Well Ricks gun is a python its a 357 magnum [I only know this because I Have an obsession with that gun], slighly weaker than the 44 magnum. I have shot a few deer,hogs, and grounhogs with a 357, It at close range [inside of 25 yds] Would most likely have hae smashed up a bit of the bone sround the entrence would, deforming it a good bit but not blowing a hollywood hole it it. I doubt it would have had enough energy to pop his head like a grape [But the bones inside would be a mess from the overpressure of that hot round coming through].
Ohio ed in season two they had shown daryle making bolts for his crossbow, aleast presumably thats what he was doin by de-barking sticks and splitting bird feathers. He showed up with wooden bolts later on, signaling to me that had to be what he was doing. I didnt notice this season if he had carbon or allumnum bolts, but he could have found them scavenging in rural georgia is its anything like here, There are prolly 5 guys on my street that have a crossbow and a dozen or so bolts
Would i want a crossbow in that situation yes and no- I wouldnt go room to room with it, but it could be highly useful in other situations