Firefly Episode Discussions

Accurate Portrayal Of Frontier Planets

POSTED BY: DakotaSmith
UPDATED: Thursday, June 10, 2004 13:04
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Tuesday, October 8, 2002 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zicsoft:
So that takes us back to the question: why does Mal pack a six-shooter? You explained to us before why a revolver might be a superior weapon on a space ship, but he also uses it for groundside fighting.....Perhaps he's just a revolver bigot?


Hey! I like some of those revolver bigots! I'm married to one. Old Frontier saying: "Beware the One Gun Man. He 'prolly knows how to use it."
Some people feel that one defensive pistol carried constantly, exercised daily and carried in the same location at all times, is the best policy for defense. Me? We can't carry in my state, unless we are seriously rich, or can buy a local sheriff. I'm still looking for the "honey gun" which will magically make me into a good shot.

Jeff
Who knows the journey is often more important than the goal.

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Tuesday, October 8, 2002 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by loonytoon:
As for power, show me a auto the size of the old vestpocket pistols, or the new NAA mini .22s. Show me a auto as powerful as the smith mountain gun in .44, or the old high standard bulldogs.


Vestpocket? Browning .25
Powerful? Desert Eagle .50AE
Charter Arms Bulldogs (yes I owned one)? Glock 36.

Jeff
Who notes he wouldn't mind having a few of the above.

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Tuesday, October 8, 2002 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Delvo:
A "when things go wrong" note on guns: I've been told repeatedly by a bunch of guys who know their guns better than me that the procedure is very different if a revolver misfires versus if a semiautomatic misfires. With a revolver, the procedure is to pull the trigger again; it goes boom and the bullet comes out. With a semiautomatic, you call time-out and perform minor surgery on it. I figure any time I can afford that luxury is a time I probably had no reason to pull the trigger in the first place.


Ah, there's the rub. Fact is with modern ammo it's unlikely you will have a dud round. Procedure for a revolver: Pull trigger. Procedure for semi-auto: Slap bottom of magazine, cycle slide, pull trigger.
But, if you have a "high primer" the auto will slap it back where it belongs. The revolver needs considerable study and care.

Jeff
Who suggests a reasonable compromise, carry a semi-auto on your right and a revolver on your left. Double your pleasure, double your fun, carry two pistols instead of one! (A good Ka-bar US Marine knife is nice too, when things are slow you can always whittle.

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Tuesday, October 8, 2002 3:20 PM

While I certainly agree with your compromise, if I went into real combat, I would carry a colt 1911A1 in a strongside half flap with a 4" colt python .357 in a shoulder holster, with a select longarm. However, the .22 mini revolver is more powerful then the browning .25, 75 footpounds is the stongest .25, 160 ft,lbs for a hi-velocity .22,rather large difference, wouldn`t you say? And The desert eagle is much larger than small .44 magnums, or even some bowen alpine rugers(I want one desparately!) in .475 and .500 linebaugh. and what does the glock 36 fire(I don`t keep up on the combat tupperware), .45acp? .44 spl beats it out in the power and versatility department, much as I love the .45!

As for delvos comment, he is correct. And ammo is almost certain to be substandard on the frontier, possibly reloaded. When in a close range combat situation, it is much easier to simply stroke the trigger again, then to unjam a auto(And I have seen them jammed to the point of needing to be stripped)

As to the train argument, it is also transporting people, who would not already be on a ship. Plus, say the ship has cargo for 10 small villages, it must takeoff and land 10 times, it would be much easier to drop it at a central point and distribute it by rail. That ship probly has some sort of fusion reactor, but it would still take much more fuel to cover the same distance, you can`t escape physics. The train must push against one force, drag to go forward, while a ship must also overcome gravity, while flying at a faster rate, without any visible airfoils, no less.

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Tuesday, October 8, 2002 9:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by loonytoon:
While I certainly agree with your compromise, if I went into real combat, I would carry a colt 1911A1 in a strongside half flap with a 4" colt python .357 in a shoulder holster, with a select longarm.


No you wouldn't. That would be pushing 10 lbs of unneccesary gear. With leather, ammo and cleaning equipment. In combat you have to haul a lot of gear and ammo for other troops.

Quote:

However, the .22 mini revolver is more powerful then the browning .25, 75 footpounds is the stongest .25, 160 ft,lbs for a hi-velocity .22,
Have you crono'd and computed the engergy out of a 1.25" Mini revolver barrel?

Quote:

And The desert eagle is much larger than small .44 magnums...
But who carries a small .44 Magnum?

Quote:

..what does the glock 36 fire(I don`t keep up on the combat tupperware), .45acp? .44 spl beats it ...
Not with the bullets in .45ACP and .44 Special over the counter.

Quote:

..When in a close range combat situation, it is much easier to simply stroke the trigger again, then to unjam a auto(And I have seen them jammed to the point of needing to be stripped)...
Under ideal circumstances for the revolver. But the first mud or dust storem and the revolver is gonna need serious work. A bulged/ blown case head and the revolver is a club until a gunsmith works it over.

Jeff
Who LOVES this kind of stuff. You want .270 Win or 7x51mm in the next debate or .243 vs. .25-06?

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Tuesday, October 8, 2002 9:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TinyTimm:
Jeff
Who LOVES this kind of stuff. You want .270 Win or 7x51mm in the next debate or .243 vs. .25-06?

Jeff is a gun geek!

Everybody's some kind of geek. So it's not at all nice to sneer at geeks. And in the case of gun geeks, it's also not safe!

JOSS, WHERE'S MY CHECK???!!!

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Tuesday, October 8, 2002 10:53 PM

7x51mm? Jack O`connor would be rolling in his grave! I don`t beleive the short revolver barrel would make all that much difference, as even a .22 short is as powerful as the .25. As to not carrying a small .44, I know a lot more people with smith mountain guns than desert eagles. And the .44spl has the POTENTIAL to be more powerful than the .45acp. Most diehard shooters reload, and I`ll bet that in the firefly universe, many people would roll there own to save money, and make better loads. And yes, I would carry the aformentioned weapons into combat, many soldiers carry 2 sidearms(you were the one to suggest it), as any combat I would participate in would most likely be guerilla warfare(hoping we don`t get into another war before I`m out of the draft age), where the other guys can carry there own shit. With a 20 pound pack, I can survive in the woods a LONG time(I`m from Alaska, I hunt).

And try a bulged case or seperated head in a auto, its not gonna be unjammed in a jif, either!

And I love debating this sort of thing to, just don`t get me started on american VS. import cars!
(I would take the .25-06 and the .270,I like the whelan to!)

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Tuesday, October 8, 2002 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zicsoft:
Jeff is a gun geek!
Everybody's some kind of geek. So it's not at all nice to sneer at geeks. And in the case of gun geeks, it's also not safe!


I used to be a professional gun geek and an amature computer geek, now it's the other way around.
Actually Gun Geeks are very polite, only trolls on rec.guns are abusive. The rest of us know better.

Jeff
Who is always polite.

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Tuesday, October 8, 2002 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by loonytoon:
7x51mm? Jack O`connor would be rolling in his grave!

I think Mr. O'Conner would be using the more modern case, with the stronger head and efficient use of space. ;->

Quote:

I don`t believe the short revolver barrel would make all that much difference, as even a .22 short is as powerful as the .25.
Ah, but it does, I've fired a pair of old single action Berettas, .22 Short and .25 ACP. The centerfire is allegedly more reliable and the .25ACP had more penetration in phone books, wood and 55 gallon drums.

Quote:

I know a lot more people with smith mountain guns than desert eagles. And the .44spl has the POTENTIAL to be more powerful than the .45acp.
Trouble with "potential" is the people who push it and .44 Specials up to .44 Magnum velocity, which is tough on the light guns.

Quote:

And yes, I would carry the aformentioned weapons into combat, many soldiers carry 2 sidearms(you were the one to suggest it),
No, I suggest it for people who carry sidearms as defensive weapons in dangerous situations. With a rifle around the handgun is superfulous. OK, a few people like a small sidearm as well as a rifle.

Quote:

...as any combat I would participate in would most likely be guerilla warfare(hoping we don`t get into another war before I`m out of the draft age), where the other guys can carry there own shit. With a 20 pound pack, I can survive in the woods a LONG time(I`m from Alaska, I hunt).
AT weapons, HE, Mines and especially belts for the Squad Automatic Weapon and/or weapons launcher. The squad supports the heavier weapons.

Quote:

And try a bulged case or seperated head in a auto, its not gonna be unjammed in a jif, either!
Slap and cycle usually get it. (It took me a while to get reloading down pat. ;->

Quote:

And I love debating this sort of thing to, just don`t get me started on american VS. import cars!

VW Golf w/1.8T for commuting.

Jeff
Who is still driving the old van...looking at the Golf and going...sigh...

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Wednesday, October 9, 2002 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TinyTimm:

Actually Gun Geeks are very polite, only trolls on rec.guns are abusive. The rest of us know better.

I've never followed rec.guns, but I know what you mean. It seems to me that the more weapons somebody controls the more polite they are. As is demonstrated by the radio chatter between warships.

I'm reminded of a story I heard about the making of my favorite gangster movie, The Long Good Friday. The star (Bob Hoskins in his pre-Disney period) played a really nasty mob boss. He was shooting a scene in a pub, with some real gangsters as extras. He started to yell at somebody, so one of the extras took him aside. "You don't need to yell at him," he told Hoskins. "He knows who you are."

JOSS, WHERE'S MY CHECK???!!!

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