[Archers] Safety advice on atal-atals and crossbows

[Siegfried]

I will speak to the crossbows:

> 2. I presume a crossbow needs to be spanned just like drawing a hand bow
> during the inspection process. I would assume that the ability to span
> the bow is judged much the way we look for a hand bow archer's ability
> to hold the bow steady at draw during inspection. 

Actually, there is no need to span the crossbow during an inspection,
and in fact I would strong discourage against it.  It's simply too
painful (and potentially dangerous to the crossbow, due to the need to
let it back down, etc) of a process.

The reasons for having someone draw a hand bow, is not only to watch for
cracks that open up upon drawing (not a problem with fiberglass or steel
crossbow prod)

But as you mention to make sure that they can hold the weight of the bow
safely without shaking/etc.  For it is a dangerous situation indeed to
have someone on the line with a drawn arrow and a shaking arm that could
cause them to release in any direction at any time.

On the flip side, this problem doesn't exist on a crossbow.  The
'problems' can only happen while the crossbow is being spanned SANS a
bolt.  Once it's locked, there is no strain on the user.   Therefore
there is no safety issue of someone trying to use a crossbow 'too
powerful' for them like there is with a handbow.

That being said, you do need to check the lock for safety.   You need to
make sure that the lock, well, stays locked under pressure.  And that it
releases smoothly without a 'second catch'.

Test for these by putting pressure on the nut with your finger/thumb/etc
(this is easy on a rolling nut, for example) with the trigger engaged.
Make sure it doesn't release under pressure, and you can even shake the
crossbow a little to make sure gentle nudging doesn't make it release.
Don't WHACK the crossbow around.  few releases will survive that, nor do
they need to.  We aren't trying to make sure you can throw the crossbow
to the ground and it still doesn't go off :)

If you can't test the release with your fingers, such as a claplock ...
then use a spare string or stringer for the test.  Run it into the lock
as it if was the real string.  See if it stays ... see if the trigger
releases it.

When testing the release of the trigger, pull the trigger slowly, and
make sure that:
1) It releases
2) It releases without a 'second catch'.  By a second catch, I mean that
it shouldn't hit a point where it feels like it partially starts to
release ... the nut rolls forward, or the string starts to leave the
catch ... but then STOPS ... and doesn't continue until the trigger is
pulled more fully.   This situation can cause a dangerous situation
during live use.

> 3. The last time a crossbow was on my range, a hold was called. The
> archer removed the bolt and placed his still-spanned crossbow on the
> ground with the prod pointing downward. I asked about this, and he told
> me it was difficult to relax the string once drawn, and of course he
> can't "dry fire" it into the ground without possible harm to the
> crossbow. Is this a safe enough way to handle the bow during a hold?

This is the CORRECT way to handle a crossbow on a hold.  The bolt should
be removed from the string immediately.  At this point, the crossbow is
presenting no more danger than it does at any point in time in it's
lifespan ... the only danger is from a broken prod, which is at worse a
slap on the wrist/leg/arm of the owner (and if the prod is
safety-tethered with a sichern anyway, then no real worries at all) ...

While it *IS* possible to let down a crossbow safely, it can be a tricky
proposition depending on the person & their crossbow.  I can do it on
mine, but others can't on theirs.  And it's never as easy/quick/simple
of a situation as just removing the bolt and 'waiting'.

Crossbows should NOT be dryfired, obviously.   In the case of some
people who cannot safely bring it down, in case of a LONG term hold ...
then they should find a safe area (with marshal support) to fire a bolt
into the ground/target/etc ...

But again, that would only be for a LONG TERM hold, like:  "Ok, stopping
for lunch" or "something just made us need to take a 15 minute break" ...

But you'll find that most people in that situation will have a way to
let the prod down safely.

In Service,
Siegfried


-- 
Barun Siegfried Sebastian Faust - Barony of Highland Foorde - Atlantia
http://hf.atlantia.sca.org/ - http://crossbows.biz/ - http://eliw.com/