Rusty
Purveyor of Fine Weaponry
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Intent: To take the lessons learned from Gertrude and turn them into a weapon for the masses
Development Thread: If necessary
Manufacturer: Rusty's Custom Firearms and Cutlery
Model: GRTD
Affiliation: Open Market
Modularity: Interchangeable optics
Production: Production: Mass
Material: High strength durasteel, tungsten, inertial damper, slugthrower components, power generator, cryogenic cooling jacket
Classification: Slugthrower
Size: Man portable
Length: 150 cm
Weight: 19 kg
Ammunition Type: Proprietary 17mm slugthrower rounds
Ammunition Capacity: 500 rounds, stored in custom "battle box"
Effective Range: 2000 meters against area target, 1500 point
Rate of Fire: Fully automatic, 600 rounds per minute
Special Features: Cryogenic cooling jacket prevents barrel wear and overheating, inertial damper makes recoil manageable.
Description: In many ways, Gertrude was the weapon that started it all. She was the first weapon Rusty built for RCFC, a technological terror of unparalleled stopping power. Now he's taken the lessons learned from her and applied them to a design meant for the masses.
The majority of Gertrude's weight came from the unique firing system that utilized a blaster bolt to ignite high explosives. Though brutally effective, the design is too high maintenance for the average grunt, as it requires constant tuning. For GRTD, Rusty cut it out altogether and opted for a more traditional design. GRTD is a belt fed, gas operated machine gun that fires from the open bolt position. The weapon fires 17mm projectiles at a rate of 600 per minute. This rate of fire is fixed, so as to prevent the inertial damper from overloading.
The custom 17mm cartridges still incorporate high explosives as a propellant, utilizing a built in blasting cap to detonate. This allows the weapon to function much like a traditional machine gun, but still gets much higher muzzle velocities than the average machine gun. However, the system is less efficient than Gertrude's, resulting in a comparatively measly 1.2 k/s rather than Gertrude's 2+ k/s.
Without the inertial damper, the GRTD would be impossible to operate effectively. Since the power generator in the battle box no longer has to supply energy to the blaster portion (which was a huge power drain on Gertrude), the damper can operate at higher efficiency than before. This allows for true automatic fire, making GRTD a practical machine gun, rather than an impractical technological demonstrator. It is still inadvisable to fire the GRTD from anything other than the prone supported, utilizing either the built in bipod (which must be anchored) or a tripod. It may be pintle mounted on a vehicle as well.
The key to all this is still the battle box, a crate of 500 rounds of ammunition tacked onto a power generator. The generator supplies power to both the cryogenic cooling jacket and the inertial damper. If it malfunctions, the weapon is deadlined. If it is hit by hostile fire, it will explode spectacularly, reducing the gunner and assistant gunner to ash on the breeze, along with any of their buddies within a 10 meter radius. It is therefore advisable to use the GRTD only in situations where the battle box can be protected from enemy fire. It can be worn as a pack, but must be stationary on the ground for safe operation.
For safety purposes, an assistant gunner is required. The power generator must be monitored at all times, and may require adjustment on the fly. It may be used to power portable entertainment devices such as datapads and music players, but not while the weapon is in operation. The job of the assistant gunner is not only to monitor the generator, but to monitor all the vital stats of the weapon. For convenience's sake, the power cable that hooks to GRTD also has a data component, and a handy readout will display barrel temperature, damper condition, remaining round count, as well as myriad other details that might be useful for operation.
A full face helmet is required while firing, as the muzzle blast is significant. Without proper protection, overpressure may rupture eardrums, blood vessels in the eyes and sinuses, and even lead to permanent or temporary blindness. In an enclosed area, the overpressure can potentially be fatal unless proper care is taken to protect the gunner and the assistant gunner.
Make no mistake, the GRTD is a beast of a weapon, but one that must be employed with care. It is best suited for stationary positions or vehicles, where it can provide excellent fire support to the troops on the ground. Attempting to use it in an unsafe manner will void the warranty, and also likely cause catastrophic failure. Please read all instruction manuals carefully prior to use, and ensure all personnel using the weapon are properly trained.
Primary Source:[SIZE=12.2222px] Gertrude[/SIZE]
