Texas Star
US Veteran
The Bigfoot topic got me to thinking of other fantasy guns.
Hpw many here have read, "The Lost World", by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? (Yeah, the Sherlock Holmes author.)
The book came out about 1912, and has spawned at least four movies and a couple of TV series. ALL took considerable license with the book, sometimes for the better.
My favorites were the movie with Michael Rennie and Jill St. John, from the 1960's, and the Aussie-made TV series from 1999-2002. It appeared here in wide syndication, often for years after filming stopped, after financing for the fourth season fell through. Pity:it had a great, close-knit cast and some episodes were well written. Others ranged too far into fantasy, for my taste. The executive writers toward the end were Garfield and Judith Reeves-Stevens, better known for their Star Trek books and scripts. I felt that they injected too much of that series into the Amazonian realm,although one episode that featured extraterrestials was well done, one of the best.
Now: assume that you were going on the Challenger expedition, and that it is 1919, as on that TV show. Or, kick it back to 1912, for the book, if you wish. DO NOT exceed those time periods. And limit your choices to rifles and handguns or shotguns. No machineguns, etc., even if the Brazilian government allowed them.
We will suppose that the Plateau is in northern Brazil, as it seemed to be on the TV show. They went upriver from Manaus, so I'm guessing they stayed in Brazil. The actual plateau that inspired the book is in Venezuela, but they wouldn't have launched from eastern Brazil to get there, on the TV show. To keep things consistent, lets use the format of the TV show, basically. Keep in mind that dinosaurs are there, including large theropods. Yes, even T-rex. There were also smaller raptors, about man-sized, but very dangerous. They sometimes hunted in groups. You can take or leave the reptilian men like Tribune. I thought he was well done by a superb actor, but didn't really like the concept a lot. There were many human enemies, and apemen. None had weapons more advanced than in Roman or Viking times. Bows would be their longest -ranged small arms. If they had catapaults for artillery, they weren't on the show. The only crossbow that I remember belonged to Finn, who came from the 21st Century in the third season, She only had it to be unique in her role, and because she didn't have a gun in her war-ravaged New Amazonia, before Challenger rescued her in his one-shot time cave.
I'm presuming that normal Amazonian animals would also be present, including jaguars, puma, smaller cats, tapir, brocket deer, etc. Don't forget the dangrous reptiles, from American crocodiles, maybe also Orinoco crocs, caimans, snakes, etc.
In this scenario, which handguns and rifles would be your selection? Because I don't know if Brazil then forbade arms in what they deemed to be military calibers, we'll allow those.
(Keep in mind that the .275 Rigby is just a 7X57mm loaded with Rigby's patented bullets.) The Brazilian military rifle then was a 7X57mm M-1912 Mauser. The short version looked a lot like the later M-1924 from Belgium and the Brno works in Czechoslavakia. I'm not sure of the Brazilian official handgun then, and suspect a mix. Brazilian gun laws were then FAR more lenient than now!
The expedition will leave from London in late 1919. Anything that you could get there could be taken. We'll assume that you are well off, and can buy what you want. And Baroness Krux (played wonderfully by Rachel Blakely) spent a huge sum to finance this expedition. Sidearms on the show ranged from Prof. Challenger's Colt SAA with 5.5-inch barrel to Lord Roxton's Colt M-1911. (Lord John Roxton,VC, the Earl of Avebury, also wore a brace of nickled, ivory-butted Webley MK VI's in shoulder holsters in some seasons.) I especially liked his rifle once they got past the two-part introductory movie, where he had some ridiculous plastic prop rifle. Later, he said he used a .416 Rigby, and the rifle he used did look about like that. One was made up on a M-1914 or 1917 Enfield action; the safety in closeups was quite distinctive.
Challenger and Ned Malone, the reporter, had double .450's. On occasion, these were hammerless, as they would have been in real life by then.On other occasions, the prop house only had some with outside hammers.
Anyway, there's the setting. You will need to defend against men, large animals, and hunt for food. (And, if we follow the TV show, you might need some armor to prevent injury by Marguerite Krux's cutting remarks, although she mellowed after the first season, finally admitting that she loved Lord Roxton and needed the friendship of the others, too.)
I'll begin: I want a Colt SAA with 7.5-inch bbl. in .45 Colt for power, and a S&W Hand Ejector .44 Special for daily wear. It'd probably have the 6.5-inch bbl. I might fudge and get it in .44/40, to match my Winchester M-92 carbine. Sasha Siemel told us in his books that the .44 Winchester and .44 (type not named) S&W revolvers were popular in Brazil then.
That's what he carried, but photos only show them in his holster and he never said exactly which model(s) he wore.
I'd want a S&W M&P with four-inch bbl. and round butt for wear in towns, and a Colt Type M .32 auto for more concealment. I'd have a pair of Colt M-1911 Government Model .45 autos, and alternate these with the S&W .44 on the trail. If expecting attack by natives, I'd wear one of the .45 autos. Ammo could be shared with Roxton and Malone, who both had .45 autos. (Malone in some episodes had the dead Dr. Summerlee's Webley .38).
I'd want a Springfield .30/06 sporter or a .275 Rigby, probably the latter, as I'd be buying in London, and not sure if a Springfield would be available in suitable configuration then and there. Ammo might also be an issue, and the Brazilian army used 7mm, so purchase or barter might be useful. I suppose that I'd join Roxton in choosing a .416 for my heavy rifle. More firepower than a double, and less recoil than the .450-.500 set of calibers. And no concern about lock failure or the barrels separating in the tropical climate, although this happened very seldom.
And I might well find room for a .375 H&H Magnum. But I'd want the .416 for really big game, and the .275 would handle the rest, and allow taking more ammo. Might, in fact, have a pair of .275's.
What about you?
T-Star
(Who else?
)
Hpw many here have read, "The Lost World", by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? (Yeah, the Sherlock Holmes author.)
The book came out about 1912, and has spawned at least four movies and a couple of TV series. ALL took considerable license with the book, sometimes for the better.
My favorites were the movie with Michael Rennie and Jill St. John, from the 1960's, and the Aussie-made TV series from 1999-2002. It appeared here in wide syndication, often for years after filming stopped, after financing for the fourth season fell through. Pity:it had a great, close-knit cast and some episodes were well written. Others ranged too far into fantasy, for my taste. The executive writers toward the end were Garfield and Judith Reeves-Stevens, better known for their Star Trek books and scripts. I felt that they injected too much of that series into the Amazonian realm,although one episode that featured extraterrestials was well done, one of the best.
Now: assume that you were going on the Challenger expedition, and that it is 1919, as on that TV show. Or, kick it back to 1912, for the book, if you wish. DO NOT exceed those time periods. And limit your choices to rifles and handguns or shotguns. No machineguns, etc., even if the Brazilian government allowed them.
We will suppose that the Plateau is in northern Brazil, as it seemed to be on the TV show. They went upriver from Manaus, so I'm guessing they stayed in Brazil. The actual plateau that inspired the book is in Venezuela, but they wouldn't have launched from eastern Brazil to get there, on the TV show. To keep things consistent, lets use the format of the TV show, basically. Keep in mind that dinosaurs are there, including large theropods. Yes, even T-rex. There were also smaller raptors, about man-sized, but very dangerous. They sometimes hunted in groups. You can take or leave the reptilian men like Tribune. I thought he was well done by a superb actor, but didn't really like the concept a lot. There were many human enemies, and apemen. None had weapons more advanced than in Roman or Viking times. Bows would be their longest -ranged small arms. If they had catapaults for artillery, they weren't on the show. The only crossbow that I remember belonged to Finn, who came from the 21st Century in the third season, She only had it to be unique in her role, and because she didn't have a gun in her war-ravaged New Amazonia, before Challenger rescued her in his one-shot time cave.
I'm presuming that normal Amazonian animals would also be present, including jaguars, puma, smaller cats, tapir, brocket deer, etc. Don't forget the dangrous reptiles, from American crocodiles, maybe also Orinoco crocs, caimans, snakes, etc.
In this scenario, which handguns and rifles would be your selection? Because I don't know if Brazil then forbade arms in what they deemed to be military calibers, we'll allow those.
(Keep in mind that the .275 Rigby is just a 7X57mm loaded with Rigby's patented bullets.) The Brazilian military rifle then was a 7X57mm M-1912 Mauser. The short version looked a lot like the later M-1924 from Belgium and the Brno works in Czechoslavakia. I'm not sure of the Brazilian official handgun then, and suspect a mix. Brazilian gun laws were then FAR more lenient than now!
The expedition will leave from London in late 1919. Anything that you could get there could be taken. We'll assume that you are well off, and can buy what you want. And Baroness Krux (played wonderfully by Rachel Blakely) spent a huge sum to finance this expedition. Sidearms on the show ranged from Prof. Challenger's Colt SAA with 5.5-inch barrel to Lord Roxton's Colt M-1911. (Lord John Roxton,VC, the Earl of Avebury, also wore a brace of nickled, ivory-butted Webley MK VI's in shoulder holsters in some seasons.) I especially liked his rifle once they got past the two-part introductory movie, where he had some ridiculous plastic prop rifle. Later, he said he used a .416 Rigby, and the rifle he used did look about like that. One was made up on a M-1914 or 1917 Enfield action; the safety in closeups was quite distinctive.
Challenger and Ned Malone, the reporter, had double .450's. On occasion, these were hammerless, as they would have been in real life by then.On other occasions, the prop house only had some with outside hammers.
Anyway, there's the setting. You will need to defend against men, large animals, and hunt for food. (And, if we follow the TV show, you might need some armor to prevent injury by Marguerite Krux's cutting remarks, although she mellowed after the first season, finally admitting that she loved Lord Roxton and needed the friendship of the others, too.)
I'll begin: I want a Colt SAA with 7.5-inch bbl. in .45 Colt for power, and a S&W Hand Ejector .44 Special for daily wear. It'd probably have the 6.5-inch bbl. I might fudge and get it in .44/40, to match my Winchester M-92 carbine. Sasha Siemel told us in his books that the .44 Winchester and .44 (type not named) S&W revolvers were popular in Brazil then.
That's what he carried, but photos only show them in his holster and he never said exactly which model(s) he wore.
I'd want a S&W M&P with four-inch bbl. and round butt for wear in towns, and a Colt Type M .32 auto for more concealment. I'd have a pair of Colt M-1911 Government Model .45 autos, and alternate these with the S&W .44 on the trail. If expecting attack by natives, I'd wear one of the .45 autos. Ammo could be shared with Roxton and Malone, who both had .45 autos. (Malone in some episodes had the dead Dr. Summerlee's Webley .38).
I'd want a Springfield .30/06 sporter or a .275 Rigby, probably the latter, as I'd be buying in London, and not sure if a Springfield would be available in suitable configuration then and there. Ammo might also be an issue, and the Brazilian army used 7mm, so purchase or barter might be useful. I suppose that I'd join Roxton in choosing a .416 for my heavy rifle. More firepower than a double, and less recoil than the .450-.500 set of calibers. And no concern about lock failure or the barrels separating in the tropical climate, although this happened very seldom.
And I might well find room for a .375 H&H Magnum. But I'd want the .416 for really big game, and the .275 would handle the rest, and allow taking more ammo. Might, in fact, have a pair of .275's.
What about you?
T-Star
(Who else?
)
Last edited:
It work good on those big critters, and I could lay traps around the camp.
