Editing Crossbow (section)

== Comparison to conventional bows ==

With a crossbow, archers could release a draw force far in excess of what they could have handled with a bow. Furthermore, the crossbow could hold the tension indefinitely, whereas even the strongest longbowman could only hold a drawn bow for a short time. The ease of use of a crossbow allows it to be used effectively with little training, while other types of bows take far more skill to shoot accurately.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.wideopenspaces.com/pros-cons-crossbow-hunting/|title=These Are The Pros and Cons of Crossbow Hunting|date=1 September 2016|work=Wide Open Spaces|access-date=11 January 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> The disadvantage is the greater weight and clumsiness to reload compared to a bow, as well as the slower rate of shooting and the lower efficiency of the acceleration system, but there would be reduced [[Hysteresis#Elastic hysteresis|elastic hysteresis]], making the crossbow a more accurate weapon.

Medieval European crossbows had a much smaller draw length than bows, so that for the same energy to be imparted to the projectile the crossbow had to have a much higher draw weight.

A direct comparison between a fast hand-drawn replica crossbow and a longbow shows a 6:10 rate of shooting<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HagCuGXJgUs&feature=grec_index Video comparing longbow and crossbow], [[YouTube]]. Retrieved 16 September 2010</ref> or a 4:9 rate within 30 seconds and comparable weapons.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g-0-RK3cjk longbow vs crossbow behind a pavese], [[YouTube]]. Retrieved 16 September 2010</ref>