Reduced length crossbow

A crossbow, comprising:

• a drawstring movable between a drawn configuration and a released configuration;
• a center rail including a bottom portion, a proximal end, and a distal end positioned opposite the proximal end, the center rail at least partially defining a crossbow length and a midpoint plane intersecting a horizontal midpoint of the crossbow;
• a power stroke distance defined by a length between a distal-most location of the drawstring in the released configuration and a proximal-most location of the drawstring in the drawn configuration;
• a riser extending horizontally from the distal end and including a first limb and a second limb, the first limb and the second limb flexibly repositionable towards the center rail when the drawstring is in the drawn configuration;
• a first cam and a second cam respectively attached to the first limb and the second limb via an axle mount, wherein each axle mount is offset from a respective tip of the first limb and the second limb;
• a trigger extending from the bottom portion of the center rail and configured to control actuation of a drawstring catch;
• a cocking mechanism slidably coupled within the center rail and actuated via a release located at the proximal end;
• a rotating member coupled to a flexible tension member, the flexible tension member coupled to the cocking mechanism, the flexible tension member extending above the center rail;
• a stock coupled to the center rail and including an integral cheek rest, the integral cheek rest positioned at the proximal end;
• a string carrier including a safety, a rotatable sear, and the drawstring catch, the string carrier slidably engaged within the center rail wherein the safety, the rotatable sear, and at least a portion of the drawstring catch are positioned vertically below the integral cheek rest with the drawstring in the drawn configuration, the safety repositionable between a first position and a second position, the safety including a shoulder and an actuator, the shoulder configured to retain a portion of the rotatable sear in the first position and disengage with the rotatable sear in the second position, the actuator extending from a side of the string carrier, the string carrier defining an arrow capture recess, the arrow capture recess extending towards a proximal end of the string carrier;
• and
• a cocking handle configured to rotate the rotating member to retract the flexible tension member;
• wherein when the drawstring is in the drawn configuration:
• at least a portion of the drawstring converges with the midpoint plane
• wherein, during operation of the crossbow, the string carrier engages the drawstring and the cocking mechanism winds the flexible tension member onto the rotating member to move the drawstring from the released configuration to the drawn configuration.

A crossbow, comprising:

• a drawstring repositionable between a drawn configuration and a released configuration;
• a center rail including a bottom portion, a proximal end, a distal end positioned opposite the proximal end, the center rail at least partially defining a midpoint plane intersecting a horizontal midpoint of the crossbow;
• a riser extending horizontally from the distal end;
• one or more limbs coupled to the riser;
• a cam attached to each of the one or more limbs via an axle mount, each axle mount offset from a respective tip of the one or more limbs;
• a drawstring catch coupled to the center rail between the midpoint plane and the proximal end;
• a stock coupled to the center rail and including an integral cheek rest, the integral cheek rest positioned at the proximal end;
• a string carrier including a safety, a rotatable sear, the rotatable sear configured to engage the drawstring catch to selectively actuate the drawstring catch, the string carrier slidably engaged within the center rail, wherein the safety, the rotatable sear, and at least a portion of the drawstring catch are positioned vertically below the integral cheek rest with the drawstring in the drawn configuration, the safety repositionable between a first position and a second position, the safety including a shoulder and an actuator, the shoulder configured to retain a portion of the rotatable sear in the first position and disengage with the rotatable sear in the second position, the actuator extending from a side of the string carrier, the string carrier defining an arrow capture recess, the arrow capture recess extending towards a proximal end of the string carrier;
• a trigger extending from the bottom portion of the center rail and configured to control actuation of the drawstring catch via an elongated member, the trigger positioned forward of the drawstring catch;
• and
• a cocking mechanism including a rotating member and a flexible tension member, the flexible tension member extending above the center rail;
• wherein, during operation of the crossbow, the string carrier engages the drawstring and the cocking mechanism winds the flexible tension member onto the rotating member to move the drawstring from the released configuration to the drawn configuration;
• wherein as the drawstring moves from the released configuration to the drawn configuration:
• the one or more limbs flex towards the center rail such that the cams move toward each other, and
• an included angle defined by the drawstring on either side of the drawstring catch in the drawn configuration is less than 25 degrees such that the integral cheek rest is wider than a portion of the drawstring positioned vertically below the integral cheek rest with the drawstring in the drawn configuration.