Steambow B08 Tactical: a do-it-all repeating crossbow

Steambow is an Austrian company best known for its various repeating crossbows, that for some time now, has been imported in the US. The model featured here represents a further development of the original concept: instead of conventional bolts, it fires .68-caliber spherical projectiles – or balls - of the type increasingly common in CO2-powered launchers.

The upper is finished in bright yellow, emphasizing the product’s intended less-lethal role. Besides being great fun for plinking, the standard configuration can be used for paintball with suitable, liquid cored marking ammunition and, where permitted, for home defense with frangible irritant-filled balls.

For those who prefer a more tactical appearance, an FDE version is also part of the B08 lineup.

The Steambow B08 Tactical comes with everything you need to get started

The package contains the three main components of the system: the AR-Series B08 upper, the AR-Series Tactical Gen2 lower with standard rail and an AR-6 Stinger II CQ solid limb with its quick-change block.

The accessories include a magazine, ball sled, stock with height-adjustable cheekpiece, vertical foregrip, safety glasses, spare string, string wax, Allen keys and buffer-tube wrench, a steel cable for tensioning the limb and fitting the string, and a pack of 25 nylon balls. Two rubber spacers of different thicknesses are also supplied; these are inserted into the mounting block when limbs of different draw weights are used.

Video: Steambow B08 Tactical crossbow

We tested the Steambow B08 Tactical crossbow in Europe, with our contributor Tommaso Rumici presenting it on video. The model featured in the video and in this article is the same B08 Tactical currently marketed in the United States by Steambow Inc.; availability and use subject to all applicable state and local laws.

Easy to break down and transport

Initial assembly is very straightforward and requires no tools other than those supplied. For storage or transport, pressing the button at the rear of the upper allows it to pivot forward in much the same way as an AR-pattern firearm. The limb can then be lifted out and removed, dramatically reducing the crossbow’s overall width and allowing it to fit easily into a compact gun case.

Excellent ergonomics, with one small drawback...

Although most of the crossbow is made from impact- and UV-resistant polymer, the frame is very rigid. Once shouldered, it does not feel like a toy but rather a solid, dependable piece of equipment. The ergonomics are reminiscent of a modern PDW and can be fine-tuned by adjusting the stock extension, cheekpiece height and position of the vertical foregrip. The latter is particularly important because it keeps the support hand safely away from both the path of the string and the muzzle.

The only real drawback we encountered concerned the use of an optic. The long and canted upper Picatinny rail sits relatively high, and even with the cheekpiece raised to its maximum position, our eye remained too low to obtain a proper sight picture through a red dot. This did not affect our test because we used the excellent yellow fiber-optic front reference, which is well protected and easy to pick up inside the V-shaped channel running along the center of the rail. At longer ranges, particularly with higher draw-weight limbs, however, a cheekpiece riser may be necessary for proper use of an optic.

The secret is in the sled

The heart of the system is a small patented polymer sled that runs in the rail, and that engages the string where a conventional crossbow bolt would normally sit. A hemispherical recess holds the ball projectile, which is then accelerated progressively. This prevents more fragile balls, like those filled with liquid or powder, from breaking before leaving the muzzle. The system is naturally also compatible with solid .68-caliber projectiles, which are considerably less delicate

Simple and intuitive to operate, but there is no safety

Loading the B08 is straightforward. Pressing the release button at the buffer-tube attachment point allows the stock to pivot downward, cocking the string. Once the crossbow is cocked, pulling the trigger fires the shot.

When the magazine is empty, pressing the black button at the front of the receiver partially ejects it. The magazine can then be reloaded or replaced with a loaded spare; additional mags are separately available.

The Steambow B08 has neither an automatic nor a manual safety. Once it is cocked and ready to fire, it therefore demands the same careful handling as any other potentially dangerous projectile launcher. If a shooting session is interrupted, a safe direction must be available in which to discharge it. The B08 should also never be dry-fired, as doing so can damage the crossbow.

More power is just a limb change away

Although the Steambow B08 fires balls rather than bolts, it remains a crossbow, and that gives the user considerable freedom in terms of power. The standard 35-lb CQ limb can be replaced in just a few steps by progressively more powerful alternatives: the 55-lb Tactical, 75-lb Advanced, 90-lb Pro and, without changing the lower assembly, the 120-lb Magnum.

With the increase in draw weight comes a corresponding increase in projectile energy. At the higher settings, the B08 should therefore be treated strictly as a target-shooting platform, with increasingly substantial backstops and particular attention paid to the risk of ricochets.

Ammunition for the Steambow B08 Tactical

The package includes 3-g (46-gr) solid nylon balls, which are ideal for training and recreational shooting against inanimate targets such as cans.

For paintball or other activities involving participants, suitable frangible or soft projectiles must be used, such as conventional gelatin paintballs, wax-coated chalk balls

or reusable soft foam balls such as ReBalls, together with appropriate protective equipment.

More generally, the Steambow B08 is compatible with commercially available .68-caliber spherical projectiles, including balls made from steel, rubber, glass, lead or combinations of these materials, as well as the irritant-filled PepperBall projectiles mentioned earlier, where their possession and use are lawful.

Ball weight must be matched to the draw weight of the limb. A ball that is too light for a given draw weight increases wear on the string and can damage the projectile sled. The supplied 3-g (46-gr) balls are suitable for limbs up to 55 lb. With 75- and 90-lb limbs, Steambow recommends a minimum projectile weight of 5 g (77 gr), increasing to at least 10 g (154 gr) with the 120-lb Magnum limb.

Our practical test

We tested the Steambow B08 Tactical on private property, using a simple backstop made from a cardboard box packed with layers of cardboard. This allowed us to recover and reuse the nylon balls, which showed no significant deformation.

Our test distance was 10 m (11 yd), as we had only the standard 35-lb limb available. At that distance, the B08 Tactical proved easy to use, fast, accurate and genuinely entertaining to shoot. Five shots clustered into essentially a single hole.

The standard power level is modest and well suited to the B08’s intended role as a paintball-style marker and recreational launcher. Shooters interested primarily in plinking at longer distances will probably want to order one of the more powerful limbs from the outset.

For recreational shooting at around 10 m, including indoors where it can be done safely, however, the standard package already provides everything needed, including eye protection. With the 35-lb limb, vibration is minimal and cocking effort is low, making the B08 particularly easy to handle.

Safety note: Outside the test parameters used here, specifically the 35-lb limb and appropriate lightweight or soft projectiles, the B08 must be treated with considerably greater caution. More powerful limbs like the 120 lb Magnum require projectiles of sufficient mass; otherwise the sled or the crossbow itself may be damaged. And, suitable protective equipment should always be worn, and particular care must be taken around people, animals and property. Ricocheting projectiles can remain dangerous over considerable distances and may cause severe or fatal injuries or property damage – especially with the Magnum limb. There is currently insufficient research on the effects of .68-caliber projectiles at high kinetic energies. The B08 should therefore be regarded as potentially lethal when used in higher-power configurations. Any use as a “less-lethal” defensive device must be approached accordingly and remains subject to the applicable laws and regulations.

Technical Specifications

 Video of the official presentation at the trade show

Text: Tommaso Rumici – photos: Franco Palamaro – video: Andrea Vedorin