The Firearms Thread (Questions and Discussions)

... really interesting. I'm going to have to read up on gun mechanics, particularly on ways to offset recoil you've both mentioned. Thanks.

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Couldn't answer your question Taylor, but you might want to be more specific so someone else can. Do you mean purchasing a revolver or owning one? I'm guessing that a kid could own one if he'd been given it to him by his pa at almost any age. I doubt if a kid could by one from a shop, though. Just a guess.

Taylor_Writes said:

Do anyone know what the age requirements are to own a revolver in 1890 (Yes,nI mean Eighteen - Ninety)? Hopefully I'm not posting in the wrong spot or whatever...

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United States? I don't think there was an age requirement. I doubt there was any kind of requirement.

I was going to say, most gun laws were written in the 1920s to combat organized crime. Kids in the country have had guns for a long time. I had a shotgun from the time I was 11 and I certainly shot my dad's pistols early.

In the 1970s, I could buy shotgun shells on my own at 16, Long rifle rounds at 18 and pistol ammunition at 21. I am going to assume that would have been the same ages I could buy the weapons that the ammunition would fit.

Drachen Jager said:

United States? I don't think there was an age requirement. I doubt there was any kind of requirement.

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Oops. I forgot to mention where. United Kingdom, actually. Not the states.

Taylor_Writes said:

Do anyone know what the age requirements are to own a revolver in 1890 (Yes,nI mean Eighteen - Ninety)? Hopefully I'm not posting in the wrong spot or whatever...

Click to expand...

The Pistols Act of 1903 appears to have put an age limit of 18 on the purchase, but the previously controlling Gun License Act of 1870 appears only to have required the purchase of a 10 shilling license at the local post office in order to buy AND carry a gun. I didn't see an age limit. I would research the Gun License Act of 1870 for more info.

Yes, this is UK.

Okay. Thank you

I'd say no. Those arcade guns have no power at all. A real BB gun probably could do it, certainly with that number of BBs. I think most of the arcade ones shoot plastic BBs these days which would make it even harder. They're essentially idiot proof, so carnies can't possibly get hurt, even if they cross the line of fire.

Here's the supplier website http://www.shootingstargames.com/

They say they use lead balls, but I dunno, their website hasn't been updated since the 1950s it seems, maybe if he had a way to increase the pressure? If he knew the machine really well and had played with it on his own he might be able to get the desired effect.

Oh and by the way, you have a sick, sick mind.

Oh, found another source that says the BBs are lead, I guess I was wrong on the plastic thing. Then it could be done if he knows a way to increase the power.

Part of the reason those guns are inaccurate is because the guns are smooth bore, and the BBs are slightly undersized--they rattle down the bore. At ten feet they have no accuracy and only enough power to punch paper.

Then, as you fill this guy's eye full of lead, which will hurt like a !@#$, the mass of lead in the orbit will act as a buffer against further incursions. You're not going to break skull with it, even if you hit the nerve channel, you're fighting against stringy tissue and the lead you've already shot.

Torture, yes. Lethal, not credibly.

I like this game at fairs. I usually win or come close enough that they have to check closely to see.

Accuracy is there, but it's nothing great. Basically you can put a BB within an inch at the ten feet or so the range normally is. Technique matters though, and you have to come as close as you can to single shots. It can take me a couple of minutes to go through a clip. So your guy wouldn't just shot off the clip, but would take his time. But you could hit an eye consistently enough that most of the BBs would enter.

I'll agree that there isn't much oomph to the BBs and I don't know exactly how they set this up, whether air bottles or an air compressor. But either way, there would be a regulator on the air line limiting the pressure. As a reader, I would accept the guy cranking up the pressure to put a lot more oomph in the process.

I think if you call the company whose website Drachen found, you could find out what the PSI is normally. Then the question becomes how much higher you can go with the air pressure without having to get fancy. But considering air tanks for SCUBA and SCBA for fire departments are in the range of 3,000 psi, I'm sure you could get the pressure up enough to break the skull.

Remember that there is a difference to what you can present credibly and what you can actually do (for example, the higher air pressures might cause parts to break).

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

1" at ten feet. 30 minutes of angle at best, more likely much less at any standard distance.

Conversely, http://www.michaelzwilliamson.com/reviews.php Next Generation Arms X7 (at the top) shoots 5/8" at 100 yards. (.625 minutes of angle.)

I also am pretty sure the gallery guns won't take a lot of pressure before the seals completely fail, as both a safety and production cost/quality issue.

You're welcome.

I've got three unusual pieces here I'm trying to properly identify. Sadly, Bubba got to one and "improved" it sometime in its past.



Haenel did not put Winchester rubber recoil pads on its 1907 conversions of the 1888 Commission Rifle, and this one is in 7mm rather than 8mm. That "improvement" probably took $500 off the value.

On the lighter side, even Nerf guns now have standard 1" rails, called either 1913 or Picatinny rails (after the order number, or arsenal that designed them).

This means you can put $1000 worth of accessories on a Nerf.

Most Epic Nerf Gun. Ever.

That's after we shortened the stock 2" and converted the light on the lower rail into a pump for the charging action.

It's not THE most epic, but it may be the first one with an ACOG, Grip Pod and M4 carry handle/sight.

Hi! Been reading this thread and visited/bookmarked that world gun website. I have a question pertaining to a short story of mine that's still in development, stopped dead (no pun intended) because I can't figure out what guns the protagonist + his friend would use.

I did a quick Google search just to check, and saw that some people were recommending Browning, PPK, or Makarovs (and here's hoping the NSA doesn't think funny of my Google-fu). My character and his bud are assassins, so that's where it gets tricky. I know that for assassins, a smaller gun is more easily hidden. I've been considering a Glock model for the MC that he will himself improvise for his use (suppressor, sights, etc...) but I also want him to have a heavier caliber gun for his own use (he's being chased by assassins from another syndicate he's offended, so he needs something with stronger knockdown and killing power).

My brother told me a while back that I need to tailor each characters' guns according to what they would use because both characters (the MC and his best bud) won't use the same kind of firepower. The only thing I can think of is that the MC is more or less conscientious to a fault (based a bit off of Leon from "Leon: The Professional"), so he's more apt to pack hollow points to prevent anyone else from getting hit. He's also the kind of guy that doesn't wear a full piece suit or jacket, so I'm wondering where he can stash his holsters/back-up ammo. He already carries a case the size of a briefcase/laptop bag that stores some ammo + a gun.

As for his best bud, he's a syndicate fellow, so he's more prone to an amoral stance and his marks include women and children. He's somewhat of a mentor to the MC, so I'm thinking he will be packing something efficient but looks lethal as a sign of his standing in the syndicate. Where that leads me, I have no clue. He does stash his holsters and ammo underneath a suit jacket or a jacket, Gungrave-style. Oh, and the MC and his friend are both in their mid-20s to 30s; MC is 5'8" and his friend is 5'9" if that makes a difference in their gun use.

If anyone can help or direct me to further sources, I'll be highly appreciative! =) Thanks!

It's hard to say, from what you've posted, what they should have. It will also depend on WHERE they are. They'd want a gun local enough or common enough not to stand out when forensics is done. If they're planning a quiet execution, a suppressed ("silenced" though they aren't really).22 or subsonic and suppressed 9mm would be a good choice. If they plan to just drive by and shoot, anything will work. If they want to make sure he's dead quick, shotguns up close. If they want to work at a distance, they'll need a rifle.

Hollowpoints won't stop a bullet exiting, if velocity is sufficient. The FBI recommends 12" of penetration in flesh to assure a reliable stop. A hollowpoint or other expanding ammo only create a larger wound channel and trauma.

A lot depends on the background of the characters. If they're ex-army they'll probably prefer an issued sidearm for that particular army. If they're Russian they might go for the Makarov. An American would probably choose an American firearm, a German might go H&K, a Brit would tend towards a Walther.

As for size, generally hitmen use .22 or .25 calibre on a very small frame pistol. They get close to the target and pop two in the head. Because of the small calibre the pistol is easily concealable and the noise is not so likely to alarm neighbours.