Pick One

I’ve reviewed the 1632 series before. New angle now.

Short summary, though: A smallish West Virginia town of 1999 is transported back in time to Northern Germany, the year… 1632 A.D. They have to survive in the middle of the 30 Years War.

Here’s that new angle that I haven’t explored, but some stories in series have.

Lots of people have modern firearms. They also have a motivation to spread those firearms among their fellow citizens. So if you have more than a couple or weapons of particular military value or a stash of ammo it behooves you, and you are encouraged, to share.

There is one gun nut type character that has a BUNCH of milsurp stuff and reloading equipment. Including quite a few esoteric calibers. He can reload, and help the community’s survival effort that way, but keep in mind, making brass cases and primers from scratch is a few years off, minimum. They’re certainly motivated to figure that out, soon, but in the meantime you have to harbor your spent cases. A Japanese WWII rifle with 32 rounds left is better than nothing, but not the ideal.

Another character is older, but his grown son was a survivalist with a few rifles and pistols stored at the house, and lots of supplies. The grown son didn’t make the trip with the town. The old guy readily gives up just about all but the revolver in his nightstand for personal protection. The half dozen or so guns were superfluous for him, but good for the town's military.

So, here is the question… Say YOU are in that position. (Readers of this blog range from Super-Gunnie with dozens of firearms, or you are just a regular gunnie and still have a few of different types. One of each, maybe) You are too valuable from some other expertise you have, or you are too decrepit and old, or you are a girl, to just take your best rifle and pistol and join the Army, giving away your others. Or you do join the Army but want to have something at home for your family's use. Which ONE firearm do you pick to keep? Forget your cold dead hands, forget the 2nd Amendment. It still applies to your situation back in time, but your neighborhood is under siege. You aren’t ordered to give up your assorted firearms, you have just decided to under the circumstances. So pick one. Just one. For yourself. And no one else. To keep.

Hard to pick, isn’t it?

Keep in mind, your SKS and your AR is VERY valuable for the war effort to keep your region of Europe safe from Cardinal Richelieu or the Spanish Inquisition (I didn’t EXPECT the Spanish Inquisition…) so there will be pressure that you NOT select that for your personal home weapon. The shotguns you might have are needed for 17th Century German troops fighting alongside your modern forces. That leaves either WIERD Rifles where there isn’t a lot of ammo available, .22 Rifles, and pistols.

If you had the only Swiss K-31 in town and 200 rounds (hence a ‘weird’ gun, in this case in that you have no commonality with other guns in town) you can go deer hunting and shoot badguys. But this is Europe. Not so many deer TO hunt. And while a great rifle for long range, you might have some trouble deploying it toward close range brigands. Hope you have a bayonet if you go this route.

For me, the Garand and M1A I probably can justify to my neighbors holding on to. And the ammo is definitely needed for the ONE M-60 machine gun that came back in time. So I can’t keep my favorites (sniff!). I have plenty of .22 ammo, so maybe the pump action .22 will keep rabbits in my pot. Not very good against rampaging Croatian Cavalry, looking to pillage my street. I have a few pistols, so one of them is probably the ONE gun I’d keep for myself.

Which pistol? I might cheat a bit and go for the 1911 style pistol AND keep my .22 conversion kit. It’s rugged and dependable. Remember, no replacement parts are a mouseclick on Midway, or Brownells, away. A steel gun with steel parts and simple springs is attractive. But I don’t shoot that pistol well with .45. This is for ME remember?

The other choice is the S&W 686 revolver. I’ll retain the brass easily for reload, and can shoot .38 or .357. I have as much of that ammo as I have .45. Enough I will probably send some of the ammo on to others. A revolver is butt simple. It CAN break, but probably won’t. It’ll be easier to keep in good condition because it is stainless steel. Magazine failure over time is a non issue. And I shoot it well. I'm leaning toward selecting this big revolver.

Whoda thunk that my first gun would end up being my last?