Pistol Crossbow

What a pistol crossbow is

A pistol crossbow is a crossbow cut down to the essentials: a short rail, small limbs, a trigger and a pistol-style grip. You hold it in one hand, steady it with the other, and shoot bolts that are a fraction of the length of a hunting bolt. The product table on this page lists only models whose maker sells them as pistol crossbows.

You'll also see them called mini crossbows. Same thing, smaller word.

Every crossbow, big or small, works the same way. The trigger holds the drawn string until you release it, and the string drives the bolt down the rail. The general basics are on the crossbow page. This page is about what changes when the whole bow fits on a kitchen cutting board.

What to look at in a pistol crossbow

On a pistol crossbow, a few table columns carry most of the weight and a few barely matter.

Draw weight: read the maker's number

Draw weight is the pull it takes to bring the string back. The table shows the figure the maker or the Amazon listing states, and a dash where neither does. Some don't: the break-action model in Grand View Outdoors' product profile skips the draw weight and only says its mechanism cuts the effort by about half. For scale, one full-size maker's cocking guide puts typical modern hunting crossbow draw weights at 200 to 350 lb.

That gap is the whole story of this type. A light draw is why a pistol crossbow can carry its cocking aid on board, why it weighs about as much as a hardback book, and why it doesn't belong in a deer stand.

Speed: around 210 fps, not 390-plus

FPS, feet per second, is the bolt's speed off the rail. The break-action pistol in Grand View Outdoors' profile is rated at 210 fps, and its profile calls that impressive. A full-size hunting crossbow from one maker's current lineup starts at 390 fps.

Power stroke is how far the string travels while it's pushing the bolt, and on a pistol crossbow it's short. That same model lists 6 inches. Short stroke, light draw, slow bolt. Physics doesn't negotiate.

Kinetic energy: the number that rules out deer

Kinetic energy is the punch a bolt carries, in foot-pounds (ft-lb). Pistol crossbow makers rarely list it. Buckmasters' formula multiplies the speed by itself, then by the bolt's weight in grains, then divides by 450,800. Its own full-size example, a 370-grain bolt at 440 fps, lands near 159 ft-lb.

Quick math you can do yourself: weigh one of your short bolts on a grain scale, then run the formula with the speed your pistol crossbow lists. Speed counts twice in that formula, so a bolt leaving at well under half the speed of a full-size crossbow, and weighing a fraction as much, carries only a small slice of the energy. That's why it's a different sport.

Cocking device: levers and break actions

This is the column where pistol crossbows look clever. The cocking aid is part of the bow, not a separate rope or crank. One model uses a two-stage break action that, per its product profile, cuts the draw effort roughly in half and makes reloading quick.

Hand cocking is possible on some, but a lever keeps your fingers further from the string. On the table, "self-cocking" means the maker or the listing lists a built-in lever or similar mechanism.

Width: wider than you'd guess

Here's what actually surprises people. A pistol crossbow is short, but its recurve limbs stick out to the sides, so check the width column before you buy a case for it. For comparison, full-size compound crossbows from one maker list cocked widths under 10 inches.

For a pistol crossbow, width mostly decides how it fits in a case or a drawer. It won't be squeezing through a blind window, because it shouldn't be in one.

Length and weight: pocket-size, almost

The break-action model in Grand View Outdoors' profile weighs 2.3 lb. The table shows each maker's stated length and weight, and a dash where a maker leaves it out.

Either way, it won't tire your arm the way a full-size crossbow will. That's part of the appeal, and part of the problem: a bow this light is easy to hand to someone who hasn't heard the safety talk yet.

Optic included: open sights or a small reflex sight

Most pistol crossbows come with a simple adjustable sight. One break-action model ships with a red/green illuminated reflex sight. The table's optic column shows what the maker or the listing lists. A magnified scope makes little sense at backyard yardage.

In the box: bolts, and maybe some assembly

The "In the box" column lists what comes with the bow. The break-action model in Grand View Outdoors' profile ships with five 7-inch bolts and a sling, and the limbs and string need assembling before the first shot.

Short bolts are their own size class, so buy spares in the length the maker names.

Safe de-cocking: usually no

Pistol crossbows, like most crossbows, don't advertise a way to let the string down without shooting. Plan to uncock it by firing a bolt into your target at the end of every session. The table marks safe de-cocking yes only when the maker or the listing says so.

What a pistol crossbow is for

My one opinion on this page: a pistol crossbow is a target tool, not a deer tool. The reasons are all checkable. The speed is a little over half of a full-size hunting crossbow's, and kinetic energy falls off faster than speed does. Some states write crossbow draw-weight minimums into law; California's is 125 lb. And the maker profile I could check pitches its break-action pistol for target shooting and small game, not deer.

So what is it good for? Backyard target practice. A quiet way to practice trigger control and the habits that go with any crossbow: safety on, fingers clear, point it somewhere safe. If small game is legal with one where you live, check that first, then think hard about your yardage.

Danny's case for one at camp was that it would be "good for practice." Walt's response was to ask what, exactly, it was practice for. They've had this argument every November since. (Neither has won. The logbook calls it a draw.)

Setting up a safe backyard range

A missed bolt keeps going until something stops it. Set the range up before you cock the bow.

• Target: a foam block or bag rated for crossbow or archery points
• Backstop: an earth bank or solid wall behind it, never an open field or a fence
• Clear zone: nobody and nothing past the target in the line of fire
• Distance: start close, around 10 yards, and move back only as groups tighten
• Bolts: field points only; inspect each one before you load it

Targets wear out. One crossbow maker's pre-season tips say foam targets break down over time and may stop stopping arrows, and suggest turning box and bag targets to spread the wear. Targets are on the archery target page.

Loading a pistol crossbow, step by step

Small bow, same routine. NRA Family's loading guide and Bowhunter's crossbow primer line up on the order:

1. Point it somewhere safe, finger off the trigger and outside the guard.
2. Cock it fully with the lever. A partial pull can leave the string stuck where it won't fire or let down easily, per NRA Family.
3. Check that the safety is on before the bolt goes anywhere near the rail.
4. Hold the bolt behind its point. Never let your hand pass in front of the string or across the bolt's path.
5. Slide it under the retention spring in short pushes until the nock sits against the string.
6. Take the safety off only when the sight is on the target.

On a pistol crossbow, everything is closer together, including your hands and the string. That's the reason to slow down, not speed up.

Who should skip a pistol crossbow

Deer hunters. If you want a crossbow for the season, look at full-size bows on the crossbow page or the short, narrow ones on the compact crossbow page.

Parents shopping for a first crossbow for a kid should skip it too. A pistol crossbow isn't a youth crossbow. Youth crossbows, with shorter stocks and lighter draws built for young shooters, are on the youth crossbow page. Any crossbow around kids needs an adult in charge, every time.

Care for a small crossbow

Pistol crossbows have fewer parts than full-size ones, but the same habits apply. Read the manual first, because makers' care advice differs.

• String: inspect it every session; fraying or loose strands mean it's time for a new one
• Rail: keep it clean and free of grit
• Screws and lever: check that they're snug, hand-tight only
• Bolts: one maker's tips say to discard dented or bent aluminum shafts and any with damaged nocks or torn vanes
• Storage: uncocked, in a case or locked drawer, bolts separate

Bowhunting.com warns that shooting bolts that are too light acts like a dry fire and can damage a crossbow. On a pistol crossbow, that means using the bolt length and weight the maker sells for it, not whatever is in the drawer.

Pistol crossbow safety

A pistol crossbow is still a crossbow. Treat it as loaded, keep it pointed somewhere safe, and keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to shoot.

NRA Family's crossbow guide says to keep thumbs and fingers below the flight deck (the top of the rail) and out of the string's path when it's cocked. On a one-hand grip, your support hand is the one to watch. Never dry fire it, and check the safety right after cocking, per Wisconsin's DNR.

Crossbow and archery rules, including what's allowed for small game, vary by state and town. Check your state wildlife agency and local rules before you shoot anywhere but a range.

A pistol crossbow is a good backyard toy with real-crossbow rules. Keep it on the picnic table, not in the deer stand, and write the yardage down anyway.