a cannula 20 and a stylet 22 are slidably contained within the housing 12 and extend out of an opening 24 in a housing end 26 the cannula 20 is a hollow needle having a sharp open end the stylet 22 is a solid needle having a pointed end and a tissue sample recess 28 the recess 28 is shown in fig3 the stylet 22 is slidably positioned within the cannula 20 and extends beyond the cannula end fig2 shows a cross sectional perspective view of a biopsy instrument 10 made in accordance with the principles of the present invention the cannula 20 and the stylet 22 are permanently attached to two self guided slides a cannula slide 36 and a stylet slide 38 respectively the cannula and stylet slides 36 38 are axially slidable on a guide 40 connected to the housing 12 there may be two guides 40 one guide 40 on each half of the housing the stylet slide 38 is slidable between a rear stop block 42 and a middle stop block 44 and the cannula slide 36 is slidable between the middle stop block 44 and a front stop block 46 the front middle and rear stop blocks 42 44 46 are permanently secured to the housing 12 at their respective locations accordingly the stylet slide 38 is slidable between a first position adjacent the rear stop block 42 and a second position adjacent the middle stop block 44 the cannula slide 36 is slidable between a first position adjacent the middle stop block 44 and a second position adjacent the front stop block 46 when the stylet slide 38 and the cannula slide 36 are in their first.