Editing Repeating crossbow (section)

== Utility ==
{{quotation|Fired from the hip, the bolts were fired in sequence from pumping the cocking lever forward and backward, arming and releasing in a continuous cyclic process until the magazine was emptied. This rocking action did not allow for precise firing, nor the ability to sight along the barrel as in a crossbow or a modern gun.{{sfn|Liang|2006}}|Liang Jieming}}

The basic construction of the repeating crossbow has remained very much unchanged since its invention, making it one of the longest-lived mechanical weapons. The bolts of one magazine are fired and reloaded by simply pushing and pulling the lever back and forth.<ref name="Payne-Gallwey">{{ cite web | last = Gallwey | first = Sir Ralph | title = The Crossbow | publisher = The Holland Press | edition = Ninth Impression | date = 1990 | page = 337 | url = http://www.atarn.org/chinese/rept_xbow.htm }}</ref> 

The repeating crossbow had an effective range of {{convert|70|m|abbr=on}} and a maximum range of {{convert|180|m|abbr=on}}.{{sfn|Needham|1994|p=176}} Its comparatively short range limited its usage to primarily defensive positions, where its ability to rapidly fire up to 7–10 bolts in 15–20 seconds was used to prevent assaults on gates and doorways.{{sfn|Liang|2006}} In comparison, a standard crossbow could only fire about two bolts a minute. The repeating crossbow, with its smaller and lighter ammunition, had neither the power nor the accuracy of a standard crossbow. Thus, it was not very useful against more heavily armoured troops unless [[poison]] was smeared on bolts, in which case even a small wound might prove fatal.<ref name="Payne-Gallwey" />