Useful for crowd control or sniping (at least that's the goal): http://technology.newscientist.com/article/dn14372-toy-rocket-inspires-variablespeed-bullets.html
Variable Muzzle Speed Rifle
- Thread starter coliver988
- Start date
Yea, I saw that too -- I was going to post something to Ships Locker 
.
I, personally, don't like the idea of a variable velocity rifle. I should say, I don't like the idea of have the variability being a setting on the gun. Rather, I'd prefer it being a setting on the magazine or something. Or, in a "higher tech" version, a setting read from the projectile (i.e. rubber bullets are 300fps, FMJs are 3000fps, based on an identifier on the round, and the gun automatically compensates when the round is chambered).
Basically the issue is the problem when the setting is Wrong. Shooting rubber bullets at civilians at 3000fps because a switch was set wrong. Of course the whole idea of mixing lethal and non-lethal ammunition is, umm, insane, so having a magazine limitation as a "key" to the gun doesn't see that bad to me. Slap in a mag of rubber bullets, cycle the action, and rock and roll. Switch magazine to FMJs, and, again, rock and roll -- only nastier. But the magazine sets the power of the rifle, so the shooter doesn't have to worry about it, and less accidents can happen. If you like, color code the magazine like in Die Hard 2 ;-)
.I, personally, don't like the idea of a variable velocity rifle. I should say, I don't like the idea of have the variability being a setting on the gun. Rather, I'd prefer it being a setting on the magazine or something. Or, in a "higher tech" version, a setting read from the projectile (i.e. rubber bullets are 300fps, FMJs are 3000fps, based on an identifier on the round, and the gun automatically compensates when the round is chambered).
Basically the issue is the problem when the setting is Wrong. Shooting rubber bullets at civilians at 3000fps because a switch was set wrong. Of course the whole idea of mixing lethal and non-lethal ammunition is, umm, insane, so having a magazine limitation as a "key" to the gun doesn't see that bad to me. Slap in a mag of rubber bullets, cycle the action, and rock and roll. Switch magazine to FMJs, and, again, rock and roll -- only nastier. But the magazine sets the power of the rifle, so the shooter doesn't have to worry about it, and less accidents can happen. If you like, color code the magazine like in Die Hard 2 ;-)
