The Required Gun
You Can't Have A Movie Without One
Submitted by George
Hill
3/19/99
Being a NRA Certified Pistol and Personel Protection Instructor, as well as a life long shooter, I am fluent in over 6 million forms of Weapon Systems. As such, I am often questioned about guns in movies - and gun movies.
I say STAR WARS is of paramount importance to film making
and to the shooting community in general. Not only is it an escape from the hum drum of
life taking us to other worlds we would love to go to, it proves the premise that Germany
has the best gun makers in the world and in galaxies far far away. The movie just wouldn't
be the same without the German guns. What would Han Solo do with Greedo if Han wasn't
armed with his Mouser-Blaster? Luke too...
Looking at Solo's Handi Blaster, you see that it is topped with a type of scope. Some have
asked me "Why? - He never uses it!" Let me go out on a limb here. I have read
that Solo's blaster has been less than ATF approved modifications, such as military grade
energy packs and what not. His gun is capable of doing a great deal more damage. Should
Han want to deliver this damage precisely, he would use the scope. When we have seen
him use his Blaster in combat, no, he didn't use the scope. He might have even been killed
if he tried to use it. "What?" you say. Let me explain.
Scopes on handguns are not fast devices to use, and in the shooting community it is
debated on whether or not any sites are fast enough to use in combat, and there are to
schools of thought on this. One school is the "Point Shooting" group, who
believe in keeping your eyes on the target and pointing the gun naturally. A prime example
of this is in the scene when Luke yells "No!" after seeing Ben get hacked. Look
at his stance, feet wide apart, knees bent, arms out forming a triangle. Classic point
shooting there. This is touted as been the fastest method of shooting and is also some
times called the "Israeli Technique". The other side of the shooting coin is
more concentrating on the front site - for accurate shot placement, you take a second and
aim. Han uses neither styles in any strict sense. He uses an older point shooting method
that is a throw back to the old western style of index shooting. This is actually very in
character with Solo, whos primary style is "Just Blast it". Back to the scope,
technically it is correct that he didn't use it in any of the depicted situations.
And quite often you observed Stormies packing MG-42s all over the place - never mind the
dressing up on the MG, STOCK works just fine even in a galaxy far, far away.
Mostly the Stormies are packing the DL-44, which is actually a dressed up British Sterling
submachine gun - one of the finest subguns ever made. The Sterling, and the resulting
DL-44, has a folding stock. The stock folds up under barrel on the bottom and can snap out
to full extension very quickly. Of course, we never saw a trooper shoulder his blaster. If
one had, then the movie would have ended rather abruptly. Fire from a shouldered weapon is
on average much much more accurate and easier and faster to shoot as well. I like the
Stormies - they have a Key Stone Cop feel to them when they are all firing. One of
the worst insults I have heard on the firing ranges is "Your Shooting Like A Storm
Trooper!" I laugh at Ben's line "Only Imperial Storm Troopers are so
precise." This makes me believe a Fire Arms Instructor would make a great
living there on Tatooine. That, and Imperial Trainers need a good butt
kicking.
So, this leaves the question "Who is the best shot in Star Wars?" I am not
sure, but I think Leia. She took out a Stormie with her modified Luger, one in the
beginning of Episode 4, with a single shot right to the heart (just before she gets
stunned), and two of them in episode 6, while on the forest moon of Endor. Not to mention
the troopers she picks off with the DL-44 while covering Lukes butt while he's playing
Tarzan after he blasted the controls to extend the bridge. You Go Girl!
There are lots of other noteworthy items to talk about.
Like the Maxim Machine gun on Hoth and the Sheridan tank turrets there too. This hardware
gives SW a lot of credibility. Look at these guns, Real Guns, then look at the
latest Star Trek film. Just what the heck is a "Phaser?" That
doesn't sound like a weapon to me. Think of this: You alone in a parking lot - a big hair
thug is charging you before you can get in you car and drive away, this guy eats raw
hobbits. Do you want to PHASE him? Or Blast him?
I thought so.
(George Hill, Jedi Knight. Age 29. Married to a lovely young dancer. 4 boys under the age of 6 And was only able to bestow one of them with a Star Wars name. Works in computers now after spending time in Military (Light Infantry), Law Enforcement and Fugitive Recovery. Has the day of the Episode One opening off from work. (Cause the Bosses wouldn't dare say no.)