A TIP FOR WRITING ABOUT GUNS

            I had a gun phase when I was a little boy.  That’s odd, because – to this day – I’ve never fired one.  But back in the 80’s, during all of those macho-action movies, I was fascinated by the massive assortment of guns out there.  In time, the phase came and went.

            Now, I’m only interested in guns when I’m writing.  Sometimes, I need to think up something exotic for whatever chapter or short story I’m working on.  As it turned out, movies are still a useful resource.

            For example, I never laid eyes on a man-portable minigun until Predator.  A .50 Barrett sniper rifle?  Hmm.  Probably Navy Seals for that bad boy.  Get where I’m going with this?  If you happen to like action movies, you can remember which guns caught your eye.  Then, if your writing involves bullets and mayhem, you can simply hit Google with a question like: “What kind of guns did they use in Transporter 2?”

            And damn it, if you won’t get flooded with sites like this one:       

http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Transporter_2

            You don’t have to become a gun nut.  But it wouldn’t hurt to build a list of guns and what makes them stand out.  For example, say you’ve gotta pick a gun for this hulking Russian mobster in Chapter 8 of your fledgling masterpiece.  Yeah, you could give him an AK-47 . . . but it’s too generic.  A Desert Eagle’s too Boondock Saints.  Perhaps you can find something in Transporter 2 that this fictional character might want.  Like a Heckler & Kock G36C, with laser sights and see-through clip (among other features).

            Just a thought.
            Just a thought.