Before any NRA guy starts rambling “He should be dead, Mythbusters be damned, XIX century sights were flimshy and a .45 round would have penetrated!”, notice that .455 -the quintaesential British caliber that Fawques actually uses- is a very different concept from .44 Winchester or .45 Long Colt (keeping things XIX century) -the quintaesential American calibers of equivalent function. American calibers were high-velocity rounds meant to hit at rather long ranges, and their drawback was very high recoil. .455 was a low(ish)-velocity round meant to be used at close quarters, with much shorter range but with a recoil very manageable for the ammount of “manstopper” hollow-pointed lead it could put into a target.
Small wonder Fawkes rounds tear into whatever they hit but can’t penetrate even a XIX century-esque sight once bounced back from long range.
A Mk. II .455 webley round is roughly equivalent to a period .45 colt, in most respects. (Pressure, muzzle velocity, bullet weight, ect.) Modern .45 colt cartridges are closer to .45acp in terms of performance, which makes it a good idea to not run modern cartridges in original antique firearms. (This has been your public service announcement for the day.)
As for surviving shooting his eye out? While I suspect phawkes does not use pistol calibre ammunition in his rifle, but something a bit zippier, I will point out it was a ricochet. While still dangerous, those tend to lose a fair bit of energy, even after one bounce.
(DLOEB again, sorry for multiple post) http://thisis.delvecomic.com/NewWP/comic/off-the-menu/
“(…) a bottle of Loch Doomond ’25 with two glasses… 500 rounds of Merriweather and Pike’s .455 calibre hollowpoints, a candle, and a block of sealing wax. Thank you.”
I just LOVE that bar. And I’m sure the mango chutney has to be fantastic.
Incidentally, to best of my limited knowledge, there was no CARBINE chambered for .455 revolver rounds in the real world (unlike the very common practice of the American West – the reason I mentioned the .44 Winchester). This is not a complain, because it just reminds us that Fawkes doesn’t actually comes from OUR world.
Juts in case, you know, the whiskers didn’t tip you off.
You are correct, Sir. And while a quick search did not turn up any reference to rifles chambered in .455 webley, the british did manufacture a prototype machine gun in .455 (?!?) although I suspect they might mean .455 webley auto. You could probably run webley ammo in a .450 express though, if things got desperate.
I suspect Phawkes was running something similar to a DeLisle carbine, probably using a cut down Martini-Henry barrel, or whatever the local equivalent is, but that’s just spitballing on my part.
I too liked Pocket Di. Maybe it’ll show up in the epilogue?
Balthazar, well said. That Sir Bradwel Carington Fawkes is indeed using a custom-made firearm, build to his exact specifications by a reputed armorer, is not any strech of imagination.
Incidentally, this is a good time to to sugest adding a link to the chapter archive to the front page. It took me a LOT to find the link to that particuar comic where Fawkes oders his bullets.
It’s also a good time to cry again, DLOEB!!!, when you realize you’ve mispelt Phawkes as its homophone (in my language) Fawkes at least 4 times in a single page 😉
Well, that’s a huge ass 🙂
I take it you’re a new viewer?
Before any NRA guy starts rambling “He should be dead, Mythbusters be damned, XIX century sights were flimshy and a .45 round would have penetrated!”, notice that .455 -the quintaesential British caliber that Fawques actually uses- is a very different concept from .44 Winchester or .45 Long Colt (keeping things XIX century) -the quintaesential American calibers of equivalent function. American calibers were high-velocity rounds meant to hit at rather long ranges, and their drawback was very high recoil. .455 was a low(ish)-velocity round meant to be used at close quarters, with much shorter range but with a recoil very manageable for the ammount of “manstopper” hollow-pointed lead it could put into a target.
Small wonder Fawkes rounds tear into whatever they hit but can’t penetrate even a XIX century-esque sight once bounced back from long range.
Who wants to those things?
A Mk. II .455 webley round is roughly equivalent to a period .45 colt, in most respects. (Pressure, muzzle velocity, bullet weight, ect.) Modern .45 colt cartridges are closer to .45acp in terms of performance, which makes it a good idea to not run modern cartridges in original antique firearms. (This has been your public service announcement for the day.)
As for surviving shooting his eye out? While I suspect phawkes does not use pistol calibre ammunition in his rifle, but something a bit zippier, I will point out it was a ricochet. While still dangerous, those tend to lose a fair bit of energy, even after one bounce.
Fawkes splicitly asked for .455 hollowpoints, sealing wax, and booze to make his caring ammo. Ricochet, yep, mentioned above.
>splicitly
*explicitly
sorry, damn lack of edit button (known as DLOEB in some places)
(DLOEB again, sorry for multiple post)
http://thisis.delvecomic.com/NewWP/comic/off-the-menu/
“(…) a bottle of Loch Doomond ’25 with two glasses… 500 rounds of Merriweather and Pike’s .455 calibre hollowpoints, a candle, and a block of sealing wax. Thank you.”
I just LOVE that bar. And I’m sure the mango chutney has to be fantastic.
Incidentally, to best of my limited knowledge, there was no CARBINE chambered for .455 revolver rounds in the real world (unlike the very common practice of the American West – the reason I mentioned the .44 Winchester). This is not a complain, because it just reminds us that Fawkes doesn’t actually comes from OUR world.
Juts in case, you know, the whiskers didn’t tip you off.
You are correct, Sir. And while a quick search did not turn up any reference to rifles chambered in .455 webley, the british did manufacture a prototype machine gun in .455 (?!?) although I suspect they might mean .455 webley auto. You could probably run webley ammo in a .450 express though, if things got desperate.
I suspect Phawkes was running something similar to a DeLisle carbine, probably using a cut down Martini-Henry barrel, or whatever the local equivalent is, but that’s just spitballing on my part.
I too liked Pocket Di. Maybe it’ll show up in the epilogue?
Balthazar, well said. That Sir Bradwel Carington Fawkes is indeed using a custom-made firearm, build to his exact specifications by a reputed armorer, is not any strech of imagination.
AND… he’s not human, and is using a fantasy counterpart of a firearm (not a real one)…
…did he just shoot his eye?
at least he’s not naked…
See: http://thisis.delvecomic.com/NewWP/comic/ralphie/
His eye got injured when the priest invoked a repelling shield and bounced his projectile back into the telescopic sight on his rifle.
Umm, who is ‘JR’? You left your log in details on someone elses computer
As for the Poll, “Army of Darkness” was good, butt don’t typically like horror so went with (original) Voltron 😛
Wait, this was a riddle wasn’t it?
Army of Darkness wins?
So Bree now has a void ripper dagger for a hand? ZOMG.
Interesting. Something went into the Devourer’s mouth… and then escaped! This must be a first, right?
Incidentally, this is a good time to to sugest adding a link to the chapter archive to the front page. It took me a LOT to find the link to that particuar comic where Fawkes oders his bullets.
It’s also a good time to cry again, DLOEB!!!, when you realize you’ve mispelt Phawkes as its homophone (in my language) Fawkes at least 4 times in a single page 😉