Pistols with locks and Evil GMs

[pmulcahy11b]

I'm doing some research into the Smith & Wesson 460XVR, and it has a feature that's becoming more and more common on handguns: an internal locking mechanism, released by a key inserted into a hole in the frame or grip and turned. You can't fire or disassemble the weapon without that key.

A great thing to drive your players nuts with! Have them find something outstanding like a Smith & Wesson 460XVR, with a 7.5-inch Lothar Walther barrel, muzzle brake, Hi-Viz sights and a Weaver scope base, with a good amount of ammo, but no gun key. Then they have to go on an adventure to find someone who can unlock it!

[weswood]

I just bought a little Walther P22 Sunday, it has that lock/key thing. Damndest thing I ever saw. The key is just a piece of plastic with a V shaped notch in the end.

[Mohoender]

Is it a key designed for a specific gun or is there some way of breaking that key thing? From what I know, when you get some key and lock you have people capable of getting around it.

That would add to Paul's idea of an adventure where you have to find someone with the hability to make it work. Might be the key or some kind of device that can replace it. Don't you think?

[General Pain]

I'd guess a character with locksmithing/lockpicking or weaponsmithing/gunsmithing could solve this prolblem

[Targan]

Originally Posted by Mohoender

Is it a key designed for a specific gun or is there some way of breaking that key thing? From what I know, when you get some key and lock you have people capable of getting around it.

Originally Posted by General Pain

I'd guess a character with locksmithing/lockpicking or weaponsmithing/gunsmithing could solve this prolblem

Could be a tricky task if the weapon and lock were designed so as to prevent easy disassembly of the weapon unless the key is present (I admit I know abolutely nothing about built-in weapon locks so I am really just wildly speculating here).

[weswood]

I doubt it's gun specific keys. The Wather I mentioned is just a piece of plastic with a notch cut in the end, like an arrow nock. Anybody with a dowel and a sharp knife could whittle one in less than 5 minutes.

I don't know what the association between Walther & Smith & Wesson, but the S&W name is engraved on the pistol and on the paperwork.

I think it's more of a child safety device than a real security measure.

[Tegyrius]

IIRC, S&W is Walter's partner for U.S. imports these days. They may also be handling warranty service.

One thing about the integral gun locks... for some designs, there is a chance of one engaging during use. As Tamara notes here, this seems confined mainly to the lightweight S&W revolvers. Something for a particularly sadistic (or forgiving) GM to keep in mind...

- C.