Bullet/Stone cross bow

Mel H · 30th July 2019, 06:51 PM

Nice item, it's always worth keeping your wits about yourself in salerooms, you never know when something's going to slip through.
Looks to be 19th C. Most of the English stonebows tended to be open on the top, in a similar style to a crossbow, the difference being that the 'string' had a pouch / cup in the centre to hold the projectile. I think the barrel is more of a continental style.
The book, The Crossbow, by R. Payne-Gallway is probably one of the best sources of information and I'm sure that it has been 'digitised' and probably available for free out there if you do a search.

Norman McCormick · 30th July 2019, 10:17 PM

Hi Ken,
Payne-Gallwey first pub 1903 Chapter XLVI The bullet-shooting target crossbow with a barrel as now used in Belgium. An adaptation of the 16thC slurbow which discharged a bolt without flights. Fires a spherical bullet equal in weight to 3s/9d in silver coin of the realm. It shoots with considerable force and accuracy up to 50 yards with an extreme distance of 380 yards. Good for rooks and rabbits. Popular in Belgium for for shooting at wooden birds set on the top of a pole about 100ft in height. This crossbow shoots with more force than the English bullet crossbow as it has a single bow-string which acts directly on the projectile. The Belgian bullet crossbow requires a separate lever to bend the bow. As regards accuracy for rook shooting, the Belgian crossbow is quite equal to a rifle and its bullet will knock a rook lifeless without cutting it to pieces. I hope this condensed rendition is of some help.
Regards,
Norman.

30th July 2019, 10:17 PM	#2
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,613	Hi Ken, Payne-Gallwey first pub 1903 Chapter XLVI The bullet-shooting target crossbow with a barrel as now used in Belgium. An adaptation of the 16thC slurbow which discharged a bolt without flights. Fires a spherical bullet equal in weight to 3s/9d in silver coin of the realm. It shoots with considerable force and accuracy up to 50 yards with an extreme distance of 380 yards. Good for rooks and rabbits. Popular in Belgium for for shooting at wooden birds set on the top of a pole about 100ft in height. This crossbow shoots with more force than the English bullet crossbow as it has a single bow-string which acts directly on the projectile. The Belgian bullet crossbow requires a separate lever to bend the bow. As regards accuracy for rook shooting, the Belgian crossbow is quite equal to a rifle and its bullet will knock a rook lifeless without cutting it to pieces. I hope this condensed rendition is of some help. Regards, Norman. Last edited by Norman McCormick; 31st July 2019 at 12:17 PM.

30th July 2019, 06:51 PM	#1
Mel H Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: North East England. Posts: 107	Nice item, it's always worth keeping your wits about yourself in salerooms, you never know when something's going to slip through. Looks to be 19th C. Most of the English stonebows tended to be open on the top, in a similar style to a crossbow, the difference being that the 'string' had a pouch / cup in the centre to hold the projectile. I think the barrel is more of a continental style. The book, The Crossbow, by R. Payne-Gallway is probably one of the best sources of information and I'm sure that it has been 'digitised' and probably available for free out there if you do a search.