Simple Weapon

Ok, now I need a simple, light weapon that a 40 year old that has never used a gun before can easily learn to use.

A knife. 

Shotgun.

There is more technical proficiency required in using a knife, with no moving parts, than with a buckshot-loaded shotgun, which is essentially a point-and-click weapon.

My understanding is that Glocks are supposed to be reasonably idiot-proof... at least until nature inevitably creates a better idiot.

I'm just going to keep my character as a non-combatant. Thanks, though!

Alfisti wrote:My understanding is that Glocks are supposed to be reasonably idiot-proof... at least until nature inevitably creates a better idiot.

Any gun that requires you to pull the trigger (on an empty chamber) in order to begin the disassembly process is not "idiot proof."

The Beretta 92FS may not be as simple as some of its competitors, but its the usual government issue pistol in Italy.

Can I assume your character is either not Italian or skipped/had an exemption for the mandatory military service?

My character is an Irish Psychologist 

*A Kalashnikov-type rifle. Any Kalashnikov rifle.

*A Mosin-Nagant bolt-action rifle

*A break-barrel or pump-action shotgun

*A revolver

MarkRosewater wrote:My character is an Irish Psychologist 

Is he a SWA employee?  Would he have been inclined to select a weapon himself or is it more likely someone just gave it to him?

The simplest weapon is a baton :Simple and easy to use

Piero wrote:

MarkRosewater wrote:My character is an Irish Psychologist 

Is he a SWA employee?  Would he have been inclined to select a weapon himself or is it more likely someone just gave it to him?

I'll admit I tend to take the view that, if you're not inclined to select a weapon yourself when in the employ of the SWA, then you're given a 92FS and a bit of training in how to use it (just enough to make sure you know which end to hold and won't accidentally shoot yourself or anyone else in the face with it)... even if you don't want to. You're then expected to qual with it periodically, or get suspended from duty until you can.

That's just my take though, there's no canon to support the view.

Irish shrink huh? I don't know: are you allowed to tell an edgy cyborg that the best way to work it off is to drink a pint and start a bar-fight?

Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke: "What did the Irish psychologist say when he met the cute cyborg killer?" or "Did you hear the one about the Irish shrink who wanted a simple weapon?"

I'll leave it to someone else to think up a punchline...

MP5 wrote:*A Kalashnikov-type rifle. Any Kalashnikov rifle.

*A Mosin-Nagant bolt-action rifle

Neither is a good choice for amateur people  - both kicked like a mule , huge bang and smoke .


The Mosin-Nagant bolt is extremely inconvenient and difficult to pull out after each shot , and you will feel extremely uncomfortable when you have to load each bullet in the chamber in the middle of gunfight

to put this into simple thinking;

Pencil can be used as killing weapon if given to a wrong hand.

I'm thinking a big rock. Or a sharp stick. Both worked quite well up through the middle-ages.

mysterybad wrote:

MP5 wrote:*A Kalashnikov-type rifle. Any Kalashnikov rifle.

*A Mosin-Nagant bolt-action rifle

Neither is a good choice for amateur people  - both kicked like a mule , huge bang and smoke .


The Mosin-Nagant bolt is extremely inconvenient and difficult to pull out after each shot , and you will feel extremely uncomfortable when you have to load each bullet in the chamber in the middle of gunfight

It's not about comfort or recoil. As far as I understand, it's a matter of "do you need intensive training to be able to operate it?" and that's why I suggested these two-- they are simple to operate and maintain, given that they are primarily designed to be used by conscripts who may have not had much education.

Officer_Charon wrote:Shotgun.

There is more technical proficiency required in using a knife, with no moving parts, than with a buckshot-loaded shotgun, which is essentially a point-and-click weapon.

I'm inclined to agree so long as it's a break-action. Pump actions are kinda complex in sofar as their use.

Piero wrote:

Alfisti wrote:My understanding is that Glocks are supposed to be reasonably idiot-proof... at least until nature inevitably creates a better idiot.

Any gun that requires you to pull the trigger (on an empty chamber) in order to begin the disassembly process is not "idiot proof."

The Beretta 92FS may not be as simple as some of its competitors, but its the usual government issue pistol in Italy.

Can I assume your character is either not Italian or skipped/had an exemption for the mandatory military service?

That's just an artifact of lacking an external hammer. You need the action to have no tension on it before taking it down, as well as every other striker-fired pistol. Clearing the gun is the first step to cleaning it anyway, right?

But I would say the Glock is mechanically sound rather than idiot proof, personally. It lacks any kind of safety to stop bad things from happening if you're not paying attention.

mysterybad wrote:

MP5 wrote:*A Kalashnikov-type rifle. Any Kalashnikov rifle.

*A Mosin-Nagant bolt-action rifle

Neither is a good choice for amateur people  - both kicked like a mule , huge bang and smoke .


The Mosin-Nagant bolt is extremely inconvenient and difficult to pull out after each shot , and you will feel extremely uncomfortable when you have to load each bullet in the chamber in the middle of gunfight

The Mosin is a heavy rifle. It doesn't really kick that badly, especially compared to any other rifle or shotgun. A short-barreled Mosin carbine, sure.



@MarkRosewater though, I think just about any gun at all is going to pose major difficulties to those entirely new to guns, so as far as characterization goes I don't think it really matters so long as you understand the weapon enough to portray said difficulties.

Well, the 2x4 you need to work the action on a Mosin is a little cumbersome, but push come to shove the rifle makes a hell of a club. Heavy, sturdy, and has a steel butt-plate. Perfect for knocking a few Jerry helmets around.

The Mosin is a heavy rifle. It doesn't really kick that badly, especially compared to any other rifle or shotgun. A short-barreled Mosin carbine, sure.

I fired 10 rounds with a Mosin-Nagant M91/30 - and my shoulders were bruised for a week . Another option if you like Soviet arms : Sudaev PPS-43 - it is very reliable, efficient and cheap  . Even amateurs can also fight well with it

How about a combined AK and Mosin-Nagant ?

mysterybad wrote:

The Mosin is a heavy rifle. It doesn't really kick that badly, especially compared to any other rifle or shotgun. A short-barreled Mosin carbine, sure.

I fired 10 rounds with a Mosin-Nagant M91/30 - and my shoulders were bruised for a week . Another option if you like Soviet arms : Sudaev PPS-43 - it is very reliable, efficient and cheap  . Even amateurs can also fight well with it

No offense to you, but you were probably firing the rifle without tucking it in firmly. It's easy to be injured by a rifle or shotgun if you don't have it set right.

Awinnell wrote:

How about a combined AK and Mosin-Nagant ?

Mosin-Nagant Barrel + Kalashnikov Design = SVD Dragunov  

John_234 wrote:No offense to you, but you were probably firing the rifle without tucking it in firmly. It's easy to be injured by a rifle or shotgun if you don't have it set right.

You're right - Because I'm quite small , so it is not suited to me . But it was really heavy and hard to use for amateurs . You will have to have a long time to practice with it to be able to use it effectively

Either a Glock or a revolver, if we're referring to a self defense carry item.  Anything larger, I'd have to ask in what context is your shrink carrying it.

The Mosin has a very particular tuck-zone to avoid being beaten up. I once fired 30 rounds in one session with my M44 (certainly more kick than a 91/30) and had the position wrong the first several. By the end of it my shoulder was bruised to the point that I not only had a bad flinch before firing, but I could not make my finger pull the trigger because of the subconscious knowledge that it would bring pain. I spent the next week letting the bruise heal.
My experience with the 91/30 is considerably better, though both are better off being shot while wearing Siberian winter-wear.