Re: guns in vacuum (was Re: Near Future Rules Draft is up!)

>>>>> "cthulhu" == <Mark Andrew Siefert> <cthulhu@csd.uwm.edu> writes:

cthulhu> On Tue, 25 Feb 1997, Joachim Heck - SunSoft wrote:
>> Mark Andrew Siefert writes:
>> 
>> @:) Because conventional firearms woundn't operate in a vaccum
>> 
>> Why not?  As far as I know bullets work fine in a vacuum.
>> Cartridge propellants contain their own oxidizers.

cthulhu> OK...I'm sorry.  I was working on the assumption that there
cthulhu> was no oxidizers in gun powder.  Damnit Jim, I'm a history
cthulhu> major...not a chemist.

The trouble with normal bullets in space is that they casue recoil,
which 
would send the gunman flying in a weightless enviro.

Gygro-jets (what you discribe.	Guns firing things more like mini
rockets) were originally developed for a weightless enviroment.  They
use a small charge to push the projectile out of the barrel, and then
allow the projectile itself to accelerate toward the target.

The small seperation charge causes much less recoil, and seperates the
bullet from the firer enough that the rocket can take over, and not
disrupt the firer.

I'm not sure how clear that was, but if it wasn't I'm sure I'll get
flamed and have to state myself better.

-=- Matthew L. Seidl		email: seidl@cs.colorado.edu		
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