Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
I mean if I shot you in the chest with a T/C Encore (this) your arms would probably fly off. But a pirate would probably have a Tower Sea Service revolver (this) and if it didn't misfire and didn't miss it wouldn't kill you very quickly unless I hit a major organ.
it all depends on the period of time
Muskets were standard issue military weapons in the 17th-18th century, but piracy goes beyond the 1700s. By the 19th century, most guns had rifled barrels.
by mid 1800s you are seeing the invention of cartridged ammo, meaning the powder is contained in the projectile, making reload/fire rates way better. Breach loading ammo became available in the mid 1800s as well, meaning no longer having to jam ammo down the barrel of a gun, and loading it directly into the chamber.
depending on the make of gun and the time the battle happens, pirates could have an overwhelming advantage with their firearms. Not to mention a bayonet can be attached to a musket. A 1855 model musket (still muzzle loaded) could accurately target a person at 300 yards.
(strange that I was reading this exact thing on wiki when you posted)
Originally posted by Robtard
Flint locks were actually quite powerful and the slug is of a decent size, so a shot to the chest or stomach will drop you; while you may not die, you're probably going to be severely incapacitated.
But even if for a really good shot only a fraction of the slugs will hit and not all of those will hit a place that incapacitates the target immediately, cops are still trained to double tap a target. Flintlocks aren't exactly a decisive advantage, though I imagine they would be frightening for the ninjas.
Originally posted by inimalist
it all depends on the period of timeMuskets were standard issue military weapons in the 17th-18th century, but piracy goes beyond the 1700s. By the 19th century, most guns had rifled barrels.
by mid 1800s you are seeing the invention of cartridged ammo, meaning the powder is contained in the projectile, making reload/fire rates way better. Breach loading ammo became available in the mid 1800s as well, meaning no longer having to jam ammo down the barrel of a gun, and loading it directly into the chamber.
depending on the make of gun and the time the battle happens, pirates could have an overwhelming advantage with their firearms. Not to mention a bayonet can be attached to a musket. A 1855 model musket (still muzzle loaded) could accurately target a person at 300 yards.
(strange that I was reading this exact thing on wiki when you posted)
Which I guess raises the question of exactly what we mean by "pirates". For example, I define "pirate" as "a person who can be defeated by a ninja".
