Weapons in Fiction

So today I was researching guns. Yes guns. I seriously think the FBI is monitoring my IPS address based on my Google searches.

I’ve searched…

how to hide a body
how to slit a throat
blood spray patterns from beating someone to death
rocket propelled grenades
Iraqi insurgent camps
Stalkers and jail time
and many, many other odd things.

But for those authors that need a little bit of basic weapons advice, here’s a small bit of help.

Pistols and Handguns

Cops use 9mm or 40caliber Glock handguns. These DO NOT have safeties. This is the number one mistake I’ve seen over and over again. They hold 17-20 rounds.
FBI are issued 40caliber Glocks.
12 gauge and 20 gauge shotguns are the kind you see people cocking loudly on TV. They are short range weapons but will blow a really big hole. Usually, just the sound of the shotgun being cocked will cause any criminal to run the hell away.A shotgun will only hold 3-5 rounds. That’s it.
Normal citizens can carry just about any handgun. Smaller ones that are easy to aim (less kickback) are good for women- 380’s, and men carry typical 9mm or 40 caliber handguns. People rarely carry around massive Desert Eagle type weapons. They are huge, loud, and heavy as hell with a kickback that most casual shooters have very little ability to control.
Semi-automatic weapons are legal in many states. They are really simply guns that don’t need to be racked or cocked each time you shoot. That includes pretty much every handgun available except for revolvers. They are not any different in anyway. Also not semi-automatic are bolt action rifles (hunting rifles).
Automatic weapons are highly regulated. Criminals may have one illegally obviously. Otherwise, the only Americans with automatic weapons are active duty military or police agencies. Citizens can purchase automatic weapons legally, but are almost never granted permission to own one. Your PI won’t have one, your undercover billionaire/security guy won’t have one. Pretty much leave these out unless you write military or police stories.

My advice is to research your weapons based on your character. Women who are citizens, would carry a smaller gun. Police, almost always a Glock. Check the individual weapons for quirks or special details.

Good luck, and happy shooting.

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