Crossbow Cocking Devices, contd.

Hand Cranks: These devices are either permanently attached to the stock or easily attached and then removed after cocking and prior to the shot. This device operates similarly to a boat winch, using gear reduction and a crank handle to reduce the heaviest draw weights to a fraction of their original weight.

Never use a cocking device to uncock the crossbow. See “Uncocking the Crossbow” for the correct procedure to uncock a crossbow.

Never “dry fire” a crossbow, which is shooting the crossbow without an arrow mounted in the correct shooting position. Dry firing can damage the crossbow and possibly injure you or a bystander.