The present invention provides a biopsy instrument with improved needle penetration for piercing dense tissue. The device may comprise a needle slidably retained in a housing. The device may further comprise an actuation member that may be adapted to communicate longitudinal motion to the needle in a first direction. The device may further include a propulsion element that provides the needle with return motion in a second direction. The device may be fired multiple times to create repeating reciprocal motion. In one version, the device may reciprocate several times as a result of a single engagement of the actuation member.