The Best That Never Was 2 (Prototypes)

[Matt Wiser]

Gepard on an M-1 chassis would've made perfect sense-but the NIH Syndrome would strike...

[cawest]

yea I kind of like guns on trains. the m18 I saw going down the track back when I was running around the Kosovo areas

[The Dark]

yea I kind of like guns on trains. the m18 I saw going down the track back when I was running around the Kosovo areas

That's one reason I wish FF&S had included trains. WW1 had a lot of armored trains (and a lot of temporary narrow-gauge rail built to supply trenches), which it would have been nice to have good rules for statting out. Wet navy ships at least got a treatment in Challenge for MegaTraveller that's theoretically convertible to the system used in 2.0/2.2.

[Draq]

https://youtu.be/kK88EsjZCrc

This... I know it doesn't exactly belong, but it kind of does. Very much a mysterious unicorn sporting shotgun, both in design and history.

[WallShadow]

I just ordered a copy of Jane's Afv Retrofit Systems1994-95 (JANE'S ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLE RETROFIT SYSTEMS) Hardcover July 1, 1994
from Amazon, for the princely sum of $25 U$D. This will go nicely with copy of the same book for 1999-2000. Lots of interesting things that were available for AFV's at the turn of the millenium. Now I'll get to see "what might have been" available for AFV's at the opening of the conflict.
I'll share all the iffy goodness with my mates here as soon as my sweaty hands start turning the pages.

[rcaf_777]

Knight's Armament Company (KAC) Silenced Revolver Rifle

Has anyone heard of this weapon

Paul

http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Knight%27s_Armament_Revolver_Rifle

https://www.mythicarmory.com/kac-silenced-revolver-rifle.html

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php24981-Knight-Armament-s-Silent-Revolver-Rifle

https://www.rugertalk.com/articles/the-super-silent-super-secret-ruger-redhawk-rifle.96/

Most sources say it was a one of one

[pmulcahy11b]

That's a heck of a long technical path to take for a suppressed weapon...

[copeab]

That's a heck of a long technical path to take for a suppressed weapon...

And an essentially stupid weapon as well, an oversized semi-suppressed revolver. Probably more expensive than an original bolt-action design firing subsonic ammo, as well.

[Draq]

And an essentially a stupid weapon as well, an oversized semi-suppressed revolver. Probably more expensive than an original bolt-action design firing subsonic ammo, as well.

But are any of us really surprised! I'd hope not. Lol

[The Dark]

And an essentially stupid weapon as well, an oversized semi-suppressed revolver. Probably more expensive than an original bolt-action design firing subsonic ammo, as well.

Sure, but part of the RFP (per the article) was the capability for rapid follow-up without ejecting cases. I can think of a couple other ways to do that, but all of them have varying disadvantages.

[StainlessSteelCynic]

As The Dark mentioned, the RfP requires the ability to retain the cases (i.e. non-ejection of the cases) but having the ability for rapid follow-up shots. A revolver is the simplest way to achieve that and also without having to remove your trigger hand from the weapon (e.g. bolt-action).
So rather than thinking of the weapon as a strange or long, tech path, it's actually an easier tech path given the requirements (aside from the special ammo it used).

[The Dark]

As The Dark mentioned, the RfP requires the ability to retain the cases (i.e. non-ejection of the cases) but having the ability for rapid follow-up shots. A revolver is the simplest way to achieve that and also without having to remove your trigger hand from the weapon (e.g. bolt-action).
So rather than thinking of the weapon as a strange or long, tech path, it's actually an easier tech path given the requirements (aside from the special ammo it used).

Even the special ammo doesn't sound that bizarre - it's basically the same as the Soviet SP-4 round that was used in the Stechkin and PSS or the 10mm QSPR round used in modified S&W Model 29 revolvers. Rare and specialized, certainly, but both the US and USSR had already played with that concept.

[StainlessSteelCynic]

Even the special ammo doesn't sound that bizarre - it's basically the same as the Soviet SP-4 round that was used in the Stechkin and PSS or the 10mm QSPR round used in modified S&W Model 29 revolvers. Rare and specialized, certainly, but both the US and USSR had already played with that concept.

You're quite right, I've even read of some people who reload their own ammo playing with the concept of semi-telescoped rounds so it's not as if it requires a high-tech factory to produce. I added the part about the ammunition as an afterthought and probably should have put more thought into the statement!

[copeab]

Sure, but part of the RFP (per the article) was the capability for rapid follow-up without ejecting cases. I can think of a couple other ways to do that, but all of them have varying disadvantages.

Put a cage over the ejection port, as was tested for the M1911 in WWI to allow it to be used inside an aircraft without spitting hot brass casings into the interior.

Revolvers are almost impossible to effectively suppress due to the lack of an highly effective seal between cylinder and barrel.

[StainlessSteelCynic]

The key word here is almost, most are too troublesome to bother with due to the lack of gas sealing but there are some designs that are more suited to the task.
The Nagant M1895 revolver used gas sealing as part of its normal operation. This allowed it to be suppressed at around the same noise level as any supressed semi-auto pistol.

The point being, that supressing a revolver can be done. And with the idea being to produce a rapid, single shot, supressed weapon that retains the cases, putting a metal cage over the ejection port of a semi-auto would likely cause a distinctive noise as the shell hit the cage. There's also the problem of just how big do you make the cage to allow it to effectively capture all the cases without filling up to the point of jamming the action and how unwieldy does that make the weapon