With some edits... Now thank Gunter for the nifty toys lol.
Also thank Unfurth for some cool additions at the bottom of the post.
I would like to suggest "smart" bullets. Each bullet has a micro chip embedded in the tip. It communicates with a targeting chip in the soldier's HUD. The soldier has cross hairs printed on their HUD with the ability to increase magnification. The soldier does not have to place the rifle up to the shoulder and cheek in order to fire. They can fire from the hip or whatever is comfortable. As long as the shooter has the cross hairs in their HUD on their target, all they have to do is depress the trigger. The bullet will then follow the path made as though a laser were guiding the bullet from the shooter's eye to the target.
AmmunitionAll weapons use some form of caseless ammunition. The solid propellant is composed of a substance found on one of Saturn's moons. It is much more stable than the Nitrocellulose used in gunpowder on earth. Therefore, the threat of having a cook-off in an overheated barrel is mitigated. The use of caseless ammunition allows for weapons to have increased ammunition capacities. The standard size of a 30-round magazine chambered in 5.56mm can carry 50 rounds. The standard size of a 20-round magazine chambered in 7.62mm can carry 35 rounds.
The bore size of these weapons is different than the common calibers found on earth years ago. Scientists have surmised that the following calibers are much more efficient. Rifle calibers are chambered in 8.5 mm (.338 caliber). The standard issue ball round weighs 250 grain. The M1, M43, M44 and M109 are chambered in 8.5mm. There is a 275 grain projectile employed by the M109 sniper system which can also be used in the M5A1 which can be used as a sniper system as well.
The M5A1 is chambered with 11.6mm ammuntion. It is considered an anti-material rifle, intended for engagements at extreme small arms ranges against vehicles and equipment. The projectile is a 500 grain round that can engage targets out to 3000 meters (3Km) with the proper sights or optic implants. This rifle uses a 15-round magazine box.
The M554/555/556 Light Machine Guns and Chain gun use a 7.8mm (.308 Caliber) round. Weapon's manufacturers chose a lighter round for the high volume machine guns to reduce barrel rise. This should be a similar feel to many old earth crafted Light Machine Guns (LMGs). The standard issue ball/tracer round weighs 165 grains.
The M7 and M9 Sub machine guns chamber the standard pistol round of 9mm. This is not the 9mm you are accustomed to from Pre-Project Nightlight. This round weighs 125 grain as opposed to the standard 110 grain 9mm projectile. The 125 grain provides a higher muzzle velocity and exerts more kinetic energy.
The M3 and M6 use a 45mm Grenade projectile, slightly larger than the standard 40mm round. The 45mm grenade can engage targets out to 600 meters and comes in six different type rounds. The M990 High Explosive (HE) round can attack area targets out to 600 meters. This round has a seven meter blast radius. The M991 White Phosphorus round employs smoke out to 300 meters. M992 Illumination round provide a Parachute flare to light the night sky out to 250 meters. M993 is a CS riot gas grenade. M994 Buckshot is a close range weapon containing thirty 25 grain projectiles. This round has a range of 100 meters. M995 TBM uses surrounding gases to generate a thermobaric explosion much more intense than the standard M990 HE round. This round will produce a kill radius of 15 meters.
The M19 and M22 shotguns use the standard shotgun round which is the 12-gauge you would have grown accustomed to. Scientists discovered during their testing, this size round performs exactly as it is intended. There are both slugs and buckshot available for the shotgun rounds.[/hider][hider=Rifles]
M1 Arbiter (IAR): This is a gas operated semi-automatic assault rifle which can fire on three round burst or full automatic by engaging a selector lever. The infantry assault rifle chambers the 8.5mm round and has an effective range out to 1000 meters. The weapon is standard equipped with a reflex sight which permits a combat effective range out to 500 meters. The rifle is fed by a box magazine containing 35 rounds of 8.5mm. It is slightly larger than the 7.62mm ammunition box you were accustomed to. The M1 weighs 7.5 Lbs.
M43 Intruder: This is a gas operated semi-automatic assault rifle which can fire on three round burst or full automatic by engaging a selector lever. This assault rifle chambers the 8.5mm round and has an effective range out to 1000 meters. The weapon is standard equipped with a reflex sight which permits a combat effective range out to 500 meters. The rifle is fed by an innovative tubular magazine fitted under the barrel containing 75 rounds of 8.5mm. This weapon weighs 9.8 Lbs.
M44 Innovator: This is a gas operated semi-automatic assault rifle which can fire on three round burst or full automatic by engaging a selector lever. The rifle selector level can also be set to switch to Grenade Launcher. This enables the gunner to use one trigger for both systems. This assault rifle chambers the 8.5mm round and has an effective range out to 1000 meters. The weapon is standard equipped with a reflex sight which permits a combat effective range out to 500 meters. This weapon contains a breach loaded underbarrel 45mm grenade launcher. The weapon is fed by a box magaizine containging 35 rounds of 8.5mm. This weapon weighs 8.9 Lbs.
Machine Guns
M368 Mobile Assault Weapon (MAW): This is a gas operated Full Automatic 7.8mm Machine gun. The MAW is box fed with its standard issue 200 round box magazine. This weapon can be carried from a sling and held with standard pistol grip and bull pup foregrip. This weapon can be carried by an Auto Rifleman in an infantry squad. It can also be mounted on a pintle of a vehicle. The weapon has a cyclic rate of 1000 rounds per minutes (RPM) and a range of 1200 meters with the aid of optics. The MAW weighs 14.2 Lbs.
M555 Devastator (LMG): This is a multi-barrel full automatic 7.8mm machine gun. The LMG is box fed with its standard issue 200 round box magazine. This weapon can be carried from a sling and held with standard pistol grip and bull pup foregrip. Unlike the Destroyer, the operator can place this weapon in his shoulder pocket. The cyclic rate of this weapon is 1200 rounds per minute. The gunner must be careful about how long he depresses the trigger. The weapon does come with a tripod and can be mounted on a pintle for use on a vehicle. The LMG weighs 15.3 Lbs.
M554 Destroyer (LMG): This is a multi-barrel full automatic 7.8mm machine gun. The LMG is box fed with its standard issue 200 round box magazine. This weapon can be carried from a sling and held with a handle. The operator cannot place this weapon in his shoulder pocket. It has no butt stock. The cyclic rate of this weapon is 1200 rounds per minute. The gunner must be careful about how long he depresses the trigger. The weapon does come with a tripod and can be mounted on a pintle for use on a vehicle. This weapon has a maximum effective range of 1500 meters while mounted on a tripod using optics. The LMG weighs 16.8 Lbs.
M556 Mini Chain Gun: This is a multi-barrel full automatic 7.8mm chain gun. The MCG is box fed with its standard issue 400 round box magazine. This weapon can be carried from a sling and held with a handle. The operator cannot place this weapon in his shoulder pocket. It has no butt stock. The cyclic rate of this weapon is 2000 rounds per minute. The gunner must be careful about how long he depresses the trigger. The weapon does come with a tripod and can be mounted on a pintle for use on a vehicle. This weapon has a maximum effective range of 1500 meters while mounted on a tripod using optics. The MCG weighs 22.5 Lbs.
Sniper Rifles
M109 Jäger: This is a gas operated rifle chambered in 8.5mm. It is intended for use against HVTs for long range shots up to 2000 meters. The 275 grain sniper round is effective out to 2000 meters (2 Km). The box magazine contains 35 each 8.5mm rounds. This weapon weighs 7.8 Lbs.
M5A1 Special: This is a gas operated rifle chambered in 11.6mm. It is intended for use against vehicles and equipment, but has been authorized for use against High Value Targets (HVTs) and extreme small arms ranges. The rifle has a 15-round box magazine and can engage targets out to 3 Kilometers. This weapon weighs 12.2 Lbs.
Flame Thrower
M77 Firestarter: This weapon is used in conjunction with a specialized high pressure fuel tank. The tank can be worn on the operator's load bearing assault vest and uses a supply hose to provide fuel to the weapon. The tank weighs two pounds and can provide fuel for up thirty minutes of continual use. The weapon ejects flame out to 50 meters. As the tank nears empty, the range of the weapon will reduce to 30 meters. The weapon weighs 4.5 Lbs.
Grenade Launchers
M3 Thumper: This is a hand held semi-automatic 45mm grenade launcher. It has a rotating magazine of 12 rounds and can employ all of types of rounds listed in the ammunition section above. The rotating magazine can be reloaded as quickly as a rifleman would reload is rifle's magazine. The Weapon empty weighs 7.8 Lbs. The fully loaded magazine can weigh an additional 5.2 Lbs depending on the types of rounds used.
Sub Machine Gun
M9 Liberator: This is a semi-automatic and fully automatic 9mm SMG. This weapon has a cyclic rate of 1000 RPM. The weapon is fed by a box magazine inserted behind the pistol grip. The magazine can hold 50 rounds of ammunition. Unlike the M7, the operator may mount optics and engage targets out to 400 meters. The sights need to be zeroed at 400 meters in order to hit the intended targets. This weapon weighs 5.3 Lbs.
M7 Responder: This is a fully automatic 9mm SMG. This weapon has a cyclic rate of 1000 RPM. The weapon is fed by an innovative tubular magazine attached beneath the barrel and contains 125 rounds of 9mm ammunition. This weapon is small and compact weighing 5.1 Lbs.
Shotguns
M11 Scorpion: This is a semi-automatic shotgun, air cooled and box fed magazine, chambered in 12-gauge. This weapon has a maximum effective range of 100 meters. The magazine is a 50-round spring loaded drum. This weapon weighs 5.1 Lbs empty and 7.1 Lbs loaded.
M22 Pounder: This is a semi-automatic shotgun, air cooled and fed by the same tubular magazine found on some of the other small arms systems. This weapon has a maximum effective range of 100 meters. This weapon can hold twelve 12-gauge slugs or buckshot rounds. This weapon weighs 8.1 Lbs.
M19 Adjudicator: This is a semi-automatic shotgun, air cooled and box fed magazine, chambered in 12-gauge. This weapon has a maximum effective range of 100 meters. This weapon can hold twenty 12-gauge slugs or buckshot rounds. This weapon weighs 6.7 Lbs.
Anti Armor Systems
M909 HAVOC Anti Armor System: The Havoc is a Tube Launched, Fire and Forget Radar Homing (RH), optically sighted Anti Armor Missile System. The guidance system is backed up by an Infrared target identification system as well. This duplicity of effort in the guidance allows the missile to be used for targeting specific armored threats. Multiple missiles can be used to engage multiple threats without confusing a warhead into attacking the wrong target. The assembled launch tube is 95 cm in length and weighs 8.33 Lbs. A loaded tube weighs 20 lbs.
The missile is 80 cm in length and weighs 5.3 Kg (11.66 lbs). The system employs a 5-in (127-mm) diameter warhead, and analog computer. The Long Range Anti Tank (LRAT) variant has a telescoping stand-off detonation probe. At launch, the two-section probe springs forward to provide the optimum distance between the armor and the exploding high-explosive armor-piercing (HEAP) warhead.
The missile is fitted with a high-intensity thermal beacon, which provides a long-wave infrared tracking source and a xenon beacon for short-wave tracking. This dual-tracking system provides increased resistance to electro-optical and infrared countermeasures. The missile also utilizes a High Frequency radar system that locks onto a targeted signature for increased guidance measures.
To fire the missile the gunner aligns the crosshairs in the sight unit on the target and presses the trigger. The missile is propelled by the launch motor and burns for 0.05 sec. Once clear of the launch tube, the four wings, indexed at 45 deg, spring open forward, while the tail controls flip open rearward. The flight motor then fires through two lateral nozzles at mid-body. This motor accelerates the missile for 1.5 sec before burning out. The missile then coasts to the target at a top speed of 1280 ft/sec (390 m/sec). The gunner can then reload with the help of an assistant gunner and is free to select an additional target.
M6 Punisher: This is a hand held disposable AT weapon which employs a 50mm warhead and can be used against lightly armored fortifications and vehicles. The Punisher has a maximum range of 400 meters, but is most effective at distances of less than 200 meters. The warhead is magnetically charged and will seek metallic substances prior to detonation, which will occur upon contact. This weapon weighs 1.8 Lbs.
The MAR, Mass acceleration Rifle is an electrically powered electromagnetic projectile launcher based on similar principles to the homopolar motor. It is comprised of a pair of parallel conducting rails, along which a sliding armature is accelerated by the electromagnetic effects of a current that flows down one rail, into the armature and then back along the other rail. Propelling a fin-stabilized armor peircing sabot at speeds exceding mach 5.
The MAR is an infantry rifle. Its amazing stopping power and range are offset by its low ammo capacity and slow reload time. It has a 10 round clip with no chamber. Weight 8.5lbs.
The MAAMR, Mass Acceleration Anti-Material Rifle, is a sniper varient of the MAR system that can put rounds downrange well over two miles with next to no bullet drop. The recoil is extreme however making it nearly impossible for most troops to fire. Only division 46 troops can fire it with significant training. Its capacity is only 3 rounds per clip. It can take down hardend targets and pierce most surfaces. It weighs rough 25lbs.
These weapons are experimental and will not be very common what so ever.
