MEME Or MENACE?! Chu Ko Nu Mastery | Hunt: Showdown 1896

Intro

Hi guys, REX here! With the August engine upgrade, the Chu Ko Nu made its way into Hunt: Showdown, bringing with it some of the most unique weapon mechanics in the game. This semi-automatic crossbow fires bolts rapidly either by tapping or holding the trigger, unlike the Crossbow and Hand Crossbow, which need to be reloaded between every shot.

You can’t aim down sights with it, but it does feature a hip-fire crosshair, much like the Hunting Bow, and holding ADS lets you zoom in slightly for better precision. The Chu Ko Nu only comes in a single variant, but supports three ammo types: regular bolts, incendiary bolts, and explosive bolts. Let’s break them down.

Regular bolts inflict medium bleeding and can be picked up and reused. They don’t penetrate surfaces like most bolt or arrow types but will pass through chain-link fences and windows. The weapon’s velocity is 125 m/s, which is slower than the Bow and Crossbow, and its drop-off range is just 17 meters, so you’ll need to compensate for drop beyond that range.

Incendiary bolts ignite enemy Hunters on impact regardless of range, unlike standard incendiary ammo which only ignites on the first hit up to 20 meters away with compact and medium ammo, and 40 meters with long ammo. These bolts cannot be retrieved after use and offer no penetration power, which makes them less sustainable in longer engagements.

Explosive bolts behave like Bomb Lance regular ammo or frag arrows from the Hunting Bow. They stick to surfaces, explode after 1.5 seconds, and can even be bounced off hard surfaces for creative plays. What sets them apart from other explosive ammo types is that they trigger each other in chain reactions. If two bolts land near a Hunter, both will detonate together — often leading to an instant kill. They inflict light bleeding and are limited to 10 total bolts, while regular and incendiary give you 20.

Now, the Bolt Thrower trait does increase reload speed with the Chu Ko Nu — which can be useful in clutch fights. However, I didn’t personally run it during this challenge. The reload speed felt perfectly fine by default, and with 20 bolts for regular and incendiary ammo, I didn’t see a need for it.

For this video, I tested all the ammo types and really focused on how the weapon feels across different situations. My sidearm of choice was the Springfield Bullseye — an excellent two-slot rifle for medium to long-range cover when paired with a close-range primary like the Chu Ko Nu. I’ve covered the Springfield in a previous mastery guide, so feel free to check that out if you’re interested.

At the end of this video, I’ll give you my thoughts and recommendations for the Chu Ko Nu, but without further ado, let’s dive into it!

Thoughts & Recommendations

After playing the Chu Ko Nu for three days, here’s what I found.

First of all — this weapon is way more fun than it looks. You rarely see it in higher MMR, and honestly, that makes sense. It’s not exactly fast, flexible, or forgiving. But if you like trying new things or enjoy close-quarters combat, this one’s a blast.

As someone who mains the Bow, there weren’t many situations where I didn’t feel like the Bow could have done the job better — but that doesn’t mean the Chu Ko Nu is bad. It’s just different. The semi-auto nature and bleeding effect makes it great in close-range engagements. Once you get the timing and bolt drop down, you can shred through enemies with surprising speed.

Medium-range shots and headshots are definitely possible, but take practice. Where the Chu Ko Nu really shines is in close range — that’s where you can land chest shots quickly and reliably drop enemies.

Ammo-wise, I found regular bolts to be the most useful. They’re reusable, effective, and bleed stacks can turn fights in your favor. Incendiary looks cool on paper — guaranteed ignition at any range — but the inability to retrieve your bolts makes it less efficient, and in many fights, you either win fast or die fast.

Explosive bolts were incredibly fun to use, especially when chaining explosions together. But with only 10 bolts total, they’re best suited to a Quartermaster loadout, where the Chu Ko Nu acts as a powerful secondary alongside a strong primary rifle.

So what’s the final verdict? is the Chu Ko Nu a meme or a menace?

Honestly, it’s a bit of both. It’s not going to outperform top-tier guns, and it’s not something you’ll see much in competitive lobbies – but with practice, it absolutely can deliver. It’s fun, chaotic, and surprisingly effective in the right hands. If you’re looking for a weapon that’s off-meta but not useless, this could be your next favorite toy.

But now I want to hear YOUR opinion! What do YOU think about the Chu Ko Nu? Is it underrated, or just not worth the effort? Let me know in the comments – and until next time, I’ll see you in the bayou!