Thread: Crossbow build, stuck on trigger mech

Hey all, my boys have convinced me to help build them crossbows. They won't be powerful as need to be loaded by small arms but I'd like them to be accurate to around 30-40m for target shooting in the back yard. I've hummed up a few plans in my head but getting stuck with the trigger mechanism side of things.

It's not very easy to find trigger mechanism online and I'm hesitant to make one out of wood like the internet says. The trigger needs to be solid and reliable and a lot of these DIY designs look either rough, not so user
friendly or heavy.

So my question is where to buy one or get some design images of the more commercial trigger mechanism?

Thanks in advance.

https://thearbalistguild.forumotion.com/

have fun!

I bought one from an outdoors shop in the main street of Hamilton in 1997. I think the shop is long gone but can take some pictures if you want. If I were doing it now I would just get one from aliexpress rather than trying to make one though

I had one made in Thailand when I lived in Singapore about a lifetime ago.
The trigger was mounted on the side of the stock as shown - the string is cutaway because I'm not a draughtsman.

Thanks fellas, really good info there. I didn't know there was a whole sub culture into crossbow building!

100% that it's probably easier and cheaper to buy something, but I like to tinker with easy projects with my boys. I like to think that they learn something along the way haha

Ross Nolan, how did you find the accuracy with that trigger system? I've built and miffed a few spearg7ns over the years and learned to shy away from rolling the strings as it caused all kinds of issues. They could be dampened down by tweaking lengths, diameters and material of spear shafts but made life a bit more difficult than it meeded to be with different ranges.

I made lots of crossbows when growing up. As I got older they got more sophisticated. Final trigger was from an old martini actioned small bore rifle. Filed a new hammer profile that had an upstand/notch to hold the bow string. From memory it worked pretty well.

With that trigger mech in pic id say it would be pretty inconsistant as to how it conacted the rear of the bolt. Id have a look and see if an archery release aid could be addapted. Or just buy a cheap x bow that just works

2 second search on Ali shows multiple trigger starting about $30. No matter how keen you are, these would probably save you some big headaches and frustration. "Just because you can doesn't mean you should.."

Nah, DIY! Way more satisfying. Here's one I designed for a crossbow I made when I was 11.



To reload, push down on the back of the top bit to make it pop up and over-rotate it back a bit, push trigger forward, rotate top bit forward to engage trigger.