Crossbow (weapon)

The crossbow, distinctly the light crossbow and the heavy crossbow, is a missile weapon used in combat, consisting of a stock, trigger mechanism, flight groove, flexible horizontal "limbs" similar to the ends of a bow and a bowstring. Light crossbows include a cocking stirrup for loading, while heavy crossbows have a crank that's built into the stock. The weapon fires wooden bolts that are untipped, stabilized by small wooden flanges. Crossbows are made by a bowyer just as bows are. The maker of bolts is a "fletcher."