Nomenclature, part 37

Thanks for all the info on 'Merican stuff. I figure Model is the most 
likely. Experimental things were given designations like XM-number 
and that meant experimental model IIRC. Matrix seems like an 
interesting idea, but something just doesn't hang together there. And 
Mark is just another way of saying Model.

But that still doesn't tell me what the L in L7 is short for. In SLR, 
L was "loading" (self loading rifle I think). But I doubt that is 
what the L in L7 is for. And if they're using L to identify the 
Browning pistol (L9A1), then it has to be something not particular to 
rifles. Don't modern weapons go by IW (Infantry weapon) or LSW (light 
support weapon) (don't know what the modern pistol is called....). 

And as for the plasma gun, I'd keep PSG (PlasmaSturmGewehr) for a 
plasma rifle. The SK is already the big plasma gun, but the figure 
SGN-18 is carrying is a SAW equivalent (or so it appears), not really 
a gewehr. Seems like perhaps PlasmaMachineGewehr (PMG) might be more 
appropriate, nicht wahr? That is plasma machine gun, but it is 
probably close to rapid fire plasma canon. Sensible, no?