Perfect PC Sidearm
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Vladika
SOC-14 1K
HESH = High Explosive Squash Head
Used primarily by the British Armor Corp main tank weapon. Also in the US Army 165mm Demolition Gun (M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle only, though some Abrams are being modified).
There isn't always "penetration" in the classic sense. The explosive charge flattens out just before explosion occurs. This usually will "spall off" the inner armor from the outer. This portion assumes the near velocity of the High Explosive used; 24,000-30,000 ft/sec. It then totally mangles pretty much any flesh contained by the original armor shell due to ricochet.
In a tank, it is usually hosed and pumped out after recovery.
For a person inside battle armor, IF the spall occurs, there would be ZERO chance of survival.
There is no need for a stand off detonator, initial velocity is meaningless.
Hit + Penetration = KILL. (For humans, not vehicle.)
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With a snubbie? You can't get through a bulkhead, much less the hull. That hull can stop a round from a 75mm tank gun. Even the CT bulkhead will stop a snubbie.
The interior partitions, though - not gonna stop a snub HEAP. On the other hand, if you're aboard ship and facing someone you need a HEAP to stop, bystanders are a bit down on the priority list.
Timerover51
SOC-14 5K
I keep looking at this poll and thinking that, for me, the perfect sidearm for all circumstances does not exist. It would depend on the setting and what I am supposed to be doing.
Mind you, that the partition will set off the round, in that the Snub rounds at introduction are moving little faster than Paintball Mark rounds.....
I could argue, but looking at some old rules that pretty much is the case with both HE and the HEAP. (Looking in AHL and Stricker the Snub pistol is pretty assume except for the range)
I remember the 20mm HEAP gauss pistol round from the weapon offered in the old game Space Opera. That was a hand cannon. To depict it we used a picture from the cover of an old Stainless Steel Rat novel I had.
That handgun gave us a number of Dirty Harry moments. Not too many armed with sidearms are willing to argue for long with a line of reasoning based on a 20mm gauss weapon...
That handgun gave us a number of Dirty Harry moments. Not too many armed with sidearms are willing to argue for long with a line of reasoning based on a 20mm gauss weapon...
shadowcat20
SOC-12
Shame no one has done anything with the old Gyrojet pistols. A puff of gass pushes it out of the barrel then it ignights the moter and zooms to target. Sort of a hand held rocket launcher. (Note: historical ones ignighted in the barrel and shot out) You could pack all sorts of nastyness into the warhead of one. Say a TDX charge to concentrate penatration? Or even gas or flash rounds. It would be a great zero G weapon with slight mods.
Timerover51
SOC-14 5K
The US equivalent was the High Explosive Plastic round for the 105mm gun on the M60, early Abrams, and modified M48. A lot easier on the gun barrel than the APFSDS or HEAT rounds, due to much lower velocity, 2400 feet per second. It is also great at bunker busting. The US 106mm Recoiless Rifle also had a HEP round, while the British 120mm Recoiless had one very nasty HESH round.
Hum, I see you just described both the Accelerator rifle and the Assault Rocket Launcher...
Gyrojet sounds sexier. They might both work the same, but sometimes marketing is required to get that government contract which will see one's product picked up by space forces...
I actually think Gyroc (SJGames name) is cool as well. I have been pondering translating all the options in Gurps into Traveller terms for MgT....
I was always partial to the Robocop gun, which I think was a modified Baretta capable of firing full auto.
p.s. whatever happened to UncleBob and trader jim?
p.s. whatever happened to UncleBob and trader jim?
shadowcat20
SOC-12
Acc rifle and ARL are Traveller items created for the game. The Gyrojet pistol is a rel item from the 60's IIRC.
Timerover51
SOC-14 5K
You are correct as to the timing. While the problems with accuracy might have eventually been licked, watching a guy catch the rockets as they came out of the barrel did tend to make one a bit leery of the weapon.
The main character in a novel that I am working on carries an 11.5mm semi-automatic that bears more than a passing resemblance to the Colt M1911A1 .45 ACP.
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Hum, shades of John Varley's Gaea Trilogy...
Timerover51
SOC-14 5K
I do not know that one. I do reasonably well shooting with a .45. Seven shots in the 4 inch bull at 25 yards using the standard military site on the one I was issued in the Army. Not spectacular, but I figure that it would have gotten the job done if needed in earnest.
Autopistol.
Simple ammunition that low tech worlds can make, reliable against what your gonna be shooting your sidearm at.
I don't really worry too much about the recoil, as the slide coming forward helps cancel it a bit, but even at that, I remember reading the ever knowledgeable internet on the subject of weapons in space, and I don't think I'd be worrying about 5 degrees a minute of rotation. Even then, I'd preferably be behind something and holding onto it while I am shooting corsairs.
Sometimes a classic just won't go away.
Simple ammunition that low tech worlds can make, reliable against what your gonna be shooting your sidearm at.
I don't really worry too much about the recoil, as the slide coming forward helps cancel it a bit, but even at that, I remember reading the ever knowledgeable internet on the subject of weapons in space, and I don't think I'd be worrying about 5 degrees a minute of rotation. Even then, I'd preferably be behind something and holding onto it while I am shooting corsairs.
Sometimes a classic just won't go away.
1) If the slide coming forward cancels a significant amount of recoil, are you giving your players a negative to damage? Remember, all the power of this weapon is coming from the explosive force of the propellant. If the slide coming forward is a significant counterbalance, it is stealing force from the bullets.
2) The five degrees a minute aren't a big deal to the character's spin, but they will effect aim for the subsequent shots.
shadowcat20
SOC-12
I sort of expect Traveller higher tech projectile weapons to go the caseless route. Due to not needing the barrel length as much for building up pressure you could go with carbine bullpup designs. The round could accellerate even more after leaving the muzzle and no brass cases flipping all over. Ammo may be easier to make if the ignition is all in the breech. Drop projectile into mold, pour propellant mix, run through a sizer die when dry and load in clip.
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