Is Crossbow Considered as a Firearm?

Is Crossbow a Firearm?

Crossbow is a famous hunting weapon that has been used by hunting enthusiasts for centuries. Most hunters and long-range shooters tend to favor crossbows because of their exceptional velocity and impact. Today, in this article we will try to address an age-old debate among the crossbow users that, “Is crossbow a firearm?

To answer this question, first of all, we need to understand what basically falls in the category of firearms, let’s take a look at it!

What is a Firearm?

According to a formal definition, a firearm is any weapon that uses explosives such as gunpowder to expel a shot. It may include pistols, rifles and explosives, as well as handmade tools that may have similar characteristics.

Firearms include a broad variety of weapons so there is no common definition of it. Many commercial crossbows have recently been developed solely for safety purposes and have been loaded with provisions to allow proper, effective self-defense.

Is Crossbow a Firearm? There are mixed opinions about the features that the crossbow has to offer. There are some remarkable similarities and differences, let’s find out!

License

Crossbows are readily accessible mainly on digital markets, unlike weapons that require a license and a local government permit to own. This is primarily because crossbows are much safer to use by anyone, whereas there are proper training academies that teach how to use firearms.

Range

The crossbow companies have been working hard to increase the range of shooting by experimenting with highly elastic materials to produce bowstrings. It is, however, technically difficult for them to meet the firing distances of rifles and guns up to 2,500 yards, opposed to their maximum range of 50-60 yards.

Firing Rate

Crossbows load one arrow at a time, and each round the other has to be loaded onto the bow of the quiver. On the other hand, weapons have bullets stored in magazines that allow higher firing speeds, making them more effective in intense security combat situations.

Powerful

Firearms have highly mechanical parts, all connected together, that allow high firepower to be most effective in any range depending on the type of firearm. Almost all crossbows have equal shooting strength, making them incomparable to firearms in power limits.

Trigger

Latest generation crossbow triggers look like the one on any firearm and have almost the same response rate that allows for better accuracy. Many firearms need loading after a shot, and it is the same on a crossbow that involves reloading the bow string so that it can shoot another bolt with similar power.

Moreover, most of the crossbows have a clutch that helps to move the bow string back to the trigger hook and resembles that of the snippers.

Scopes

The crossbow industry has its own unique telescopic sight department, which is highly precise for locating the targets. This allows crossbows to be used as a substitute for close-range sniping.

Skins

Crossbows are available in many colors and styles, but the camouflage skins really help them to shoot while hiding in the woods. In addition, many skins are available in the market for crossbows that can be easily added, allowing users to easily change their gears according to their interests and requirements.

Safety Features

All the newest crossbows are accredited and safety-approved for the customer’s safety. The installation of fire locks, much like those on firearms, prevents firing by accident, which enhances the faith of the customers on their gear. The Anti Dry-Fire application is also designed to allow crossbows to meet the requirements of weapon safety features.

Legal Status of Crossbow

The legal definition of Firearms, as well as crossbows, differs from country to country. Let’s explore it!

United States:

In the United States, the term firearm means any shotgun or rifle having a barrel of less than 16 to 18 inches and which expels the shot by using gunpowder. Most U.S. states allow crossbow shooting only during the hunting season, while in 11 other states crossbows are permitted during the firearm season too.

In certain states of the U.S, crossbows are only allowed for physically impaired hunters or on private land. Oregon seems to be the only state in the U.S where crossbows are completely illegal. We suggest you study your local laws before making a purchase.

Europe:

In Europe, firearms are considered to be any handheld barrel weapon that shoots bullets or projectiles by means of a combustible propeller. Things can, for legal purposes, be treated as a firearm if they have the resemblance of a firearm or are constructed in a manner that makes it possible to turn them into a firearm.

While Europe’s policies are rather stringent, they have a very relaxed approach to crossbows. There are just a few things you need to learn to keep yourself away from jeopardy.

Canada:

In Canada, any barreled tool which can expel a projectile which can cause serious injury or death to an individual is known as a firearm. The crossbow rules in Canada are also relaxed, so if you choose to own them, you would not need a license or permit for using them.

There are also a few rules banning certain bows; if the bow is 500 mm or even less, and whether you are using them with just one hand. You should also review your area’s bow hunting regulations before using them to avoid felony.

Australia:

In Australia, firearms include any tool built to discharge shots or bullets or other missiles by the expansion of gases generated in the device by the ignition of highly flammable substances.

You can easily buy and own crossbows in Australia, although in some states you need a government permit to use them. Pistol crossbows may be more closely regulated because they are easily concealable.

Crossbow Hunting Restrictions

Apart from the authority to carry and possess a crossbow, the Hunting regulations need to be considered carefully. This may differ from state to state. For the sake of wildlife protection, some states can enforce a complete ban on hunting, particularly if a particular species is approaching extinction and thus no hunting licenses for firearms or crossbows can be provided.

However, in other States where there are no prohibitions, background checks can be carried out on the applicants to assess their track record in order to issue them a hunting permit.

Why are Crossbows better than Firearms?

Now we have the understanding that crossbows do not really fall into the category of firearms. So, we need to see how crossbows are better and more effective than other firearms. Let’s find it out!

Ammunition and Scopes

Bullets and other accessories of firearms are made of metal like elements that are costly and difficult to acquire. Whereas, a crossbow uses readily accessible bolts that are comparatively cheap in price. Almost all of the new crossbows use standard size arrows and have no difference in size, while guns use projectiles of different measurements.

Crossbow quarrels can be made easily with materials available in any household. Weapons are small and cannot hold in-zoom sights, whereas the crossbow industry has specially built red dots and scopes that are highly efficient and allow accurate shooting.

Lesser Recoil While Shooting

Ammunition used in weapons is explosive and has a high recoil that takes power to overcome and is very difficult to handle. On the other side, the crossbows only use a string that has no effect on the stability of the crossbow when the trigger is pressed. Decreased recoil helps to improve shooting stance which further helps to improve shooting accuracy.

Massive recoil force from firearms is dangerous for amateurs, whereas crossbow steadiness lets beginners and novice shooters aim better. Crossbows are a better primary weapon for starters and will help them boost their target before actually trying more technical weapons.

Sound-Proof

Guns are noisy, making them unsuitable for hunting, as loud noise will scare off prey. On the contrary, crossbows use practical components that are quiet and mechanically smooth to provide sound-free shooting experience. The bullet bang is sudden and causes the eyes to blink and the accuracy can be affected, while the smooth crossbow shot helps you to keep your eyes fixed on the target.

The additional gun silencers are a costly enhancement and do not fully suppress the noise. However, all the new crossbows have factory STS mounted, which saves money and absolutely eliminates noise.

Ease of Use

Firearms require rigorous training for proper effective usage, as well as a license for commercial safety use. This makes crossbows a safer choice, as predicting targets is easy with them, and many shooting coaches use crossbows for beginners before using more professional weapons.

The perfection in crossbow shooting is very easy to master, as the entire gear consists of very basic components that can be controlled without any advanced training It is the overall best option for in-experienced hunters to cope with any kind of danger in the wild.

Running Out of Ammunition

Premium price bullets are often bought in smaller quantities and, once they run out, the gun is useless. Crossbow bolts can be made from any land resource that could be formed like a quell and can be created in a situation where you are short of ammunition. Crossbow Bolts may also be reused as market arrows are sturdy enough to avoid breakage, while bullets are for one-time use only.

Low Maintenance

Crossbows are built to be the lowest maintenance tool, as they only require a change of bow string once a while. However, weapons such as handguns should be greased in order to keep them highly functional, and only experts know how to do it safely.

Crossbows are often made of materials that do not corrode with time and that allow them to remain in shape forever, whereas guns are made of metals that can rust if not kept with care.

Easily Carriable

Crossbows have improved grips and are often fitted with additional attachments to carry them, allowing for better stability. The materials used to assemble crossbows are exceptionally light relative to the metal body of firearms.

Final Verdict – Is Crossbow a Firearm?

The Crossbow is simply an improved version of the bow and the arrow, with the bow positioned perpendicularly to the stock. It fires the arrows that are called the bolts. In the United States, Crossbows have a somewhat ambiguous legal status as they are little dangerous to use and also resemble firearms in appearance.

A crossbow mechanically shoots an arrow without consuming any gunpowder or explosive material. Taking into account the concept of a firearm, we can clearly claim that Crossbow is a weapon for hunting animals, but it is definitely not a firearm.

That being said, we strongly advise you to review your region’s crossbow laws for the protection and ease of use without breaking any law. In addition, there are also some significant travel issues for crossbow users, so keep that in mind.

FAQs

Do crossbows count as guns?

According to the legal definition, a firearm is any weapon that expels a shot by burning a gunpowder or expanding a gas. The crossbow shoots the projectile by firing it mechanically without the assistance of any combustion process.   This implies that the crossbow does not count as a firearm or gun.

 Can a felon own a crossbow?

According to the federal law on the ownership of firearms by felons and the description of a weapon, it can be concluded that a felon may own a crossbow. However, these laws can differ from state to state. The fact that US federal law allows this does not imply that it is permissible for a felon to own a crossbow in any region

Can I shoot a crossbow in my backyard?

The crossbow projectiles can travel at speed of more than 350-FPS, which is a deadly speed and also tends to make the crossbow a much more lethal weapon. That’s why the issue of whether it’s legal to fire a crossbow in your backyard isn’t a straightforward question to address.

Yes, you can conduct hunting practices in your backyard. However, some counties will send an officer to search your backyard range. If the officer will find it safe, he can issue a permit. While some counties do not permit the sport of archery within the city boundaries.

How to check Crossbow regulations in my state?

Checking rules and laws for crossbow usage is very important, you just need to follow these steps:

• Go on your state’s website and read all about the crossbows.
• You may even ask hunters living in your state as they might help you better.
• Make a habit of checking for new updates from media platforms or within your practice range that could involve new changes to the regulations.
• If you are planning to travel with a crossbow, do check travel restrictions and crossbow policy in that state.