Gunslinger Choices

[Dr.Rob]

Ok silly thread. Just finished reading "Wolves of the Calla" another Gunslinger/Dark Tower Stephen King book.. and it's obvious SK knows zilch about guns, from jakes .44 Ruger auto to Roland's 6 shot antique that 'sounds like a mortar going off' but apparently has a swing out cylinder... (????? what is it a Remington?) and sandalwood grips.

Previous stories ave introduced "carvers" slim line 5 shot revolvers, "Beer barrel" revolvers (of huge caliber) etc.

Lately King talks of "hard calibers". As opposed to what.. soft air guns?

Bernie Wrightson's illustrations suggest the gunsliger's pice is an 1851 Navy cartridge conversion.. hardly a 'big bore'.

So lets hear your choices gunslingers...

What revolver do you take on your quest for the tower?

To me, sandalwood is incense, a good revolver should have buffalo horn or ivory grips. Cocobolo works too.. nice rich red color.

In SA mode I'd go with a tricked out (stainless free spin pawl, action job) 5.5 inch Ruger Vaqueros 357 as the minimum, though I'd likley lean to the .44 side of the scale. Make then magnums regardless. 2nd choice is an Ivory gripped Colt SAA in 45LC with a 7.5 inch barrel, nickel plated.

If DA is allowed... I'd be hard pressed NOT to pick a Colt New Service in 45LC (though the full moon clipped 45acp would load faster). Buffalo or Ivory grips carried cross-draw. Sure there are newer designs, but the New Service has some "intimidation" factor and old-world looks. The 1878 DA looks a little too 'Victorian to me and loads just like a an SAA so it doesn't have much advantage over the swing-out pistol.

Beer barrel revolver= Dan Wesson 357 max. Cocobolo grips. Cross draw.

Carver= Colt .38 lightning (ok so it holds six instead of 5, the .38 Colt load is pretty light even compared to a .38 special.) Looks a bit dainty. Easy to carry several.

 

[Eskimo Jim]

Dr Rob,
No doubt that King is a talented writer but I've never been a fan.

Haven't made it through the first book of the Dark Tower series. I picked up a Stephen Hunter novel instead.

-Jim

 

[Evil_Ed]

Haven't read Wolves of the Calla yet but it is on the shelf waiting for me to finish my current L. Neil Smith purchase.

If I was stuck with sindle action only I would take a set of Uberti Remington 1858 New Model Army revolvers in stainless with a set of the SASS approved conversion cylinders (in 45 LC) so I could swap between brass and cap and ball modes depending on what ammo I could scrounge.

DA I would go with a set of modern Ruger's in 45.


If allowed to take a rifle I would opt for a Marlin Lever action in an appropriately large caliber.

Shotgun? I would take a Rossi double barrel exposed hammer coach gun cause I used to own one and it was one of my all time favorite guns (if I ever catch the punk that robbed my house I will give him a good smacking around).

 

[Dr.Rob]

It always bugged me that the "gunsligers" don't use rifles or shotguns.

Otherwise I'd have an 1878 Colt double, and a Lighting rifle, large frame.

 

[sgt127]

I'll take my set of Mod. 58's, a well loaded .41 Mag should get me through. And my shorty AR-15, ACOG Compact, surefire light with a dozen extra 30 Rd mags. Possibly take along my Ithaca Stakeout for close in work. ......I came to win, is that not really in the spirit of this event?

 

[PlayTheAces]

I always sorta assumed the gunslinger was packing .45 LC, since IIRC, he managed to scrounge some ammo to fit his guns in a sporting goods store when he'd jumped over to "our" world in one of the books. He was surprised we had anything that would fit his weapons.

At any rate, for me make it .45 LC. Just seems to fit the image of a gunslinger.

 

[Joe Demko]

It always bugged me that the "gunsligers" don't use rifles or shotguns.

Well, we don't really know that they don't use them, we just haven't seen any examples of it. In one of the early books, Roland recognizes a shotgun (he thinks of it as a "scatter rifle") and is disgusted that a policeman fires it into a crowded store. Ergo, Roland knows what one is and has been trained in what he considers its proper use. He also, in the first book, displays some familiarity with archery equipment. It is strongly implied that Gunslingers are trained in the use of lots of weapons. Their revolvers, though, are more than just weapons. They are a symbol and a badge of office.

 

[Trebor]

I was a King fan, but I don't much care for most of the stuff he's written in the last 15 years. I started the first "Gunslinger" book when it came out, but didn't like it much and never finished it. Nowdays, if I want to read King, I reread "The Stand" or "'Salem's Lot."