Helix Guns

Overview

The primary weapons of the fierri, helix guns are projectile weapons that can perform on par and even out perform most energy weapons. Elegantly crafted, durable against the harshest elements, and well balanced for easy handling, helix guns are a monument to not only the might of the fierri armed forces but their engineering from being such a young race.

Design

Helix guns are helical rail guns, using a pair of rails to help launch projectiles. However, the rails do not launch the projectile in question but rather are used to carry a pair of electrical contacts down the length of the helical barrel. These contacts energize the helical projectile which will also carry its own electrical contacts which, in turn, will energize the barrel which creates the magnetic field that launches the projectile. Projectiles are launched at such high speeds that despite possessing low calibers, helix guns possess enormous stopping power.

The rounds fired are small and frangible, shattering upon impact to avoid over penetration. Otherwise, a pistol can hit with the energy of a 20 mm cannon.

Caliber is how bullets on Earth are categorized, measured by the bore of the gun they are fired from. Helix gun projectiles are categorized by grain. Helix guns fire projectiles that shatter and the grain refers to the size of the fragments. One grain (1G) projectiles refer to solid projectiles. Hundred grain (100G) projectiles are ones that shatter into one hundred fragments. The word 'supergrain' (SG) refers to bullets that shatter into over a hundred fragments with each supergrain referring to a hundred fragments. Five supergrain (5SG) is a projectile that shatters into five hundred fragments. Most small arms fire hundred supergrain (100SG) rounds.

Kinetic shock absorbers are crucial to the weapon's design. The speed the projectile leaves the barrel would stagger the user otherwise and that is not even factoring weapons such as the shrieker rifle with their absurdly high rates of fire.

Specs

Helix guns fire helical projectiles with the average projectile being roughly the size of a 3mm bullet (just the bullet. Not the entire round). Rates of fire depend on the weapon being fired. Gron 'shrieker' rifles have rates of fire of a hundred thousand rounds per minute. Tyrfing submachine 'maelstrom' rifles have a cyclic rate of fire of 925 RPM. Ichaival shotguns (thunder rifles) can be pump action or semi automatic.

Weapons use helical magazines loaded into the stock or grip. The fierri have simplified the helical magazine, now only possessing the cylindrical box, an auger-shaped drive path, a drive plate, and a torsion rod. The torsion rod at the center rotates the auger and forces the drive plate nestled at the bottom to begin sliding upward, forcing the rounds to travel down the length of the magazine and forcing the rounds to the top. These magazines are cheap, easy to reuse, easy to refill, disposable, and carries enough rounds for even the shrieker rifle. This is further helped by the small size and light weight of the rounds.

Frangible rounds shatter upon impact, sending thousands of shards into the target. Those unfamiliar with the operations of helix guns often mistakenly believe explosive rounds are being fired.

Heavier weapons such as vehicle weapons, anti-vehicle weapons, and anti-aircraft weapons do not carry heavier or more advanced helix guns but simply fire solid 1G and semi-solid 10G to 50G rounds. Semi-solid rounds do not shatter on impact but maintain integrity long enough to penetrate the target before shattering inside the target and maximizing damage against more heavily armored targets.

Fierri engineering has produced very durable weapons capable of surviving a range of harsh conditions that would render most weapons inoperable. And jamming is a rarity.

Conclusion

If there is anyone who believes a projectile weapon is nothing compared to an energy weapon, they need only be shown fierri helix weapons. With even the pistol having the stopping power to destroy an armored vehicle, fierri helix weapons show that ingenuity dominates all.