What's the next big advancement in small arms?
phased plasma rifles
caseless ammo
We're pretty much at a platau with kinetic weapons, really.
>>28431666
Coilguns are on the way once better batteries are invented
>>28431704
This.
the only (minor) step before railguns I think of would be a new type of propellent.
More efficient, more power in smaller loads
> .300 blackout with 30-06 velocity
>>28431666
Large arms
>>28431865
>.300 blackout with 30-06 velocity
and 30-06 recoil, and much higher pressures. Rifles would need both recoil compensating mechanisms and thicker, stronger, heavier barrels and chambers to compensate. Probably talking a 10+ lb weapon at that point. But, god, does that sound cool.
>>28431704
Caseless ammo and more powerful propellants for smaller rounds.
> 9mm sized rounds giving 7.62x39 ballistics so a 100 round drum isn't even a bother
Computers in the gun
High impulse hand cannons for putting HE on a target 1000 meters out
robotic turrets shooting guided bullets. So snipping has all the skill taken out of it. You just have your team set up the weapon and then point out targets with a designation device.
Custom waifu guns
>>28431666
$20 chinese sights
>>28431666
A gun that literally shoots Satan into you, Super Hitler.
Augmented reality with see-through head mounted displays. Imagine typical looking goggles that have a projector built in to show stuff in front of your face.
Most tech for aiming could be implemented in the HMD - a virtual red dot without having anything on the rifle to block your view, or virtual laser that only you and your teammates can see. You could see the arcing trajectory of 40mm or mortar, just start aiming and it'll display a line where the grenade will fly.
Calling for air support? He'll put a marker on the position he's about to bomb so there aren't any mistakes or friendly fire.
Not sure who the dudes are sitting on that hill? Hit the IFF and it'll mark them green if it's your side.
>>28431666
high power / diameter intermediate cartridges
Next generation calibre, expect it in 30 years.
Most countries upcoming "green tip" high power intermediate is a step towards it.
Before long we'll have gone full circle, and everyone will be issued super high power full sized cartridge battle rifles that easily defeat conventional armour at range.
Just waiting for the 2040 edition SLR
>>28432737
I was thinkin about this for snipers, a laser with a range finder so that you'll be able to see bullet drop and what not
>>28431666
Biometrics so only you can fire your weapons
dropping the intermediate caliber meme
>>28432737
What about a HUD, with a camera mounted like an optic, that is zeroed with your sights, or shit even an optic and hud mixed together, to the point you wouldnt even need to shoulder your rifle or look in the direction you are shooting.
>>28431666
auto tracking and self stabilizing guns.
>>28435810
>that is zeroed with your sights
Probably could do better then that. I've had the idea for a while for a camera and screen optic system, with a laser distance finder. It would mark on screen where the bullet would be, height-wise, at a given distance automatically; essentially a virtual zero at any distance. I imagine you could just replace the screen with the google glass.
>>28431969
At some point we'll have to overhaul the materials we traditionally make rifle barrels from. You start going over 3k FPS and you're pretty much damning any barrel to be shot out after a few hundred rounds.
Tungsten's waaaay too fucking dense.
>>28431733
Not as small-arms, they don't offer a strong advantage over typical ballistics. We'll probably see a move to electric firearms when a power source becomes readily available.
I for one doubt that caseless is going anywhere
Laser-Beam riding guided bullets that always allow the round to impact at your sight's mark.
>>28435928
i think darpa already has that
>>28435928
it exist already.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX8Z2MDYX3g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoOaJclkSZg
>>28435810
Definitely possible, as long as it isn't obtrusive. That isn't something you'd want in your vision 24/7. It would be funny to see modern troopers with periscope rifles
>>28435907
My idea for a drop calculator would have two dots. The main dot is the regular dot, zeroed for whatever you like. That never changes or turns off. You have a rail attached laser rangefinger that is zeroed with the main dot, it lases what you aim at. Hit the button and the attachment will calculate your drop based on the distance and display another, different colored dot to show the calculated point of impact. After a few minutes or after significant movement the dot will automatically go away so the soldier doesn't have extra, now-inaccurate, dot when he tries to shoot.
>google glass
Google Glass has a tiny ass screen that is off in a corner. Any military HMD would need to have the display right in the center of the eye. It doesn't need a huge field of view. although it would be nice. It DOES need excellent contrast for bright innadesert daylight, and automatic eyesight alignment for when the goggles are bumped or moved.
I'm really big into the concept of "show as little crap as you can" for HMDs. Anything distracting or confusing shouldn't be displayed, or should require user input to turn on. You don't want the tech to get in the way of staying alive.
>>28433258
that's a thing, something tracking point and steiner have made. You can mark a target by puting in his range, the temperature and the wind speed and a dot will appear showing where to aim. Too bad its only 6x but it works really well from what I have heard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDAcdRXu27I
>>28435986
The only issue with that is how incredibly over the top they designed it. The chip inside runs Linux, it has wifi and connects to an iPad, it can record the shot and replay the video. I think they realized that it would be out of the price range of the average shooter so they went all out so that they could charge more to the rich mofos that would actually buy it.
>>28436044
Yeah thats why I like the steiner one more. Because it just has two dots at that is it
why is everyone set on the idea of the tech telling you where to aim? you act as if your own skill will still be needed. You designate the target and hold the trigger down. As soon as the rifle is moved into the correct position for an accurate shot it pulls the trigger. Means you just have to aim in the general area and your natural wavering will eventually bring the target into the proper solution. Removes flinching as well cause yall are pussies.
>>28435986
Just have the spotter mark the target with a range-finder and the sniper just points it at the dot on his screen and fires. All the more delicate electronics could be in the range-finder.
>>28436099
Because that's way more complicated to design than just making a display for a HUD or using a laser and some magnets
>>28436132
not really.
if rifle is pointed at target thats computed in the same way it is for your 'simple' HUD then fire
else dont fire
There, even coded it up for you.
>>28436068
Oh that one is nice, much smaller, not horribly expensive. While I was looking that up I also found the Burris Eliminator, also nice and simple
>>28436099
That would be fine feature, especially for DMRs, but regular troops need much quicker point-and-shoot capability. Shit, half the time they don't even know where the enemy is exactly, just a general area.
>>28435918
Graphene reinforced hardened steel chambers
