I tried archery as a Something New back in November 2011, and it has been the only New activity that I've actually kept up with. When a fellow recurve archer offered me the chance to try out crossbow shooting, I was really keen to give it a go! The have-a-go session was organised by LondonCrossBows and cost £20.
The session started well - with a cup of tea and some Capital radio! We were using (I think) 40lb bows and shooting a short distance of about 5m. At first, it was all going well and the bolts were going in the red and the gold. As with recurve archery, the key seemed to be precise repetition - carefully putting the crossbow in exactly the same place on your shoulder, your cheek in exactly the same place on the top, and aiming at exactly the same spot. Then realising the safety catch was still on and having to reset and start again from the beginning...
Then we moved the targets back a bit, then a bit more to maybe 15m, and it all started to get a bit more inaccurate. I would aim at the zombie-vampire's head, but just kept hitting his gentleman's area... After a bit of practice, we finished up with a 120 Competition - four ends of three bolts, with a maximum possible score of 120 points. Finally, it all came together and I finished in first place with 101 points - and so I got a medal!
We also had a go at shooting some of the more powerful crossbows. One had a laser magnification sight, which really emphasised how much your aim wiggled back and forth across the target face. Another was a dinky pistol-style crossbow which sent tiny biro-sized bolts flying powerfully across the room - the scary thing being that you don't need a licence to own a crossbow, you just have to be over 18...
I don't think I'll be buying a crossbow, but I'd definitely like to shoot them again sometime.
This is for you if...
If you've tried a different kind of shooting before (either different bow, or perhaps a rifle/BB gun) and want to have a go at something a bit different, then perhaps crossbow shooting is something to try. I also think it would make a fun variation to a traditional party activity! No alcohol, of course.
Recommendations
If you're in London and want to try it, I totally recommend LondonCrossBows. The atmosphere was relaxed, informative and friendly, the equipment was all ideal - and you might win a medal!
