Okay, so.

I'm creating a Metallican Gunslinger who's a wandering duelist.

He's essentially a space cowboy.

And the part that I'm stumped on is what weapon to take.

Revolver for the REAL space cowboy look.

Automatics for more shots

Hand cannon for kick.

Laspistol for the Kal Jerico feel

Bolt pistol to show off.

Single shot bolt pistol to REALLY show off.

Belt fed autopistols with red dot sights.

Something like this (compared with airsoft 1911 clone, which is not a small pistol!):

So, what you're saying is that I should take a LeMat.

Is this amazing weapon in any sourcebook?

So, what you're saying is that I should take a LeMat.

Is this amazing weapon in any sourcebook?

Downgrade Cadence "Spectre" Assault Device (IH, p.118) to Pistol type.

Wait. I forgot about Puritan-14! LeMat in WH40K.

I would suggest a "Hekutor" Combat Pistol.

Talk to your GM and cook up a tasty pistol?

Might I suggest a Bolt Revolver? The ultimate in 40k space cowboy chic.

Take a hand cannon (and it's bracing rule) add a Boltpistol's Pen and reduce clip to 3 and add reliable.

Apparently the Fatebringer pistol is a dueling pistol. Thoughts on that?

Apparently the Fatebringer pistol is a dueling pistol. Thoughts on that?

Oh yeah.

Is it any good in actual combat?

Apparently the Fatebringer pistol is a dueling pistol. Thoughts on that?

Oh yeah.

Is it any good in actual combat?

It's basically a Hand Cannon with the Accurate and Reliable special rules, as well as a slightly longer range.

For Solid Projectile pistols, it's got few rivals, in my opinion.

Apparently the Fatebringer pistol is a dueling pistol. Thoughts on that?

Oh yeah.

Is it any good in actual combat?

It's basically a Hand Cannon with the Accurate and Reliable special rules, as well as a slightly longer range.

For Solid Projectile pistols, it's got few rivals, in my opinion.

Sounds pretty good.

What are its rivals?

Carnodon's got a larger clip, has slightly higher damage and can fire semi-auto, but doesn't have the accurate rule, is slightly heavier, and has slightly shorter range.

.54 Tranter does even more damage than the Carnodon, has a slightly larger clip than the Carnodon and can also fire semi-auto, but has a shorter range than the Carnodon (10 meters less than the Fatebringer), and is unreliable. It's also heavier than either of them.

Or there's the Naval pistol. Same damage as the Carnodon, semi-auto, same clip size, and has the Tearing special rule, but no Pen, only a twenty meter range and a little heavier than the Carnodon. Also, ammo's hellishly expensive.

Wait, I thought the Carnodon has the Accurate quality.

Wait, I thought the Carnodon has the Accurate quality.

Sorry, my bad. Carnodon does have accurate, it doesn't have reliable.

I'd go with (or aim to get) two simple, hip-worn Stub Revolvers (Pistol, 30m, S/-/-; 1d10+3 Impact, Pen 0; Clip 6, Rld 2Full; Reliable) with Red-Dot Laser Sights (+10 BS for single shots), Maglev Impellers (+10m Rng, +1 Dmg, +1 Full Rld), and Fire Selectors (Auto-switch between three different magazines).

Fill them up with Man-Stopper Bullets (Sets Penetration to 3), Expander Rounds (+1 Dmg, +1 Pen) and/or Dumdum Bullets (+2 Dmg, but target's AP is doubled). If you can get it, Bleeder Rounds instead of Dumdum Bullets (+3 Dmg, but no effect against Machines/Daemons).

With Fire Selector, you can switch between the various ammunitions to suit the target. No Armour? Dumdum Bullets or Bleeder Rounds. Any Armour at all? Man-Stopper Bullets. Generic? Expander Rounds.

I'd (try to) supplement this with a Hack Shotgun (Pistol, 10m, S/-/-; 1d10+4 Impact, Pen 0; Clip 1, Rld 2Full; Inaccurate, Scatter, Tearing; Uses 2 Shells per shot), mounted by the back of the belt. Equipped with a Maglev Impeller (+10m Rng, +1 Dmg, +1 Full Rld). Load it with the meanest shells you can find, such as Acid Shells (2d10E, Pen 0; Takes damage like Fire. If armour hit, reduce AP of location by 1 until repaired), Inferno Shells (If struck, pass Agility or set on Fire), or Snare Shells (-2 Dmg; gain Snare Special Quality).

Finally, any good gunslinger needs a lever gun. Specifically, the Lever Gun, Steadholder (Basic, 100m, S/-/-; 1d10+4 Impact, Pen 0; Clip 6, Rld Full) is extremely easy to get (Plentiful Availability). Again, throw a Maglev Impeller on that (+10m Rng, +1 Dmg, +1 Full Rld). Add a Telescopic Sight (No penalty for Long/Extreme Range w/ Full Aim) and consider a Melee Attachment (A bayonet w/ mono would count as 1d10 Rending, Pen 2) and/or Silencer (silences, duh). Use Man-Stopper Bullets (Sets Pen to 3) to compensate for the abysmal penetration. Worn on the back, obviously.

All of this necessitates pulling on the full WH40kRP range, most specifically some Rogue Trader fare.

This is not min-maxed in the least, but merely pulling on the resources available to supplement flavour, and there are definitely better options from a powergaming perspective. But from what I gathered, the idea of the Space Cowboy is more important than beating on game mechanics until they make you immortal.

Also, this is likely by no means achievable by a starting character in Dark Heresy, and only some ideas on what I'd aim for personally to realize the image of the space cowboy. Most notably, some of the weapon upgrades may be quite hard to find, and some of the special ammunition is quite rare (Inferno Shells are Rare, Bleeder Rounds are Rare, etc).

Once you've taken weapons, i f your GM will allow it , find the Armourer who can apply some customization options from Only War. Custom Grip, Modified Stock, Quick-Release, Trigger Adjustment...

@Fgdsfg: That does sound good.

Though the Steadholder means that I'd have to ditch the Metallican Gunslinger alternate career.

How much would all this cost?

LeMat - good enough for Johnny Ringo , good enough for players/NPCs.

Re sourcebook - nope, but as stats go it is easy to describe - combine stub-revolver, just change it to 9 shots (as described by Abnett) + single shot shotgun with half range.

.54 Tranter does even more damage than the Carnodon, has a slightly larger clip than the Carnodon and can also fire semi-auto, but has a shorter range than the Carnodon (10 meters less than the Fatebringer), and is unreliable. It's also heavier than either of them.

Or there's the Naval pistol. Same damage as the Carnodon, semi-auto, same clip size, and has the Tearing special rule, but no Pen, only a twenty meter range and a little heavier than the Carnodon. Also, ammo's hellishly expensive.

Well there is this for the .54 Tranter, Belasco Deathworks production models are actually little better in terms of reliability. We call it the Belasco Deathwork Eagle Hand Cannon, for 190 throne and now is not unreliable. But it still has more weight and less range.

And let me second Jargal comments

Now if you can get your GM to accept a non canon design

now from our local game

Draken Arms “Kraven” Heavy Pistol

The Kraven is loved by big game hunters and target shooters for its comfortable grip and for being a very powerful and extremely accurate over long range well hand crafted pistol. It has fearsome reputation as one of the most powerful manstoppers, is enhanced by the range it can hit at with it longer barrel. Even for a gun its size, it uses a magazine fed through the grip to kinda balance the weapon and it features an inbuilt red-dot laser sight. These are a very high priced and exclusive weapons. Due to the ungainly size and massive recoil, as well as being classed as a hand cannon, unless the firer has a Strength Bonus of 4 or more, the Kraven counts as a Basic weapon and must be used with two hands.

Class: Pistol (Solid Projectile)

Range: 50m

ROF: S/2/--

Damage:1d10+4 I

Penetration: 2

Clip: 7

Rld: Full

Special: Accurate, Heavy Barrel, Reliable

Weight: 3.75 kg

Price: 250

Availability: Scarce (Very Rare outside of the Hazeroth sub sector)

LeMat - good enough for Johnny Ringo , good enough for players/NPCs.

Re sourcebook - nope, but as stats go it is easy to describe - combine stub-revolver, just change it to 9 shots (as described by Abnett) + single shot shotgun with half range.

In our game, Kolt Thunderer Revolver

The Thunderer is rumored to based on very old, maybe even Terra design. It matches a stub revolver to a undermounted single shot shotgun. While it a robust design, firing the undermounted shotgun imposes a –10 penalty on Ballistic Skill Tests if not used with two hands. Using the butt you can use it a weapon in melee if you have too (d5-1+SB).

Class: Pistol (Solid Projectile)

Pistol Shotgun

Range: 30m 15m

ROF: S/--/-- S/--/--

Damage: 1d10+2 I 1d10+4 I

Penetration: -- --

Clip: 9 1

Rld: 2 Full Full

Special: Reliable

Weight: 2.25 kg

Price: 100

Availability: Rare (Very Rare outside of the Golgenna Reach)

Not a terribly useful suggestion, but I had built a pistol duellist character in Rogue Trader. I imagined this guy as one who would take single shots to take down individual characters. The weapon I chose for this concept was the Ripper Pistol. Only 1d10+3 damage , but with Pen 7 and Toxic (stupid stats frankly... no reason for it to have Pen 7 except that the only 40k character to have it was Sly Marbo and he had AP 3... which I thought had more to do with him placing shots so accurately he always found weak spots).

Of course, this was with an Arch Militant, and I chose pistols as my specialism, making this 1d10+5, and then an additional +2 with Mighty Shot (as we were higher level when I joined the campaign). I can't remember if it had any other characteristics, but frankly, they didn't normally matter, as against anything other than daemons that we faced 1d10+7 Pen 7 with Toxic was generally just lethal.

The other major problems (aside from the lack of specific abilities your character will have) is that the Ripper Pistol is a Rogue Trader weapon, and consequently has no price, and even if it did they would be incredibly expensive. And that they are so rare your GM would be totally justified saying "Just no. No."

I'd rather not take anything from other 40k RPGs or any homebrew stuff.

What my gunslinger had was:

2x Hack Shotgun (Red Dot) (Incendiary shells)
2x Orthlak Mk IV Pistol (Ammo Selector x3) (1 Clip normal, 1 clip dum dum, 1 clip man stopper)
1x Compact "Mister Back Up" Autopistol (man stopper rounds)

Bandolier with plenty of reloads

The Inquisitor's Handbook says that "the Belasco Deathworks production models are little better in terms of reliability" -- in other words, they are no more reliable than the models produced by other manufacturers. Because of this, I think the Belasco versions should still be Unreliable. If the acolytes want a .54 Tranter that isn't Unreliable, they can buy a Good quality version.

As for a gunslinger weapon, you could take a pair of Khayer-Addin Dueling Laspistols for the cool factor. They are described as being revered weapons among Metallicans, so they'd fit the character well.

The stats for KA Dueling Laspistols are:

Range = 30m

RoF = S/-/-

Damage = 1d10+4 E

Pen = 4

Accurate, Tearing

Clip = 1

Reload = Full

Weight = 1.7kg

220 Thrones, Very Rare

The ammunition is also expensive -- it essentially fires special hotshot charge packs that cost 20 Thrones each and are Rare (Scarce on Scintilla).

If you were to use KA pistols, I'd get a red-dot sight for each gun and get the Rapid Reload talent.