The Next Generation of weapons.....

Cross hair Thank you for your thoughts. I allways like a good discussion.
So I will respond to your considered response:

1. caseless ammo with the exception of a small stub, will be propellant. This eliminates the need for metal and therefore eliminates the cost of the metal case.

2. despite what we think of the EPA's position on pollution, "overated" is the law and the Army is actively attempting to come into compliance with the Law. Clean up of a small facility like Fort Chaffe will run into the Billions of dollars. A post like Fort Hood, the clean up cost is inestimable. Currently, submunitions are washing off post in streams which come off of the impact area.

Ceramics are allready being used in some weapons systems. 120mm, AAH Gau 8 and the Bradely chain gun. That ceramic is made from depleted uranium but it is a ceramic by definition.

3. Packaging. even if your position of a cased ammo is right, a combiniation package/magazine is currently feasible. From a logistics point of view it will eliminate a great deal of Cube as the current packaging material must be retrieved and dispositioned.

4. I never said smart bulletts. I do not believe that is feasible in the next 10 years. The XM 25 was based on out moded technology. Currently. Micro processors and sensors are being developed at the molecular level. These will be readily adapted to smart infantry weapons in the 10 to 12 gauge range.

5. No debate on the form of the rifle.

6. the smart grenades will use the moledular level processors and sensors which all ready exist. Optics are not needed.

Runaway yes I saw it and I think I have it in my collection. could not remember the Name when I wrote this piece.

As to getting the grenade to detonate at the proper time, a laser range finder slaved to an internal programing device incorporated into the launcher would give proper range. As far as the effectiveness of the fragments are concerned. it depends on what materials you use for the grenade body. That is all I can say on the materials subject.

Despite all of the high tech stuff we have been discussing, what I really believe is this.

There is no substitute for a trained rifleman with a calibrated M-1 eyeball using a solid bolt action sniper rifle.

Thanks for the comments and the discussion.

If you are ever down AZ way give me a jingle and we will bust some caps.
 
Crosshair makes good points. So does Itc444, only you only need a few good men with bolt action rifles and anyway, good eyeballs are hard to come by.
 
The next innovation will be not so much in the theory of guided bullets but more than likely in the design of interchangeability to reduce logistics or more so simplifying the supply and demand. A system so simple it will revolutionize everything. So thinking outside the box will be needed No one did that better than John Browning. So will we see another John Browning?
 
I know I'm dreaming, but I'd like to see something exotic........like learning to shoot what we have now rather then spending time and effort on something else we can't shoot.

We talk about smart bullets, laser guided ammo, etc etc.

We have them, you put the cross hairs on a target, or line up the front sights, you're gonna hit what your aiming at.

Regardless whether is a 1903 Springfield's, or some new fancy gizmo, the bullet goes the way its pointed.

Let me give you an example: I have several high priced target pistols. Went out and shot some of them yesterday. The pistol I shoot the best, (and was confirmed again yesterday) was my old used M-64 Smith using cast bullets. Forgot what I paid for it, it wasn't much compared to some of the other pistols/revolvers I have.

I realize this is a romantic concept, but I can dream can't I?
 
Conversion.

It is all about conversion, or energy transfer.

A dense/hard object traveling at a hi rate of speed is realy effective at damage.

Untill physics change, we will always have bullets.
 
There's no way anything the size of a bullet, moving at bullet speeds is going to be guided any time soon. There's NO WAY that thing could turn that fast. Yeah, maybe adjust a matter of inches or even a few feet at long range but "flying around corners" at 3,000 fps, no way. Beyond that, the logistics of fitting a guidance system in a package that small would be complex beyond feasibility and extremely cost prohibitive.


In reference to "smart" rounds, they already exist. They can even be programmed to explode in various directions... like "300 meters and explode downward", or "100 meters and explode all-around."

Short some new kind of energy production and/or battery technology, hand-held energy weapons with damage in the time-frame and power of firearms are completely unrealistic.
 
"...development tends to be evolutionary over revolutionary.."

I tend to agree and that’s why I note the Taser as an evolutionary step forward as the first of the line energy weapons in common usage. Think along the lines of from cap and ball to contained cartridge.
 
Caseless ammunition is possible. It adds reliability to a degree as the case no longer is ejected. Electrical ignition would probably make that system more reliable, also removes the need for a firing pin hole in a bolt that needs to hold back gas pressure.

Other options may include a new form of rocket bullets, rounds that would self accelerate past 4000 fps outside of the barrel. The gyrojet pistols shortcoming was it used the rocket motor to generate all its speed. If the rocket bullet was instead treated as a second stage it could possibly be useful.

Electrically operated actions could have some potential. Idea being that it could clear the action of duds or misfeeds automatically..

Ammo feeding devices are the current craze. Figuring out how to hold more ammo in a smaller space is key. Making a revolutionary system will likely require new ammo designs that work with it. Some new form of links for belted MGs may be the future for that system.
 
I don't know if this already exists, but all the components seem to. I think that soldiers (and presumably SWAT-types) would benefit from having a heads-up dislplay projecting the view from their rifle-mounted optic onto the lense of their safety goggles on the dominant eye side.

It may already be out there and just be too expensive; i haven't seen it. (not my line of work)

They have tiny wireless cameras for cheap; they have video goggles; they also have HUD technology; it would seem easy to combine them.
 
Old Way of Doing Things

I remember when you could point your finger at the other guy, yell BANG your dead! And he grabbed his chest and fell down. Now that is as high tech as you can get, to top it off later you could go have milk and cookies with the "dead man". :D

Sorry About That!! I'm in one of "those" moods tonight.:rolleyes:
 
Noisy Cricket.
Click to expand...

I'd rather shoot my 20 Gauge AOW with 3" slugs....one handed.

MotelGunAOW1.JPG
 
pessimistic

I suspect that future weapons available to the private sector will be less lethal and we will be disappointed and angry that we will end up with inferior weapons to what the gov't and the criminals have.

I am waiting for the time when the other side will argue that we can defend our families and property with rubber bullets while the police, armed forces and criminals continue to own the newest, lethal technology.

This debate will continue to ebb and flow. I hope I am wrong but I don't see the glass half empty here, I see it half empty and with a crack in it.
 
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