Jim Watson
New member
In Uller Uprising, H. Beam Piper's Terrans got out of a tight spot by building a bomb from the blueprints on the end papers of a potboiler romance set in the pre-space Manhattan Project.
Author—Gun Mistakes
- Thread starter DaleA
- Start date
Fictional characters get to do what ever the author wants them to.
However, there are (lots) of times when things go beyond what my "suspension of belief in reality" allows for.
in one of the early Executioner books the hero makes a 600yd shot, from a boat on Lake Michigan, using a .460 Weatherby with a 20x scope, shooting the golf ball off the tee as the Mafia don begins his backswing,
"riding out the recoil" so he never loses sight of his target in the scope....
Somewhat entertaining, (at first) but pure drivel....
However, there are (lots) of times when things go beyond what my "suspension of belief in reality" allows for.
in one of the early Executioner books the hero makes a 600yd shot, from a boat on Lake Michigan, using a .460 Weatherby with a 20x scope, shooting the golf ball off the tee as the Mafia don begins his backswing,
"riding out the recoil" so he never loses sight of his target in the scope....Somewhat entertaining, (at first) but pure drivel....
Fictional characters get to do what ever the author wants them to.
However, there are (lots) of times when things go beyond what my "suspension of belief in reality" allows for.
in one of the early Executioner books the hero makes a 600yd shot, from a boat on Lake Michigan, using a .460 Weatherby with a 20x scope, shooting the golf ball off the tee as the Mafia don begins his backswing,
Somewhat entertaining, (at first) but pure drivel....
pffft, I can do that with a hangover and no coffee.
Ian Fleming received a letter from the noted UK gunwriter Geoffery Boothroyd pointing out Fleming's mistakes regarding James Bonds' firearms. in the next story "Major Boothroyd" had been appointed Bond's armorer.
One of the best loved Sherlock Holmes stories is Silver Blaze about a missing race horse. Readers pointed out-and Conan Doyle admitted-that his description of English horse racing was way off the mark.
One of the best loved Sherlock Holmes stories is Silver Blaze about a missing race horse. Readers pointed out-and Conan Doyle admitted-that his description of English horse racing was way off the mark.
Writing a "period" story can be hard work.
Last year, I wrote a story in the Sherlock Holmes universe. Getting the vocabulary, phrasing, characters and details right (14 steps from the street to the apartment at 221B Baker St, etc.) was fun. How many times do you come across, "valetudinarian" or "loquacious" in modern stories?
My nephew is a editor on TV shows and I gave him a hard time over the way, when a gun comes up to fire, you can almost always hear the sound of a slide being racked or a safety coming off. He told me the directors insist on it, even if the gun's been fired and obviously has a round chambered or if it's a Glock with no safety.
It's just a story. I usually let the mistakes slide.
Last year, I wrote a story in the Sherlock Holmes universe. Getting the vocabulary, phrasing, characters and details right (14 steps from the street to the apartment at 221B Baker St, etc.) was fun. How many times do you come across, "valetudinarian" or "loquacious" in modern stories?
My nephew is a editor on TV shows and I gave him a hard time over the way, when a gun comes up to fire, you can almost always hear the sound of a slide being racked or a safety coming off. He told me the directors insist on it, even if the gun's been fired and obviously has a round chambered or if it's a Glock with no safety.
It's just a story. I usually let the mistakes slide.
I'm a big fan of the Jack Reacher books, but author Lee Child is British and makes some real whoppers when it comes to guns. In one of his books the hero wins the final fight because of the belief that a magazine that's been loaded for years won't feed, and the hero bets his life on it.
OTOH, sometimes authors get it right:
Quote from a spy novel "The Game of X" by Robert Sheckley. (paraphrased):
"Come with me" he said and pointed a pistol at me. It was a Chinese copy of a Bulgarian copy of a Hungarian copy of a Russian Makarov. It was not the sort of pistol where I would bet my life on it working. On the other hand, I wasn't willing to bet my life on it not working either. So I went with him.
OTOH, sometimes authors get it right:
Quote from a spy novel "The Game of X" by Robert Sheckley. (paraphrased):
"Come with me" he said and pointed a pistol at me. It was a Chinese copy of a Bulgarian copy of a Hungarian copy of a Russian Makarov. It was not the sort of pistol where I would bet my life on it working. On the other hand, I wasn't willing to bet my life on it not working either. So I went with him.
Jim Watson
New member
The otherwise well done Jeremy Brett Holmes series had an opener showing a brass strapped Italian SAA repro. What, they couldn't find a Webley?
I do believe I remember that one and if it's the one I'm thinking of (the gun had been left loaded with rounds in the magazine AND a round in the chamber for an extended period of time) Lee Child was of the opinion that leaving the magazines loaded over time would weaken the magazine springs and because of that the round already in the chamber would fail to fire.
I really got disgusted with Lee Child when he wrote that when Reacher was in Oklahoma Reacher gave a hotel clerk a chunk of money and the hotel clerk was able to go out that afternoon and buy Reacher a couple of fully automatic AR's legally and give them to Reacher and Reacher's friend and that was legal because, you know, the second amendment and Oklahoma.
Jim Watson
New member
One of those, he bought a couple of MP5s.
Jim Watson
New member
What is not moral about checking out library books? That is what it is there for.
IF you start with the premise that the story takes place in an alternate reality where things actually are as the writer creates, then their "mistakes" are not mistakes, just an alternate universe where nearly everything is the same as ours, but not 100% of everything is...
In our shared reality, there is not place in the United States where a hotel clerk can LEGALLY buy a couple of fully automatic AR 15s in an afternoon.
I don't think even a licensed machine gun dealer can normally buy and take possession of such things in a single afternoon. Takes some time for the Fed paperwork to go through.
Additionally, and aside from possible "strawman purchase" charges, giving Reacher (or anyone) automatic firearms without ATF approval would be a felony level crime. In OUR world at least...
Doing it illegally is also felony criminal offenses, but is possible if you have the right contacts with the criminal underworld and the cash....
I think you've just nailed me on a "Virtue Signaling' offense.
I'm serious, your point is correct.
Either I should quit the library or I shouldn't be whining that the author's don't make enough money off me because I don't buy their books.
Given the options, I'll quit the "Virtue Signaling" as it REALLY annoys me when I see it in others.
In this case I'm guilty as charged and will quit doing it.
I'm serious, your point is correct.
Either I should quit the library or I shouldn't be whining that the author's don't make enough money off me because I don't buy their books.
Given the options, I'll quit the "Virtue Signaling" as it REALLY annoys me when I see it in others.
In this case I'm guilty as charged and will quit doing it.
Jim Watson
New member
Travis McGee seldom carried a firearm but once picked a French made automatic because it had a strong magazine spring.
He once ran up against a motorcycle gang member whose preference was the C.O.P. 4-barreled .357.
There was a tv western, I forget the title, where the Traditional Reformed Gunslinger had two six-shooters, but not the usual matched pair; one was a Colt, one a Remington. He carried the Colt and left the Remington as a spare unless he felt he needed a backup gun, in which case he would stuff it in his waistband M.O.B. I thought that more authentic than the B Western double buscadero rig.
603Country
New member
I read the same books you guys do, it seems. When it comes to bad data on guns and such, I just let it slide, but take a moment to think how stupid that was of the author.
The latest Reacher wasn’t that good. The latest Sandford (Letty) was pretty darn good, though it was a ‘chick’ book. The latest Thomas Perry was excellent.
The latest Reacher wasn’t that good. The latest Sandford (Letty) was pretty darn good, though it was a ‘chick’ book. The latest Thomas Perry was excellent.
Sometimes the mistakes or fabrications are just fun. In Stephen King's apocalyptic classic The Stand he has a U.S. Army soldier firing a recoilless rifle. The rifle shoots "seventy gas-tipped slugs per second." That works out to 4,200 rounds per minute, and I can't figure out what a gas-tipped slug is, but it sounds very impressive.
I have a book titled, "AGAINST ALL ENEMIES" that on the cover in giant letter says TOM CLANCY and underneath in tiny letters with Peter Telep. WHO? Not too badly written but one phrase kept popping up. In the aftermath of a gun battle, the stench of gunpowder hung in air. If he used it once, he used it a dozen times. I will give him partial credit though. He didn't use the stench of cordite. Guess I could call progress of sorts.
Paul B.
Paul B.
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