Metal Crossbow Bolts

Looking at crossbow bolts. Metal ones weigh about 5.51lbs per 10. Wooden like 1.19.

Metal arrows are 1.39 per 10. have a 7 armor pen.

(also it’s odd there’s not some fletching on crossbow bolts also, they do have fletching it’s just somewhat smaller overall).

Is there a game balance reason because of the Pnematic Bolt driver? If so there really should be a better way to balance that issue than have metal bolts weigh more than arrows.

The reload times of the crossbows are longer. If it’s the pneumatic bolt driver issue then after the ‘reload’ of 500 per bolt, a pump time for filling the air tank on top.

Either way I think it’s wrong. I can carry a bow with almost 4x as many metal arrows.

Now let’s put this into perspective.

Wooden Fishing Spear. You know… probably 3-5 feet long, weight .16lbs for 4. So each one is .04 lbs. What the?
10 arrow fletchings are .02lbs. Used for the spear gun…

also why isn’t there a composite arrow/bolt? The arrowhead would be metal, but the shaft would be plastic. This is actually realistic, especially for target shooting.

Edit: and yes, I’m aware they are made of ‘iron’ but iron is not heavier than steel, it’s actually a few pounds per cubic foot lighter, due to imperfections. Both cast steel and stainless steel is 10 or so pounds heavier than the various forms of iron.

Unless the crossbow bolts are 4x in size (hence shooting a small spear) than an arrow there it doesn’t make any sense.

I do agree that the crossbow bolts should require fletching.

The bolt driver should probably shoot anolther type of bolt.