The Big Joe 5

crossbow A crossbow is a ranged weapon using an Elasticity (physics), elastic launching device consisting of a Bow and arrow, bow-like assembly called a ''prod'', mounted horizontally on a main frame called a ''tiller'', which is hand-held in a similar f ...

(BJ5) was a shoulder-fired weapon developed by the

Office of Strategic Services The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was the first intelligence agency of the United States, formed during World War II. The OSS was formed as an agency of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to coordinate espionage activities behind enemy lines ...

(OSS) (predecessor to

Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA; ) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States tasked with advancing national security through collecting and analyzing intelligence from around the world and ...

) to be used for

assassination Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...

s up to . The weapon was created with compactness in mind. It is described in John Brunner's book ''OSS Weapons''. Its ammunition consisted of aluminum darts or incendiary flare bolts. Unlike most crossbows, the Big Joe 5 used a rigid triangular frame to suspend an array of elastic rubber bands, which provided the energy storage and propulsive mechanism for the bolts. The body of the weapon was roughly the size of a large handgun and it featured a hinged stock of heavy steel wire that doubled as a cocking lever. For transport and concealment the frame and stock could be folded, resulting in a very compact package.

References

External links

Rebuilding the Big Joe 5
Crossbows Office of Strategic Services {{weapon-stub