# I am another Firefly convert **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 1, 2006, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-another-firefly-convert/346558 "2006-03-01T02:51:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-another-firefly-convert/346558/81 "2006-03-14T15:02:05Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Ok. Firefly question. I didn’t want to start up a new thread about it, so I figured I’d just tack it on to an active firefly thread. > > I was watching the marathon they were running on the sci-fi channel friday. > > They typically use real world guns on the show, which I appreciate. You can’t improve all that much on slug-thrower design than we’ve reached at this point. So they use what we use - simple, reliable. I appreciate that. > > So WHY THE HELL when they rack the slide on a shotgun or chamber a round in a rifle do the guns make sci-fi noises? WTF? They seemed to be making a statement that high tech gadgets are less practical than simple, reliable guns… and then completely contradicted that with really cheesy sci-fi futuristic sci fi effects. Some guy racks the bolt carrier on a standard AKM/AK-47, and we hear “bzzuuuutt” ?!? That’s the only thing on the show that absolutely drove me nuts. Anyone have any explanations? Were the sound effects guys trying to prove the need for them by adding superfluous sounds? Maybe the guns are merely futuristic versions of what we have today, but the ammo is much more advanced? Electronic target-seeking whizzbangs that make a different noise when you chamber a round? Yeah, that’s it. Sorry. Best I can do. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-another-firefly-convert/346558/82 "2006-03-14T15:05:38Z")
> [@ronincyberpunk](#): > > You heard right, Early is just a bit nuts… Yeah. I always thought it was a good, evocative bit of craziness for him. Did he hear a distinction there that none of us are good enough listeners to pick up? 😉 Or, was he deliberately trying to wind Simon’s chain and throw him off balance?? ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-another-firefly-convert/346558/83 "2006-03-14T15:10:29Z")
> [@Elendil's Heir](#): > > And that was…? I think Lazlo was referring to the bit at the end of the two hour pilot, where we find out that [spoiler]this cargo they had hijacked, that Badger had refused to buy because it was too hot, that they finally sold to Patience who ran her own moon, was… food. Concentrated, preserved nutritional supplements Each bar wrapped up so it just happened to look like precious metal of some sort.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Phantom\_Dennis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@Phantom\_Dennis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phantom_Dennis)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-another-firefly-convert/346558/84 "2006-03-14T22:25:42Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > So WHY THE HELL when they rack the slide on a shotgun or chamber a round in a rifle do the guns make sci-fi noises? WTF? They seemed to be making a statement that high tech gadgets are less practical than simple, reliable guns… and then completely contradicted that with really cheesy sci-fi futuristic sci fi effects. Some guy racks the bolt carrier on a standard AKM/AK-47, and we hear “bzzuuuutt” ?!? That’s the only thing on the show that absolutely drove me nuts. Anyone have any explanations? Were the sound effects guys trying to prove the need for them by adding superfluous sounds? Yeah, that threw me off a bit too. Also, the gun reports themselves sometimes sound like they’ve been electronically processed in some way – maybe run through a flanger. This is hardly consistent though – in some episodes the guns sound perfectly normal (at least by TV standards), and even the weird sci-fi chambering noises you mention are occasionally absent. I’m guessing the sound effects guys were just having a little fun. Or: motorized bullets. Take your pick. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Tarrsk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@Tarrsk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarrsk)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-another-firefly-convert/346558/85 "2006-03-14T22:35:55Z")
> [@Phantom Dennis](#): > > Yeah, that threw me off a bit too. Also, the gun reports themselves sometimes sound like they’ve been electronically processed in some way – maybe run through a flanger. This is hardly consistent though – in some episodes the guns sound perfectly normal (at least by TV standards), and even the weird sci-fi chambering noises you mention are occasionally absent. > > I’m guessing the sound effects guys were just having a little fun. Or: motorized bullets. Take your pick. 😉 I thought it was another creative anachronism along the lines of the holographic cue balls and bar window. They stick with (or reverted to) the old look, even though the guts of the weapon utilize the modern technology of Firefly’s hypothetical future. Same reason we in the real 'verse sometimes buy things with a retro design, even though the internals are modern technology (see: any “vintage” audio hardware). ---
**Author:** ![Lazlo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lazlo/32/9678_2.png) [@Lazlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lazlo)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-another-firefly-convert/346558/86 "2006-03-14T23:44:35Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > I think Lazlo was referring to the bit at the end of the two hour pilot, where we find out that > > [spoiler]this cargo they had hijacked, that Badger had refused to buy because it was too hot, that they finally sold to Patience who ran her own moon, was… food. Concentrated, preserved nutritional supplements > > Each bar wrapped up so it just happened to look like precious metal of some sort.[/spoiler] Yep, that’s it. **Raguleader** also knew what I was referring to there. That wasn’t the only episode where cargo wasn’t what we’d expect it to be. I can’t remember the episode title offhand (but there was a swordfight! and Kaylee in a dress!), but at the end we discover that their contraband cargo is a herd of cattle. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-another-firefly-convert/346558/87 "2006-03-15T00:45:14Z")
_Shindig_. The next one is _Safe_, wherein Wash recommends that next time they smuggle black-market beagles. ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-another-firefly-convert/346558/88 "2006-03-15T04:55:28Z")
One of the speculations about the weapon sound is that some of them use caseless ammunition. See the [Firefly Wiki](http://www.fireflywiki.org/Firefly/CategoryWeapons) page for more on this. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-another-firefly-convert/346558/89 "2006-03-15T06:57:02Z")
> [@Lissla Lissar](#): > > _Shindig_. The next one is _Safe_, wherein Wash recommends that next time they smuggle black-market beagles. Which, in fact, you can find various Firefly fan groups selling if you look online. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-another-firefly-convert/346558/90 "2006-03-15T07:08:16Z")
> [@](#): > > but the moment what’s his name went into the engine in “Train Job”…I was hooked. amen, HPL. amen [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-another-firefly-convert/346558.md?page=4)