Garak
Member
I think the next step will be eliminating human error from aiming, meaning computerized sights and guided bullets. The technologies already exist. Also, all kinds of less than lethal weapons for police use.
The future of firearms
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xxjumbojimboxx
Member
xxjumbojimboxx
Member
!
whoa.... when someone said new catridge, I came up with a crazy idea...
Ill report to you in five years when im rich
whoa.... when someone said new catridge, I came up with a crazy idea...
Ill report to you in five years when im rich
xxjumbojimboxx
Member
nevermind, google told me it exists already... It's called a coil gun, it uses electromagnets to propel bullets down the barrel.... Too bad., I thought i was awesome.. I should probably think before i post at close to 3 am 
I reluctuntly post this, but do believe a future will see the individual right to have advanced arms disappear.
That would make the development of small arms almost stagnate as more and more conflicts are fought with air power and other means ,to a level that small arms for military usage will be current technoligy cleaned up by advancements in optics and other rather minor changes that are on the testing grounds already.
Hunting and civilian use of weapons will revert back to old school such as bow/arow, and black powder style arms.
You may not like it, or even agree with it, but that's what I perdict the next 100 years will bring. The path of todays world society seem headed in that direction.
Then again I could be wrong ,and we all will have that pulse laser blaster good for dropping a flying nat at 2 miles.
That would make the development of small arms almost stagnate as more and more conflicts are fought with air power and other means ,to a level that small arms for military usage will be current technoligy cleaned up by advancements in optics and other rather minor changes that are on the testing grounds already.
Hunting and civilian use of weapons will revert back to old school such as bow/arow, and black powder style arms.
You may not like it, or even agree with it, but that's what I perdict the next 100 years will bring. The path of todays world society seem headed in that direction.
Then again I could be wrong ,and we all will have that pulse laser blaster good for dropping a flying nat at 2 miles.
More efficient manufacturing processes and materials. Stronger, more durable polymers or composite materials potentially even having a metal-like feel to them. The 3d printing age has just begun and already people want a stronger polymer, this may help spur R&D in that direction.
I'd like to say we'll see some design innovation in firearms but new whiz-bang stuff doesn't catch on very easily. We'll be using the M16 platform (though hopefully with the next model being piston-driven) for another 25 years at least. Consider the fact that we've been using the M2 machinegun since the 1920's and you realize that my statement is hardly a risky one to make.
Optics will see the advent of new reticle designs, illumination methods, and better electronic range-finding and elevation/wind correction scope designs.
Thermal imaging and night-vision should steadily improve as well, but this doesn't mean that much to civilian shooters.
Polymer-cased ammo potentially as well.
I'd like to say we'll see some design innovation in firearms but new whiz-bang stuff doesn't catch on very easily. We'll be using the M16 platform (though hopefully with the next model being piston-driven) for another 25 years at least. Consider the fact that we've been using the M2 machinegun since the 1920's and you realize that my statement is hardly a risky one to make.
Optics will see the advent of new reticle designs, illumination methods, and better electronic range-finding and elevation/wind correction scope designs.
Thermal imaging and night-vision should steadily improve as well, but this doesn't mean that much to civilian shooters.
Polymer-cased ammo potentially as well.
content
Member
Hello friends and neighbors // Here in the East, I think there will be a decrease in outdoor shooting ranges, causing an increase of indoor shooting ranges, creating an upsurge in pistol caliber carbines and rifle caliber handguns.
The increase in food costs may cause more folks to hunt as well as have a home garden so I believe the need for common bolt action .30-06, .30-30 rifles and such will remain pretty much the same.
Varmint hunting at night will allow quicker/cheaper NV advancements .. so many folks will have NV capable optics.
The Double Barrel Shotgun will take over the HD market world wide.
The increase in food costs may cause more folks to hunt as well as have a home garden so I believe the need for common bolt action .30-06, .30-30 rifles and such will remain pretty much the same.
Varmint hunting at night will allow quicker/cheaper NV advancements .. so many folks will have NV capable optics.
The Double Barrel Shotgun will take over the HD market world wide.
T2K
Member
I believe that if the USSR / Warsaw Pact had not fallen apart, West Germany would have replaced the G3 with the G11 which fired a caseless round?
Smart munitions are clearly something which will be used more and more by militaries around the world. But AK's will be around the next century too.
Smart munitions are clearly something which will be used more and more by militaries around the world. But AK's will be around the next century too.
Greenmachin3
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LjnhhtHojM
No more chemical explosions. Straight electricity. I think that video shows the beginning of the next stage of firearms.
No more chemical explosions. Straight electricity. I think that video shows the beginning of the next stage of firearms.
Cosmoline
Member
It's all about the propellant. After black powder was taken as far as it could go, the last great surge in innovation took place in the 1880's through the 1910's with smokeless. Since then we've been operating in the era of smokeless powder. We are not going to see any huge changes in firearm tech until and unless the propellant system changes.
A variety of concepts are in development, but so far none has shown the practical abilities of centerfire smokeless cartridges. Most of the prototype designs fail in one respect or another compared with the standard system. They don't get rid of heat well enough, for example, or they require too many bulky bttys.
A variety of concepts are in development, but so far none has shown the practical abilities of centerfire smokeless cartridges. Most of the prototype designs fail in one respect or another compared with the standard system. They don't get rid of heat well enough, for example, or they require too many bulky bttys.
Queen_of_Thunder
member
All changes will occur in ammuntion
I think caseless ammunition will be the next big thing, despite it's problematic history. The benefits make sense at least on a battlefield, although I can't see how it would necessarily benefit us peasants. If anything, I'd imagine it'd bring about much shorter expiration dates on ammo, and eliminate the possibility of reloaders rolling their own.
I would like to see an electronic trigger assembly, not necessarily for defensive weapons, but again the benefits for a competition gun would be nice. I'd also imagine it would radically improve the trigger feel of bullpup rifles if made reliable enough. I'd imagine there's probably several NFA regulations that will prevent them from being produced for civilians, but it'd be nice to see regardless.
I would like to see an electronic trigger assembly, not necessarily for defensive weapons, but again the benefits for a competition gun would be nice. I'd also imagine it would radically improve the trigger feel of bullpup rifles if made reliable enough. I'd imagine there's probably several NFA regulations that will prevent them from being produced for civilians, but it'd be nice to see regardless.
barnbwt
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There are electronic triggers, but they are designed with mechanical elements that either slow down their operation (a hydraulic piston slowly depresses the trigger) or have some linkage still linked to the user's finger (I'd guess that means the sear is electric, but the disconnector-reset is still done by your finger moving). I'm sure both are expensive at any rate.
Until we invent a firing chamber that doesn't absorb heat from the rounds fired, caseless actually makes less sense on the battlefield, and more sense in bolt-rifles. The G11 would cook off after only a small number of rounds (quickly attainable given it's 3000rpm cycle speed). Not to mention that a pile of caseless will always be a hell of a lot more dangerous to have around than flash-proof cases.
I'm thinking more and more it'll be optics. We've revolutionized iron sights with the new dot setups (reflex and red dot), I think auto-compensating/calculating scopes are next. That and cheap night vision (how old is that technology at this point?)
Here's a nifty concept I'll just "throw out there" to the wolves amongst us: Modular receiver that splits vertically at the magwell and ejection port instead of into an upper/lower. Would allow for any length magazine and cartridge to be used with a barrel/front-er swap, limited only by the width of the magwell and ejection ports. Anyone think this would go over like a led zeppelin?
TCB
Until we invent a firing chamber that doesn't absorb heat from the rounds fired, caseless actually makes less sense on the battlefield, and more sense in bolt-rifles. The G11 would cook off after only a small number of rounds (quickly attainable given it's 3000rpm cycle speed). Not to mention that a pile of caseless will always be a hell of a lot more dangerous to have around than flash-proof cases.
I'm thinking more and more it'll be optics. We've revolutionized iron sights with the new dot setups (reflex and red dot), I think auto-compensating/calculating scopes are next. That and cheap night vision (how old is that technology at this point?)
Here's a nifty concept I'll just "throw out there" to the wolves amongst us: Modular receiver that splits vertically at the magwell and ejection port instead of into an upper/lower. Would allow for any length magazine and cartridge to be used with a barrel/front-er swap, limited only by the width of the magwell and ejection ports. Anyone think this would go over like a led zeppelin?
TCB
swalton1943
Member
Non-projectile weapons, sonic stunguns, phasers, nural tinglers, read sci/fi; they will tell you about the possibilities. Stunguns are a perpetual fave.
Everything we have now is just a matter of variations on the same thing, a ignition source, propellant and projectile. Unless someone figures out how to change the laws of physics future firearms will just be more variations of the same. The point being someone is going to have to find an energy source adaptable to personal weapons that make firearms obsolete.
JohnBiltz
Member
What have always in the past been the game changers were the ammunition.
Match lock
flint lock
percussion caps
Minnie ball
brass cartridges
smokeless powder
The next big thing will be ammunition driven just like all the others.
Match lock
flint lock
percussion caps
Minnie ball
brass cartridges
smokeless powder
The next big thing will be ammunition driven just like all the others.
JRH6856
Member
Caseless ammunition could become a really big thing. But now that California is requiring all new firearms incorporate microstamping it could face a legal hurdle. Caseless ammo doesn't leave anything that could be stamped so look to Cali to require all ammo to be microstampable--that is have a case.
Of course, caseless ammo is really nothing new. Percussion arms during the Civil War used consumable paper cartridges, but they required separate percussion caps for ignition. The new improvement would be incorporating the ignition system into the cartridge.
Of course, caseless ammo is really nothing new. Percussion arms during the Civil War used consumable paper cartridges, but they required separate percussion caps for ignition. The new improvement would be incorporating the ignition system into the cartridge.
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