# Homemade Stonebow



## JacobL (Jan 10, 2018)

Today I finished up my latest project, a reconstruction of the traditional bullet crossbows used by the chinese before slingshots existed.

It uses a stacked spring steel bow and a double string with a pouch through the center to propel marbles or steel balls with the same force as a store-bought slingshot. I find it to be very accurate from a bench rest, shooting through cardboard over and over in the same spot. It isn't too amazing, but it's a first, and there's more to come from it.

The bow is canted to allow free flight of the projectile over the top of it. It's about 60# at maybe 10'', so it could be alot better but hey it's a first. The stock is made from an old board I had laying in the yard so it's been quite reinforced. Two plexiglas sideplates reinforce the downward curve of the stock, and hold the bow in place, as well as the foresight. Some paracord is lashed very tightly around the butt to keep it from breaking if I ever drop it.

Interestingly, I decided to go with a thumb trigger, made from a leftover trigger from a sawblade gun that didnt work haha. The thumb trigger is actually very great, since there is far less accuracy issues, unlike a finger trigger which can cause horizontal sway (assuming it's a hard pull). It is made from plexiglas and is a very simple one piece unit.

Overall it's qite crude (I refrain from spending my hard work on the homemade gun stuff because it could break, gonna be put through use, etc.), but it works very well, and I'm so happy to have finally made one after three years of beating around the bush.

Video coming soon, will post.


----------



## JacobL (Jan 10, 2018)

Also just uploaded a youtube vid with some shooting:


----------



## Ibojoe (Mar 13, 2016)

It's not all that crude. Nice work


----------



## flipgun (Nov 14, 2012)

:thumbsup:


----------



## STO (Mar 2, 2018)

That is really snazzy looking!


----------



## d3moncow (Aug 29, 2014)

That looks like a great deal of fun. I've read about the full-sized bow versions of that, they seem interesting. Do you have an idea of the draw weight? It looks quite nicely made, too. Crude is a relative term.


----------



## JacobL (Jan 10, 2018)

Thanks everybody, I'm happy to see that you all like it, even though I still say it's pretty crude haha.

D3moncow, draw weight is around 60 pounds, maybe a little below. I just find the overall look to be pretty rough, haha. The design itself is also very, very simple. Next one will be much cooler. It's a good crude LOL


----------



## d3moncow (Aug 29, 2014)

JacobL said:


> Thanks everybody, I'm happy to see that you all like it, even though I still say it's pretty crude haha.
> 
> D3moncow, draw weight is around 60 pounds, maybe a little below. I just find the overall look to be pretty rough, haha. The design itself is also very, very simple. Next one will be much cooler. It's a good crude LOL


Yeesh. My bow is only 35. You must have a grand time drawing that back. I look forward to the next!


----------

