diff --git a/language.version b/language.version
index 6bd933279..6a0d998e0 100644
--- a/language.version
+++ b/language.version
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 [default]
-SWWM_MODVER="\cyDEMOLITIONIST \cw1.3pre r506 \cu(Sat 24 Sep 22:12:12 CEST 2022)\c-";
-SWWM_SHORTVER="\cw1.3pre r506 \cu(2022-09-24 22:12:12)\c-";
+SWWM_MODVER="\cyDEMOLITIONIST \cw1.3pre r507 \cu(Sun 25 Sep 14:02:53 CEST 2022)\c-";
+SWWM_SHORTVER="\cw1.3pre r507 \cu(2022-09-25 14:02:53)\c-";
diff --git a/zscript/handler/swwm_handler_crosshair.zsc b/zscript/handler/swwm_handler_crosshair.zsc
index a857f60df..3e92b6be0 100644
--- a/zscript/handler/swwm_handler_crosshair.zsc
+++ b/zscript/handler/swwm_handler_crosshair.zsc
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ extend Class SWWMHandler
 	transient ui Color tcol[MAX_CROSSHAIRS];	// current crosshair colors
 	transient ui SWWMProjectionData tprojdata;	// cached Gutamatics projection data
 	transient ui Vector3 lagtndc[MAX_CROSSHAIRS];	// "lagged" NDC for crosshairs
-	transient ui Weapon lasttw;	// last player weapon, to "reset" crosshair positions
+	transient ui bool tactive[MAX_CROSSHAIRS];	// denotes that the crosshair is "active" for drawing
 	transient ui double prevframe;	// previous frame timestamp
 
 	private ui void TraceCrosshairs( RenderEvent e )
@@ -43,11 +43,16 @@ extend Class SWWMHandler
 		if ( !sw )
 		{
 			numcrosshairs = 0;
+			for ( int i=0; i<MAX_CROSSHAIRS; i++ )
+				tactive[i] = false;
 			return;
 		}
 		numcrosshairs = clamp(sw.NumCrosshairs,1,MAX_CROSSHAIRS);
 		for ( int i=0; i<numcrosshairs; i++ )
+		{
 			traceofs[i] = sw.GetTraceOffset(i);
+			tactive[i] = true;
+		}
 		let mo = players[consoleplayer].mo;
 		if ( !ctr ) ctr = new("SWWMCrosshairTracer");
 		ctr.ignoreme = mo;
@@ -100,7 +105,8 @@ extend Class SWWMHandler
 
 	private ui void RenderCrosshairs( RenderEvent e )
 	{
-		double frametime = (MSTimeF()-prevframe)/1000.;
+		double curframe = MSTimeF();
+		double frametime = (curframe-prevframe)/1000.;
 		double theta = clamp(15.*frametime,0.,.5);	// naive, but whatever
 		// draw precise crosshair(s)
 		if ( automapactive || (players[consoleplayer].Camera != players[consoleplayer].mo) || (players[consoleplayer].cheats&CF_CHASECAM) || (numcrosshairs <= 0) ) return;
@@ -119,8 +125,8 @@ extend Class SWWMHandler
 		if ( cs > 0. ) sz = Screen.GetHeight()*cs/200.;
 		if ( crosshairgrow ) sz *= StatusBar.CrosshairSize;
 		SWWMUtility.PrepareProjData(tprojdata,e.ViewPos,e.ViewAngle,e.ViewPitch,e.ViewRoll,players[consoleplayer].fov);
-		let w = players[consoleplayer].ReadyWeapon;
-		for ( int i=0; i<numcrosshairs; i++ )
+		Vector2 actpos[MAX_CROSSHAIRS];
+		for ( int i=0; i<MAX_CROSSHAIRS; i++ )
 		{
 			Vector3 cpos = tpos[i];
 			Color ccol = tcol[i];
@@ -135,17 +141,23 @@ extend Class SWWMHandler
 			lagtndc[i] = SWWMUtility.LerpVector3(lagtndc[i],ndc,theta);
 			if ( lagtndc[i].z >= 1. ) continue;
 			Vector2 lagvpos = SWWMUtility.NDCToViewport(tprojdata,lagtndc[i]);
+			if ( !tactive[i] ) continue;
+			// draw
 			int streak = int(max(abs(oldvpos.x-lagvpos.x),abs(oldvpos.y-lagvpos.y)));
-			for ( int i=0; i<streak; i++ ) Screen.DrawTexture(ctex,false,int(SWWMUtility.lerp(oldvpos.x,lagvpos.x,i/double(streak))),int(SWWMUtility.lerp(oldvpos.y,lagvpos.y,i/double(streak))),DTA_DestWidthF,ts.x*sz,DTA_DestHeightF,ts.y*sz,DTA_AlphaChannel,true,DTA_FillColor,ccol,DTA_Alpha,(i*.5)/streak);
-			Screen.DrawTexture(ctex,false,int(lagvpos.x),int(lagvpos.y),DTA_DestWidthF,ts.x*sz,DTA_DestHeightF,ts.y*sz,DTA_AlphaChannel,true,DTA_FillColor,ccol);
+			double alph = 1.;
+			if ( i < numcrosshairs ) actpos[i] = lagvpos;
+			else
+			{
+				// unused crosshairs must "linger" until they merge with the ones that are drawn
+				int j = (i-numcrosshairs)%numcrosshairs;
+				double dist = (lagvpos-actpos[j]).length();
+				if ( (streak <= 0) && (dist < 1.) )
+					tactive[i] = false;
+				alph = clamp(dist/max(2,streak+2),0.,1.);	// this should make the merge less jarring
+			}
+			for ( int i=0; i<streak; i++ ) Screen.DrawTexture(ctex,false,int(SWWMUtility.lerp(oldvpos.x,lagvpos.x,i/double(streak))),int(SWWMUtility.lerp(oldvpos.y,lagvpos.y,i/double(streak))),DTA_DestWidthF,ts.x*sz,DTA_DestHeightF,ts.y*sz,DTA_AlphaChannel,true,DTA_FillColor,ccol,DTA_Alpha,((i*.5)/streak)*alph);
+			Screen.DrawTexture(ctex,false,int(lagvpos.x),int(lagvpos.y),DTA_DestWidthF,ts.x*sz,DTA_DestHeightF,ts.y*sz,DTA_AlphaChannel,true,DTA_FillColor,ccol,DTA_Alpha,alph);
 		}
-		// copy over used slots to unused slots, so transition between weapons is smoother
-		int j = 0;
-		for ( int i=numcrosshairs; i<MAX_CROSSHAIRS; i++ )
-		{
-			lagtndc[i] = lagtndc[j];
-			j = (j+1)%numcrosshairs;
-		}
-		prevframe = MSTimeF();
+		prevframe = curframe;
 	}
 }