SG1, scientists, and automatic weapons

[Merkuri]

I always like SG1 growing up but due to a variety of reasons I was never able to watch it when it was current. So I'm thrilled that they've been releasing all of the episodes on Hulu and I'm slowly watching it from start to end.

Right now I'm in the middle of the ninth season and all of a sudden I realized that Daniel now has automatic weapons for most missions and seems to know how to use them. When did this happen?!? I seem to recall that he was lucky to have a handgun in earlier missions. When did they decide it was okay to arm a non-military scientist with military-grade weapons? Should I assume that he's been taking some sort of weapons training in between his SG1 missions?

 

[Orius]

Yeah, he got better at combat over the seasons. I mean, all the threats SG-1 has faced, he knows the galaxy is dangerous, so he probably spends some time training. And remember, SG-1 is the top team, the best of the best that get a lot of the big recon and first contact missions (you know the fun stuff that makes the best episodes), so it's good to have team member with well-rounded skills.

Also, this probably should be over in Media Lounge.

 

[Merkuri]

Also, this probably should be over in Media Lounge.

Yeah, as soon as I hit the "submit" button I realized I'd put it in the wrong forum, so I reported my own post in the hopes the mods would move it.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Also, he's not really much use if he can't fend for himself in a firefight.

Now, he's likely the last person to go on the firing line, but still, it's handy to know.

Brad

 

[Rackhir]

The FN P90 that they primarily use in SG1, is designed as a personal defense weapon. Something that is designed to be very easy to use and controllable in autofire (with good armor penetration), for support personnel and other non-frontline troops.

Plus, you gotta figure with all the times he's been dumped deep in it, that there'd be a very strong incentive to spend some time down on the firing range and get to know your "tools" as well as possible.

 

[Janx]

It's not that hard learning to shoot a gun.

Heck, they only spend a day or so in basic training (from what I've seen on the History Channel's series a few years back, and talking to friends who served).

The harder part is care and maintenance. Actual shooting is point and click.
pun intended.


I assumed the biggest reason Daniel didn't get a bigger gun was as a civilian who didn't go through their training, the military was wary giving him a weapon, due to liability issues.

But in the same vein, all it would take is a few courses from a trainer to fix that. I like to think for working with Jack O'Neill for 10 years, that one of those weekends they'd spend at the gun range. Just so Jack wouldn't worry about getting shot accidentally.

 

[Orius]

I assumed the biggest reason Daniel didn't get a bigger gun was as a civilian who didn't go through their training, the military was wary giving him a weapon, due to liability issues.

But in the same vein, all it would take is a few courses from a trainer to fix that. I like to think for working with Jack O'Neill for 10 years, that one of those weekends they'd spend at the gun range. Just so Jack wouldn't worry about getting shot accidentally.

That's probably a bigger problem with McKay than Daniel though. Daniel is ok with firing a gun when he needs to. McKay shoots like a madman.

 

[Felon]

I'm in the middle of season 7, and Daniel doesn't use the P90. He uses a 9mm pistol and, more often, a zat gun. He's usually there to be the voice of reason, so it goes against the grain for him to be mowing down enemies with a machine gun. That may change in the last two seasons, since my understanding is the entire tone of the show changes once the Farscape crew show up (were they still under contract or something?).

"He's not much use if he can't fend for himself in a firefight"? Aw, c'mon. He's been plenty useful on missions without firing a shot. He and Carter are the brains of the outfit. Having said that, it is odd that Jackson was originally brought in for his expertise in linguistics, but it turns out this is another one of those sci-fi shows where every alien inexplicably speaks English.

"It's not that hard to learn to shoot a gun"? Well, you can certainly just point in the general direction of an enemy and pull the trigger, but let's not sell marksmanship skill short. This is particularly true when firing an automatic weapon. When statistics are presented on firearm accuracy, trained law enforcement agents rate below 50% (while the bad guys tend to fall around the 20% mark). Having said that, the SG team all seem to be pretty wasteful with their shots. If your gun shoots 900 bullets a minute, and you have a 50-round clip, that means your gun will be empty in about three seconds. Hopefully they've got some kind of burst setting, although it seems to exceed the conventional three rounds.

 

[Umbran]

IHaving said that, the SG team all seem to be pretty wasteful with their shots. If your gun shoots 900 bullets a minute, and you have a 50-round clip, that means your gun will be empty in about three seconds. Hopefully they've got some kind of burst setting, although it seems to exceed the conventional three rounds.

Like accuracy in weapon use has ever been a science fiction trope?

 

[Felon]

Like accuracy in weapon use has ever been a science fiction trope?

That's rather my point, I suppose. The OP raised a question related to the feasibility of a scientist gaining proficiency with an automatic weapon. I and the others are working within the thread's premise, which would be moot if suspension of disbelief is tossed in. Daniel can go from being a geek to an elite marksman between episodes without explanation (although maybe a little Team-America-style montage would be in order.

Had some trouble locating this thread. Did it get moved again? Wasn't it in the media lounge?