Weapons and Warfare

[Captain Seafort]

The Peacemaker and the Thompson only really count as "notorious" within the US. The former has become more widely know through westerns, but the latter hasn't had the same degree of exposure. The 88 and the AK (and, to a lesser extent, the MG42) are famous and notorious worldwide.

[Tsukiyumi]

Speaking of pistols not well known to most people, here's the incredible Glock 18.

It may be a bit more recognizable after Dark Knight, though; it was the Joker's favored weapon through most of the movie.

[Captain Seafort]

Speaking of pistols not well known to most people, here's the incredible Glock 18.

What's that idiot trying to do? Show off, burn himself, melt the thing, or all three?

[Tsukiyumi]

Probably all three.

I'm just saying - it's a serious weapon.

[Lighthawk]

I'd say it's pretty hard for a personal firearm to really reach the notorious level, you really need a bigger scale of impact than can be achieved by such weapons. Mustard gas in WWI, or the V1/V2 rockets of WWII, those were notorious weapons.

[Mark]

Meh....

Some people love the Glock and some people hate it. I'll be the first to admit its a great weapon, just not one for me. I need something a bit more substantial in my hands that a water pistol

The Baby Eagle 9mm was likely the most perfectly balanced pistol I've ever owned. I could deliver a perfect kill ratio most of the time with that weapon at 3, 7, and 15 yards. The Berretta came a close second.

[Deepcrush]

I'd say it's pretty hard for a personal firearm to really reach the notorious level, you really need a bigger scale of impact than can be achieved by such weapons. Mustard gas in WWI, or the V1/V2 rockets of WWII, those were notorious weapons.

There are weapons out there that just "scream" into the history books. The Thompson with the Mob then US armed forces. The MG42 was the bane of anyone moving against a NAZI camp. The AK47 as it seems to just be everywhere. The Colt 45 as it has been around for so long that even people who don't speak English know what it is when you say it.

The Peacemaker and the Thompson only really count as "notorious" within the US. The former has become more widely know through westerns, but the latter hasn't had the same degree of exposure.

When it comes to the peacemaker, I'll agree. However, with the Tommygun it seems silly at the least to say it "Only counts in the US". This was the automatic of choice for movies and police around the world. The Japanese have a horrible stigma against it. The Italians treat them like family jewels. As it fits the bill of being both feared and respected around the world... I'd say that counts as notorious.

[Tsukiyumi]

...The Baby Eagle 9mm was likely the most perfectly balanced pistol I've ever owned...

I need to ask my friend if he has one, or knows someone who will let me shoot one. I just like a pistol that you can drop from ten stories up onto concrete, freeze solid, then bake in an oven on 500 degrees, and then go fire thousands of rounds from without misfire.

[Mikey]

...the Thompson only really count as "notorious" within the US.

The Thompson is famous for its role in organized crime in the '20's and '30's, and more so for its role in films about organized crime in the '20's and '30's. It has virtually no rep as a weapon of war in the U.S. - probably due in part to it being vastly more readily adopted for military use by England rather than the U.S.

I'd nominate the 12 gauge, the manufacturer is irrelevant but who doesn't instantly recognize the sound of one being cocked?

Indeed, I've heard it said (not just in DH ) that there is almost no sound scarier than that of a pump-action being racked.

Experts of course are better informed about such things, but whilst they may know enough to find certain weapons fearsome, surely that's tempered by the fact that they also know it's limitations, weaknesses, and the kinds of things they should be doing to defend against it and try to counterattack it successfully. I can imagine a division of soldiers being respectful of certain weapons, but I can't imagine them doing anything like "They're armed with AK47s? God, we'd better stay the hell away from these guys then!"

maybe the buzzsaw

That's specifically why I nominated the "buzzsaw" (I assume you're referring to the MG42.) As I mentioned, U.S. PsyOps had to indoctrinate the Army against the fear of that specific weapon. I'd crap my pants if any gun were pointed at me; for a professional body of troops to develop that sort of fear of one particular weapon, that makes it "notorious" in my book.

Speaking of pistols not well known to most people, here's the incredible Glock 18.

Meh. The Glock is (or was) ubiquitous and famous - it acheived the status of making the 9mm Parabellum the round of choice for... well, everyone. In fact, I'd say it acheived "band-aid" status - that is, there was a time when the term "9 mm" meant the Glock. However, it never developed notoriety for being a particularly dangerous gun (among other guns, that is) and had a very short lifespan as king of the hill.

The Berretta came a close second.

What, the Beretta 92/M9? I've heard that it had failure rates in Iraq and Afghanistan that were astronomical. They should have stuck with the M11.

[Deepcrush]

The Thompson is famous for its role in organized crime in the '20's and '30's, and more so for its role in films about organized crime in the '20's and '30's. It has virtually no rep as a weapon of war in the U.S. - probably due in part to it being vastly more readily adopted for military use by England rather than the U.S.

I truly hope you're joking... cause this is a load of epic levels...

[Mark]

What, the Beretta 92/M9? I've heard that it had failure rates in Iraq and Afghanistan that were astronomical. They should have stuck with the M11.

M-92F actually.

[Aaron]

I truly hope you're joking... cause this is a load of epic levels...

I'm not to aware of weapon reps in the US (though Grandpa had a tommy gun in his Staghound) but the Thompson is in every single war movie I have ever seen that came out of the US (helped in no doubt by the massive war stocks).

[Mikey]

What war? It was used in limited numbers by the USMC in the '20's. In WWII the SMG role for the Army was taken over by the M3 "grease gun," with the Tommy being reserved mainly for the Rangers and paratroopers. I believe the Tommy was a superior weapon, but I didn't work for procurement in the 1940's. Limey and Canuck commandos also used the Tommy; the Swedes made their own version; it was sent to the USSR but they couldn't field ammo for it; and the Aussies used it for patrols, while American patrols in the Pacific adopted the BAR instead of it.

[Mikey]

Oh, and Deep - it's not a load. If you learn to read, you'll see I said what it's famous for... nothing to do with the quality of the weapon. Out of every 100 average guys, 95 would probably know the Tommy gun best as the gun of Capone-era gangsters.

[Aaron]

What war? It was used in limited numbers by the USMC in the '20's. In WWII the SMG role for the Army was taken over by the M3 "grease gun," with the Tommy being reserved mainly for the Rangers and paratroopers. I believe the Tommy was a superior weapon, but I didn't work for procurement in the 1940's. Limey and Canuck commandos also used the Tommy; the Swedes made their own version; it was sent to the USSR but they couldn't field ammo for it; and the Aussies used it for patrols, while American patrols in the Pacific adopted the BAR instead of it.

Don't be ridiculous, you know full well I meant WWII and just forgot to post it.

I know of the procurement issues, it was heavy, more difficult to manufacture and blew through ammo faster then the M3 that replaced it.