The nation has begun work on creating our own elite fighting force, and we seek council on how to arm them.
What are the best modern tech: Assult Rifles
Sniper Rifles
and Pistols?
Please give me advice.
Crookfur
08-02-2004, 21:43
Do you mean real life or nation states weapons?
Assault rifles:
Theoretically speaking the ideal assault rifle round should be in the 6-7mm range (6.25/6.3/6.4mm being the best calibres overall) but sadly this hasn't happened for a western tech (i'll leave soviet and chinese rounds for thier relevant supporters) where you have 2 choices(well 3 but more on that later) either 5.56x45mm or 7.62x51mm NATO rounds.
5.56mm (.223") based weapons tend to be fairly light and have controlable automatic fire at the expense of rnage and hitting power. There are a huge range of 5.56mm weapons with the M16A2 setting the bench mark thus it is probabaly as good a choice as any although it msut be said that it seem that it will be replaced by a HK G36 based weapon, the XM8.
7.62mm Weapons are much heavier and generally of little use in fully automatic fire modes but they do offer fantastic power, rnage and accuracy. The FN FAL, HK G3 and US M14 are to be honest all much of a muchness but a recomendation would go most probabaly to the HK G3 as it has been the only weapon a user of an existing 7.62mm weapon has changed to (well the UK SAS reputedly swapped the standard issue FN FAL for the G3 whenever possible) and it has the widest rnage of options and extras (and acts as the base of 2 of the most mentioned sniper rifles, the HK PSG1 and MSG1).
Earlier i mentioned a third choice for western rounds, this is found in the from of the new US 6.8mm SPW. After the very very poor showings given by short barreled M16 based weapons (primarily the M4 carbine) in a number of conflicts the US army are looking for a round that offers higher performance in a M16 based format (the M16 design is such that with a few tools and a matter seconds you can replace the upper part of the gun and the barrel to use specialist rounds) according the inital reports the 6.8mm does this although it seems to be primarily designed for fairly closr nage engagements.
Sniper rifles:
here it gets very confusing with the rediculously huge rnage of wepons and rounds available. In summary you have 2 types of military sniper rifle:
The basic sniper rifle generally using standard 7.62mm rounds, here your best bet is likely the HK MSG1 or if you like bolt action weapons the Accuracy international artic warfare (L96A1 in british service)
The second type of rifle is the Anti material or special purposes rifle: designed to fire high powered rounds over distances exceeding 1000m (generally in the 1500-2000m range). These rnage in size from .338Lapua magnum based weapons to monsters designed to use full sized 20mm cannon rounds.
The most common rifle and always a good chocie in this rnage is the barret M82A2 that fires 12.7x99 (.50") BMG (browning machine gun) rounds.
Pistols: even worse than sniper rifles what with Golcks, SiGs, Berretas and Walthers all having there fans and the choice between .45ACP or 9mm parrabellum (nato choice). My recomendation would be a HK USP (basic, match, compact or expert model) in 9mm. Pistols are soemthing i would fluff as a matter of choice for the user as they truely don't really count for much and elite soldiers will have thier favourites.
Of course if you want made up Nation states weapons then the entire Crookfur rnage reflects my recomendations most of the weapons there use rounds close to the ideal for thier purpose
http://www.meatballs.terminator.org.uk/crookfur/rifles.html