Re: [DS] Stargate

Jerry Han wrote:
> 
> John Atkinson wrote:
> > As for the P90 being a weapon of war, that's just as
> > silly.  It's a freakin' submachine gun.  A cute one
> > with a twinky little round but a submachine gun
> > nonetheless.
> 
> Which is probably why the show uses it, because it looks cool.
> (8-)
> 
> And in any event, I was just quoting Col MacGyver, not expressing
> my own personal opinion.  Though, compared to Staff weapons in
> CQB, the P90 IS a weapon of war.  Besides, it makes sense from a
> weight perspective.  The P90 weighs a pound lighter fully loaded
> with 20 extra rounds, and is smaller, which, if you're on an
> exploration team, is probably more critical than sheer firepower.
> (Firepower is what the SGC Marine assault teams are for.  (8-) )
> Besides, I thought the smaller round actually penetrated armour
> better -- at least, from the open sources I've seen.

Not according to FN: "The SS190 round will NOT penetrate
protections that stop the 5.56 x 45 mm round (steel plates,
ceramic,...)" it says on their website. 

FN designed both loadings, called SS109 (for M4) and SS190 (P90).
It would be very unlikely that a slower, lighter and very slightly
fatter bullet can penetrate stronger armour. Both bullets have
steel penetrators and are similar in size: one is filled with
lead, the other with aluminium. An emphasis is placed on
penetrating body armour which suggest the targets envisaged are
enemy soldiers, not civilians.

Submachine gun seems a poor term for the P90, it is intended to
fill a similar role to the M1 carbine of WW2: a lightweight
shoulder arm for a soldier with a much higher muzzle velocity,
effective range and firepower than the pistol they might otherwise
carry.

The entertainment business very much likes funny looking shooters
and always has. Even back when James Bond carried a PPK and the
Man from UNCLE had a P38 both were considered exotic-looking
German things.

The P90 currently arms some of the secret servicemen guarding GWB
and other American VIPs. A similar, even smaller caliber personal
defence weapon, the 4.6mm H&K MP7, is issued to the multinational
NATO force flying AWACS and is being issued to some parts of the
German army. Interesting new small arms mostly seem to come from
Belgium or Germany: the American army is expecting to be armed
soon with an H&K M8 carbine, and to maybe give each soldier a
4.6mm German pistol as well.

-- 
David Brewer

"The mentally disturbed do not employ the Theory of Scientific 
Parsimony: the most simple theory to explain a given set of 
facts." - P.K.Dick (from VALIS)