From:	Paul Jonathan Adam <Paul@********.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject:	Re: Autofire Weapons (was: Concealability)
Date:	Tue, 6 Jun 1995 01:48:24 GMT

Renegade wrote:

> So about 25% cost for handloads.
>
> Not to mention if you're good engouh, you can often make more effective
> rounds, specifically made for your style of shotting. I guess that's the same
> as customizsing your gun, customised gun+customised rounds = +2 Dice
> (god those combat dice build up, don't they? ;-) ).

Got it: you can tighten the groups for a well-made handload. Tweaking it
and getting it right needs about a month of tinkering and a *lot* of
patient range work, finding the load that groups best for your gun.
And it won't work as well even in another example of the same weapon.

> BTW Paul, d'ya need an FAC to buy handloading gear normally, or is the
> seller just used to you?

Technically, no, I don't need to show my FAC to buy any reloading supplies.
In practice, Tim won't sell to anyone he doesn't know unless they show all
the right paperwork, legally required or not.

> > Does an army want any more types of ammo than necessary? 9mm and 5.56mm
> > is considered the limit.
>
> But then unfortunaely you also have 7.62mm Bloc, 7.whatever MAkarov or
> Tokarov, 5.45mm Bloc, etc. Unfortunately it gets massively over-complicated!

True: but that's *all* armies. We use 9mm, 5.56mm and 7.62mm NATO and that's
it: fairly typical. The Russians now use 5.45mm, 7.62mm x 54, and 9mm Makarov.
It doesn't matter what the enemy use, as long as you have a simple logistics
system. Even the SAS use standard ammo unless they really, really need an
exotic: that way they can scrounge 5.56mm from regular squaddies, rather
than having to have .300 Winchester airlifted in.

> Didn't we have the 4.85mm round developed for the :-85, and it got canned,
> despite the betterstats due to all the 5.56mmN rounds floating around?

Because NATO was going to 5.56mm and whatever weapons we got had to fire
that calibre: again to simplify logistics. NATO has a surprisingly good
record of small-arms ammo compatibility. It's the civilian shooters who
really bugger it all up... :-)

--
When you have shot and killed a man, you have defined your attitude towards
him. You have offered a definite answer to a definite problem. For better
or for worse, you have acted decisively.
In fact, the next move is up to him.

Paul J. Adam paul@********.demon.co.uk