Bolts and broadheads

A crossbow is only as accurate as the bolts it shoots, and bolts are far less interchangeable than they look.

Match the bolt to the bow

Use the length, spine and minimum weight the manufacturer specifies. Shooting a bolt lighter than the stated minimum behaves like a dry fire and can damage limbs.

Nock type matters: flat, half-moon and capture nocks are not interchangeable, and a half-moon nock indexed wrong can misfire.

Field points and broadheads

Field points and broadheads of the same weight rarely land in the same place. Fixed blades steer in the wind; mechanicals usually fly closer to field points but need the energy to open reliably.

Sight in with the head you will actually use, at the distance you expect.

• TypesRecurve, compound and reverse-draw crossbows compared: width, string life, maintenance and where each design makes sense.
• ChoosingWhat to check before buying a crossbow: cocking method, trigger, weight, scope and the total cost beyond the bow itself.
• SafetyHandling rules, string and rail maintenance, and where to check Canadian and provincial regulations on crossbow ownership and hunting.
• AboutAn independent reference on crossbows and crossbow equipment.