Could you elaborate? I'll admit, it won't be perfect. Even if Malakaus and Sharee can create the Boom Stick that Malakaus thinks of, it's much less effect for long-range combat compared to bows and arrows. But the purpose of the Boom Stick is to give fighters a ranged-off hand cudgel, as well as improve a flaw with the box-fed crossbow that annoys Malakaus; needing two hands to ready the next shot. Also obviously, ill suited as a stealth weapon. Likely prone to jamming, but that's why he needs to improve it. Just because it's not good at first, doesn't mean it can't get stronger later. He just needs help figuring out how bullets work, and than create the boom sticks to use them. Throw in some magic and now you have magical boom sticks. Certainly better than just making non-exploding magic sticks.