I have a copy of this particular book on my nightstand and must have read it a dozen times by now. I think Corbett is the greatest of all the story tellers. In addition, he drops in tantalizing references to things without going into them - apparent references to the supernatural or the taboo. Perhaps this is the result of spending so much time in the mystical East.

As to guns for doing what he did, I'd take a 9.3 x 62 Type A Mauser with an S & W 1950 target in .44 special (ala Elmer Keith) as a sidearm. A 12 bore Winchester Model 12 with 00 buckshot might also be useful.