Re: SG - New Israeli's _ Eureka Miniatures

> There are three things making noise in a modern rifle:
> 
> 1) The action. Usually insignificant, but must be considered if you
> want to be really quiet. 
> 2) Supersonic bullet passing through air.
> 3) Supersonic powder gasses.
> 
> You can do something about 1 & 3, but the only thing you can really
> do about 2 is to slow the bullet to subsonic speeds -- killing most
> of its energy.

This is right back to my original point. 1 and 3 are silent anyway 
in a gauss rifle (or nearly so). On the other hand I had always 
imagined gauss rifles as firing small, dense penetrators at very 
high speeds, so 2 is going to remain. Conventional silencers work 
best when used with sub-sonic ammunition.

Still a sonic boom is not the easiest way to pin point a firing 
location. Would there be any flash from a gauss rifle? Of course, 
they would have an EM signature that may be detectable, but if you're 
up against that sort of sensor the sniper's body heat is as much of a 
problem.

	Steve

--
"Grab reality by the balls and squeeze." - Tempus Thales

Stephen Richard Pugh	 http://ds.dial.pipex.com/town/estate/ax16