Meh, I'm confused

POSTED BY: Agehn
UPDATED: Saturday, September 25, 2004 01:54
VIEWED: 7771
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AGEHN

Monday, September 20, 2004 1:06 AM

Okay, the Lassiter is the first laser gun, like the one whats-his-name had in Heart of Gold. So the rest of the guns, the ones we see everyday, are normal explosion-forces-out-lead guns -- they make big sounds and we see Simon take what appear to be lead chunks out of people who're shot. So why is there a faint sci-fi noise like the flash on a camera powering up when these guns are cocked? Are they somehow futuristically enhanced to be more accurate or powerful? What makes that noise?

ARAWAEN

Monday, September 20, 2004 1:10 AM

There has been some debate as to whether they only look like old style guns or if they had high-tech bullets.

What I got out of the debate was that neither was the case and Fox probably just wanted a more science fiction sound to the guns.

Um, I'm lost. Uh, I'm Angry. And I'm Armed.

SPDRPARKER

Monday, September 20, 2004 2:14 AM

I don't actually remember any sci-fi noises when they were cocked....however I hear a kind of sci-fi sound when most of them are shot...

My main guess on that based on the look of some guns, like Mal's when you get a close up of it in Serenity, it's more of an updated version of propulsion, rather than some other idea. Maybe something in there that helps a bullet go more straight as not all do, or something to help prevent misfire...

that's my theory

CB

Monday, September 20, 2004 2:25 AM

One popular theory is that the 'low tech' guns on Firefly use a pneumatic delivery system rather than an explosive powder. The pneumatic chamber would need to be charged before every shot, and the sound that it creates is less of an explosion, more of air wooshing out. Dunno for sure, but like Arawaen said, maybe Fox just wanted a more futuristic sound for them. (In an episode commentary, Joss said that the sound peeps in post production put in a *beep* when Mal brushed off the camera in the cockpit, since they thought he was activating it) So, unless Joss wrote into the script how the guns were supposed to sound, it might have been out of his hands.

GOJIRO

Monday, September 20, 2004 2:28 AM

There was a thought put forth on another thread, with which I agree, that the Firefly universe bullets are a bit more high-tech that what we have today. Caseless, maybe, or using something besides gunpowder as a propellant. Maybe a more powerful, or more stable explosive. Some kind of plastique or something.

Of course, why it would sound different is beyond me -- an explosion is an explosion. But mebbe...

gojiro

AGEHN

Monday, September 20, 2004 12:50 PM

Quote:

I don't actually remember any sci-fi noises when they were cocked....however I hear a kind of sci-fi sound when most of them are shot...

I don't remember any exact instances, if I have time I'll find one when I get home. I remember a scene with Zoe cocking her long pistol/short rifle thing, and definately made a sound. It could be pneumatics, I like that idea. I also had the thought that it might be an advanced loading system that prevents jamming.

BROWNCOAT1

Monday, September 20, 2004 1:17 PM

In the episode Shindig when Badger's goons walk up behind Mal & Jayne they cock or charge their weapons there is an electronic charging noise which draws Mal's attention causing him to turn to see Badger.

I agree that the weapons may be low tech looking, but I think that they must have hi tech rounds or some sort of pneumatic firing system.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

SHEPHERDQ

Monday, September 20, 2004 7:45 PM

When I saw the guns and heard the sounds I wondered what the point would be, then thought it could be one of two things ( if not both ). The whine is a charge build up in a capacitor. ( The whine heard in camera flash etc is the high freq it uses to raise the voltage way up so you have little current but high voltage to store up as a surge when let go for the flash ).

Use 1 for that power.. a new way to ignite the charge in a pretty much standard lead bullet instead of a percussion cap. ( even Vera uses lead )
Use 2 would be as an energy field in the barrel to protect the lining from repeated use to avoid having to buy new barrels in a low maint low tech out back place.

hmmm another use would be that it is more intimidating when pointed at a nose to explain the job is done and it is time to be paid.

The Journey is the worthier part.
www.southdownabbey.com

WILDHEAVENFARM

Monday, September 20, 2004 8:29 PM

The Lassiter was the first, but it was probably hundreds of years old by the time our crew stole it.

I believe the old-fashioned bullet-firing guns are accompanied by a laser-like sound to indicate some kind of futuristic hybrid.

Quote:
Originally posted by Agehn:
Okay, the Lassiter is the first laser gun, like the one whats-his-name had in Heart of Gold. So the rest of the guns, the ones we see everyday, are normal explosion-forces-out-lead guns -- they make big sounds and we see Simon take what appear to be lead chunks out of people who're shot. So why is there a faint sci-fi noise like the flash on a camera powering up when these guns are cocked? Are they somehow futuristically enhanced to be more accurate or powerful? What makes that noise?

Mary
Always a beast, never a burden.

MICHIZURE

Tuesday, September 21, 2004 1:34 AM

Quote:
The whine is a charge build up in a capacitor.

That's what I thought, too.

An all-electric firing "pin" would make the pistol more accurate -- no hammer motion -- but otherwise pretty conventional.

A more exotic possibility is a gauss weapon: bullet is thrown electromagnetically, either by coils (like a solenoid) or a charge across parallel rails. Normally, I'd say this would require a power source with too high a density to be practical, but since we know the 'verse has hand lasers this wouldn't be very different.

My favorite, though, is liquid propellant: reservoir in the butt, fills a chamber behind the bullet, and fires it off like a piston in your car's engine; the capacitor would power the "spark plug." This would account for the lack of a visible action (revolver cylinder or automatic slide) as all the moving parts are inside. One advantage of LPG's is that they can be set to accelerate the bullet all the way down the barrel, rather than just smacking it once really hard -- more accurate, and higher muzzle velocity for the same chemical energy.

Although pneumatic handguns exist, I don't think they have the power or effects shown. I also can't think of any electromagnetic effect which would protect the barrel without smelling too much of "force fields."

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