Re: [SG2][DS2] Gauss Weapons vs. CPR

Brian Bilderback wrote:

>>>No sound signature - and no flash. Why would it leave a trail?
>>
>>No sound signature?  You're saying it's a sub-Mach projectile?
> 
>I was wondering that myself, and reached two conclusions:
> 
>1: It might be possible to design a gauss weapon that fired a subsonic

>round.

No problem at all. Just turn down the magnetic fields (or, if you're
using a railgun, the driving current) to suit your needs.

However, sub-sonic velocities means low range (or long range with lousy
accuracy), and unless you fire a very heavy projectile it won't inflict
very much damage if it hits. 

Since two of the big advantages with gauss rifles and railguns over
today's small arms is the high muzzle velocity (which gives good
accuracy at long ranges) and small/light projectiles (so you can carry
lots of them), designing a gauss small arm to fire large low-velocity
projectiles sounds a bit contradictory.

>2: Perhaps it's possible to develop a gauss round that was sleek and
>narrow enough that it would not create much of a pressure cone.

A flechette has a smaller pressure cone than a bullet fired at the same
velocity, but the difference is rather small - IIRC (after a weekend's
partying) the velocity of the round is at least as important as its
cross section area.

Later,

Oerjan Ohlson
oerjan.ohlson@telia.com

"Life is like a sewer.
  What you get out of it, depends on what you put into it."
- Hen3ry