What's Next?

[91JEEPYJ]

Consider just a few of the major milestones in small arms improvements. Rifling and the minie' ball, percussion caps, self contained cartridges, lever actions and all the different variations of autoloading automatic weapons and their respective actions.

Question. What's next?

It seems as if any of the weapons that are meant to replace the existing weapons have only minor improvements. Take for instance the M-16. The HK416 is one such moderately improved weapon. If I'm not mistaken the only deference between the two is the short stroke piston of the HK416. Sure it increase the service life and reduces malfunctions but I don't know that I'd classify that improvement with the ones listed above. It wouldn't be a milestone.

Are small arms as good as they'll ever be? Are all the milestone improvements going to be in the larger weapons with things like computer guidance or in the ammo such as the types of things seen on TV?

 

[NDS]

Phased plasma rifle in the 40- watt range.

:biggrin:

 

[wolfhunter]

Look for weapons with electronic primers and caseless ammo: Electronic primer ignition system - Patent 5485786 and HK G11 RIFLE WITH CASELESS AMMUNITION

 

[6shootercarry]

Link Removed

"The Laser"...

Peace...

 

[GSDMan]

How about gyro stabilization that engages with a half press of the trigger?

Or how about a lead computing 1 - 1.5 power sight?

 

[Onlinedad]

how about "green" ammo. The projectile biodegrades without harming the environment... right after it rips through the BG.

 

[handgonnetoter]

They already have "caseless" ammo, the Army and Marines have been testing it for a while now. I read all about it in an issue, of a certain gun magazine, last year. My guess for replacing the bullet would be some kind of focused energy weapon. Think Star Trek! Beam me up Scotty!:sarcastic:

 

[91JEEPYJ]

Look for weapons with electronic primers and caseless ammo

I did some looking around with regards to caseless ammo and found this: Metal Storm - Home

After watching a few videos, I looked decided to look around on YouTube and found this. How did I miss this? Mac in all his coolness:sarcastic: offers a narration of the Metal storm system on Future Weapons.

YouTube - Future Weapons-Metal Storm

 

[wolfhunter]

They already have "caseless" ammo, the Army and Marines have been testing it for a while now. I read all about it in an issue, of a certain gun magazine, last year. My guess for replacing the bullet would be some kind of focused energy weapon. Think Star Trek! Beam me up Scotty!:sarcastic:

I did some looking around with regards to caseless ammo and found this: Metal Storm - Home

After watching a few videos, I looked decided to look around on YouTube and found this. How did I miss this? Mac in all his coolness:sarcastic: offers a narration of the Metal storm system on Future Weapons.

YouTube - Future Weapons-Metal Storm

HGT, I provided a link to the HK G11 which uses caseless ammo and was developed in the 70s and 80s. When I said to look for this, I meant production models available to the public.

Jeepy, I can see Firestorm technology replacing the GAU-series of multi-barreled guns.

 

[SC Tiger]

I'm going to vote caseless ammo. I know it's been in the works for a while but obviously it isn't perfected yet. I'm pretty sure it is a necessary technology for the metalstorm weapons.

 

[oldvet53]

Look for weapons with electronic primers and caseless ammo: Electronic primer ignition system - Patent 5485786 and HK G11 RIFLE WITH CASELESS AMMUNITION

if i'm not mistaken Daisy or some one in the '60's came out with a .22 that was caseless and electronicaly fired.

 

[91JEEPYJ]

Jeepy, I can see Firestorm technology replacing the GAU-series of multi-barreled guns.

I can see that too but the A-10 just wouldn't look the same without the rotating barrels. I hear those things can shoot all the ammo on board in a ridiculously short amount of time. 2 minutes or less?

So with regards to the caseless ammo... Having no case eliminates the need to extract a spent casing (eliminating problems with extractors and broken casings) but, without a case aren't the powder and possibly the primer exposed to the elements? It seems like a step back to the days of black powder getting wet and becoming useless.

Additionally the bolt still moves to the rear but only to load the next round? I definitely like the advantage of having no casings left behind to let the BG know you were ever there.

Looking at the drawing in the link wolfhunter provided, I thought something looked familiar. That magazine looks like it operates the same as the P-90. I don't have any experience with one of those, are they reliable? That's just for the HK G11 right. Caseless ammo doesn't necessarily have to feed like that does it?

 

[wolfhunter]

Jeepy, the tests the G11 underwent included submersion and high humidity conditions. The weapon and rounds worked fine. The big drawback was cost. IIRC, the propellant of the caseless round is compressed and sealed to keep out the elements.