Rusty
Purveyor of Fine Weaponry
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Intent: Personal Shotgun for [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"]
Development Thread: If Necessary
Manufacturer: RCFC
Model: ML-20
Affiliation: [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"]
Modularity: No
Production: Production: Unique
Material: Durasteel, wood, brass, slugthrower components
Classification: Slugthower Shotgun
Size: Handheld
Length: 30 cm
Weight: <1kg
Ammunition Type: 20 gauge shotgun shell
Ammunition Capacity: 4 rounds in the tube magazine, plus an additional one stored in the chamber
Effective Range: 15 meters
Rate of Fire: Lever Action
Special Features: Designed specifically for shipboard combat
Description: Like most things, firearm technology trends change over time. There are, however, a few designs that remain truly timeless. Lever action rifles and shotguns certainly count.
The Mare's Leg is perhaps one of the most famous examples.
Originally a full-sized 20 gauge shotgun, this particular example has been cut down to make it much, much more compact. With an overall length of 30 centimeters and a barrel length of 20 cm, it certainly is a lot more maneuverable than the original weapon. This comes at a price; the recoil for traditional lethal rounds such as buckshot and slugs is tremendous. The customer will have to grip the weapon with both hands if she wishes to employ them, otherwise she will almost certainly break her wrist in the process of firing.
However, her stated emphasis was on nonlethal rounds, and for that purpose, RCFC has developed a custom round just for her. Instead of traditional rubber shot, which hurts like the devil but isn't necessarily incapacitating, these rounds utilize porous ceramic flechettes. The darts are sharp enough to piece the skin, but lightweight enough that they won't penetrate much further than the subcutaneous fat or maybe the first layers of muscle, depending on where they hit. They're designed to fracture on impact, releasing a fast acting sedative which will put most beings down. As a general rule of thumb, a single round will incapacitate a human sized target, with additional rounds required to knock out larger beings such as wookiees. For smaller beings such as Jawas or Ewoks, winging shots are advised, in order to prevent overdose.
In order to keep them from fracturing inside the weapon, they're stored in a special polystyrene sabot that cushions them inside the barrel, but dissolves as soon as it leaves. Between the low mass of the rounds and the lighter powder charge, these rounds may be fired one-handed safely, though the recoil is still nothing to sneeze at. Also, while the rounds are designed to be nonlethal, there's no such thing as a truly 100% nonlethal projectile. If the target gets hit in the face or throat, it is possible for them to kill it. Furthermore, there's no way to predict how the sedatives will interact with any drugs already in their system, and if the target is allergic to the sedative, anaphylactic shock may result, which can be fatal if untreated.
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