[Low-Tech/High-Tech] Looting and Improvising arms and armour in Victorian London

Icelander · 01-10-2015, 10:59 AM

Of course, the first thing that the PCs did upon seeing Isaac shoot his old Belgian double in the depths of Aldgate Station was decide to give him a Winchester Model 1887 10-gauge lever shotgun.

That venerable firearm was not safe to use with smokeless powder. How would it handle a black powder load that counts as Extra-Powerful due to heavy load of shot and powder? Note, the load does not exceed historical black powder charges, but it is at the very limit of them.

Could the Winchester lever-action shotgun handle the heaviest shot charges of the day, until smokeless powder? Or was it less capable than a double or single-shot weapon of varying the charge and very much prefered a diet of monotonous regularity, of one particular load with no significant variations in shotload pressure?

How common were 2 5/8 inch ('American') 12-gauge guns as fowling guns in England?

What about other shell lengths for 12-gauge shotguns? Were there 2.75" shotguns made before modern star crimps? Did anyone own a gun with space for 3-inch shells which he intended for sporting use at home in England and not for use in the bush where he might have to shoot a lion?

Were almost all 12-gauge English sporting guns chambered for 2 1/2-inch long shells or was it not particularly remarkable to find guns with longer chambers?

Can single-shot or double shotguns designed for 3" shells use shorter shells without penalty? GURPS High-Tech and Adventure Guns state that they'll chamber and fire the shells, but in real world terms, is this less effective somehow?

For example, does this mean that a tight seal isn't present and some of the gasses escape out the breech, thus costing velocity (not to mention possibly burning the shooter or at least blinding him)?

Does it play havoc with grouping, penalising Acc or at least reducing the Rapid Fire bonus?

Does it not matter with shot, but may reduce Acc with 'pumpkin' round balls or other types of slugs?

01-10-2015, 10:59 AM	#1
Icelander Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Iceland*	More on Shotguns Of course, the first thing that the PCs did upon seeing Isaac shoot his old Belgian double in the depths of Aldgate Station was decide to give him a Winchester Model 1887 10-gauge lever shotgun. That venerable firearm was not safe to use with smokeless powder. How would it handle a black powder load that counts as Extra-Powerful due to heavy load of shot and powder? Note, the load does not exceed historical black powder charges, but it is at the very limit of them. Could the Winchester lever-action shotgun handle the heaviest shot charges of the day, until smokeless powder? Or was it less capable than a double or single-shot weapon of varying the charge and very much prefered a diet of monotonous regularity, of one particular load with no significant variations in shotload pressure? How common were 2 5/8 inch ('American') 12-gauge guns as fowling guns in England? What about other shell lengths for 12-gauge shotguns? Were there 2.75" shotguns made before modern star crimps? Did anyone own a gun with space for 3-inch shells which he intended for sporting use at home in England and not for use in the bush where he might have to shoot a lion? Were almost all 12-gauge English sporting guns chambered for 2 1/2-inch long shells or was it not particularly remarkable to find guns with longer chambers? Can single-shot or double shotguns designed for 3" shells use shorter shells without penalty? GURPS High-Tech and Adventure Guns state that they'll chamber and fire the shells, but in real world terms, is this less effective somehow? For example, does this mean that a tight seal isn't present and some of the gasses escape out the breech, thus costing velocity (not to mention possibly burning the shooter or at least blinding him)? Does it play havoc with grouping, penalising Acc or at least reducing the Rapid Fire bonus? Does it not matter with shot, but may reduce Acc with 'pumpkin' round balls or other types of slugs? __________________ Za uspiekh nashevo beznadiozhnovo diela! Last edited by Icelander; 01-10-2015 at 06:59 PM.