Toadmaster
Legendary Pubber
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- Oct 24, 2018
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The short answer (since I've gotten rather long winded below), I think there is definitely enough difference to justify separate pistol and rifle skills. There are enough differences between similar weapons to justify a penalty for using an unfamiliar weapon, but not highly unrealistic to ignore these differences as well, particularly in the case of an experienced shooter.
The basic concepts transition well between all handheld firearms, basic operation, aiming / sight picture etc. You give someone with experience a few hours at the range and they can pretty well acclimate themselves with a few considerations.
Pistols are quite different from rifles as far as handling, which I think is fairly self evident. I know people who are a substantially better shot with pistols or rifles, good with one but only marginal with the other (usually better with rifles, but not always). I definitely support these as separate skills, although I do think they should have a relationship (starting point 1/2 the higher skill or similar).
I would say pistols vary to a larger degree than rifles do, just from the handling side. The natural point is different, location and style of controls vary (safety, magazine / cylinder release etc). The shooters hand size can greatly effect the ergonomics, particularly with semi-auto pistols.
Rifles and shotguns tend to be a little more uniform in basic handling although are still subject to having their controls work differently. The differences between semi-autos and the different manual actions (bolt, lever, pump action) can definitely hinder an unfamiliar shooter. A rifle shooter used to a semi-auto will probably take more time to become proficient with a lever action, than another semi-auto. Not that it is super complex, but it does take some time to train your muscles to do it smoothly.
Shotguns and rifles have more in common than they do with pistols, but again there are enough differences that one doesn't just jump easily between the two, but I don't really think it is enough to justify an entirely different skill, particularly when you consider the short ranges shotguns are used at. On the other hand skeet shooting / bird hunting is a completely different skill set from most rifle shooting, so maybe a separate skill can be justified.
Muzzle loaders are completely alien to most modern shooters. I suspect most would have serous issues with percussion cap firearms and would be practically useless with flintlocks or older until they have gone through some significant training.
I think more than anything it is an issue of confidence. Forgetting to take the safety off / engage it, fumbling for the magazine release by the trigger guard until you realize it is at the heel of the grip, having you hand in the wrong position so you get a painful bite from the hammer or slide. Perhaps less about accuracy and more along the lines of slower reloads, greater chance of a fumble, taking longer to clear misfires etc. Most of this should be handwavable by simply expending a few hours of off camera time and a couple hundred rounds of ammo.
Recoil is something else to consider. Going from a 9mm Beretta to a .45 M1911 not a big deal, but going to a .44 Magnum could be an issue until they acclimate to it.
Character background also matters, a PC who doesn't have a reason to have a broad range of experience (target shoots professionally with a .22 pistol) is much more likely to have an issue with a new to them gun than a PC with an extensive shooting background (duck / deer hunter, target shooting, military experience). I'd probably penalize the first for using an unfamiliar weapon, while the second I wouldn't unless it was something weird or huge like an 8 bore double barrel elephant gun.
The basic concepts transition well between all handheld firearms, basic operation, aiming / sight picture etc. You give someone with experience a few hours at the range and they can pretty well acclimate themselves with a few considerations.
Pistols are quite different from rifles as far as handling, which I think is fairly self evident. I know people who are a substantially better shot with pistols or rifles, good with one but only marginal with the other (usually better with rifles, but not always). I definitely support these as separate skills, although I do think they should have a relationship (starting point 1/2 the higher skill or similar).
I would say pistols vary to a larger degree than rifles do, just from the handling side. The natural point is different, location and style of controls vary (safety, magazine / cylinder release etc). The shooters hand size can greatly effect the ergonomics, particularly with semi-auto pistols.
Rifles and shotguns tend to be a little more uniform in basic handling although are still subject to having their controls work differently. The differences between semi-autos and the different manual actions (bolt, lever, pump action) can definitely hinder an unfamiliar shooter. A rifle shooter used to a semi-auto will probably take more time to become proficient with a lever action, than another semi-auto. Not that it is super complex, but it does take some time to train your muscles to do it smoothly.
Shotguns and rifles have more in common than they do with pistols, but again there are enough differences that one doesn't just jump easily between the two, but I don't really think it is enough to justify an entirely different skill, particularly when you consider the short ranges shotguns are used at. On the other hand skeet shooting / bird hunting is a completely different skill set from most rifle shooting, so maybe a separate skill can be justified.
Muzzle loaders are completely alien to most modern shooters. I suspect most would have serous issues with percussion cap firearms and would be practically useless with flintlocks or older until they have gone through some significant training.
I think more than anything it is an issue of confidence. Forgetting to take the safety off / engage it, fumbling for the magazine release by the trigger guard until you realize it is at the heel of the grip, having you hand in the wrong position so you get a painful bite from the hammer or slide. Perhaps less about accuracy and more along the lines of slower reloads, greater chance of a fumble, taking longer to clear misfires etc. Most of this should be handwavable by simply expending a few hours of off camera time and a couple hundred rounds of ammo.
Recoil is something else to consider. Going from a 9mm Beretta to a .45 M1911 not a big deal, but going to a .44 Magnum could be an issue until they acclimate to it.
Character background also matters, a PC who doesn't have a reason to have a broad range of experience (target shoots professionally with a .22 pistol) is much more likely to have an issue with a new to them gun than a PC with an extensive shooting background (duck / deer hunter, target shooting, military experience). I'd probably penalize the first for using an unfamiliar weapon, while the second I wouldn't unless it was something weird or huge like an 8 bore double barrel elephant gun.