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Arrows vs. things.
- Thread starter Chas
- Start date
Arrows don't fly particularly fast. Bullets on the other hand do. Typically a bullet leaves the barrel around 2800 fps and weighs around 150 grains. There are 7000 grains to the lb. Energy is mass x velocity of course.
However, arrows weigh a lot. They're weighed in ounces, not grains. All of that moving energy if concentrated on a tiny tip and as arrows don't usually expand on contact, they are the same diameter all the way down so they slip through and out the other side. All of that comedy stuff where people have arrows sicking out of them is hooey. They even go through armour. For what the lack in range and level flight, they make up for in closer distance penetration. I wouldn't stand in front of one.
However, arrows weigh a lot. They're weighed in ounces, not grains. All of that moving energy if concentrated on a tiny tip and as arrows don't usually expand on contact, they are the same diameter all the way down so they slip through and out the other side. All of that comedy stuff where people have arrows sicking out of them is hooey. They even go through armour. For what the lack in range and level flight, they make up for in closer distance penetration. I wouldn't stand in front of one.
Apart from the technical stuff (thanks to Chris' beautifully written explanation) I liked the photography.
There's a whole series of high-speed slo-mo on the toob, I love these vids.
There's a whole series of high-speed slo-mo on the toob, I love these vids.
Towpack
Well-Known Member
The advent of the Longbow and particularly the Crossbow effectively changed warfare, usurping horse mounted armoured soldiers/knights wielding swords, clubs and lances etc, in the same way that firearms later brought about the demise of bows for mass combat. Bows have the advantage of being almost completely silent of course. I bought a Barnett crossbow back in the mid '80s (still got it somewhere) with a 150lb prod draw weight which would put a pointed bolt through a car body panel at 100yds. The bolts recommended for small game like rabbits etc had blunt ends to maximise the shock of impact instead of passing straight through with sometimes minimal trauma allowing the target animal to escape and probably die a slow painful death. AFAIK it's now illegal to hunt and shoot anything in the UK with a bow/crossbow. The use of broad head tips is also prohibited.
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2010
- Messages
- 5,515
Shooting. An unbelievably complicated effort. That's why there are a lot of misses. Imagine looking down your barrel whilst standing on a ship which is rolling side to side and back and forth. Your target is all over the place. Now imagine your target is a long way away. That distance has to be calculated. 15 miles say. That target is also moving. You see puffs of black smoke from your target. They've fired and 15 inch diameter high explosive shells are headed your way. You nervously await instructions. Down in the bowels of the ship there is a computer the size of a 80. Eight experts are inputting data strapped to the computer due to the violent moves of the ship. They have to calculate air density, wind speed, temperature, distance, direction of target etc. They also have to calculate the rotation of the earth as by the time your 15 inch shells get to present target position the earth has moved slightly. You here "FIRE" and pull the trigger. There's an enormous thump as 4 of your guns fire. An observer keeps an eye on the target waiting for your shells to arrive. He's sees an enormous explosion and spout of water. He shouts down to the computer men " he'a hit a bloody whale".
