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Built for a powerfully strong 10-foot tall alien space wolf, this large revolver electromagnetically accelerates projectiles of at least 20mm in caliber, making its destructive power easily on par with all but the most powerful rifles made for earth-native races.
Each projectile has a small propelling charge in the base to give it an initial kick down the bore, before the internal rails lining the barrel take over to accelerate the projectile to its final muzzle velocity. An outer sleeve of high strength alloy holds the barrel together under the high electromagnetic forces.
The electromagnetic boost can be adjusted to any of 16 power settings by the wheel that sits where the hammer would normally be on a traditional revolver. The power cell in the grip can lasts on average 100 shots or more depending on the power settings.
Art and Design by
eighttailfox
Each projectile has a small propelling charge in the base to give it an initial kick down the bore, before the internal rails lining the barrel take over to accelerate the projectile to its final muzzle velocity. An outer sleeve of high strength alloy holds the barrel together under the high electromagnetic forces.
The electromagnetic boost can be adjusted to any of 16 power settings by the wheel that sits where the hammer would normally be on a traditional revolver. The power cell in the grip can lasts on average 100 shots or more depending on the power settings.
Art and Design by
eighttailfox
Category Artwork (Digital) / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1000 x 675px
File Size 308.3 kB
Listed in Folders
So, it's mainly a coilgun, as opposed to a railgun, from the description. Or likely WOULD be. The initial explosive kick DOES explain the cartridges, though you might want to go with a short cartridge design and thus allow a longer, heavier projectile, since you're relying upon the coils to boost it up. You might also want to keep the cartridge length and instead use the space gained to house a form of explosively charged capacitor (galvanic capacitor), where a coil of conductive material is suddenly compressed by an explosion, generating a high pulse of galvanic current. The resulting gasses from the explosion provide the initial accelerating "kick" while the pulse is used by the coils to pick up and accelerate, thus eliminating the need for an additional power pack and making it self-contained.
Going with a conductive discarding sabot and subcaliber penetrator in some other material (such as tungsten) can also allow for some impressive anti-armor penetration, or, with more specialized ammunition, can transfer a huge amount of kinetic energy into the armor WHILE doing this, thus getting a AP/I (Armor Piercing/Incendiary) effect.
Going with a conductive discarding sabot and subcaliber penetrator in some other material (such as tungsten) can also allow for some impressive anti-armor penetration, or, with more specialized ammunition, can transfer a huge amount of kinetic energy into the armor WHILE doing this, thus getting a AP/I (Armor Piercing/Incendiary) effect.
One can consider it a hybrid of a gyrojet pistol and a railgun. With the rocket-propelled round being catapulted down the barrel by the electromagnet rails in the barrel much like a fighter jet being launch from a carrier. Or like some versions of the space gun.
The long projectiles are cause i wanted to keep some of the classic western flare of a revolver. And keep it as low tech as possible while not making under-powered for a weapon used by an advance space faring race. Simple and reliable. Low maintenance. And not going to break if dipped in salt water, if she ends up taking a dip in the ocean.
And the classic short footballs of coilguns and needles or railguns just dont fit that aesthetic theme. The two stage rocket-railgun system was kind of added after some chatting with the species designer.
I done coil guns before but I generally draw them with quite thick barrels to allow room for the magnetic acceleration coils. I dont quite feel as pressured with railguns as there only needs to be enough material for electric contact with the projectiles and some bracing to keep the rails from deforming when firing, a compressive sleeve of high tensile materials in the case of this revolver.
Also I just feel that railguns are more reliable with no need to sequence the coils. Once the circuit is closed by the projectile the round goes down the barrel. While in a coil gun one needs to sequence the coils to so that they are quenched behind the projectile else the magnets behind the projectile will impart a decelerating force.
Though the be honest the gun came first and I'm just wedging the most plausible tech into the design.
But yeah I enjoyed your ideas. And you seem like someone that knows what they are talking about.
The long projectiles are cause i wanted to keep some of the classic western flare of a revolver. And keep it as low tech as possible while not making under-powered for a weapon used by an advance space faring race. Simple and reliable. Low maintenance. And not going to break if dipped in salt water, if she ends up taking a dip in the ocean.
And the classic short footballs of coilguns and needles or railguns just dont fit that aesthetic theme. The two stage rocket-railgun system was kind of added after some chatting with the species designer.
I done coil guns before but I generally draw them with quite thick barrels to allow room for the magnetic acceleration coils. I dont quite feel as pressured with railguns as there only needs to be enough material for electric contact with the projectiles and some bracing to keep the rails from deforming when firing, a compressive sleeve of high tensile materials in the case of this revolver.
Also I just feel that railguns are more reliable with no need to sequence the coils. Once the circuit is closed by the projectile the round goes down the barrel. While in a coil gun one needs to sequence the coils to so that they are quenched behind the projectile else the magnets behind the projectile will impart a decelerating force.
Though the be honest the gun came first and I'm just wedging the most plausible tech into the design.
But yeah I enjoyed your ideas. And you seem like someone that knows what they are talking about.
I actually agree with you using the "bull barrel" (thick-walled, heavier-than-normal barrel) on BOTH coilguns and railguns, the former for the reasons you've stated and the latter to provide a heavy, rigid mass to anchor the rails to in order to counter the Lorentz force.
As I mentioned, I DO agree with the use of an explosive initiator system, as it is quite useful. As for the simplicity compared to a coilgun, on this, I don't disagree at all, though the major issue I've had with a railgun system is two-fold: one - the interior of the barrel MUST be kept free of any OTHER conductive material or else the rail will short, and two - the issue of rail erosion due to the high current being dumped into the rails, and thus the necessity to change out the rails after a relatively small number of shots having been put through it.
I consider myself an interested amateur in this field, primarily because of my own interest in science fiction. Also, I definitely AM enjoying this conversation. It's rare as heck to find someone who shares an understanding at the technical level when it comes to the electromagnetic accelerator end of things. ^_^
As I mentioned, I DO agree with the use of an explosive initiator system, as it is quite useful. As for the simplicity compared to a coilgun, on this, I don't disagree at all, though the major issue I've had with a railgun system is two-fold: one - the interior of the barrel MUST be kept free of any OTHER conductive material or else the rail will short, and two - the issue of rail erosion due to the high current being dumped into the rails, and thus the necessity to change out the rails after a relatively small number of shots having been put through it.
I consider myself an interested amateur in this field, primarily because of my own interest in science fiction. Also, I definitely AM enjoying this conversation. It's rare as heck to find someone who shares an understanding at the technical level when it comes to the electromagnetic accelerator end of things. ^_^
I figure the barrel erosion issue is just a material science thing and more advance species can easily solve it much as we have improved barrel technologies for our own high power rifles and cannons. Also machine guns, barrel life of machine guns use to be once ever one or two belts of ammo during like the world wars. now they can survive a few thousand rounds before replacement.
Such improvements can likely be done with railguns as well. So barrel erosion can be hand-waved away as a issue that counting the boxes of ammo you been through after a half a year or more. or maybe after you start to notice your accuracy has dropped or your loosing muzzle velocity do to reduce contact area. Basically as slow as modern weapons.
There are promising materials in the pipeline that seem likely to allow some reasonable barrel life in the high energy railguns. specially materials that vaporize less easily. or that improve the electrical contact and remove the arcing issue.
Also I dont think that barrel life was actually high on the current military railgun projects instead it was more we can get this to work at a form factor and energy efficiency that can be military viable. Prove it works first to the brass, then make it work better once your project isnt on the cutting block.
Well the railgun barrel doesnt need to be kept free of other conductive material, so long as the other metals are insulated in ways that prevents any shorts. Other metal can easily be in the structure so long as its properly insulated. the insulating material can be quite thin. Like the thin coat of vanish on copper wires can typically be enough to prevent a good electrical connection. And sometimes that super thin varnish coating is all that keeps an electrical coil inside motors from shorting out.
well I think i might of went on a tangent there ...
This certainly isnt the only EM weapon i designed, but its probably the least sci-fi one in appearance.
My favorite set is still "Weapons for a Space Cowboy" a bunch of almost steampunk looking scifi guns. The level action rail rifle still puts a smile on my face to think about.
Such improvements can likely be done with railguns as well. So barrel erosion can be hand-waved away as a issue that counting the boxes of ammo you been through after a half a year or more. or maybe after you start to notice your accuracy has dropped or your loosing muzzle velocity do to reduce contact area. Basically as slow as modern weapons.
There are promising materials in the pipeline that seem likely to allow some reasonable barrel life in the high energy railguns. specially materials that vaporize less easily. or that improve the electrical contact and remove the arcing issue.
Also I dont think that barrel life was actually high on the current military railgun projects instead it was more we can get this to work at a form factor and energy efficiency that can be military viable. Prove it works first to the brass, then make it work better once your project isnt on the cutting block.
Well the railgun barrel doesnt need to be kept free of other conductive material, so long as the other metals are insulated in ways that prevents any shorts. Other metal can easily be in the structure so long as its properly insulated. the insulating material can be quite thin. Like the thin coat of vanish on copper wires can typically be enough to prevent a good electrical connection. And sometimes that super thin varnish coating is all that keeps an electrical coil inside motors from shorting out.
well I think i might of went on a tangent there ...
This certainly isnt the only EM weapon i designed, but its probably the least sci-fi one in appearance.
My favorite set is still "Weapons for a Space Cowboy" a bunch of almost steampunk looking scifi guns. The level action rail rifle still puts a smile on my face to think about.
Tangent or not, goodness am I enjoying the heck out of this conversation! It's INSANELY rare I find ANYone willing to discuss this in detail! I'm also suitably impressed with the fact you keep up on the developments of this technology IRL. It's definitely a major plus in the mix.
I to SOME degree agree with the materials science idea, though I admit my view is tempered a bit by the energies involved and the practical physical limits of matter in those environments. I'm pretty interested in the materials you're mentioning, and, if you have the ability to do so, I'd LOVE to peruse the source information.
I'd have to agree that the railgun prototype wasn't worried about barrel life so much as producing a working proof-of-concept. Sadly, the program has been cancelled AFAIK, and likely isn't going to be revived, as the Navy went towards an advanced conventional projectile.
As to the barrel support structure, aye, I agree that non-conductive metals can be involved. My mention of shorting the rails has more to do with foreign objects, debris, etc., getting into the barrel (or equally, water, especially something like seawater). While it might not stop or terribly impede the projectile nor likely cause an immediate catastrophic failure of the rails, there's the sudden plasmation they likely would undergo and any corrosive byproducts of their dissociation.
I'm rather curious of your background: whether, like myself, you're simply someone with an interest in the harder areas of science fiction, or if you are someone involved in electrical / electronics design, fabrication, or engineering or, far less likely (but ye GODS how cool I'd find it!) someone who's had the opportunity to work on said systems either as a contractor or Navy personnel.
On the matter of steampunk sci-fi things like lever-action railguns? Oh, I like the way you think, yes I do! I may adore the hard technical end, but I can also appreciate really cool styling, and good gods that sounds awesome!
I to SOME degree agree with the materials science idea, though I admit my view is tempered a bit by the energies involved and the practical physical limits of matter in those environments. I'm pretty interested in the materials you're mentioning, and, if you have the ability to do so, I'd LOVE to peruse the source information.
I'd have to agree that the railgun prototype wasn't worried about barrel life so much as producing a working proof-of-concept. Sadly, the program has been cancelled AFAIK, and likely isn't going to be revived, as the Navy went towards an advanced conventional projectile.
As to the barrel support structure, aye, I agree that non-conductive metals can be involved. My mention of shorting the rails has more to do with foreign objects, debris, etc., getting into the barrel (or equally, water, especially something like seawater). While it might not stop or terribly impede the projectile nor likely cause an immediate catastrophic failure of the rails, there's the sudden plasmation they likely would undergo and any corrosive byproducts of their dissociation.
I'm rather curious of your background: whether, like myself, you're simply someone with an interest in the harder areas of science fiction, or if you are someone involved in electrical / electronics design, fabrication, or engineering or, far less likely (but ye GODS how cool I'd find it!) someone who's had the opportunity to work on said systems either as a contractor or Navy personnel.
On the matter of steampunk sci-fi things like lever-action railguns? Oh, I like the way you think, yes I do! I may adore the hard technical end, but I can also appreciate really cool styling, and good gods that sounds awesome!
Well I have more than a passing interest in the various EM weapons: railguns, coilguns, other mass drivers, electrothermal-chemical, lasers, particle beams. Well all things mechanical and destructive are of my interest. And I like to dig as deep as i can go without traveling or spending money to get additional information on the topic. To the point I can probably explain how any weapon system works in quiet a bit of detail, and even ball part reasonable specs. Though I dont do the KE output and power requirement calculations anymore.
I do like to know how my weapons would work and what kind of effects it would have down range. even it i later handwave stuff some away for the sake of rule of cool.
Like in this revolver where i mostly ignore rail erosion, since its the future and its reasonably fixed or railguns would not have been competitive against coilguns to replace all classes of weapons in the military and civilian market of the setting.
Military and Scientific funding has been rather disappointing how its been going... but this isnt the place to air those grievances about world governments.
Shorting is somewhat minor thing consider that well the projectile shorts the rails as well and for typically longer. Ideally the rails would only be live when the trigger is pulled, and some kind of fuse would cut the power should something permanently short the rails like if the projectile welds into the barrel or something welds across the gap. The projectile would be the path of least resistance for the current to flow through ... so power should flow primarily through the projectile even if there is a minor short between the rails. Any plasmas form by vaporized materials during the short would be expelled out the barrel just like the projectile. probably not idea for the rails and gun, but i think it would go bang still.
Anything you can weld with is probably poorly suited for proper rails for a railguns. Since they melt and fuse and generally don't cool very fast. Its usually used in a lot of railguns both scientific and hobby as its well cheap to acquire and easy to machine compared to more exotic materials. I wont preach that graphene and fullerenes are miracle materials ... but they do have some potentially crazy properties that can be exploited. high melting point, low weight, high electrical conductivity. carbon electrodes are already used for high temperature high amperage application as in melting aluminum and other materials.
I remember some literature of carbon being a protective sleeve to around the projectile to form the contact as well as lubricant. There are also some high temperature conductive alloys that might work. Of course the best option in this application is to just tone down the power. No real reason to drive the projectile as hard as the military project. Hobby railguns that dont break the sound barrier don't have to replace the rails as often. Lower current means less arcing and less friction generally reducing barrel wear.
In the future well i wouldn't be surprise if some form of conductive carbon is used on the projectile or rails. Super conductors might also be a game changer in the manufacture of railguns ... but can't off hand say how it would really improve the device outside of the obvious of reducing electrical resistance and or allowing more power to be sent down thinner rails. say a superconductor backing graphene rails. to say accelerate a carbon nanotube wrapped tungsten or osmium projectile.
The miracle fix for the rails might even be some coating of hard conductive ceramic material over a larger spine of a steel and or copper. A bit of snow balling with that i think ... theres a lot of metal alloys out there ... and coatings. Even before potential nanomaterials and metamaterials are introduced with seeming super properties unlike anything seen at larger scales.
Not military or a contractor sadly. Can't even say i'm a hobbyist. Though I have read a lot of the posted schematics for both railguns and coilguns in the past. Living in a small town home in the city can't say i have anywhere convenient or safe to build such devices.
I have in my college days taken multiple courses in programming, circuit design, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, petroleum engineering, biomachanics, robotics... to name a few. Even took some high level physics and math courses since i started off as a physics major, before getting a BS in mechanical engineering technology. Can say its a very good major, less so than a BS in proper mechanical engineering. I'll say i can maybe turn a wrench better than the kids in the other college. Will say actually getting my hands dirty and building stuff was fun as a technology major.
Heh. I have a better than average understanding of how things work. Though I dont really enjoy the complex maths. But its scifi ballparks estimates work.
well ... this was a long one i think ...
I do like to know how my weapons would work and what kind of effects it would have down range. even it i later handwave stuff some away for the sake of rule of cool.
Like in this revolver where i mostly ignore rail erosion, since its the future and its reasonably fixed or railguns would not have been competitive against coilguns to replace all classes of weapons in the military and civilian market of the setting.
Military and Scientific funding has been rather disappointing how its been going... but this isnt the place to air those grievances about world governments.
Shorting is somewhat minor thing consider that well the projectile shorts the rails as well and for typically longer. Ideally the rails would only be live when the trigger is pulled, and some kind of fuse would cut the power should something permanently short the rails like if the projectile welds into the barrel or something welds across the gap. The projectile would be the path of least resistance for the current to flow through ... so power should flow primarily through the projectile even if there is a minor short between the rails. Any plasmas form by vaporized materials during the short would be expelled out the barrel just like the projectile. probably not idea for the rails and gun, but i think it would go bang still.
Anything you can weld with is probably poorly suited for proper rails for a railguns. Since they melt and fuse and generally don't cool very fast. Its usually used in a lot of railguns both scientific and hobby as its well cheap to acquire and easy to machine compared to more exotic materials. I wont preach that graphene and fullerenes are miracle materials ... but they do have some potentially crazy properties that can be exploited. high melting point, low weight, high electrical conductivity. carbon electrodes are already used for high temperature high amperage application as in melting aluminum and other materials.
I remember some literature of carbon being a protective sleeve to around the projectile to form the contact as well as lubricant. There are also some high temperature conductive alloys that might work. Of course the best option in this application is to just tone down the power. No real reason to drive the projectile as hard as the military project. Hobby railguns that dont break the sound barrier don't have to replace the rails as often. Lower current means less arcing and less friction generally reducing barrel wear.
In the future well i wouldn't be surprise if some form of conductive carbon is used on the projectile or rails. Super conductors might also be a game changer in the manufacture of railguns ... but can't off hand say how it would really improve the device outside of the obvious of reducing electrical resistance and or allowing more power to be sent down thinner rails. say a superconductor backing graphene rails. to say accelerate a carbon nanotube wrapped tungsten or osmium projectile.
The miracle fix for the rails might even be some coating of hard conductive ceramic material over a larger spine of a steel and or copper. A bit of snow balling with that i think ... theres a lot of metal alloys out there ... and coatings. Even before potential nanomaterials and metamaterials are introduced with seeming super properties unlike anything seen at larger scales.
Not military or a contractor sadly. Can't even say i'm a hobbyist. Though I have read a lot of the posted schematics for both railguns and coilguns in the past. Living in a small town home in the city can't say i have anywhere convenient or safe to build such devices.
I have in my college days taken multiple courses in programming, circuit design, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, petroleum engineering, biomachanics, robotics... to name a few. Even took some high level physics and math courses since i started off as a physics major, before getting a BS in mechanical engineering technology. Can say its a very good major, less so than a BS in proper mechanical engineering. I'll say i can maybe turn a wrench better than the kids in the other college. Will say actually getting my hands dirty and building stuff was fun as a technology major.
Heh. I have a better than average understanding of how things work. Though I dont really enjoy the complex maths. But its scifi ballparks estimates work.
well ... this was a long one i think ...
Far more of a background than I, I admit. No degrees, merely long involvement in sci-fi, a solid interest in science, and a somewhat passing gut instinct for it. I fear that I've not the math aptitude nor memorization capacity for such, either, nor such in my past (as I'm pushing 50 IRL, so aye, loss of that mental plasticity). I definitely do however adore having a discussion on these things, especially ANY discussion on the engineering of these things. While I wouldn't be able likely to follow posted math past the simplest bits, the discussion of materials, etc., has my interest always. I really don't think I can overstate just how dang MUCH I've been enjoying this. Should you happen to have the free time, do hit me up one day on Discord. I'd adore going VOIP and chatting this stuff.
The various carbon ideas has my interest, yes indeed... Can't say more due to a) time and b) my brain currently resembling a potato DUE to that time. New York City and pushing 2 AM at this second.
The various carbon ideas has my interest, yes indeed... Can't say more due to a) time and b) my brain currently resembling a potato DUE to that time. New York City and pushing 2 AM at this second.
The pic of the lever action railgun can be found here. http://www.furaffinity.net/view/29945842/
I have fun kitbashing weapon ideas together or even just modernizing some older weapons and prototypes. And well nothing says you can't use a lever action or pump action to cycle in projectiles into you railgun or coilgun.
Current side project is designing realistic scifi hand held laser weapons. Since the traditional laser blaster is so unrealistic.
I have fun kitbashing weapon ideas together or even just modernizing some older weapons and prototypes. And well nothing says you can't use a lever action or pump action to cycle in projectiles into you railgun or coilgun.
Current side project is designing realistic scifi hand held laser weapons. Since the traditional laser blaster is so unrealistic.
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