On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 06:04:37 -0400, Tom Quackenbush wrote:
On Mon, 14 Jul 2003 23:04:48 GMT, (Gary Coffman)
wrote:

SNIP

Conserving powder and shot when possible is a good idea, though. I'd
suggest you make a crossbow (should be lots of car springs around
after TEOTWAWKI). More accurate, more powerful, and easier for
someone familiar with firearms to operate. 10 inch carriage bolts make
wonderful quarrels. I made one from Old Chevy Spring, that would shoot
through a concrete block wall with plenty of energy remaining to do damage
on the other side. (don't ask)

Gary
I've got an old Popular Mechanics DIY encyclopedia with plans for
both wood & steel crossbows. If recall correctly, the leaf spring
model was 300 lb pull!

Did you need some sort of mechanical advantage (lever, windlass, ?)
to draw yours?

Not for the single leaf spring (out of the stack of leaves) model. But I
did make one using a truck spring which required a boat winch to cock.
That thing was more an artillery piece than something you'd carry in the
woods, though.

Gary