for
Martin

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:I T&item=290299235725