Oval choke on Shotguns

[Tomsdad]

OK I may be completely miss-remembering but I could have sworn I saw rules for (possibly adjustable) oval chokes on shot guns somewhere in 4e.

I think it may have been TL9+ because AFAIK they don't really exist now (but see below). Also what I seem to remember Is a horizontal oval spread giving bonuses to hit a standing human shaped target but less pellets hitting, and a vertical oval having the opposite effect (more pellets hitting if you hit but less likely to hit).

However I've looked and all I can find is the "duckbill" in Seals Vietnam, which I found later with a bit of internet research worked in conjunction with No4 Bird shot rather than 00.

In my minds eye I remember some supporting blurb along the lines of the vertical spread being useful for reducing chances of hitting other people on either side.

This last was reminiscent of the rules for choke reducing shot spread in TS and HT:pulp guns vol 1.

Does this sound familiar at all to anyone? I'm beginning to think I saw it in another setting/system and my mind has transferred it into GURPS, as it tends to do almost unconsciously nowadays.

[Ulzgoroth]

Pyramid 3-55, page 6.

[Tomsdad]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

Pyramid 3-55, page 6.

Brilliant, cheers (my eyes must have been glazing over when I checked that one last night)!

Out of interest what's your opinion on the likelihood of a manually variable choke at TL8 being able to do this (I'm thinking ovals are harder to do than smaller circles which can be done with stuff like poly-choke).

It's pretty esoteric stuff though not of much use for most shot gun users, so if not commercially available I might let some get it with the right connections / resources etc.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

Pyramid 3-55, page 6.

See also SEALs in Vietnam and the "duckfoot" device sometimes used there.

[Tomsdad]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

See also SEALs in Vietnam and the "duckfoot" device sometimes used there.

Clearing VC tunnels with a duck's foot, now that's old school ;-)!

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Tomsdad

Clearing VC tunnels with a duck's foot, now that's old school ;-)!

It may have been a duckbill rather than foot. This time I'll go check. :)

Yeah, it's a duckbill and it's in the Ithaca model 37 entry on p.26 of SEALS.

It doesn't have the variability feature of the TL9 device but it might answer your question about a TL(7)8 prototype.

[pyratejohn]

Fwiw, I seem to recall the Austrians in the 18thC had a oval barreled carbine/blunderbuss/musketoon sort of flintlock.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Tomsdad

Out of interest what's your opinion on the likelihood of a manually variable choke at TL8 being able to do this (I'm thinking ovals are harder to do than smaller circles which can be done with stuff like poly-choke).

I expect it could be done by fully swapping chokes. I have no idea what the capabilities of modern variable chokes are.

[Tomsdad]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

It may have been a duckbill rather than foot. This time I'll go check. :)

Yeah, it's a duckbill and it's in the Ithaca model 37 entry on p.26 of SEALS.

It doesn't have the variability feature of the TL9 device but it might answer your question about a TL(7)8 prototype.

Heh I only spotted it because I'd be reading it the night before.

Originally Posted by pyratejohn

Fwiw, I seem to recall the Austrians in the 18thC had a oval barreled carbine/blunderbuss/musketoon sort of flintlock.

Cool, will check it out

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

I expect it could be done by fully swapping chokes. I have no idea what the capabilities of modern variable chokes are.

Cheers, I'm guessing you could also have a fixed oval one that could be turned by hand through 90 degrees to alternate between horizontal and vertical ovals.