Specific questions about weapons used in "Once Upon a Time"

The handgun I didn't see a minute in.

The bow in the second scene is a bogstandard (and very simple) crossbow. It's so simple (and such a light draw weight) that it might actually be a modern weapon, but crossbows go back centuries.

The bows in the third scene are ordinary archery bows (not longbows, those are something specific). They look like plastic training bows, just like I used to use, right down to the handle - again, light draw weight, even an amateur can hold one of those drawn in a not-perfect position for several seconds.

There's a very good pic of the gun between 1:13 and 1:20. I can't say what it is cos I don't know anything about guns.

For obvious reasons, fanfic isn't allowed on the boards. Can I ask why you want to know this info?

It appears to be a prop copy of a Sig-Sauer P229...

http://www.sigsauer.com/CatalogProductDetails/p229.aspx

ironmikezero said:

It appears to be a prop copy of a Sig-Sauer P229...

http://www.sigsauer.com/CatalogProductDetails/p229.aspx

Click to expand...

I agree that it's supposed to be a SIG. The 229 is as good a bet as any. It's hard to tell based on a fuzzy screen cap.

The Sig 229 is a 9mm double-action semi-automatic pistol. To load you insert the loaded magazine into the grip, pull back, and release the slide. That loads the first round in the hammer. This pistol has an external hammer. When you load the first round the hammer will be cocked (the slide moving to the rear when you pull the slide cocks the hammer). Since it is not safe to carry an exposed hammer pistol with the hammer back, you then need to decock the pistol. You push down on a lever on the left side of the frame and the hammer will safely fall into the uncocked position.

To fire you pull the trigger. The first trigger pull will be long and fairly heavy as you are cocking and releasing the trigger with one trigger pull. (This is called double-action as two actions, cocking and releasing, are performed with the same trigger pull_).

After the first shot the hammer will stay back (cocked). To fire the second, third, etc. shots you just pull the trigger. The trigger pull will be shorter and lighter because all you need to do is release the hammer, not cock it as well. Each time you pull the trigger the hammer will fall and fire the gun. Each time this happens the slide will move to the rear, ejecting the empty casing, loading the next round in the chamber, and recocking the hammer.

Thanks for the explanation. That's fine.

The best way to learn about weaponry is to handle it, or something close to it, while talking with people who've handled it for a while.

Archery clubs are a great help, as are re-enactors, LARPers and SCAdians - even those who aren't using period weaponry will tend to know how their kit differs and have a few words of wisdom and techniques to share. If you're in places where firearms are legal, going and having a go will teach you far more than reading about it ever can; if you aren't, there's always laser tag, paintball etc - again, not perfect, but close enough that you'll get the gist.

Even a little limited experience will teach you not to do things like, I dunno, have your protagonist string his longbow while lying down (which was done and got published, and resulted in an irate archer knocking in someone's door).

I'd recommend going to a gun store and asking about the guns; and also taking a firearms safety course which should be widely available and will explain a lot. If you really want to go for authenticity, an hour on a target range with a rental gun of the type you intend to have in your book can do wonders for your level of appreciation for how it will behave.