Crossbow bolts

[bulldog136]

Looking at getting a crossbow, found a Barnett for $100 with a red dot I'm probably going to get.

How do I know how long of a bolt to get for it. Seems they are 18", 20" (most common?) and 22"?

[C-ya]

Mine came with 20's, and they will work with broadheads.  Sometimes you need a little longer bolt due to the field point not interfering with the rail, but the blades on a bh might.  The way my rail is, a bh won't interfere, so I can still use 20's.

If you are buying it from a shop, get a bolt and lay it on the rail and see how much you would have for the bh.  If you are ordering it online or through a sale online, wait until you get it and go from there.

[bulldog136]

Too easy, just wanted to make sure there wasn't any other reasons. Thanks!

[1mlt]

I have a question please. When buying "arrows" for bows, the arrows are rated for the "pound" of the bow. Example, you don't want to shoot arrows rated for a 35# bow in a 55# bow. Way to much flex and it won't fly true. Is this the same in crossbows?

Marcus

[C-ya]

Yes, it is.  A crossbow is still a "bow" in the way it launches (and stresses) the arrow.

[bulldog136]

That was what I was wondering but a bolt for a crossbow doesn't have as much "wooble" as an arrow does from a bow.

[C-ya]

That was what I was wondering but a bolt for a crossbow doesn't have as much "wooble" as an arrow does from a bow.

True.  A "bolt" used to imply that it was thicker, but with compounds shooting over 350 fps, there isn't much difference in the speed of them and the xbow.  Of course, I haven't taken an xbox arrow apart or cut it in half to look at wall thickness, but I would imagine they are still a bit thicker due the power stroke of a xbow being so short vs. the amount of travel a vertical bow string has to get the arrow up to speed.

This is an older video (they remade it), but it talks about PSE building an arrow thick enough to withstand the forces of being launched from their xbow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzc22e0xRX4&NR=1

ETA:  I forgot to put the time in the video that they talk about arrow stiffness:  3:40

[Toad]

Looking at getting a crossbow, found a Barnett for $100 with a red dot I'm probably going to get.

How do I know how long of a bolt to get for it. Seems they are 18", 20" (most common?) and 22"?

Call barnett and give them the model number of the xbow. They'll be able to tell you.

[bulldog136]

Looking at getting a crossbow, found a Barnett for $100 with a red dot I'm probably going to get.

How do I know how long of a bolt to get for it. Seems they are 18", 20" (most common?) and 22"?

Call barnett and give them the model number of the xbow. They'll be able to tell you.

Way too simple of a solution.............

[Toad]

I have a question please. When buying "arrows" for bows, the arrows are rated for the "pound" of the bow. Example, you don't want to shoot arrows rated for a 35# bow in a 55# bow. Way to much flex and it won't fly true. Is this the same in crossbows?

Marcus

The only thing that matters on an x-bow it the length, other than that, the bolt are more of a "piece of pipe" with fleching flying through the air at 350fps. There is no real wobble.

[Toad]

Looking at getting a crossbow, found a Barnett for $100 with a red dot I'm probably going to get.

How do I know how long of a bolt to get for it. Seems they are 18", 20" (most common?) and 22"?

Call barnett and give them the model number of the xbow. They'll be able to tell you.

Way too simple of a solution.............

We'll simple is, is simple does.

[bulldog136]

There should be a spreadsheet with an attached power point and a link to the manual on how to purchase a bolt...... 

[Toad]

There should be a spreadsheet with an attached power point and a link to the manual on how to purchase a bolt...... 

....from a redirected website, that required a plug-in, to down load the latest Acrobat reader, to open the pdf file....

Why don't you call cabella's right now, and play the dumb customer. Eastern stores should still be open until 8:00pm. Tell them you bought the bow from them, years ago, and you don't remember what size the bolt was.