One of the things I have been asked in the past is why my main character seems to prefer the .40 S&W caliber over a 9mm or a .45ACP. My usual answer is "That's what he had on hand when the dead rose." which seems to satisfy the majority of the askers. But there are those who want to take the discussion a little further. I have heard things like "Doesn't S&W stand for Short and Weak?" While I don't really know about that in particular, I will say that anyone who has said that seems to disappear when I suggest they allow themselves to be shot with one.
I have nothing against the 9mm or the 45ACP, both do the job they are intended for and will take out a zombie as needed. The downside for a .45 is the capacity of the magazines. The upside for a 9mm is higher capacity. For me, the .40 seems to fill the hole in between and still gets the job done.
After all, when you're surrounded by the dead, you should be grateful you have a gun (of any caliber) and not a stick.
My biggest concern about the .40S&W is the availability of rounds. While many police officers now care the .40S&W, 9mm is far more available generally. I have the same concern about John's reliance on the Auto-Ordinance M1 carbine (which I also own). I would figure everyone need to scrounge a book on reloading at some point. I have the molds for casting 9mm and .30 but I'm still too worried about blowing myself up to try reloading powder just yet.
ReplyDeleteGreat books by the way. Being from the Chicagoland area makes them especially compelling. The way you handled John's final telephone call with Ellie was as moving as anything I've ever seen in zombie fiction or otherwise. Quick question, are you intentionally taking a little literary license with some geographical locations? Like Freeport and Joslin? And is Turley Park really Tinley Park and Leport, Lemont? I guess there is a Turley Park near Carbondale, IL but I'm just trying to figure out where John's world is in relation to places I know well.