What’s the Difference? Machine Gun vs. Submachine Gun

/ Ben / 21 Comments
What's the difference between a submachine gun and a machine gun?

The iconic Tommy gun fires .45 caliber handgun ammunition. That makes it a submachine gun. (Shutterstock photo)

TLDR: Submachine guns use handgun ammunition. Machine guns use rifle ammunition.

If a gun-toting character pulls the trigger and holds it there while the business end goes bang-bang-bang, then there’s an excellent chance that firearm is a submachine gun or a machine gun (warning: does not apply to characters requesting someone pull their fingers). But what’s the difference between those two terms? Or is there one?

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Chase Baker and The Vikings’ Secret (A Chase Baker Thriller #5)

/ Ben / 3 Comments

Franchising Isn’t Just for Fast Food Restaurants

Chase Baker is a character created by Vincent Zandri, an author of thrillers I admire quite a bit. The Chase Baker series of novels are a little like The Da Vinci Code meets Indiana Jones, with more Rambo and less down time. Readers seem to enjoy the tales, which combine an occult secret (for example, the bones of Jesus Christ) with high stakes and plenty of action. The first book, The Shroud Key, is still charting high. Continue reading →

.25 Caliber Handguns: Avoid at All Costs?

/ Ben / 52 Comments
This is a Raven Arms P25 MP25, a good example of a .25 caliber handgun. But is it a bad example of a handgun for writing fiction? (Image via Wikimedia, public domain)

This is a Raven Arms P25 MP25, a good example of a .25 caliber handgun. But is it a bad example of a handgun for writing fiction? (Image via Wikimedia, public domain)

TLDR: If you can help it, a character might be better off with a handgun with more bite than a .25 caliber.

Last week’s post about the .25 caliber “lady’s gun” used by James Bond kicked off some interesting feedback from followers of this blog. Some agreed with my take that the ability to be accurate matters more than firepower (a perennial debate in the gun world, too). Others felt .25 caliber handguns are flat out a bad option despite how easy they are to shoot.

Characters in fiction can get away with plenty those in the real world can’t, so neither POV is completely right or wrong. It’s up to writers to make the final call.

Still, I feel like I didn’t give enough time in that post to why it might be a bad idea to go with a .25 caliber, especially since there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence. Continue reading →

“Lady Guns” for Female Characters? Not So Fast

/ Ben / 7 Comments

James Bond Beretta 418 Ian Fleming Geoffrey Boothroyd

The Beretta Model 418 is so small it’s considered a “pocket pistol,” meaning it could slip inside a pocket. Its .25 caliber ammunition is barely cut out for popping varmints. So why would a character like James Bond use it? Writer Ian Fleming had a good reason. (By Bob Adams (http://www.adamsguns.com) (Adamsguns.com) [Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons)

TLDR: Firearm experience, hand size, general physical condition and purpose matter more than gender when it comes to assigning handguns to female characters.

When it comes to handguns, it seems to me there’s a tendency to assign fictional female characters smaller calibers than males. I’m here to tell you that’s a mistake, and ironically I’ll use one of the most famous womanizers of all time, James Bond, to explain why.

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What is a Riot Gun?

/ Ben / 3 Comments
Riot? Check. Gun? Check. Does that mean there's a riot gun in this picture? Read on to find out. (punghi/Shutterstock)

Riot? Check. Gun? Check. Does that mean there’s a riot gun in this picture? Read on to find out. (punghi/Shutterstock)

TLDR: The term “riot gun” usually refers to a shotgun or rifle featuring either a shortened barrel or less-lethal ammunition, or both.

I had a great time last year presenting a webinar for The Writer’s Store called The Secret to Writing Firearms. (Pro tip: You can download it here, but I recommend you sign up for my newsletter first to get a code for 50% off.) One of the attendees popped a question to me during the presentation that might apply to your project: What is a riot gun?

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