Does semiautos specialization work for BF pistols? SA/BF pistols? Only when firing SA? Can you choose a spec for BF pistols ("I hit better with a gasvented pistol firing narrow bursts than SA")?

By the literal definition, I'd say no. If you want to have it apply whenever the weapon is fired on SemiAuto, I'd have no issue... then again, I let players use AR's on SA with the Long Guns skill (and SMG's on SA with the Pistols skill). Essentially, the "semiautos" specialization is a little odd, and in all honesty, a pistol which fires multiple rounds with a single trigger pull is flat-out not the same as a true semiauto when you're the one behind the trigger.

having Pistols(Heavy pistols) specialization would better choice than spec. for BF pistols..

I've always considered this specialization to cover the style (loading/firing mechanizsm) of the pistol and not the literal SA mode, bascially the clip ( c) fed models. If your GM doesn't like that then you need to deal with him about maybe using clearer specializations for pistols like hold-out, light, and heavy. Specializations aren't exactly concrete, so if you can't come to any agreement on a category for the specialization then just specialize in the exact gun you plan on using.

I wouldn't assume, at least not in 4A, that a weapon that can switch firing modes would fall under different specializations or even different weapon types. That may have been true in previous editions but in 4 and 4A a skill or specialization seems to include knowledge and familiarity of a weapon and all of its capabilities.

Honestly, the SA one shouldn't exist. That said, you can spec anything your GM agrees to. Try to make it limited enough to be fair.

Agreed, Fire Mode specs are a little odd.

Yar. I'd rather have a Pistols(Machine Pistols) specialization.

Except that Machine Pistols are oddly in the Automatics skill.



-karma

You could always take Pistols (Short Bursts) as a specialization. But then you may as well just go Automatics (Short Bursts).

Well, what I want and what exists in the game aren't necessarily the same thing.

I've always wondered why they made the pistols specialization different from all other firearms skills where you just specialize in one category. I prefer handling Pistols like the other skills and have specializations of: Tasers, Holdouts, Light Pistols, Heavy Pistols.

Also in regard to the OP: By RAW you can't put a gas vent on a pistol.

Its not a firemode speck its a type of pistol, you know as opposed to a revolver.

The advantage to taking it with Pistols is 2-4 more points of conceal on a weapon that can fire bursts, and in some cases slings heavier rounds (heavy pistols). Believe me, I'm a huge fan of Machine Pistols in SR4, but they're not exactly compact.

Yeah, Max, it's a type of pistol that includes 95% of the category, which is bullshit. The idea of BF, etc., is even worse.

And yet, for a lot of semi-auto pistols currently, you can open the pistol up and alter the sear, and Hey! you suddenly have a machine pistol.

A crappy one, sure, but it'll keep firing as long as you hold down the trigger.

The only difference in a purpose built one is that it has (possibly) reinforced internal parts and a bigger mag. It's otherwise held like a pistol, aimed like a pistol, fired like a pistol.


-karma

But, as already stated, a Machine Pistol is an Automatic, and per SR4 311, can receive the Gas Vent mod.

In the past, when I specialized a pistols skill I called it autoloaders to avoid firing mode confusion.

Silbeg, isn't that the point, though? A machine pistol is not a Pistol at all in SR4, so it's not even part of the question here.