From my 'Convention' tales...
"The Convention 'BiGun' was originally developed to protect small communities against Anwyc bio-raiders. A combination of carbine and snake-gun, its 'engagement envelope' suited point-defence and in-fighting. There was a lighter version, as also met above. A heavier version, crafted for the Convention's Aerospace Marine Corps but adopted with glee by the Felinoid, wookie-sized Sanku, was indeed known as a 'Bolter'.
"Neither pistol nor SMG, skeet, sawn-off or 'long-gun', the design was oft-lambasted by weapon gurus, but its reliable delivery of 'serious hurt' was uncontested..."
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'Autumn'
...
"Finally, lurking in one of the 'emergency' lockers, I had a 'Bi-Gun'. I dug out its two-foot case, broke the seals, and spread the beast on the table. It was a dual-barrelled gun with odd-sized bores. The left was a 0.22, the right 0.75. The 'Bi-Gun' had a dozen slugs, five shells in its fat stock, could take a magazine of each clipped underneath. They'd packed 100 carbine rounds and fifty shells. Half of those were 'bio-degrade' scatter-shot, the rest were soft 'Bear-Stops' with tungsten cores.
"I'd fired Bi-Guns on the range and I hated them. The carbine was too short for fine shooting, too long 'from the hip', too slow for a burp gun. The cannon was too short for skeet, too long for a scatter gun and slower again. The smooth outline was designed not to snag, the auto-load would never, ever jam of cold, heat, wet, dust or high vacuum, but the balance was perverse, the hand-holds odd, and the cannon always kicked like an angry mule.
"I sighed, took it apart and checked for fluff. The Bi-Gun had a Spacer seal, and it was certainly clean. It swallowed, disgorged shells and slugs without a qualm. I switched from stock to clip and back and any-way, six times. I still had doubts. I re-read the instructions. I gauged every round. I refilled stock and clips by touch alone. I learned how to load each breech with single shots. Then I put my mind to what to load with what. The carbine side was easy: All it took. That pair of clips held fifteen rounds apiece. The other needed theory I'd not got.
"I thought awhile, then filled the stock with scatter-shot, two clips with Bear-Stop. I selected the shot. Even if I was rushed, the blast would sting. And if that didn't deter, it should at least buy time for me to aim..."
...
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'Minimal Force'
...
I collapsed the clumsy but effective chameleon cape into its pack pouch. Now I could reach more than my nape-holstered knives and dart pistol. I eased my Bi-Gun from its 'racquet' hold. You could never call this weapon elegant or neat. I liked the bulky, ugly beast for its utility. The big stock's basic load was 5 fat scatter shells plus 20 slim 6-mm carbine rounds. Their cubit, side by side barrels were meant for point defence and in-fighting. They could take two long magazines, clipped underneath, but I'd other plans.
I slipped a massive, tungsten round from its loop, thumbed the 'Bear Stop' into the left breech. I lowered the Bi-Gun's bipod, checked the laser sight worked. 'LOBO ready, Kym. Start your run.'
'Take care, Peter. If you are disabled before targeting the Turbot, I must abort.'
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Showcase for some of my tales and their spin-offs. Mostly 'Urban Fantasy'.
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