I'm setting this up for not so much an adventure, but an IC chance to discuss weapons back and forth, pro/cons and if need be IN CHARACTER ONLY slagging off.

Play nice, keep in character. happy hunting.

Is it a guy -size thing that peopel are packing pistols that are so large you're covered in case oyu're mugged by a humpbacked whale?

For day to day wear I'm fine with a Colt Asp. yeah, a revolver, six bullets and I'm still breathing the the same lungs I came into the world with.

Given the state of weapon-tech on the streets today, there's no reason other than personal preference to carry a revolver over a semi-automatic. Mean failure rates for the semi-autos out there are on the tens of thousands of rounds, even under the worst environments imaginable. Nevertheless, I do agree that the larger calibers are carried simply for bragging rights. Then again, I come down on the shot placement side of the stopping power argument, so I know those on the hydrostatic shock side are going to disagree.

As for me, day to day wear is a Browning Max-power. Sure it's a single stack mag, but the slimmer profile makes it easier to conceal.

Ah don't know 'bout y'all. I usually depend on my magic, but in those rare instances when I need t' reach for a pistol, I want to be sure it packs enough punch t' do the job. My Manhunter has never once let me down, unlike those stylish, fancy-ass light pistols.

I'm with you chummer, I'd much rather sling a spell than haveta worry about my gun failing me. But after that last job, I've definately been awakened to the nessecity of carrying something that'll at least give a Troll pause. Guess that means I'll be sticking with my trusted Predator with explosive slugs. Gets the job done, which is all I give a drek about. Fancy tends to mean more widgets to break in the middle of the Barrens.

A gun is a tool, and tools are for specific jobs. I don't carry a C-wrench down the street, nor do I expect my screwdriver to fix every broken piece of electronics. Use the right weapon for the job, and when it's been used, either change the weapon, or ditch it. There's no sense in carrying an arsenal everywhere you go.

-Paris

While your sentiment is correct about using the correct tool for the job, I believe Snow Fox's original question dealt more with what you carry in response to the general threat of the streets, rather than what you would choose when briefed on a specific threat. You're right in saying it would be foolish to attempt to change an elastomeric bearing with a screwdriver, but I carry a multi-tool with me on a daily basis so that I can at least attempt a repair if I am confronted with an unusual set of circumstances.

The kind of weapons you carry is directly commensurate to the place you're in. In the Barrens I wouldn't be caught dead without anything less than a sub-machine gun, preferably an assault rifle. In the military or isolated, paracritter-infested areas, heavy weapons are your friend.
On the other hand, in a well-patrolled AA zone more subtle threats like light pistols are best. If you're inside a super-high security hush-hush zone, even a ceramic hold-out with hermetically sealed Hi-C ammunition might not be subtle enough.

In general, blend in. An ELD-AR rifle will fit right into a paintball course, and if you load it with DMSO+Cyanide it might as well be shooting .50 BMG. In a gang war chains, pipes, baseball bats and pistols are best- or, if things have gotten out of hand, even an AK-97. Certain brands of flamethrower can easily be mistaken for insustrial weilding equipment with a little tooling. If breaking into a high-sec Ares compound, for the love of God pack Alphas and wear what the security's' wearing- it might not fool them for more than a second or two, but that's usually all it takes.

Two words girls and boys: Mono-fragging-filament whip. I keep mine spooled under one of my fingers (you'll have to get lucky if you want to try and take it off of me--1/10 ain't good odds). Most of the time it's out, done its work, and spooled again in the blink of an eye. I've seen gangers run at the mere sight of it. If you're up to living on the edge, go mono.

Just Johnny

For close range nothing beat putting your fist quite litterally through the target, that's how you get shock value. But for pistols, nothing but custom jobs will suffice. The answer to every situation lies in customization, and a concealed holster and a well built pistol work quite well together.

I usually pack a concealed Ares Viper Slivergun holstered for quickdraw as a matter of course. If I really need to take something down in a higher security area, a Remington 950 with Glazers usually does the trick. Pistols, hunting rifles and shotguns can have permits.

Funny thing though, those multiweapon carbines like those G38s or AUG-CSLs handle just like regular hunting rifles. And those babies do burst fire.

Sides, I can always fall back on my Killing Hands. Or run away and hide.

I got this really beautiful blued automatic pistol, absolutely dasling. Crome accents too... I know some folks think that's tacky, but sometimes you simply must go with the classics. Mine comes with a built in silencer, and the whole piece is of fine german craftsmanship, engraved by hand. It's absolutely darling!

Of course, when things get ugly I've got my .50 calibur colt revolver with some nice explosive rounds, but I rarely would use such a beast... a nice classic pistol with aid of a bit of cat-magic usually takes care of anything dangerous, as if anything too scary would want to hurt little ol' me!

-Antonio Domingo Valencio Shadowpaw

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. For price and ammo capacity, you can't beat a Colt Manhunter if you're not packing a smartlink. Hell, with the right kind of holster and a little practice, you can even wear it to those black tie balls.

Little bit of side advice: Never go to a formal do without a weapon. I've seen barrens brawl-houses I'd rather take on barehanded than some of those shindigs.

What the heck do you need a .50 cal S&W for? It looks like a prop from a trid. If you need that much punch, you're in a place you shouldn't be or you should be carrying something bigger-like a shotgun.

I agree spells can be efficent, if you know what you're targeting, but for indimidation a muzzle under the chin works better than waving a finger around.
It's pretty universal. I had a run in with an azzie corp cop a while back. He was holding a gun on a chummer. I told him to drop his gun. He sneered "No habla."
I pressed my berrel into the hinge of his jaw, "Habla smith and wesson?"
He habla-ed.

I know a Colt asp looks small, but that's less likely to get the cops tense than the guy carrying a Predator or street sweeper. Also you may say missfires are rare in semiauto, but when they do, they're stone bitches to get out. Revolvers are much easier to clear and much easier to clean and maintain.

Foxy, 's why ya have a back up. No matter what anyone says, there is never a place your hold out shouldent go. But for raw pants-shitting, Im finding putting a Hatamoto 2 to someones face is prime. In the right light you can actually see the end of the slug still in the chamber, and tell me a .72 cal isnt scary.

Personally, I have always been partial to the AK-97. Cheep, ugly, and more reliable then rain in Seattle. Not exactly user friendly though.

Say what you will, but when you get some dumbass punk try to carjack you nothing works quite as well as pulling out a large revolver and shoving it in his face. For day to day stuff I carry a Streetline Special in an ankle holster and a Beretta Model 101T, my old sidearm, in a concealed rig under my shoulder. And there's a Ruger Super Warhawk strapped near the clutch in my car for when I'm driving.

For heavier threats...eh, it varies. My custom FN-HAR is my usual choice, unless I'm going into close quarters, in which case a shotgun is your best friend.

- FlatLine

Yes TTC this is what most runners do, but my point on a .5 magnum is it's too damn big for a hand gun. If you're packing that much punch, you should be carrying something larger than a mutant pistol.

See, now I agree that holdouts and such have their place, but I've just never found them of any use unless I'm facing a BTL-head who's bare butt naked and half outta his brain.

While a Predator may not be chiche, and it may not be as drek hot as some custom job, those are only there as backup for the odd occasion when I don't see, smell or hear em coming. Cos if I do, any carjacker or gang-punk is hosed - Wolf helps me see to that. And if push comes to shove, this wolf has claws *wink* get my drift chummer.

Course, I'd be lying if I didn't admit there's times when only a battle rifle will do, but that's for when you have intel. But for your run-of-the-mill general purpose drek-meets-fan situation, I'll stick to me Preds to back me up.

Cassanova:
Its clear the Ares Viper Slivergun is one of the best made pistols in the world, I carry one on every mission I do. With its built in silencer, the Viper is quite, add on a Smartlink 2 for accuracy, and a gas vent (4) you got all the recoil comp you need to fire that bad boy all day long. As a back up the Salavette Guardian is a prefered back up, pack in some Ex Explosive ammo and smartlink 2 and anyone with alittle skill can be a deadly dude. Not to mention both guns got style, and as many of us know and expect style is 75% of the gig.

Man... the Pred is dead. Browning has been making handguns for over twice what Ares has. The max power is a smaller, lighter, better built gun. Not big on the Ultra, I have one sitting on my bench in a box, cant get the factory smartlink to recognize any data for some reason. That and you need to be a troll to hold that double stack mag and still be comfterable.

No way, brother. The Pred's got style. Have you seen the curves on the P3? It's like holding the Batmobile in your hands. (Did I just show off my age? Damn.) In an industry that's as much about rep and street cred as anything else, you can't go wrong with a litle pinache.

Just Johnny

Looks like your holding a Buck Rodgers laser...

I'd have to agree with Lindt on that one. I go for the Browning Myself. Durable, simple, and reliable.

The sliver gun is good as long as the target's not wearing any armor. Add just a little padding and you might do more damage throwing it at someone. You only need that if you're shooting up unarmed targets like in a stuffer shack...

Untrue, Fox. In tests against normal ballistic armour, flechette rounds outperformed normal ball rounds in terms of damage. Only armour with ceramic plating or its impact trauma equivalent reduced the effectiveness of flechette rounds significantly. Dermal armour like those possesed by trolls reduced the effectiveness of flechettes somewhat.

Furthermore, the slivergun has a burst fire option and holds 30 rounds. That's 10 bursts. Large ammo capacity, significant damage and small enough to carry into a black tie party.

Who in the name of Big D is Buck Rogers?!?! You chummers' really should get out more, might make you more understable. *wink*

I've been carrying a Pred since I was a child, and my current Pred 3 since I got me first chrome at like 13. It's never failed me, ever, and the Spirit knows I've put it through some crap. Same with my Alpha, but that's a different story.

I've seen people use Brownings, and a chummer of mine used Walthers until he got his custom jobs, but call me stuck in my ways, but it's just something about the balance of the Ares pistols which seems right for me. And at the end of the day, in the middle of a drek storm, I'd rather feel comfortable than not even if I have to sacrifice some firepower. It's mainly a backup weapon afterall.

And you need to go check some vintage stores. Buck Rodgers was a 1940s star of film, screen, and comic book. Did a lotta hokey fighting aliens. Very Art Deco, lots of chrome and smooth blubous stuff.

Older than that. He was in sci-fi back in the 1920's, well before trid. He had a pistol that looked like an old Mauser that fired exploding bullets. He fought an asian enemy who got about in huge LAV ships and commanded a huge technological empire dedicated to removing free will.

Hmmm- kind of makes you wonder, don't it?

as for the slivergun, any ceramics, like in your basic lined coat, pretty much put and end to the flechette's extra damage. Burst fire? That reduces the gun to a 10 shot weapon, so it's at a disadvantage compared to a Manhunter's 15 shot clip.

Did they even have like electricity back in the 1920's? *puzzled look*

Tell ya what chummer, I'll look into it just for you *smiles*

To be honest, I don't think I've ever seen anyone use a Viper. But then again, I've never used shredders either.

Hey Snowy, wasn't that Flash Gordon versus Ming the Merciless?

Anyway, Im having a hard time finding something more effective than a splat glue gun. Just two days back, I had a buddy splat a door shut and two star goons to their beat up Chrysler.

HEY! I got a chummer calls himself that. Must be where he got it from. he's into all that pre-trid drek.

If you just really need to bust something big up, try to get your hands on a Great Dragon ATGM. The UCAS military produced a BIG run of the things in the early 50's, and a pile got shipped to Fort Lewis. An IG inspection about three months after the Big D bought it (RIP) showed that roughly three hundred of the missiles were missing. One of the great unsung shadowruns. To this day one will turn up in an odd place. Few fixers will admit to having them though. The 'Star is death on the things; it'll bust up a HTR Citymaster too good to be allowed on the street.

As a hidden weapon the Samurai’s Sidekick ain’t a bad choice. Unless, of course, you have to use it. The thing is bloody loud, and hard to mistake for anything else. Fun gun to use though.

Personally, I think everyone is ignoring the biggest drawback of the slivergun. Because it’s so quiet and lethal against the unarmored (Meaning civilians), most ‘Star don’t like the thing. Predators don’t draw half the raised eyebrows, even if the same laws cover both. Not that they have to worry; their jackets (Like mine) are armored with the impact plates. Ammo is a lot cheaper for the pred too

And I will leave you with a final word of advice on avoiding trouble. Keep your guns clean. Unmaintained guns mean that you're an amateur, and amateurs are dangerous.

Expecially if you're standing too close when the skag misfires his Antioch just cos he didn't clean the fragger after dragging it through Redmond! Luckily I was in a Sec Skin else I'da joined him in the local organlegger's.

And it reminds me of my former DS's favourite comment (aside from 'Oi mage runt, suck it up') - "you can't be mean if you don't keep it clean."

Again untrue, the Star is as likely to hassle you for having a Pred as an AVS. The Pred is a real heavy duty serious weapon, just like a Manhunter. The Star take the same view of the Pred as the AVS, it is made to kill, not for self defense.

OOC: Check your legality codes, people. I know this is an IC thread, but do check your rules first - p273 SR3.

I'd say that sorta depends on the situation. In some neighbourhoods it's a legitimate defensive weapon.

But flashing a permit always helps with the Star, though they do tend to get a little antsy when they first see it.

Sure, against a lined coat the Viper is just as effective as something firing ball ammo, but considering it's so much more expensive....

Permitts always help with the nice officers. But even if you have a permit for a mini-gun, the police will be much more nervous around someone with a predator than an Asp or Barretta. Just 'cause you're allowed to have it doesn't mean the badges will be happy about you being there. Unhappy nervous policemen are not good.


Yeah, Flash Gordon fought Ming the Merciless, early early sci fi with lasers. I think their pre-sim flat screen stuff had "airships" that were pie plates on wires. They did those long before man left the bio-sphere and their concept of outerspace was "cute."

Buck Rogers was originally in print- back when people got their news in writing, and was pretty much running around on earth. Once in England I saw a preserved item in a display cabinet in the Bodlian library's vaults. It's worth a lot if you have the right market.

Yeah, gotta admit some of the Star's fine officers do react even worse when they see the permit than if they hadn't, it does tend to depend on the officer involved and the situation.

And you chummers need to get a life, I mean arguing over stuff made long before any of us were born, save maybe some elves present, is just .... damn!

Heh, had me a run-in once with some Humanis punks on the east side of Nelson's Corner, they were harrassing some little halfer kid. I busted them up a bit, had my Browning in full view, and the Star just walked by. Didn't blink, nothing. Upon my oath, I am not a violent man, but if there's one thing I justs can't stand is racism.

When your holed up in a flop that hasent seen re-decorating in 90 years, you tend to get nastalagic.
Yeah, a RAY run...
Aim a slivergun? Thats like aiming a shotgun, you dont so much as aim as you do point and click. And they dont do jack to someone wearing 'runner undies.
Some stupid securety guard got a brillent drop on me, thought I was dead, till I noticed that he didnt have his gun drawn, and that he was packing an AVS. Must have been hopped up on something cause he took 3 to the chest from my brownie before he went down. Didnt even know I had been shot till I got to a keyhole and noticed I looked like an angry porcipine. That damm thing is so quite I didnt hear him shoot me! Didnt feel it either, gotta say the 2k I paid for the form fit was worth every dime that night.

Dunno, chummers. Every piece has it's place. You can't rely on a single gun all of the time, cuz a single gun won't always do the trick. A pred will do just for walking around, cuz what the frag is some gutter skunk gonna do when his muggee pulls out a fragging hand cannon instead of his wallet? He'll crap himself, that's what! But you put a silencer on that damn thing, you're kidding yourself! It's already forty-fragging-centimeters long. You'd look like some punk breeder swimming out of his depths.

Me? When I can pick my shots, it's a viper all the way. And if you're in a panic, switch that baby to burst and go crazy.

But that's just for precision, close-up stuff. For general stuff, you want something with a bit of range, a big ol' magazine and full-auto capacity. That's right, you want an assault rifle, or a subbie at the very least. True, shotguns (doubly-so for burst-fire) have a certain end-of-the-world appeal, and can clear a hallway in record time, but they just ain't for me.

Shotguns do have a use. very nasty up close and great for suppression fire against people with little training. against people with assault rifles, the best effect is to not get into an open space where they have a clear shot.

Flash Gordon predated 1980. I've seen remnants of stuff maybe 50 years older, with rocket ships with great trails of smoke coming out and buzzing like a shorted out electric car.

Maybe he's has his skin peeled? Sure hurts like a mutha-fragger for a week or so but once you get used to it you're good to go again.

Perhaps I should ask one of my chummers about the Viper. He's a demon with a pistol, so I'm sure he's seen em used.

I've seen them used. The question is are they worth their cost?

Well, if they get the job done then I suppose they must be. Not sure I'd want too, but I suppose it's personal choice at the end of the day.