The Crossbow Defined

Crossbows are not bows because they fire bolts or quarrels.
The crossbow is not archery equipment.
Crossbows are not bows.
The truth revealed.

Here I will address these statements one by one. For myself it is common practice to look up a word in the dictionary when I do not know it's definition. The Merriam-Webster dictionary is my tool of choice for such a task. Much like the crossbow is my tool of choice for archery hunting but more on that later. First I will need to show the difference between a modern arrow for a conventional bow and modern arrow for a crossbow.

Note both arrows are equipped with identical field or target points not hunting points or broad heads. The top arrow is for a modern crossbow. The bottom arrow is for a modern bow.

Crossbows are not bows because they fire bolts or quarrels.

What does a crossbow use for a projectile? The anti crossbow groups and individuals would have us believe that the crossbow "does not use arrows, it uses bolts or quarrels"

How does Webster's dictionary define a crossbow bolt? Answer : a square-headed bolt or arrow especially for a crossbow.

How does Webster's dictionary define a quarrel? Answer : a shaft or missile designed to be shot from a crossbow or catapult; especially : a short stout usually blunt-headed arrow.

It is interesting that the authors of the Webster's dictionary can not describe the projectile that a crossbow uses without using the word arrow in the description.

How does Webster's dictionary define an arrow then? Answer : a missile shot from a bow and usually having a slender shaft, a pointed head, and feathers at the butt.

According to the definition of the projectile used for a modern crossbow they are a bow because we all can agree that bow's fire arrows.

The crossbow is not archery equipment.

What is archery equipment? The anti crossbow groups and individuals would have us believe that only their definition of archery equipment is true archery equipment.

How does Webster's dictionary define archery? Answer : 1 : the art, practice, or skill of shooting with bow and arrow 2 : an archer's weapons

How does Webster's dictionary define archer? Answer : a person who uses a bow and arrow

Crossbows are not bows.

Well we have already determined that a crossbow fires an arrow. We will need the definition of a bow to qualify a crossbow for being archery equipment. We also know that one can not be an archer without using a bow and arrow.

How does Webster's dictionary define a bow? Answer : a weapon that is made of a strip of flexible material (as wood) with a cord connecting the two ends and holding the strip bent and that is used to propel an arrow.

I fail to understand why adding a stock to the above description makes it any less of a bow. The fact is it does not. Removing the stock portion from a crossbow will reveal the bow portion of the weapon.

How does Webster's dictionary define the crossbow? Answer : a weapon for shooting quarrels and stones that consists chiefly of a short bow mounted crosswise near the end of a stock

A short bow crosswise near the end of a stock? It boggles the mind doesn't it? Why the vertical archery groups and anti crossbow individuals don't see the bow at the end of the stock is beyond reason. Apparently all you have to do to camouflage the equipment they use is to make it a bit smaller and attach it to a stock. I guess that isn't so surprising when you consider they can't recognize an arrow if you make it smaller either.

The facts are: By definition the crossbow is a bow. It does fire arrows. It is archery equipment. And anyone who uses a crossbow is an archer.

Reference source credits: The Merriam -Webster Online Dictionary www.m-w.com

Part of Buckeye Dan's Survival Guide To Full Inclusion

by Buckeye Dan