[@Sypherkhode822]A small critique/question about the Aladeous rifle:

[hider=Some points]*Is it actually rifled? As in does the inside of the barrel contain helical grooves which impart spin to a projectile around its long axis? Spin that serves to gyroscopically stabilize the projectile, improving its aerodynamic stability and accuracy? If so it's odd that they'd still be using ball ammunition (Which requires less of this) if not they really shouldn't be called rifles.

*You note that the springs they're using are superior to what we have today--that's all well and good but you still have them wound by cranks. The further you compress the spring the harder they would be to crank, since they'd be pushing against the operator with all that stored energy. Now that ties in to the whole penetrating steel bit...

*Penetration in steel is tied to velocity, MUCH more so than bullet size and weight, and, barring AP or ammo containing steel, even more so than bullet design. This means that if the damage is mainly do to the spring (Which can't possibly be the case seeing as you make a note of how these bullets don't travel as far as crossbow bolts) it's the detonation of the volatile fire-crystal that's deforming the impact site. 

**The above makes the Aladeous more of a primitive grenade launcher than analogue to conventional firearms and brings up a few points:
-Why hasn't anyone thought of using fire crystal to explosively propel regular bullets--it would be more effective. The design would even be similar to what we use now.
-A sling or staff sling could likely toss these 'ball grenades' further and more accurately than a turn-spring mechanism.

Other than that I don't see any immediate problems to using explosive tipped arrows/bolts over the hazard they present to their user. Carrying around a quiver/quarrel of contact explosives just seems nuts when everyone is shooting at you with the same sort of ammunition. A survivable wound might daisy-chain its way to an archer's ammo and blow him up, heck--the pressure wave of a near miss might set them off.[/hider]