He hadn't the slightest intention of arriving at Hunter's headquarters on time.
Not really an annotation, but I must just say that I find Pitt's character in this book extremely annoying.
He's wearing only a swim-suit, earlier in the book, when he finds the communication pod, and instead of getting dressed he drives to the naval base and barges into an Admiral's office and expects to be taken seriously. How stupid is that?
Now, here, Cussler has him being deliberately late to an appointment. Presumably this is meant as further proof of Pitt's independence and maverick spirit, but really, it's just plain rude.
The Mauser, Model 712 Schnell Fueur Pistole Serial number 47405 could only be described as a positively bloodthirsty firearm.
From: http://www.nramuseum.com/the-museum/the-galleries/ever-vigilant/case-62-world-war-ii-axis-germany-and-italy/mauser-model-712-schnellfeuer-machine-pistol.aspxClosely resembling the Mauser Model 1896 "Broomhandle" semi-automatic pistol, the Model 712 "Schnellfeuer" is a selective-fire pistol that features a detachable magazine, detachable shoulder stock, and 50 - 1000 meter rear sight.
The Schnellfeuer-Pistole ("Rapid-fire pistol") was a modification of the popular Mauser 7.63mm Model 1896 "Broomhandle" pistol. Originally developed by the Oberndorf firm, the semi-auto M1896 served with German units throughout the First World War. This design was copied by the Spanish firms Star and Astra, and versions produced by all three companies were sold in large numbers to the Chinese.
In 1930, Mauser dealers in China reported that they were losing sales to their Spanish competitors due to Astra's introduction of a selective-fire version of this pistol. Mauser mounted a vigorous response to this challenge, as designer Joseph Nickl's recoil-operated selective-fire pistol entering production during that same year. With an effective rate of 900 rounds per minute, these pistols were capable of firing an entire magazine in slightly more than one second. These pistols may be distinguished from the original M1896 pistol design by the presence of a detachable 20-round staggered feed box magazine, which could be removed for loading or charged in place with 10-round stripper clips, and by the bar-type selector switch mounted on the left side of the receiver.
Approximately 4,000 Schnellfeuer Modell 712 pistols were produced in 1930-31, most of which were shipped to China to compete against the Astra design. An improved version designed by Karl Westinger was introduced in 1932 to address reliability problems experienced with the original Modell 712. Externally, these guns are nearly identical to their predecessors, and may be identified by their "oval/point" selector switch. Approximately 98,000 were manufactured between 1932 and 1938, most of which were shipped to China.
In 1939, German armed forces began acquiring the Schnellfeuer under the military designation "Reihenfeuer ("Series Fire") Pistole Modell 713." These were widely issued to Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS military police and reconnaissance units, as well as to motorcycle dispatch riders. In addition, the Modell 713 was adopted by the Kriegsmarine for use by naval infantry troops. Although coupling a proven design of compact size with a select-fire capability would seem to be the best of several worlds, the Schnellfeuer proved otherwise.
These pistols could serve as a standard sidearm in semi-automatic mode, but were not markedly superior to the P.08 and P.38 semi-autos already in German military service. With their shoulder stock/holster attached, they also proved both effective and deadly for short range combat. At longer ranges, however, the Schnellfeuer's light weight and high rate of fire in full-auto mode made it uncontrollable except when fired in short bursts. Even then, its effectiveness was questionable. As sufficient MP38 and MP40 submachine guns became available to Nazi troops, the Schnellfeuer was replaced in the inventories of Germany's fighting forces.
Converting the gun into a carbine for long distance targets
A carbine, from French carabine, is a longarm [The term long arm/gun is used to describe classes of firearm and cannon with longer barrels than other classes. In small arms, a long gun is designed to be fired braced against the shoulder, in contrast to a handgun, while in artillery a long gun would be contrasted with a howitzer or carronade] similar to but shorter than a rifle or musket. Many carbines are shortened versions of full rifles, firing the same ammunition at a lower velocity due to a shorter barrel length.
The smaller size and lighter weight of carbines makes them easier to handle in close-quarter situations such as urban or jungle warfare, or when deploying from military vehicles. The disadvantages of carbines relative to rifles include inferior long-range accuracy and a shorter effective range. Being larger than a submachine gun, they are harder to maneuver in tight encounters where superior range and stopping power at distance are not great considerations. Firing the same ammunition as rifles gives carbines the advantage of standardization over those personal defense weapons (PDWs) that require proprietary cartridges.
Carbines are issued to high-mobility troops such as special-operations soldiers and paratroopers, as well as to mounted, supply, or other non-infantry personnel whose roles do not require full-sized rifles.
He parked the car and walked past a small, neatly carved sign that read: Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum of Polynesian Ethnology and Natural History
Bernice Pauahi Bishop (December 19, 1831–October 16, 1884), born Bernice Pauahi Pākī, was a Hawaiian princess, philanthropist, aliʻi, and direct descendant of the royal House of Kamehameha. She was the great-granddaughter of King Kamehameha I and last surviving heir. Her estate is the largest private landowner in the state of Hawaiʻi, comprising approximately 9% of Hawaii's total area. The revenues from these lands are used to operate the Kamehameha Schools, which were established in 1887 according to Pauahi's will. Pauahi was married to businessman and philanthropist Charles Reed Bishop.
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