[lutefisk]

Greetings, I'm new here so be gentle!

I've had this crossbow for about 10 yrs and a friend arranged it's purchase from a pawn shop in Florida that was going under. My friend observed several African mounts(rhino plus several others), black and white photos of a big guy hunting with it in Africa and a box of these unusual(to me) bolts. I would have loved to pick up the pictures, but he failed to get them.
By the time I was able to contact the store, it had gone under.

The weapon weighs 30-35 lbs and the workmanship is incredible. I'm big and I can not pull the twisted cable/carriage back more than 1/2" using all my strength. The trigger is as fine as anything on a custom firearm.

I met Bernard Horton many years ago and he wanted to see photos of this. My attempts to contact him now have failed and Horton Inc states he has moved from Scotland to Africa-location unknown.

I know nothing about crossbows. Can any of you provide me any info on this beast, or on finding Bernard Horton. Hopefully, I can attach the photos or this narrative is going to be pretty vague...

 

[lutefisk]

one more

 

[SPECIALIZED]

Wow, that is beautiful weapon.

Welcome to the site.

 

[Mike]

VERY cool. A freaken work of art...
The cocking arm you have there should make cocking moderatly easy.

And for what it's worth..."those" are bolts (or as close as anything I've seen lately!)...! Not those long skinny aluminum and carbon fiber things we shoot!

Mike

 

[cingold]

Welcome to CN

Horton moved to the US, we had only one crossbow manufacturer in South Africa called Crisbow but they went down the drain.

This crossbow looks very much like one we have for target shooting back home in Switzerland. The Swiss Cross on a coat of arms, the bolts and the whole setup look familiar to me. EASV means "Eidgenssischer Armbrustschtzenverband" and is translated as "Federal Crossbow Shooter Association", here the link to their website (in german only, sorry) http://www.easv.ch/. It's a beautiful crossbow and might have been used for either 10 meter target shooting practise, youth training or competitions by the association. You've seriously seen pictures of one hunting with this crossbow and bolts? Again, beautiful bow and swiss precision craftsmanship, as you mention the trigger, manufacturing is one of the finest and well know by target shooters worldwide. If you visit http://www.thecrossbowmansden.com and show the pictures to Robin, he was doing an educational trip to Switzerland during the time that bow might have been built, and he could have more information for you.

Chris

 

[cingold]

that's how they look today

this is how a new version of your crossbow could look like...

hope this is helping you a bit :thumbsup:

 

[lutefisk]

I have not seen the photos of it in Africa. The friend that bought it for me in Florida saw them and the mounts. Are those bolts for target shooting? Some have machined threading or texturing in them. While they might be okay for penetration, I've wondered about the lack of blades. I thought that maybe I had either received practice bolts or that the threading was used to contain paralytics for hunting.
I can not locate the notes I took on the owners name or the other estate contents which wound up in the shop. I might be a tad low on the weight of the bow.

Wow, a couple hours here have provided me much information and clues. Thanks a bunch!

 

[awshucks]

WOW

Nice find! Welcome to the forum. My vote is a target setup also.

 

[cingold]

Ya, I'd also say target only. Don't think you are able to shoot normal arrows and broadheads due to the barrel (term?) shape. Some of the old "bolt throwers" have a tapered barrel, the seating isn't suitable for normal fletched arrows. If you want to try, take shorter arrows, 16" with a minimium weight of 450gr, and you need to adjust the fletching, lets say only two vanes 180 degrees. due to the shorter draw the xbow could develop some more power and break lighter arrows. But I'd say don't abuse it for something it hasn't been engineeered for.
A setup like this will be perfect for 10 and 20 meter target shooting, do me a favour and use the crossbow. It would be a shame not shooting it. Pay attention to the string and maybe replace it if the loop serving looks worn, other than that have fun with it!! If you really want to know more about that particular bow send me more pictures with every serial nr or identification, I will ask the EASV for more info for you :thumbsup:

 

[lutefisk]

Because of the refinement in construction, extremely fine sight picture(would be worthless in low light), mechanics including weight, and lack of bleed blades on the bolts I believe you folks are correct. So here's a couple other questions:
1. How do I maintain the twisted metal cable-string. I would assume a light oil and avoid WD-40 (perhaps silicon)?
2. Given a couple strike marks on the front sight, do you believe this is save to fire with the existing bolts...I'd hate to blow up a bolt.
3. Should I choose to go with a fletched bolt...am I going to have to approximate the weight of the existing bolts? That might suggest custom construction of what I'd assume would have to be a metal fletched bolt.
4. Given the carriage(or whatever it's called) that contacts arrow, I'd guess I need a flat, possibly reinforced, proximal, or nock, end of the bolt.
5. Why are the smaller bolts "threaded" on the tip?

Ok, after staring at it for so long I had to try it. I used the light colored bolt which is pretty close to 500 grains. I do not have the capacity to weigh the medium and large bolts...but I'd guess 1000-1500 grains.

The bolt flew straight and 3 feet high above the foam block at 20 yards. It's going to take a shovel to find it in the backstop. This has the potential for being fun, if I can haul it with a wheelbarrow and can get out of the bolt recovery with shovel part.

So, how do 55 yo Swiss guys use the rear sight when you can't see it anymore?

As an aside, I could spin addtl bolt shafts on my lathe-oak or beech I'd guess-but those machined tips are going to be tough. Addtionally, the large bolt shafts are not symetrical. They only fit in the carriage/rail assembly in one position-otherwise the end of the shaft winds up above the carriage.

Here's a couple more shots...

 

[cingold]

1. How do I maintain the twisted metal cable-string. I would assume a light oil and avoid WD-40 (perhaps silicon)?
2. Given a couple strike marks on the front sight, do you believe this is save to fire with the existing bolts...I'd hate to blow up a bolt.
3. Should I choose to go with a fletched bolt...am I going to have to approximate the weight of the existing bolts? That might suggest custom construction of what I'd assume would have to be a metal fletched bolt.
4. Given the carriage(or whatever it's called) that contacts arrow, I'd guess I need a flat, possibly reinforced, proximal, or nock, end of the bolt.
5. Why are the smaller bolts "threaded" on the tip?


So, how do 55 yo Swiss guys use the rear sight when you can't see it anymore?

I'll tell you in 23 years some of them old men shoot up to the age of 80ys with just a dioptre! even with their old WWII 7,5mm carbines up to 300 metres... cou can always mount a cheap peepsight (the ones they used on the old Henry rifles) or even a scope, that model offers a lot of mounting options.
anyway, to your questions:
1. sorry, no experience with metal cables. have a close look at the loop and centre serving. If it's really made of steel i guess rust cannot be discovered easy inside the cables. other opinions?
2. ya, should be safe to shoot them. maybe wear eye protection, just in case. and have a look at the front sight mounting, it looks like it's a bit off center!
3. if you can find or build fletched bolts, give them a try (have a look at the bolts in the pic i posted above)
4. half moon nock, or flat. try whats working best for you.
5. stabilizing flight, improving accuracy, the only possible answer i can imagine. sure no poisened arrow tips or so... check out the other thread here to see a modern target xbow and bolt
http://www.crossbownation.com/community/showthread.php?t=2417

hope some of our more experienced members can give more advice, or as i mentioned above try Robin at [email protected] he is a master crossbow maker and builds similar types of target xbows

 

[GLewis]

Greetings, I'm new here so be gentle!

I've had this crossbow for about 10 yrs and a friend arranged it's purchase from a pawn shop in Florida that was going under. My friend observed several African mounts(rhino plus several others), black and white photos of a big guy hunting with it in Africa and a box of these unusual(to me) bolts. I would have loved to pick up the pictures, but he failed to get them.
By the time I was able to contact the store, it had gone under.

The weapon weighs 30-35 lbs and the workmanship is incredible. I'm big and I can not pull the twisted cable/carriage back more than 1/2" using all my strength. The trigger is as fine as anything on a custom firearm.

I met Bernard Horton many years ago and he wanted to see photos of this. My attempts to contact him now have failed and Horton Inc states he has moved from Scotland to Africa-location unknown.

I know nothing about crossbows. Can any of you provide me any info on this beast, or on finding Bernard Horton. Hopefully, I can attach the photos or this narrative is going to be pretty vague...

I understand that this is very old but I myself have come across one about two years ago. Not realizing what it was or what to do with it but it’s always had my curiosity on what it’s worth for sure. Is there any new information on this or is it still In the dark.

 

[10PtCrossbow]

Lutefisk,
Bernard can be found on Facebook and lives in Maun, Botswana