OT: Interesting Magazine Article

[pmulcahy11b]

If you get a chance to pick a copy of the May issue of Small Arms Review, you will find an interesting article: A study of the M-41 Pulse Rifle (from Aliens), along with a lineage of sorts starting with caseless ammunition experiments in the 1960s. Sort of the magazine's first piece of speculative fiction.

[Tegyrius]

Well, there goes eight bucks! :D Does it align with the material presented in the Colonial Marines Technical Manual?

- C.

[pmulcahy11b]

EDIT: forgot to say that it's told from the viewpoint of someone in the 22nd century.

It's like the Colonial Marines Technical Manual for the most part, but goes into more detail on things like recoil, ballistics, possible alternate loads for the rifle and grenade launcher (and details about those loads).

[95th Rifleman]

Considering the German work on the G11 and the American advances in electronic firing presented by the metal storm system, caseless field rifles may be around sooner than people think.

lets face it, the basic firearm has gone as far as it's ever going to go. The only things that can be improved are sights, tactical attachments and ammunition.

we've pretty much exhausted the level of technological advancements in the way of sighing systems with combined ACOG/reflex systems as well as man-portable nightfighting equipment.

Same with tactical attachments, we now have universal grenade launcher systems that can fit almost any rifle, the picatinny system allows for complete customisation with grips, rests, tactical lighting systems etc.

Ammunition is the sticking point, there is a huge debate on calibre at the moment with theories that the intermediate round is just not providing the first-hit kill shot needed on the battlefield. Also cased ammuntion is bulky and carries it's own set of problems and debates.

caseless ammunition is the way forward with every major country having it's own development program, the problem is technology. Issues such as premature cook off and reliable firing systems holding it back. I'd put good money on a functional, caseless rifle signed off for field use within the next 2 decades. But it won't be western, i have a feeling China or even Russia will jump ahead in this regard as the western powers have too many commitments to take caseless research all that seriously. Why fix what isn't broken when the western millitary/industrial complex is churning out NATO standard ammo effectively and safely.

[StainlessSteelCynic]

Considering the German work on the G11 and the American advances in electronic firing presented by the metal storm system, caseless field rifles may be around sooner than people think.

lets face it, the basic firearm has gone as far as it's ever going to go. The only things that can be improved are sights, tactical attachments and ammunition.

we've pretty much exhausted the level of technological advancements in the way of sighing systems with combined ACOG/reflex systems as well as man-portable nightfighting equipment.

Same with tactical attachments, we now have universal grenade launcher systems that can fit almost any rifle, the picatinny system allows for complete customisation with grips, rests, tactical lighting systems etc.

Ammunition is the sticking point, there is a huge debate on calibre at the moment with theories that the intermediate round is just not providing the first-hit kill shot needed on the battlefield. Also cased ammuntion is bulky and carries it's own set of problems and debates.

caseless ammunition is the way forward with every major country having it's own development program, the problem is technology. Issues such as premature cook off and reliable firing systems holding it back. I'd put good money on a functional, caseless rifle signed off for field use within the next 2 decades. But it won't be western, i have a feeling China or even Russia will jump ahead in this regard as the western powers have too many commitments to take caseless research all that seriously. Why fix what isn't broken when the western millitary/industrial complex is churning out NATO standard ammo effectively and safely.
I beg to differ on two points.
1. The Metalstorm system is Australian designed and developed but a US company was set up to allow marketing and further technology progression
and
2. The US Army is already studying alternate ammunition types and the weapons to fire them. The US Army figures that with all the extra electronic gear that they want an infantryman to carry in the next decade and on (and all the batteries to power them), they need to shave weight from other areas to keep the total load down. The LSAT programme was started in 2004

LSAT light machinegun
http://world.guns.ru/machine/usa/lsat-e.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LSAT_light_machine_gun
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?139128-LSAT-the-future-of-small-arms
http://defense-update.com/products/l/LSAT.htm

LSAT ammunition
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LSAT_caseless_ammunition
http://www.giantbomb.com/caseless-ammunition/93-4517/all-images/52-490492/r2_ammo2/51-1618150/
http://www.special-operations-technology.com/sotech-home/273-sotech-2010-volume-8-issue-7-september/3365-lighter-ammunition-less-is-more.html
http://www.defensereview.com/stories/aailmga/Army%20Science%20Conf%20_3A_.pdf

LSAT rifle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LSAT_rifle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MR-C

[95th Rifleman]

I beg to differ on two points.
1. The Metalstorm system is Australian designed and developed but a US company was set up to allow marketing and further technology progression
and
2. The US Army is already studying alternate ammunition types and the weapons to fire them. The US Army figures that with all the extra electronic gear that they want an infantryman to carry in the next decade and on (and all the batteries to power them), they need to shave weight from other areas to keep the total load down. The LSAT programme was started in 2004

LSAT light machinegun
http://world.guns.ru/machine/usa/lsat-e.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LSAT_light_machine_gun
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?139128-LSAT-the-future-of-small-arms
http://defense-update.com/products/l/LSAT.htm

LSAT ammunition
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LSAT_caseless_ammunition
http://www.giantbomb.com/caseless-ammunition/93-4517/all-images/52-490492/r2_ammo2/51-1618150/
http://www.special-operations-technology.com/sotech-home/273-sotech-2010-volume-8-issue-7-september/3365-lighter-ammunition-less-is-more.html
http://www.defensereview.com/stories/aailmga/Army%20Science%20Conf%20_3A_.pdf

LSAT rifle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LSAT_rifle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MR-C

Wasn't aware of the LSAT system, my thanks for bringing it to my attention.