Crazy??? A Gun that Shoots Arrows

Traditions Firearms sells the Crackshot XBR (Crossbow Rifle) that fires an arrow up to 385 feet per second with 94 ft-lbs of kinetic energy at 30 yards, making it very competitive with today’s modern crossbows.  The gun is a basic .22 caliber rifle with the barrel section specifically modified to launch 2216 Firebolt Arrows.

How it Works

An arrow would wobble in an open rifle barrel and the fletching would be destroyed by the compression.  The XBR solves this problem with a narrow tube that fits inside the 2016 arrow and the larger outer barrel allows for fletch clearance.  To load the arrow, the shaft fits over the inner tube and slides down the barrel.

A Bow with a Bang

Once the arrow fully encases the inner tube, the rifle is primed with a .27 caliber Powerload as shown above.  To fire, the shooter switches the safety to “off,” cocks the rifle by pulling back the hammer, and squeezes the trigger.  I examined the rifle at the Great American Outdoor Show so I could not fire it inside.

Is It a Bow?

At a price of $599, the Crackshot is comparable to mid-priced crossbows and delivers arrow performance in that range.  With a stock, forend, scope, and trigger it has many crossbow components, yet it uses a percussion launch system which sets it apart.  It’s marketed to “adults, youth, and anyone who may be disabled.”  Generally, “bows” don’t go “bang,” but I’ll let you decide.  www.traditionsfirearms.com