Kidd,
Yautja,
17 years ago
Really, go and ask Cpl. Hicks. He'll explain to you just as he did to Ellen Ripley in the movie Aliens. If you don't want to be educated by him, then here is the description explaining about the M41A1 Pulse Rifle;
The M41 fires the standard US M309 10mm x 24 round. This ammunition comprises a 210 grain projectile embedded within a rectangular caseless propellant block of Nitramine 50. The propellant content is small but highly efficient, generating muzzle velocities on the order of 840 meters per second. The round is steel-jacketed and explosive tipped, with impact fusing that is preset during manufacture. Terminal ballistic characteristics have been optimized for maximum lethality against infantry wearing personal armor. The round is designed to penetrate the armor, exploding just after impact to inflict lethal internal damage. The standard M41 ammunition clip will hold up to 100 M309 rounds in a 'U' bend conveyor that feeds the rounds mechanically into the rotating breech mechanism. However, in practice the clips are only filled to 95% capacity in order to reduce the autoloader's tendency to jam.
The M41 uses electronic pulse action to fire, controlled directly from the trigger. The internal mechanism, including the rotating breech, is mounted on free-floating rails within a carbon-filter jacket. This assembly is recoil dampened to reduce the effects of muzzle climb during burst and full automatic fire. From the thumb selector, the weapon can be set to four-round bursts, or full automatic fire, the latter allowing a rate of fire up to the weapons cyclic rate of 900 rounds per minute. An LED display situated just below the receiver indicates the ammo remaining in the clip. This display can be dimmed for night operations. A Lithium battery in the carrying handle provides electrical power for the gun’s motor mechanism. This battery is good for 10,000 rounds and can be recharged either from a rifle rack or a portable power clip.
The M41 is a robust weapon, fully sealed against corrosion, dirt and moisture, yet easy to disassemble and maintain. The solid state electronics are hardened against TREE and background radiation, and the weapon is perfectly usable in a vacuum environment. However, it is not sufficiently stabilized or recoil dampened for use in free-fall combat operations carbine and an assault rifle.