Hell in a Handbasket

The security forces on the Galactica were eventually shown with the long barreled, civilian version of the P90. This is known as the PS90, in case anyone is interested.

A short version of the P90 with a whole lot of crap clipped to it was featured as a weapon used by a "smuggler" in the miniseries pilot. Although that changed the silhouette dramatically, it was essentially the same gun used by the security forces.

So the products of the Belgium firearms firm FN are employed as props a lot in science fiction TV shows. But they aren't the only long guns used.

In the first season episode entitled Bastille Day, one of the characters is sent in to snipe some rioting prisoners who broke free from their cells. The gun has so much crap bolted to it that I can't make out what it is! Below is the best picture I could find of the gun, and I got it from the sci-fi fan website GateWorld.net.

There were a few other long guns used in the same ep. The prison guards were armed with what looked like semi-auto shotguns, a particularly effective weapon if used against a horde of rioting criminals. Unfortunately, the prisoners armed themselves with the guard's weapons when the breakout occurred.

Heck, another gun I don't recognize! Anyone out there ever see anything like that before?

Some of the characters crash-landed on an enemy held planet, meaning that they had to go sneaking through the woods in order to avoid getting killed by a superior force. The shoulder weapons provided in their emergency survival packs have generated some degree of interest.

That is the CX4Storm, a carbine marketed by the Italian gun firm of Beretta. It is chambered for one of three pistol cartridges which means that the gun might be more capable than a handgun, but it falls far short of a rifle's capability.

I have had a fair amount of success with pistol caliber carbines in my self defense class, particularly with students who are suffering from reduced physical ability. (Think the elderly, or someone who is disabled.) The low recoil and great short range accuracy means that it is easier for people with reduced mobility and lessened hand strength to operate.

Would the weapon be suitable to be used in battle? Maybe, in very limited circumstances. Speaking very generally, pistol rounds only have about 10% of the power of a comparable rifle round. I would much rather prefer to use something with more punch and avoid giving the bad guys an undeserved advantage. But for someone in a wheelchair who might have to fend off home invaders, the weapon has a great deal to recommend it.

The most powerful weapon the castaways found in their survival pack was a single shot grenade launcher.

Is that an actual weapon? No, I don't think so. But most 40mm grenade launchers are pretty simple from a mechanical design stance. That might just be a piece of green pipe that the prop department glued a pistol prop and wire stock to, but there is no reason why an actual launcher couldn't look like that.

That is it so far as the shoulder weapons seen in the show are concerned. Fans of the show will complain that there have been many other long guns featured in the show that I didn't bother to mention.

This is true, but there is a reason for that. I'll discuss why these posts aren't more exhaustive tomorrow, when I write my last Guns of Battlestar:Galactica post.