M-21 Storm/M-23 Katana

The M-21 Storm Scattershot Microscale Mass Accelerator Cannon. Commonly referred to as the M-21 Storm Assault Shotgun was an infantry variant of a standard Mass Accelerator cannon produced by Hahne-Kedar Industries, and was the standard issue close assault weapon used by Systems Alliance Military personnel from 2158 to 2184, before being replaced by the newer M-23 Katana.

The primary components of the Storm include a 30 cm long, 5 cm diameter coil gun barrel, a Micro Element Zero core, a small power cell, an ammunition block an air cooling system and an onboard computer microframe linked to targeting sensors.

The Katana's components are largely identical to that of it's predecessor, with the only differences being improved software and a thermal clip based cooling system.

Appearance wise, the weapon is 50 cm's long and rectangular. At the top of the barrel is a pair of iron sights and below it are the computer and targeting systems, with a small antenna protruding beneath the barrel.

In the main housing, behind the barrel is the Element Zero core and ventilation system. On the Katana, the ventilation system is replaced with a thermal clip system.

The grip contains the ammo block made of a ferric titanium alloy, capable of proving 4000 rounds of ammunition. This unique ammo block design is more brittle than the standard. The sensors on the grip's exterior link it to the Combat Hardsuit of the wielder through the palm of their gauntlet. Displaying weapon and targeting information directly on the wielder's hud. The weapon's power cell is located on the back of the gun.

The casing of the shotgun is made of a lightweight ceramic composite, with no metallic components aside from the barrel and ammo block, which contribute to the bulk of the weapon's 1.1 kg weight. The lightweight weapon counters recoil through momentum dampeners.

When firing, in the split second between the trigger being pulled and the bullet leaving the chamber, the onboard computer calculates the trajectory of the bullet based on wind, gravity, atmospheric pressure and other environmental hazards. It then makes micro-adjustments to the shooter's aim and shaves off an appropriately sized slug from the ammo block(about the size of a grain of sand). The projectile is then coated in an electromagnetic, bose-einstein condensate or plasma field to give it a so called "ammo power". These effects can be added through modification of the weapon on the field using an omnitool. This projectile is then moved to one of the barrels, lightened by a mass effect field, before being accelerated to 30 km/s. Due to the brittle nature of a shotgun ammo block, the combined force of the the mass effect and magnetic fields tear the round apart during acceleration. Resulting in the round leaving the barrel in multiple pieces. The shotgun has a recharge rate of a little under a minute.

The heat generated by the gun is then transferred to the cooling system and removed.

In the M-21 Storm, the weapon vented the heat directly, but it often couldn't vent heat faster than it was generated. If the Storm fires continuously for more than 4 rounds without stopping, the weapon could burn out. The M-23 Katana solved this issue with the implementation of Thermal clips. Disposable lithium heat sinks that capture the heat generated. Each sink can capture the heat of upto 5 rounds. A hinged break open system snaps open the gun directly behind the barrel. Ejecting the spent clip and allowing a new one to be installed.