Rusty
Purveyor of Fine Weaponry
Image Source
Intent: To create a hand cannon for [member="Krest"]
Development Thread: If Necessay
Manufacturer: Rusty's Custom Firearms and Cutlery
Model: N/A
Affiliation: @Krest
Modularity: No.
Production: Unique
Material: Durasteel, slugthrower components, recoil reduction system components
Classification: Slugthrower
Size: Handheld, technically.
Length: 33 cm
Weight: 3.7 kilograms
Ammunition Type: Proprietary .500 Magnum rounds
Ammunition Capacity: 5 rounds
Effective Range: Personal
Rate of Fire: Single Action
Special Features: Uses special ammunition designed to deliver maximum kinetic impact to armored foes, proprietary gas piston recoil reduction system makes it firing the weapon manageable.
Strengths:
- The .500 Magnum round was purposefully developed by RCFC for this very pistol. It uses a 550 grain hollowpoint bullet, and when used with this weapon, has a projected muzzle velocity of 700 m/s. Specifically designed to outperform the .500 S&W.
- Uses a proprietary gas piston recoil reduction system to cancel out as much of the recoil as possible. Just beyond the chamber is a port of a gas tube. A small portion of the firing gasses are redirected to a rail-guided piston that sits at the front of the weapon, just under the muzzle. The piston is twice the weight of the projectile. The gases launch it backwards, in the opposite direction of the bullet's travel, cancelling out much of the recoil. When it reaches the end of its travel, a hydraulic buffer spring soaks up much of the energy and returns it to the front of the weapon, where an electromagnet holds it in place.
- Delivers a load of 8735 joules (6442 ft.lbs) to the target. Although that's less than half of what a .50 BMG will do, that's still roughly the equivalent of a Volkswagen Beetle hitting a wall at 17 kilometers an hour. Even if it doesn't penetrate, a strike to an armored plate could potentially deliver a debilitating energy load.
Weaknesses:
- This revolver weighs as much as some rifles. It is not by any stretch of the imagination a light, comfortable carry. And at 33 cm long, it's nearly as long as some carbines. Plus, the recoil system makes it extremely front heavy. This is not a weapon that is easy to carry, or aim with any degree of accuracy beyond maybe about 10 meters, unless the shooter props it up on something like, say, a tank.
- The recoil reduction system is about 70% efficient, meaning the act of firing won't break the user's wrist. However, it's still quite beastly. Firing one handed is not recommended, since there's a very good chance the shooter would pop themselves in the face.
- The recoil reduction system takes about a half second to reset properly. Though that might not seem like much, when combined with the necessity of a single action design (since there's not a double action design in the galaxy that'll stand up to the forces involved) and the difficulty involved in aiming the thing, a skilled user might get off a shot every second and a half if they're trying to hit what they're aiming at. Might.
- The gas pressure generated by the round is enormous. The noise from the muzzle blast is loud enough to cause permanent hearing loss, and in an enclosed area, can easily rupture unprotected ear drums. Because of gas leakage between the cylinder and the barrel that is typical for most revolvers, it is entirely possible to lose a finger if you have it resting on the wrong part of the weapon when it's fired.
- Routine maintenance is a must. Failure to keep the recoil reduction system lubricated and free of carbon buildup will dramatically reduce its effectiveness. If it drops below 30% efficiency, injury to the user will result. Failure to keep the hydraulic buffer in working order will result in catastrophic failure. There's an awful lot that can go wrong with this thing, when you think about it.
As I laid out in this blog post, there are two ways to defeat armor. The first is to punch through it. The second is to deliver enough kinetic energy to cause grievous injury to the person wearing it. This weapon relies on Method 2.
See, most armor stops attacks by taking the energy behind it and spreading it out over as wide an area as possible. The kinetic energy is still transferred to the target, but by spreading it out, it's a lot less harmful. This is the guiding principle behind everything from boiled leather to beskar'gam. However, as anyone who has ever taken a round to the chest while wearing a bulletproof vest can attest (rhymes are fun), a lot less harmful is a far cry from harmless. When a typical 9mm round strikes a police officer's bulletproof vest, it will stop dead. The officer can expect a nasty bruise and to get the wind knocked out of him. When a 7.62x39 round (the standard for AKs) strikes a soldier's vest, they can expect massive contusions, cracked ribs, and maybe even internal bleeding.
When the .500 Magnum strikes a beskar plate, you're going to have the energy of a low speed car crash delivered to an area the size of a dinner plate, if that.
Obviously, that doesn't guarantee a kill, or even injury. There are some designs of beskar'gam that do a lot to mitigate kinetic impact, and would protect the user quiet well. Also, something like a stormtrooper's plate, which is both extremely resistant to kinetic penetration and covers a wide area, might protect the target to the point that they suffer from nothing more than a light bruise across their upper body. Also, it'll require a square on hit to be maximally effective. Angled or curved armor would increase the chances of the round deflecting off harmlessly.
However, on those rare occasions where the round does hit square on, and the target isn't protected well against kinetic impact, the results should be spectacular.
As was mentioned above, routine maintenance with this weapon is of the utmost importance. Failure to follow proper care procedures will almost certainly result in catastrophic failure. If this thing blows up, the user can expect to lose a hand, at the very least. Also, while it's necessarily sturdy as hell, the gas piston and accompanying cylinder are vulnerable to Force crushes of exceptional power. It'll take some effort, but if someone manages to crimp the cylinder even a little, it'll render it ineffective. Firing without a functional recoil reduction system will result in personal injury. Let me say that again, but bolder: Firing without a functional recoil reduction system will result in personal injury.
Primary Source: N/A
