Rusty
Purveyor of Fine Weaponry
Image Source
Intent: A personal weapon for [member="Liam Darkgear"] as well as the debut of a new product line
Development Thread: If Necessary
Manufacturer: Rusty's Custom Firearms and Cutlery
Model: Betsy
Affiliation: [member="Liam Darkgear"]
Modularity: Optics can be swapped out as needed
Production: Unique
Material: Durasteel, composite polymers, nylon, slugthrower components
Classification: Slugthrower
Size: Handheld
Length: 50 centimeters
Weight: 2 kg
Ammunition Type: .300 Whisper
Ammunition Capacity: 25 round detachable box magazines
Effective Range: 50 meters
Rate of Fire: Semiautomatic
Special Features: Optics, integrated suppressor, self-adjusted forearm brace, RFID tracking system that bonds weapon to customer
Description: Every now and then, a perfect storm of the right timing, ideas, and parts will come together to produce something truly terrifying. This is one of those instances.
Rusty doesn't normally name his weapons. Names are reserved for those that truly surpass the ordinary and have the potential to be legendary. Their unique power and capabilities are bonded to the customer in question. In order to receive shipment, an RFID chip will be implanted in their hand. If anyone other than the customer attempts to use the weapon, the trigger will permanently lock, rendering it useless without a trip back to RCFC. Any attempt to bypass the RFID will trigger a small thermite charge hidden within the weapon, which will permanently destroy it. This weapon cannot be sold, inherited, stolen, or otherwise transferred to another user.
The weapon started life as a semiautomatic .223 caliber "pistol". Pistol is in quotation marks because, according to any reasonable classification system, it would be a carbine, but that's a bit of legal fuzziness only a government could make sense out of. At any rate, it combines the rotating lug bolt of the AR-15 with a gas piston operating system and an internal buffer spring. The result is a compact carbine that is, under most circumstances, extremely reliable. So long as you don't mash it in a hydraulic press or cause some other sort of catastrophic damage, it will fire.
The original barrel has been swapped out with a new one chambered for the .300 Whisper. The Whisper is essentially a .233 cartridge that has been widened at the neck to accommodate a 250 grain .30 caliber projectile. Though not widely known or even commercially available, it has gained popularity among the firearm enthusiasts, who will often custom load rounds anyway and aren't terribly bothered by the idea. Its popularity stems from two reasons: firstly, it is immensely effective at close ranges with stopping power comparable to the .45 ACP, and secondly because the rounds are subsonic.
This is important because subsonic rounds work better with suppressors than their supersonic counterparts. Basically, when a supersonic projectile whizzes past your head, you hear a distinctive flat crack, not unlike the Incredible Hulk snapping his fingers. This will often reach your ears far in advance of the boom from the weapon firing, and once you've heard it, it is impossible to mistake for anything else. It's often the most reliable way to know you're being shot at. A subsonic round, however, does not produce that sonic boom, and thus, does not alert anyone in its path to its presence unless it hits something.
To capitalize on this, the barrel of the weapon is basically one giant suppressor. Vents have been bored into it at calculated intervals. The gas then enters the vents upon firing, where it encounters a series of baffles that both slow it down and redirect it. As a result, rather than the distinctive sound of a gunshot, the weapon emits a muted thump. Imagine someone slamming a book on a table that's been wrapped up in a wool blanket. It's not silent by any means, that's mostly movie garbage. It is, however, quiet enough to be fired without hearing protection, and more importantly, doesn't sound like a gunshot.
This does have a negative effect on range. A .300 Whisper round fired through a 20 inch barrel might be effective out past 200 meters. However, with the shortened barrel and suppression, this weapon has a maximum effective range of about 50 meters. While the weapon is devastating against unarmored opponents, its low muzzle velocity means it has trouble dealing with even light armor.
Rather than a traditional stock, the weapon features a self-adjusting forearm brace. Basically, it's a padded brace that sits above the forearm with an inch wide nylon strap that goes beneath it. Once he inserts is arm into the brace and grabs the pistol grip, the RFID verifies his identity and the brace automatically tightens to his preset comfort level. This allows the weapon to be fired safely with one hand, though it would still be far more accurate if both were used.
The weapon can be fitted with a wide variety of optics. Basically, any sight that can bolt onto a standard rail will fit on the weapon.
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