The gauss survival weapon.

[veltyen]

I thought a gaus weapon used magnetic coils to accelerate the round. Last time I looked glass and most rocks were not magnetic. Am I missing something.

Yup.

The design is closer to a mass driver. There is a small steel (or other metal) shotglass that the projectile gets popped into. That shotglass never leaves the barrel, it just gets magnetically accelerated up the barrel, and then buffered at the end (magnetically, mechanically whatever) so that it doesn't fly out.

Like a mass driver having the gauss field of an active projectile to couple with.

 

[far-trader]

Which is of course more inefficient, complicated and expensive. It'll take more power to get the same effect and if you're using found shot it'll be much less efficient and effective in itself. This is not imo the way to build a survival weapon. A simple slug weapon with ammo will be smaller, lighter, cheaper, more reliable, just better in every way.

My survival weapon of choice would be a small gauge shotgun under a small caliber carbine with a hollow stock holding the rounds for both. In fact they (did?) make just such a weapon, but I don't have my link handy or recall the manufacturer. I'll see if the memory twigs or I can dig up a link.

EDIT: Found it. The M6:

http://www.oldjimbo.com/survival/v-shrake/m6.html

 

[veltyen]

Which is of course more inefficient, complicated and expensive. It'll take more power to get the same effect and if you're using found shot it'll be much less efficient and effective in itself. This is not imo the way to build a survival weapon. A simple slug weapon with ammo will be smaller, lighter, cheaper, more reliable, just better in every way.

You could still use a gauss weapon. Just make a folding light gauss rifle with a subsize round and a separate battery system to the clip. Gauss needles are already really small, do the above and you might go down as far as 2g/shot. Means a 500 round clip weighs a stupendously heavy single kilo.

The M6 uses .22 and 410 shells, neither of which are terribly powerful, a short light gauss weapon would be of a kind.

 

[Brian Smaller]

How about a rocket round instead. Short barrel, rocket assisted heavy calibre round. Could use variety of loads. Just ideal for dealing with T-Rex analogues.

 

[far-trader]

All in my not so humble opinion of course...

You could still use a gauss weapon. Just make a folding light gauss rifle with a subsize round and a separate battery system to the clip. Gauss needles are already really small, do the above and you might go down as far as 2g/shot. Means a 500 round clip weighs a stupendously heavy single kilo.

The M6 uses .22 and 410 shells, neither of which are terribly powerful, a short light gauss weapon would be of a kind.

How about a rocket round instead. Short barrel, rocket assisted heavy calibre round. Could use variety of loads. Just ideal for dealing with T-Rex analogues.

I guess that's the point What is the definition of a "Survival" weapon?

Do you need the long range, high armor penetration and high autofire and round capacity that a gauss rifle gives you?

Do you need the stopping power of a bazooka?

Or is a simple varmint rifle and light bird-shotgun enough?

Depends on what's for dinner on the planet you find yourself marooned on

But let's not try to make this some uber weapon. It shouldn't be your first choice when Imperial Marines in Battle Dress come knocking at the hatch for a look around. And you shouldn't be thinking it's the one you want to take on that sport hunting trip to Jurassic Safari World.

It should be the simple, small, light, cheap weapon you wouldn't want to use for big game hunting but don't mind always having stowed under the seat in the air/raft or in the ship's locker as part of the survival kit. It should be something that is hard to break with few moving parts and none of them delicate. It should be loosely enough engineered that you can pour sand through it, drop it in the mud, and still shoot it.

The M6 fits the bill to a T in my opinion. Well, I'm not sure about the sand and mud tolerances bit but it should be.

You should also be thinking it's not something to keep you alive from all harm for years and years. Able to put down a dangerous large predator or hold off a small army. You should be thinking just enough to get you some small game to eat and maybe make some noise to signal the rescuers who you hope are coming before too long.

Trent's original idea of using found items for ammo isn't bad. Though I'd rather not have to be looking for ammo and wondering how well it'll work. And I'm just not sure it marries well with gauss/rail tech. It all sounds expensive and fussy to me. But as I said both of those are just problems (one's marketing, one's engineering) to work out if you want the idea in your game.

 

[far-trader]

Having a think on it (a gauss survival rifle) how about something like this...

The WRU Gauss Survival Weapon (GSW):

A limited range and power application of gauss weapon technology geared to small game hunters and survival gear kits. The GSW is a semi-auto 6 round small arm, capable of firing a single shot or a six shot spread. The weapon is subsonic with very little felt recoil. The darts are shorter and fatter than standard gauss ammunition for lower penetration and more damage on the small unarmored targets it is intended for. Each ammo cylinder holds 6 of the special rounds and an integral power pack to fire them and is loaded through a break action where the stock folds for transport. The trigger is a squeeze bar design to allow ease of firing with heavy gloves or an injured hand.

The weapon is made primarily of molded plassteel for long life and low cost, and is practically zero maintenance and self cleaning. A simple peep sight and folding stock with the short barrel allow the light weight weapon to be easily carried or stowed out of the way but handy even in small spaces. The hollow stock includes secure storage for 20 ammo cylinders. Special signal flare dart ammo cylinders are available for attracting rescuers. Each signal flare emits a bright light and smoke trail as it burns up upon being fired, either singly or six at once which is a well recognized emergency help signal across charted space thanks to the aggressive advertising campaign. The standard ammo loadout of the stock is 15 hunting cylinders and 5 signal cylinders.

-----

Specifics of the weapon will depend on the rule set. It should be lower damage than a gauss pistol, with less range than a gauss rifle, about half of each at a guess. No more than 1D damage per shot or 2D damage for six-shot in CT. In shotgun mode it should have a bonus to hit but no group hits due to the limited range and spread. Price and weight would be about equal to a gauss pistol, not including ammo.

 

[Brian Smaller]

I just think that a weapon that requires power might not be my first choice for a survival weapon. If I was stuck on the Marooned Alone adventure I would rather have an auto rifle of some description.

 

[Icosahedron]

Likewise, I wouldn't choose gauss.

Gimme a good air pistol. I can carry a thousand rounds in a tin in my arse pocket and a pellet mould and/or tin of spare parts in my other arse pocket.

With a bit of patience I can get close enough to a rabbit or bird to hit it with a pistol, so I don't need the bulk and weight of a rifle, and most predators receiving three or four 5mm pellets in the face will go find easier prey.

 

[FreeTrav]

Having a think on it (a gauss survival rifle) how about something like this...

The WRU Gauss Survival Weapon (GSW):

A limited range and power application of gauss weapon technology geared to small game hunters and survival gear kits. The GSW is a semi-auto 6 round small arm, capable of firing a single shot or a six shot spread. The weapon is subsonic with very little felt recoil. The darts are shorter and fatter than standard gauss ammunition for lower penetration and more damage on the small unarmored targets it is intended for. Each ammo cylinder holds 6 of the special rounds and an integral power pack to fire them and is loaded through a break action where the stock folds for transport. The trigger is a squeeze bar design to allow ease of firing with heavy gloves or an injured hand.

The weapon is made primarily of molded plassteel for long life and low cost, and is practically zero maintenance and self cleaning. A simple peep sight and folding stock with the short barrel allow the light weight weapon to be easily carried or stowed out of the way but handy even in small spaces. The hollow stock includes secure storage for 20 ammo cylinders. Special signal flare dart ammo cylinders are available for attracting rescuers. Each signal flare emits a bright light and smoke trail as it burns up upon being fired, either singly or six at once which is a well recognized emergency help signal across charted space thanks to the aggressive advertising campaign. The standard ammo loadout of the stock is 15 hunting cylinders and 5 signal cylinders.

-----

Specifics of the weapon will depend on the rule set. It should be lower damage than a gauss pistol, with less range than a gauss rifle, about half of each at a guess. No more than 1D damage per shot or 2D damage for six-shot in CT. In shotgun mode it should have a bonus to hit but no group hits due to the limited range and spread. Price and weight would be about equal to a gauss pistol, not including ammo.

Dan, I'd love to post this to Freelance Traveller's "Gun Shop" section - would you be willing to stat it out for one or two or as many versions of the rules as you want, and then send the whole shebang to me at submissions@freelancetraveller.com?

 

[far-trader]

Dan, I'd love to post this to Freelance Traveller's "Gun Shop" section - would you be willing to stat it out for one or two or as many versions of the rules as you want, and then send the whole shebang to me at submissions@freelancetraveller.com?

I'll see if I can sneak some time to do it up proper this weekend and send it off to you (give me a kick next week if you don't get it... )

 

[aramis]

For a survival gun, I'll take a clip fed .25cal air rifle with pump and resevoir. Can get those up to about 200j...

 

[Zutroi]

The evolution continues...

Same solar and/or kinetic recharging gauss weapon, but firing ferrous alloy bolts. Brightly colored - day-glo even! - bolts for ease of recovery, with a choice of piercing and broadhead tips.

Sure, you still need to get fairly close to the prey, but it packs the power of a crossbow without the bulk, and be nearly silent to boot!

 

[Madarin Dude]

Going full circle the crossbow idea i had the idea of a crossbow type weapon using a spring that is cranked up with a lever. thus not needing the cross so it takes the shape of a rifle and fires bolts or could be set up with a way to shoot pellets or improvised pellets. The arrow stick.

 

[FreeTrav]

Having a think on it (a gauss survival rifle) how about something like this...

The WRU Gauss Survival Weapon (GSW):

A limited range and power application of gauss weapon technology geared to small game hunters and survival gear kits. The GSW is a semi-auto 6 round small arm, capable of firing a single shot or a six shot spread. The weapon is subsonic with very little felt recoil. The darts are shorter and fatter than standard gauss ammunition for lower penetration and more damage on the small unarmored targets it is intended for. Each ammo cylinder holds 6 of the special rounds and an integral power pack to fire them and is loaded through a break action where the stock folds for transport. The trigger is a squeeze bar design to allow ease of firing with heavy gloves or an injured hand.

The weapon is made primarily of molded plassteel for long life and low cost, and is practically zero maintenance and self cleaning. A simple peep sight and folding stock with the short barrel allow the light weight weapon to be easily carried or stowed out of the way but handy even in small spaces. The hollow stock includes secure storage for 20 ammo cylinders. Special signal flare dart ammo cylinders are available for attracting rescuers. Each signal flare emits a bright light and smoke trail as it burns up upon being fired, either singly or six at once which is a well recognized emergency help signal across charted space thanks to the aggressive advertising campaign. The standard ammo loadout of the stock is 15 hunting cylinders and 5 signal cylinders.

-----

Specifics of the weapon will depend on the rule set. It should be lower damage than a gauss pistol, with less range than a gauss rifle, about half of each at a guess. No more than 1D damage per shot or 2D damage for six-shot in CT. In shotgun mode it should have a bonus to hit but no group hits due to the limited range and spread. Price and weight would be about equal to a gauss pistol, not including ammo.

[FONT=arial,helvetica]Dan, I'd love to post this to Freelance Traveller's "Gun Shop" section - would you be willing to stat it out for one or two or as many versions of the rules as you want, and then send the whole shebang to me at submissions@freelancetraveller.com?[/FONT]

[FONT=arial,helvetica]
[/FONT]I'll see if I can sneak some time to do it up proper this weekend and send it off to you (give me a kick next week if you don't get it... )

Poke poke... It's been a bit more than a week, but I'd still be interested in this.