Random Idea #24: Magic-powered crossbow · 12:49am Oct 11th, 2015
Based on idle speculation that someone mentioned that guns became popular because you don't really need to train someone to be good at it. Just point, shoot, fire.
In Equestria, I'm pretty sure someone would've figured out a way to enchant some piece of a crossbow that allows it to magically accelerate the "bolt" on trigger pull. Voila, long range "gun" but not really. And you don't even need gunpowder, just a unicorn or whatever that can enchant stuff.