Pulp Game Rifles


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These are all smokeless ("nitro") single-, double- or triple-barrel rifles (or combinations of rifle and shotgun), with a break-open action. For the safari guns, famous makers include Wm. & John Rigby, Westley-Richards, Holland & Holland, James Purdey & Sons, W. J. Jeffrey, W. W. Greener, Evans, George Gibbs, H. Krieghoff (the only non-Briton on this list). They are all willing to customize guns endlessly:  so, choose a size, choose a name, choose a caliber ...

Red text represents very generic or popular weapons

Italics represent guns not actually introduced yet by the current campaign date

 

game rifles

name

caliber

range

shots

damage

capacity

loading

malf

weight

cost

year

super heavy double

577 Nitro Express

60 yds

2

4d6+1

2

break-open

00

17 lbs

$600+

~1900

  • only for the stoutest hunters. Also available in other calibers:  for example 500 Nitro Express ...

heavy double

500 Magnum Express

70 yds

2

3d6+4

2

break-open

00

14 lbs

$500+

1890s

  • also available as 500 Magnum Nitro Express, 450 Magnum Express, 400 Nitro Express ...

express double

400 Nitro Express

80 yds

2

3d6+2

2

break-open

00

13 lbs

$350+

~1900

  • smallest of the "big game" rifles; also available as 450/400 Express, 400 Magnum Express, 360 Nitro Express, 350 Nitro Express, 10.25x69mmR Express, 9.3x74mmR ...

double rifle

400 Nitro

100 yds

2

2d6+4

2

break-open

00

9 lbs

$150+

1884

  • also available as the 9x70mmR Mauser, 8mm Mauser, etc.

drilling

12 ga + 9.3x74Rmm

100 yds

2

3d6+2

3

break-open

00

9 lbs

$150+

1880s

  • appears similar to double rifle, but (for this example) has two smooth-bore shotgun barrels (see rules for 12 gauge shotgun ranges and damage) and a single rifle barrel. Mostly popular with Continental hunters (it's a German word).

heavy cape gun

10 ga. + 500 Magnum Express

70 yds

2

3d6+4

2

break-open

00

13 lbs

$250+

1880s

  • appear similar to double rifle, but one barrel is smooth-bore (see rules for 10 gauge shotgun ranges and damage as per ammunition)

cape gun

12 ga. + 400 Nitro

80 yds

2

2d6+4

2

break-open

00

11 lbs

$125+

1880s

  • appear similar to double rifle, but one barrel is smooth-bore (see rules for 12 gauge shotgun ranges and damage as per ammunition)

single-shot rifle

various

<110 yds

1

var

1

single-shot

00

~6 lbs

$25

1870s

  • typical of late 19th Century hunting rifles, or very cheap modern guns. New ones are available in pretty much any caliber that does 2d6+4 damage or less; some 19th Century models were made in heavy calibers (Sharps buffalo rifles, for example)