Putting a BANG in Research

Every time I head to the shooting range it is with the next Just Call Me Angel book in mind.  It's fun to go shooting and definitely puts a BANG in my research.   When I go to the range, and for the sake of research, I handle just about every gun in the case.  I size up the .44, the .33 and the .22, compare their weight differences, feel each unique nuance and ask questions.  It’s important that I understand why people choose a particular gun so that when I am casting my characters for the next novel, I can intelligently assign them the best weapon.  It would look silly for me to take a six foot, four inch man with the nickname “T-Rex” and give him a .22 pistol.  Likewise, it would be challenging for a petite woman with small hands to lug around a .44.  I’m not saying she couldn’t do it… just that it might not be the best fit for her.

 

Guns are sort of like gloves…you have to find the one that fits your hand, the one that feels comfortable in your grip and one you believe you can handle with confidence.

In the third book of the Just Call Me Angel series (Russian Uprising), Angel finds herself in a position to grab a handheld Uzi and defend her life.  Up until this point she has never handled a gun with this kind of power.  She fires and is thrown backwards onto the pavement, missing her mark and almost losing her life. 

Guns demand respect.  If you do not respect what a gun can do, you have no business putting one in your hand. 

After trying several guns at the range, I found my favorite:  The 357 Magnum.  This particular gun has made an appearance into my novels now and again, but look for it to play an even bigger role in the next Just Call Me Angel novel.  ~