For Fun : A Trip To The Past.

F

FUD

Moderator
If you HAD to go back in time shortly after the Civil War and spend a year in an isolated town in the "wild west" and could only bring two guns (a rifle or shotgun and a handgun), what would they be? As to widen your choices, ammo is not an issue because you could bring enough of it with you back in time to last you the entire year. Keep in mind that open-carry is the norm and you might have to quickly bring the gun into action against wild animals, bandits, etc.<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI> Would you stick with a modern version of a single action revolver allowing you to carry six rounds safely instead of five?
<LI> Or, would you pick a double action revolver for faster firing?
<LI> What caliber?
<LI> Would you bring a pistol along instead of a revolver (thereby, maybe drawing attention to yourself as being the stranger with the "funny looking gun")? If so, what kind? 1911? Traditional DA/SA? DAO? etc.
<LI> What kind of ammo? Hollowpoint? FMJ? Different combinations? etc.</UL>
fudsmile.gif
FUD
 
I would think that a modern version of the arms of the period would draw less attention, plus you could procure ammo locally, thus saving the back of your pack mule from having to lug around a years worth of ammo to cover all contingencies. Would be nice to make that wheel gun a double action, though. What was really popular in that era? I am woefully ignorant, as most of my knowledge of that period comes from paperback fiction. Was the .45LC and .44 as ubiquitous as fiction claims? I would be most happy with a nice .45 and a good lever action.
 
I think that to blend in, I would pick a Super Blackhawk with the 5 1/2" barrel and a Marlin 336 Cowboy in 38/55.

David

------------------
If your looking to government for the solution, you obviously don't understand the problem.
 
Easy I would take my 4" 629 and pick up a marlin in 45-70. I would take some good modern loads for both but they both can use black powder loads or simply pick up period weapons if needed.
 
Interesting question. The longer I think about it, the harder it is to answer. Partly it would depend on where. The wild west in those years covered a pretty good chunk of territory with some wide differences in climate and terrian.

Since I'm not restricted to period arms, that makes it even tougher. Probably that wouldn't be much of a problem anyway since that was a real period of experimentation and innovation in the firearms field and most folks would probably buy off on the idea that it was a "one of a kind" made anywhere that they were unfamiliar with. Metal that didn't rust and powder that didn't smoke would probably raise the most interest.

Also, you specified one long gun and one handgun. If the trip were a reality I'd probably opt for two long guns.

My biggest dither would be whether to take a good scope sighted .22, probably a Ruger 77/22, with iron sights as well, and a Leopold 2.5 X 5 variable or the 4X RF scope - and a defensive handgun, probably a full size .45 ACP with a variety of loads.

Or whether to take a good .22 pistol - probably a Ruger Bull barrel, and a heavier rifle. A good bolt action 25/06 with a variety of loads and the same Leopold variable as well as iron sights. Probably a Ruger 77.

Going right now I'd probably reach of the Ruger bull barrel and the 25/06. The choice might be reversed in an hour.

As you can see I don't intend to be guarding the local bank against a raid by the James brothers, and I'd do my best to see that any confrontation with local hostiles (red, white or otherwise) would be from the best cover I could find.

------------------
Jim Fox
 
Screw that! I'd take a Desert Eagle and an FAL:

"Say, stranger, them's a might funny looking sidearm and longarm you got there. I don't believe I like you, and neither do my friends here."

"Really? Blam, blam, blam, blam, blam, blam, blam, blam! Anyone else got a problem with my guns?"

JK. :) Seriously, I'd HAVE to take a semi-auto longarm, but I'd take a less conspicous one like a (civilian) BAR or 7400, or maybe an M1A.

[This message has been edited by Futo Inu (edited July 14, 2000).]
 
You really do need to read Time Scout and Wagers of Sin by Robert Aspirin.

LawDog

[This message has been edited by LawDog (edited July 14, 2000).]
 
This is probably a reeeeeaaaaaallllly stupid question, but, ummm...they had pump action shotguns then, right?
I'll take a .45 revolver (with a lovely leather holster :D) and a 12 ga. pump action shotgun to carry with me on my hoss! :)
 
How many people today know all makes/models of guns? Back then how many people could really read and write? Not to mention commincations were slow...don't think the "strange looking" guns would draw anymore looks in the American west then than many period European arms would.

remember we could have had cartridge repeating arms on both sides of the civil war except for the governments idiocy

They also had nickle plating back then so stainless would not seem that strange
 
A Ruger Bisley in .45 Colt and a Winchester (or Browning) 1886 .45-70 plus lots of modern ammo. And if things get real hairy such as an indian attack or gang of rustlers, well that's what that bag of grenades is for. :D

------------------
Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
 
Remington 870 Pump Action Shotgun and Colt 1911 pistol. Why? I patent them and be rich and rolling in $$$$$$. Wait until I invent the Kalashnikov rifle or the Maxim machinegun, aeroplane, and write papers on naval architecture. Call me Da Vinci II.
 
Would bring a FAL lightweight carbine and my Kimber Gold Match. If anyone asked, I would tell em the FAL was a new German invention and the Kimber was made by an inventor friend of mine. The biggest danger would be someone stealing them, but I also wouldn't be parading them around in public view.
 
I suppose I'd take a couple of Vaqueros in .357, since it's my favoite calibre, and a Marlin lever in the same. Maybe a little semi-auto in .22 for fun.

BUT what I took back in time ain't nothing to what I would bring back to the present! :D
 
Ahh, but your forgeting your sci-fi books here, if you went back in time you couldn't kill anybody or screw with anything.

But disregarding screwing up history, if I didn't mind getting noticed, I would bring a FAL with a bunch of magazines and a really good scope, and my 1911.

If I needed to keep a low profile, I would probably go with the Marlin 45-70, and a Vaquero.
 
FUD--
Good string. I'll probably waste a lot of time thinking over your question, and will probably revise my thoughts a couple of times.

At first blush, I think a stainless Ruger Vaquero in .45 Colt. Almost indestructible and simple enough to repair even with fairly primitive facilities. In case of profound damage, a Colt SAA could be substituted without having to do a lot of retraining.

For a long gun, I imagine a Marlin .45-70 lever gun with custom, full length magazine and aperture sight.

A pocketful of replacement parts for both arms, especially rifle sight, and a small roll of gusmithing tools.

I thnk I'd dull down the stainless finish of the Ruger, and maybe rework the exterior of the Marlin as well. No use inviting theft.

I know you said I can take along plenty of ammo, but, if away from my base of operations, I could resupply almost anywhere. You specified "Shortly after the Civil War." (That's the same as the War of Northern Aggression, right?) I'm specifying two cartridges not in common use until after 1873. Are these okay, or should I rethink these as well? Either way, I'd take along a bunch of modern loads anyway.

Best regards--
RR

------------------
---The Second Amendment ensures the rest of the Bill of Rights---
 
M-60 and a MAC 10 . Tom is the new King .Wouldn't need a lot of ammo . After the first burst the legend would take care of any need to shoot again .

------------------
TOM
SASS AMERICAN LEGION NRA
 
I would take a .50 BMG rifle and a HK machine pistol, either of which would make me a LEGEND!!!
...Always wanted to shoot a bison with a "big fittey" anyway....


------------------
Big Guns again
No speakee well
But plain.
--H.C
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top