Evolution of Key Firearms in the Cyberpunk Timeline - Where to Next?
So, I was wondering about what state some of the weapons we know and love from reality and Cyberpunk will be in by 2077, so lets start off with:
The M16 - Wikipedia
Designed in 1956 and put into service by the U.S. military in 1962, replacing the M14. After a bit of a rocky start, (*cough* Vietnam *cough*,) the M16 platorm evolved and was adapted to a multitude of roles. This meant that they were scaling down their ammo from 7.62mm NATO to 5.56mm NATO. It is arguably one of the best weapons availble to any of the worlds military.
In the Cyberpunk timeline the U.S. military decided to hold trials in 1998 to replace the 'obsolete' M16A2. It was replaced by;
The FN SAP System - Corp Book 2
(No actual image available - supplemented with artistic license...)
A pile of junk that was only adopted by the U.S. miltary because FN had political clout and undercut all the other competion in the 1998 trials. It was so unreliable that many of the troops sent to South America during the war that were armed with it were unable to adequately defend themselves and were slaughtered as a result.
No idea what ammo the FN SAP used, though it's succesor at FN was the FN RAL, which uses 7.62mm caseless, and it's predecessor was the FN FAL, which used 7.62mm NATO, it's a reasonable bet it was 7.62mm, (though its anyones guess if it was cased or caseless.)
In 2004 the U.S. miltary finally decided enough was enough and replaced their expensive paper weights with;
The Militech Ronin Light Assault - Blackhand's Street Weapons
A light, all-purpose update, similar to the M-16B, the Ronin was the standard U.S. assault rifle for over two decades. Old fashioned, with a serviceable bullpup design, firing caseless 5.56mm ammunition, it became a benchmark against which other assault rifles are measured. Like the M-16 before it, there were arguably better guns on the market, but the U.S. had thousands of them, and couldn't really afford to give them up and re-equip with new rifles until recently, when the Army and Marine Corps replaced it with the Mk IV Assault Weapon. Guard and reserve units are still largely outfitted with M-20s. The M-20 can be outfitted with the M-205 and other commercial grenade launchers.
So, first big changes are that the U.S. military not only swapped from the traditional rifle layout of the M16 to a more compact bullpup configuration, (yet managed to only lose a meager 4 inches off the weapon systems overall length?!?!?,) but also dumped cased ammo in favour of caseless.
PS: - I also have no idea what the M-20 is and I can't find any other mention of it.
The Mk IV - Blackhand's Street Weapons/Corp Book 2
The Mk IV is a potent, heavy duty, bullpup assault weapon only recently introduced to the Militech Catalogue. Its recoil compensation system, and excellent design and balancing make it among the most controllable weapons available. It has recently become the standard issue weapon for all Lazarus non-airborne infantry units. It is also the standard issue rifle for U.S. infantry troops, complementing the Sternmeyer CG-13B, in service with special units, and the M-31a1 AICW just completing trials. The Mk IV is based on the old Mk III design (therefore Revised), and chambers the new hybrid 6.5mm round. The 6.5mm is a new concept that Militech is currently trying to market. It packs a wallop close to that of the heavy duty 7.62mm cartridge, while retaining a flat trajectory, controllability, and light cartridge weight reminiscent of the 5.56mm round. A big selling point of the Mk IV is that it comes with a quick change replacement barrel system that allows the weapon to be converted to 5.56mm within a few seconds, under battlefield conditions.
So, the U.S. military swapped from 5.56mm to 6.5mm, (though it remained caseless.) This is really interesting considering the amount of real life military interest shown in both the 6.5mm Grendel and the 6.8mm SPC over the last decade. They also managed to shave a few more inches off the weapons overall length, (but then isn't that the whole point of the bullpup design?)
So, I was wondering about what state some of the weapons we know and love from reality and Cyberpunk will be in by 2077, so lets start off with:
The M16 - Wikipedia
Designed in 1956 and put into service by the U.S. military in 1962, replacing the M14. After a bit of a rocky start, (*cough* Vietnam *cough*,) the M16 platorm evolved and was adapted to a multitude of roles. This meant that they were scaling down their ammo from 7.62mm NATO to 5.56mm NATO. It is arguably one of the best weapons availble to any of the worlds military.
In the Cyberpunk timeline the U.S. military decided to hold trials in 1998 to replace the 'obsolete' M16A2. It was replaced by;
The FN SAP System - Corp Book 2
(No actual image available - supplemented with artistic license...)
A pile of junk that was only adopted by the U.S. miltary because FN had political clout and undercut all the other competion in the 1998 trials. It was so unreliable that many of the troops sent to South America during the war that were armed with it were unable to adequately defend themselves and were slaughtered as a result.
No idea what ammo the FN SAP used, though it's succesor at FN was the FN RAL, which uses 7.62mm caseless, and it's predecessor was the FN FAL, which used 7.62mm NATO, it's a reasonable bet it was 7.62mm, (though its anyones guess if it was cased or caseless.)
In 2004 the U.S. miltary finally decided enough was enough and replaced their expensive paper weights with;
The Militech Ronin Light Assault - Blackhand's Street Weapons
A light, all-purpose update, similar to the M-16B, the Ronin was the standard U.S. assault rifle for over two decades. Old fashioned, with a serviceable bullpup design, firing caseless 5.56mm ammunition, it became a benchmark against which other assault rifles are measured. Like the M-16 before it, there were arguably better guns on the market, but the U.S. had thousands of them, and couldn't really afford to give them up and re-equip with new rifles until recently, when the Army and Marine Corps replaced it with the Mk IV Assault Weapon. Guard and reserve units are still largely outfitted with M-20s. The M-20 can be outfitted with the M-205 and other commercial grenade launchers.
So, first big changes are that the U.S. military not only swapped from the traditional rifle layout of the M16 to a more compact bullpup configuration, (yet managed to only lose a meager 4 inches off the weapon systems overall length?!?!?,) but also dumped cased ammo in favour of caseless.
PS: - I also have no idea what the M-20 is and I can't find any other mention of it.
The Mk IV - Blackhand's Street Weapons/Corp Book 2
The Mk IV is a potent, heavy duty, bullpup assault weapon only recently introduced to the Militech Catalogue. Its recoil compensation system, and excellent design and balancing make it among the most controllable weapons available. It has recently become the standard issue weapon for all Lazarus non-airborne infantry units. It is also the standard issue rifle for U.S. infantry troops, complementing the Sternmeyer CG-13B, in service with special units, and the M-31a1 AICW just completing trials. The Mk IV is based on the old Mk III design (therefore Revised), and chambers the new hybrid 6.5mm round. The 6.5mm is a new concept that Militech is currently trying to market. It packs a wallop close to that of the heavy duty 7.62mm cartridge, while retaining a flat trajectory, controllability, and light cartridge weight reminiscent of the 5.56mm round. A big selling point of the Mk IV is that it comes with a quick change replacement barrel system that allows the weapon to be converted to 5.56mm within a few seconds, under battlefield conditions.
So, the U.S. military swapped from 5.56mm to 6.5mm, (though it remained caseless.) This is really interesting considering the amount of real life military interest shown in both the 6.5mm Grendel and the 6.8mm SPC over the last decade. They also managed to shave a few more inches off the weapons overall length, (but then isn't that the whole point of the bullpup design?)
