A crossbow includes a barrel having a bowstring rail with a slot including spaced first and second arrow rest areas aligned along said bowstring rail and an arrow clearance area therebetween, and an arrow retention spring carried by the barrel. The first arrow rest area is positioned adjacent to an end of the bowstring rail, and the second arrow rest area is positioned beneath the arrow retention spring directly beneath said arrow retention spring in a location where said arrow retention spring is adapted to contact said arrow. Provision of the spaced rest areas, particularly the second rest area beneath the arrow retention spring, stabilizes an arrow on the barrel prior to launch.