This is especially true in the fantasy genre, where Fantasy Gun Control is the default. Many works of fiction are set in a time period when firearms are not available, and crossbows are the nearest equivalent. note Technically, most examples are semi-automatic crossbows (one bolt per pull of the trigger), while a fully-automatic one would fire several bolts per trigger-squeeze. Automatic Crossbows are crossbows that allow the user to shoot several times before having to reload, just like modern guns do.
