November 16th, 2008

What constitutes impressive marksmanship?

Setting: Steampunk AU; the military technology is about World War I-era level, but can be fudged a bit.

Searched Terms: Various combinations of "revolver", "long-range", "shooting range", "shooting distance", and "average shooting distance".

Question: What is a shooting range (I hope this is the right term; I'm thinking "hit a target at x distance") that would be considered extremely impressive, but still believable? The character in question is military-trained, has been so ever since he was very young, and is a really, really good shot. He's not superhumanly incredible, but he's considered one of the best shots ever seen, and he's good enough to impress very high-ranking military officers.

Basically, I need a way to describe how good he is, and as I said above, I'm thinking in terms of "can hit a man-sized target at x distance", with a revolver. With what I've found already, I've hesitantly put it at 500 70 yards; is this too good? Not quite impressive enough? Am I going about this entirely the wrong way and there's really a much better way to describe how awesome this guy is with a gun?

edit: Okay, apparently I totally failed my research, and ended up not even looking at the right sort of guns. (lol self.) Revised estimate! :D

edit II: More or less answered now! (Gosh, that was fast.) Thanks! ♥

I know absolutely zilch about guns, so please excuse any stupid; this is why I'm asking. :) Thank you!
pm [m] &gt;&gt; the forest cries out

Lasting effects of thoracic injuries involving a metal skewer.

Okay. So I have a character who was recently tortured. As part of this torture, he spent fourteen hours with a metal skewer in his chest. The skewer went through the mediastinum between the right lung and the heart, brushed against the pericardial wall (so not to rupture it), went up between the ribs where the point brushed against his scapula. Beyond this, there were no other injuries. The skewer was removed without rupturing or nicking either organ and the victim was able to get medical attention almost immediately afterwards, so bloodloss wasn't much of an issue there.

Now here's the question. Would there be any lasting effects? Chronic chest pain? Internal bruising that might not go away for awhile due to having to breathe with that skewer shoved in his chest for fourteen hours? Would it hurt to breathe for awhile or always after? Anything that would either hinder him or be a constant annoyance for either awhile or for the rest of his life? Whatever?

I searched for all manner of thoracic injuries and their effects, but all I ever seem to get is treatment, not so much any of the lasting effects, so... Yes. Any and all help would be appreciated.