Plasma Rrifle

Plasma rifles are massed produced in automated factories and are basic plasma weaponry. They provide a cheaper cost-effective version of the ion rifle.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

The plasma rifle follows the 'Bullpup' Design with the magazine of super-chilled hydrogen cells behind the grip / trigger housing. The hydrogen is kept cold in the magazine by a hardened lining of a gold / silver composite. Each press of the trigger releases a cell's worth of hydrogen into a heating chamber just above the firing mechanism that causes the gas to suddenly heat up becoming volatile. Miniaturised tungsten valves between the chamber & magazine stops this flowing back causing a chain reaction & explosion.
By it expanding rapidly it quickly fires out the strengthened barrel in the direction the rifle is facing. Each rifle is built with a trace of tungsten of about 2% to stop wear & tear of the heat differentials to stop critical damage & overload.

Manufacturing process

The parts are passed to a specific production line that assembles the frame first, then adds the internal barrel and workings before assembling the 'skin' of the rifle.

History

The plasma rifle was designed by automated systems using a militarised AI quantum processor in 2041. The same AI has been caught designing many advanced military systems and subsequently been shut down. Though saying this, it (or a version of it), seems to have uploaded a version of itself to the Deep Net and is in the process of spreading through computerised systems throughout the Solar System.
Though it is in this state it was a joint venture by NATO initially developed to provide protection & assistance to them by designing standardised software & hardware for military ventures. One of these was to produce a type of plasma-based weaponry that could be easily maintained & manufactured. Thus, the MK1 plasma rifle was created by the AI.
It is durable, effective in desert & aquatic settings, and can stand a good range of hot & cold temperatures. The initial designs were somewhat longer by a few inches, and a couple of lbs heavier than the most recent & more efficient MK5. It has a good range and can fire 25 to 30 rounds semi-automatically before needing the plasma cell magazine changed.

Significance

It has been linked closely to many specialised forces, usually armoured divisions and cybernetically enhanced military units who can use cybernetics built into their hands & eyes for targeting purposes.

Creation Date

20141

Rarity

Uncommon in military organisations, to rare at street level.

Weight

8 lb

Dimensions

2 ft long from butt to muzzle

Base Price

$500, E650, £725

Raw materials & Components

The rifles are made from a high-tensile steel framework, shot through with carbon tubules. The main body parts and internal mechanisms are built with shaped blocks of latticework of carbon tubules for strength, durability, and to help offset the weight. Most of the internal structures are also treaded with a fine layer of tungsten to help protect it from heat extremes, with a gold / silver layer inside the magazines to prevent heat bleeding and cold bleeding out of it.

Tools

Automated mouldings are used which are run by simple AI controlled factory robots fashioning the raw materials through to the finished parts.