Powdergun

Archivist's Excerpt from: Trinkets, Tech, & Tinkery: A Comprehensive Inventory of All Possible Equipment One Might Need When Circumnavigating the World, Inside & Out, Tabletop Edition, CVI 42.5

However one might find one's self circumnavigating the world, inside or outside, the best recommendation that can be given in this present Confluence is to not rely on a Powdergun for defense, offense, hunting, or any other such, and certainly not warfare.

Built on the framework of older flintlock and percussion rifle systems, the powdergun, though "newer," is less reliable, less sophisticated, and generally less pleasing to shoot, largely because of its complete incapability to hit anything at all beyond an eight foot distance. Nevertheless, within that range, they are still quite deadly. When they actually work.

Favoured by the Galó of The Expanse on account of their having no viable alternatives, the powdergun was originally part of a bartered trade treaty between them and Orphan Heights, along with technologies like Dust Lenses, until such time as the Settler's Skirmish put an end to all that nonsense.

The Galó, however, still use the old barrel-smokers, and the Serkers in particular. Despite the drawbacks of the weapon, they have become quite deadly with them, proving that it really is the rifleman, not the rifle, just as it is the gambler, not the hand, in total defiance of all reason.