Rusty
Purveyor of Fine Weaponry
Image Source
Intent: To create a heavy rail gun for [member="Rylan Thatcher"]
Development Thread: N/A
Manufacturer: Rusty's Custom Firearms and Cutlery
Model: Reason
Affiliation: [member="Rylan Thatcher"]
Modularity: No
Production: Unique
Material: Durasteel, alusteel, plastoid, rail gun components, microprocessor, rangefinder
Classification: Heavy rail gun
Size: Handheld
Length: 110 cm
Weight: 5.8 kilograms
Ammunition Type: Tungsten projectiles with aluminum jackets
Ammunition Capacity: 15 rounds in detachable box magazines with integrated power cells
Effective Range: 1000 meters
Rate of Fire: Semiautomatic
Special Features: Excellent armor piercing capabilities, RCFC's impact prediction software, extremely flat trajectory makes for an effective long range shooter.
Strengths:
- Tungsten is one of the few metals that can both stand up to the extreme forces generated by a powerful rail gun and be worked with, so it makes an excellent projectile. It's also really freaking dense, so get up some sped and it'll go through quite a lot. The fin-stabilized projectile is swaged in an aluminum jacket. This prevents the fins from being jammed up in the weapon's internals. When the current hits the aluminum, it converts into gaseous plasma, and helps complete the circuit that sends the tungsten flying down the barrel.
- The fins and the high velocity make for an extremely flat, predictable trajectory, making this weapon a gimme for use with RCFC's impact prediction software.
- The simple, efficient design makes Reason rugged and reliable.
- Recoil is heavy. Though the weapon's mass soaks up a lot of it, sustained, accurate rapid fire is nearly impossible at range. Due to the extreme electromagnetic forces generated by the rail gun, it was not deemed a suitable candidate for our recoil reduction setup.
- The aluminum jacket doesn't always burn off completely, creating sort of a tracer-like effect as the round zips through the air. This can give away the shooter's location if they're trying to be sneaky. This is more of an anti-materiel weapon than a sniper rifle.
- The IR laser for the rangefinder can be viewed through FLIR and night vision systems. It also is only effective out to about 1000 meters, limiting the weapon's effective range somewhat.
When the impact prediction software is properly zeroed and linked to a HUD, it will allow the shooter to place a round more or less wherever he wants, up to a range of about 1000 meters. The heavy tungsten projectiles have excellent armor piercing capabilities, capable of potentially holing light armor at 800 meters, medium armor at 500 meters, and nonexotic heavy armor at 300 meters. It can also be used to disable vehicles and lightly armored ships.
The rounds are stored in 15 round detachable box magazines. The magazines have rechargeable power cells built in that supply the energy for the weapon. Though the power cells can be recharged quickly with the included kit, doing so under fire is nearly impossible, so the customer is advised to plan accordingly.
Recoil is fairly intense, on the order of other large anti-materiel weapons. Firing rapidly and accurately is extremely difficult. This is a weapon best used at a comfortable distance. Also, using it on a starship, especially a thin-hulled civilian model, is extremely ill advised. Punching through a hull would make the customer very unpopular with what's left of his team.
All in all though, you can bet that if an opponent won't listen to common sense, they'll damn sure listen to Reason.
Primary Source: N/A
