Guns I Probably Shouldn’t Want, But Do: Traditions Crackshot XBR Rifle/Bow Combo

I always wanted to be a crackshot…but my stepmom said “crackhead” was probably the best I’d do.

So here’s something new that’s already burning a hole in my Ed Hardy wallet: It’s sort of a .22-caliber rifle, and sort of a bow, and sort of something I probably shouldn’t want to have…but do. It’s called the Crackshot XBR rifle by Traditions and it sounds like a hell of a lot of fun. Actually, it doesn’t really “sound” like much at all, because both the .22 and arrow are going to produce extremely low decibels, which will not only keep your neighbors off your back but also any zombies whose hunting strategy is based on hearing, Walking Dead-style.

Here’s how it works: It starts life as a .22-caliber rifle with a 16.5-inch barrel, which works great for squirrels and such. But if you want to, you can easily swap it out with a different upper–this bit is known as the XBR–and that’s when the goofy, Trace Munson-esque magic happens. You then insert an arrow, hollow-end first, into the barrel and push down. Then you break the action open and put in a “powerload” (which, I’m assured, is essentially a primer and not what happens the morning after I drink way too much beer). Then you close up the gun, switch off the safety, pull the trigger, and quietly send those bolts downrange to your heart’s content.

The mechanics are, of course, a little more complex than that. The XBR upper has an inner barrel that’s protected by an outer shroud, and that’s where you’ll be inserting the bolt. You’ll also need a couple of Traditions-specific accessories to make it work properly: a Traditions Firebolt 2216 arrow, and a Traditions XBR Powerload .27 Cal Long to make it go.

The folks at Traditions say the Crackshot is extremely accurate and can reach up to 385 feet per second (fps). The arrow is pulled from the front instead of pushed from the rear, so it maintains a steady trajectory. This seems like it would be perfect for adults, youth, and works especially well for anyone who is disabled or has limited arm strength–it’s much easier to load than a traditional bow, recurve, or crossbow. So far, we don’t have an MSRP, but I’m told that it will be available later this spring…so I guess my Ed Hardy wallet and the noise-dependent zombies are going to have to wait a few more weeks. In the meantime, there are more details here.