Now, im a big fan of weapons, especially ones of odd natures like the english millwallbrick, or the chu ko nu. Anyway, i was researching the chu ko nu. I got an idea on how it worked in general except for one thing. How come a arrow does not fall down right after the previous one? The string is drawn back as the handle/lever is pushed forward and pulled back. However, wouldn't a bolt obscure the passage of the bowstring on its journey back?

From what I could tell from the pictures of the reconstruction of the Zhuge Nu made by CHF member Liang Jieming, the fired bowstring could prevent the next bolt from falling into the barrel. Thus nothing would hinder the bowstring from being re-drawn.

Only during the re-arming cycle would the stock draw the bowstring back to allow the next bolt in the magazine to fall into place.

Liang Jieming can provide a more definite answer and correct me if I'm wrong.

Luckily, I favorited the weblink to the CHF cho-ko-nu blueprints. You can check it out for yourself...

http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/index.php?showtopic=3777

hmm...ok, i thought i saw a semi sphere sticking out of one of the side planks in a chu-ko-nu magazine walls. So that's what it was. Thanks

The bow-slit doesn't go all the way to the front of the bolt so the bow string is always underneath the next bolt to fall in place except in the corked position.