First commercial Gauss Rifle available.

Andy_Ross

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Andy_Ross
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Jun 2, 2010
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Forgotten Weapons reviews and shoots the ArcFlash Labs' GR-1 Anvil Portable Gauss Rifle

It's an alpha sort of prototype. They want people to take them away and play so they can gain experience in how they will be used and what people want from them.



Interview with David Wirth of ArcFlash labs talking about how it works.

 
Assuming it's to be something in the firearm category, and not, say, the squirt gun category, what people want from them should be fairly easy to figure out:

Longer range/higher power/greater accuracy than conventional firearms.

Lighter weight than conventional firearms.

Larger magazine than conventional firearms.

Obviously it doesn't have to compete in all three categories with all conventional firearms. But take a conventional sniper rifle, for example. A reconnaissance team will have one of these, that delivers a certain range/power/accuracy for a certain weight and magazine size. For a gauss rifle to replace it, it would need to retain some of those qualities while improving the others. Greater power for the same weight, for example. Maybe not worry about magazine size, since that's not usually a critical feature of a sniper rifle. But maybe do worry about magazine size, since if it's only good for three shots, and the magazine itself (or power pack, or whatever) is itself a bulky heavy item, that's probably not good.

The examples in those videos look about as bulky and heavy as a large assault rifle, so I'd guess people will want it to hit harder and carry more ammo than conventional assault rifles and battle rifles.
 
It seems like the only immediately obvious benefit is silence.

But, this is a very early model.
 
Meadmaker said:
It seems like the only immediately obvious benefit is silence.

But, this is a very early model.
Click to expand...

Probably not worth doing this to death, but if the rounds are high-velocity, the sound of the projectile travelling through the air is a very significant part of the noise.

This is why I used to cull rabbits with a .22 with subsonic rounds and a silencer.
 
HighRiser said:
Low velocity. .50 cal steel bars in three lengths ranging from 1" to 2" long. Approximately the same impact energy as .22LR.
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Easy to reload after the zombie apocalypse I guess (recharge the battery from your solar panels).

No good after the battery pack dies though.

I'm still waiting for my phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range...

(and don't get me started on personal jetpacks and flying cars.)
 
novaphile said:
Probably not worth doing this to death, but if the rounds are high-velocity, the sound of the projectile travelling through the air is a very significant part of the noise.

This is why I used to cull rabbits with a .22 with subsonic rounds and a silencer.
Click to expand...
My understanding is that .22s are favored by mob hitmen on that score.

Other than gauss rifles just being super cool, I'm not sure I see much benefit over say, a rifle?
 
theprestige said:
Assuming it's to be something in the firearm category, and not, say, the squirt gun category, what people want from them should be fairly easy to figure out:

Longer range/higher power/greater accuracy than conventional firearms.

Lighter weight than conventional firearms.

Larger magazine than conventional firearms.

Obviously it doesn't have to compete in all three categories with all conventional firearms. But take a conventional sniper rifle, for example. A reconnaissance team will have one of these, that delivers a certain range/power/accuracy for a certain weight and magazine size. For a gauss rifle to replace it, it would need to retain some of those qualities while improving the others. Greater power for the same weight, for example. Maybe not worry about magazine size, since that's not usually a critical feature of a sniper rifle. But maybe do worry about magazine size, since if it's only good for three shots, and the magazine itself (or power pack, or whatever) is itself a bulky heavy item, that's probably not good.

The examples in those videos look about as bulky and heavy as a large assault rifle, so I'd guess people will want it to hit harder and carry more ammo than conventional assault rifles and battle rifles.
Click to expand...

The major advantage of a gauss rifle is in space warfare. In low g / vacuum you want a weapon that delivers KE in terms of v not m. That minimises the kick back mv vs impact mv2. You lose little in v when using the weapon in vacuum. I assume his will be the standard infantry weapon of the space force.
 
Planigale said:
The major advantage of a gauss rifle is in space warfare. In low g / vacuum you want a weapon that delivers KE in terms of v not m. That minimises the kick back mv vs impact mv2. You lose little in v when using the weapon in vacuum. I assume his will be the standard infantry weapon of the space force.
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I'm pretty sure that any space warfare scenario in the foreseeable future, pot shots with small arms will be completely irrelevant. And of course there will be no infantry involved at all.
 
theprestige said:
I'm pretty sure that any space warfare scenario in the foreseeable future, pot shots with small arms will be completely irrelevant. And of course there will be no infantry involved at all.
Click to expand...

Haven't you even seen Moonraker?
 
Captain_Swoop said:
Haven't you even seen Moonraker?
Click to expand...

I have. Orbital infantry didn't make sense then, and it doesn't make sense now.

But I suppose an OTV with a gauss rifle, maneuvering in LEO to snipe satellites, might have a place in the future of warfare. For sure the next major conflict between space age peers is going to see a pretty sudden and comprehensive attack on orbital comms and recon, by both sides.
 
Watched the first vid a few minutes ago. Hopefully it'll separate some MAGA suckers from their money.
If it's gonna be smoothbore, use spherical projectiles. That's only been known for, what, 600 years?
 
theprestige said:
I'm pretty sure that any space warfare scenario in the foreseeable future, pot shots with small arms will be completely irrelevant. And of course there will be no infantry involved at all.
Click to expand...

Bah. In "Starship Troopers", it was conclusively proved that you need boots on the ground, even in space. And the training included all sorts of weaponry, even knives.

The book. Not the movie. The movie sucked.
 
Trebuchet said:
Watched the first vid a few minutes ago. Hopefully it'll separate some MAGA suckers from their money.
If it's gonna be smoothbore, use spherical projectiles. That's only been known for, what, 600 years?
Click to expand...

It may be that the coils impart a lot more force to the cylyndrical slugs than they would to a ball.
 
Dr.Sid said:
It's pretty meh. There are slingshots more powerful than this.
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As they say in the interview it's very much a 'proof of concept'. If you look closely the plastic parts are all 3d printed.
When they work out how to stabilise the ammunition, either by fins or spinning it will start to get more serious.

It will be interesting to see Ian use it in the 'backup Gun' match. He usually does that with some obscure, weird old pistol.
 
My first thought was that there's a conflict between having an accurate, aerodynamic projectile and the device's ability to launch it, as its ideal launch object seems to be a plain, symmetrical length of steel rod and it doesn't impart any spin. Imagining this technology developed, it looks like its sole advantage will be its quietness. A stealthy short range weapon firing a slow, heavy slug.
 
theprestige said:
I'm pretty sure that any space warfare scenario in the foreseeable future, pot shots with small arms will be completely irrelevant. And of course there will be no infantry involved at all.
Click to expand...

Small arms could be useful for space colonialism. Sure, large powers will just hydrogen bomb eachother out of existence, but maybe you need some space marines to put down mouthy asteroid miners getting uppity about their contracts. Always gonna be a need for door kickers and strike breakers.
 
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