Please excuse me if this has been discussed before, but I have just reread Men at Arms. I am pretty sure that after Dr. Cruces loads the gonne for the last time there are seven shots from it.

Has anyone else noticed this or am I somehow counting incorrectly?

I can cite the shots I've counted if necessary, but maybe y'all know it already.

Hmm. I remember struggling to count them the first time I read it, but I'm not sure now. Go ahead and cite the shots!

Mrs G
The Garner who cares.

Vimes chases Dr. Cruces up from the city's underground.
Dr. Cruces is reloading. Vimes tackles Dr. Cruces in some sub-basement and
1) The gonne explodes and something strikes Vimes Helmet p.350
Vimes gets the gonne
2) He shoots into the plaster p.351
3) He shoots open a door p.351
4) He shoots at the ceiling p.351
5) He shoots at a chandelier p.352
6) He shoots the lock of a door p. 352
Dr. Cruces gets the gonne back,no indication that he re-loads, not enough time, and after Carrot stabs him
7) Dr. Cruces drops the gonne to the ground and it goes off p.356.

It had to be intentional, because there was at least one unnecessary shot, I mean the chandelier wasn't a threat. It fits Terry Pratchetts humor to have thrown in a seventh shot.

Thank you for responding to my post. Has anyone had this discussion before?

I don't remember discussing this before. I will have to get the book out to have a look!

Mrs G
The Garner who cares.

It's been a while since I last read it, but does the book say that the gonne has six shots?

Every fight is a food fight to a cannibal. - Demetri Martin

Having just read it, trust me my memory doesn't hold that long...

There are six tubes to hold powder and bullets.

In the scene just before, when Vimes, Vetinari and the gang are hiding behind an overturned carriage from Dr. Cruces shooting, Vimes counts six shots before they move the wounded.

So, since Terry Pratchett made such a big deal about counting to six I think maybe he was making a subtle joke by putting in a seventh shot.
Which is why I like the way he thinks.

Bjorn Hammerlolck is quoted in his workshop as saying...
'Amazing,' he said. 'I think that moving this tube down the barrel forces the, er, six chambers to slide along, presenting a new one to the, er, firing hole.

I had to look that up recently as I haven't read it in a while, but I also remember an empty set of chambers was found by Carrot(?) and given to Vimes so he did know there was six shots.

I want to die peacefully in my sleep, just like grandpa. Not screaming and panicking like his passengers.
Don't drink and drive from The Lancre Tavern

I could have been an allusion to Dirty Harry. Just a thought.

Every fight is a food fight to a cannibal. - Demetri Martin

I have not checked the gun in the book but just because most revolvers are 6 shot not all are - The Le Mat had 9 plus a shotgun barrel.