You can now own a gauss rifle

[TheDan]

Neat,

I'm not sure why the designers insist on a 600 grain projectile. It would be much more effective as a 20 grain projectile travelling at 3000m a second than a 600 grain projectile travelling at 70m a second.

Easier to develop slow and heavy first. Just look at the .45acp
There's going to be limits on how fast they can trigger the coils, too. They probably aren't running into those limits at 70m/s, but dunno if they could trigger fast enough for 3000m/s. Realistically 700m/s would be plenty.

 

[Brains]

I haven't done the math, but I imagine a lot of the projectile selection has to do with magnetic flux density.

 

[gll]

In this video interview with the developer, he says that a Gauss rifle has a limit on velocity regardless of projectile weight unlike a rail gun...

 

[gll]

Always glad to see innovation from US mfrs, but this is not ready for prime time. Did anyone RTFA? Here are some quotes:

-- a 20-pound rifle (20 pounds without battery, that is)
that means half of America couldn't even lift the rifle once the batteries are installed. I'm guessing it'll weigh around 50 lbs with batteries. Definitely not ready for all 3 of "shoot, move, communicate"


-- fires its 12mm steel projectile at a muzzle velocity of about 275 fps, producing 65 foot-pounds of energy... about as much punch as a .22 short. 4 grand for a 22 that weighs 50 lbs? Hard pass.

-- the magazines hold ten rounds apiece.
Well, ex-pat Californians will feel right at home.

-- you have to sign a waiver to buy one because when you play with that much electricity, there is always the possibility of lighting yourself up instead of the target.
Gets better and better. I hope they continue to improve, but for now, it's nothing but a science project.

I think the developers are very aware of the limitations of this development model and are probably only trying to sell it to get funding for more development...

 

[TheDan]

In this video interview with the developer, he says that a Gauss rifle has a limit on velocity regardless of projectile weight unlike a rail gun...

Interesting... I figured the speed limitation would be on coil timing, but sounds more like the limiting factor is the capacitor storage and discharge rate.

 

[sdravei]

can't wait to blow up a squirrel with a gauss rifle

 

[Sasquatch]

Yeah the ammo is literally raw steel. well if it's ferromagnetic it is. If it's non ferromagnetic they use aluminum or copper.

Steel is pretty easy to make into tiny pellets and you don't need gun powder or primers -- the disadvantage of a gauss rifle is you need a shit ton of power to use it. I'm not even kidding, some of the original designs had people with nuclear power packs (in theory).

Anyone want to strap on a backpack that if it cracks everyone dies?

As a kid who loooooved the ghost busters and their "unlicensed nuclear accelerators" my initial reaction is "yes" - if I could afford and obtain a nuclear powered gauss rifle - hell yeah I'd strap a glow-bug on my back. Everyone dies - may as well enjoy life right? I think the back pack power supply would be heavy as hell though - between the nuclear core, the lead shield, the frame, cooling system, the cables to power the actual rifle part. Seems like it would be heavier than the backpack powered electric mini guns. A lot heavier.

I'm not sure ATF would be in charge of regulating these either - there are literally no explosions - this seems that, like lasers, it would fall under FCC jurisdiction, which is equally scary, and they will no doubt move to ban them. Until weapon laws catch up to technology, or the 2A is completely upheld with the "shall not be infringed" part actually being adhered to - even when the gubmint troops have direct energy weapons and shit, they'll be like "well, you can't have this 40-watt plasma rifle, you can have a musket instead" or "Yeah, we have particle beam weapons - you can have that cute little neutered AR15 with the bullet button and fin grip with your 5 round magazine, because we have a 50 shot power pack with no recoil"

But when you can build these with parts you can order from eBay, Amazon, or find at the modern equivalent to Radio Shack... oo boy. They can't stop 3D printed guns, or AK's being made out of shovels. Once the tech advances, those who would try to regulate and stop the propagation of weapons will have a whole new set of things to worry about.