The Rebel Faction

IR-18 MUR

Name: IR-18
Designer/Manufacturer: Stellar Enterprises
Combat Role: Multi-Use Rifle

Description: The IR-18 is designed to be a next generation infantry rifle. It incorporates the power and intense heat of a heavy blaster rifle with the range, punch, and accuracy of a slugthrower. To accomplish this, the MUR uses body that houses two different barrels with a selector switch to switch between the two. Hardened polymers are used throughout the structure of the rifle in order to ensure a lightweight, yet very strong and durable weapon.

The top most barrel is used to fire the magnetically accelerated rounds out to a range of around 3 kilometers with enough power to go through even light vehicle armor. To improve accuracy and ensure the soldiers properly sight the weapon before firing, the rate of fire has been limited to one shot or a three round burst. Feeding this magnetic acceleration barrel is a specially designed horizontal magazine which contains upto 30 rounds and come in many variations. This magazine is situated within the top of the of the rifle, under a protective cover which much be lifted up before the mags removal or insertion. The cover protects the weapon and rounds from getting exposed to dirt or moisture and helps prevent jamming.

Power for the magnetic acceleration comes from a power pack at the rear of the weapon. This same power pack powers the blaster portion of the IR-18 as well. It has enough charge for firing upto 100 blaster rounds or 360 magnetically accelerated rounds. Combining the two systems will cause these numbers to vary as the heavy blaster rifle uses much more energy. The rear power pack is also integrated into the formfitted rifle stock and is created with a quick change mechanism. This mechanism drops the power pack out when its time to change and allows the soldier to quickly insert a replacement without the need for physically retreiving the used on pack. A small built in indicator is also installed on the side of this stock that will count down the amount of charge left as well as indicate the number of rounds left inside the magazine.

Underneath the mag barrel a blaster barrel is housed within its own contained environment. The whole lower section of the IR-18 is unitilized for this heavy blaster rifle and contains all the systems needed to fire it, including the blaster gas and heavy galvin coils as well as the focusing crystal. The power output of this blaster is close to the one found on the A-280 heavy blaster rifle, meaning it will have enough power to slice through the medium grade armor found on many combat vehicle. Because of this power the weapon can kill a fully armored trooper instantly and A-280 were said to cut stormtroopers clean in half.

The downside, however, is that this blaster does not have an autofire capability. This is because the heat and power needed for the weapon to work. The barrel needs time to cool before being able to fire again. Do to the somewhat shorter barrel, range is also limited and doesn't have nearly the long reach of the magnetically accelerated rounds.

Each weapon comes equipt with a 10x sight system at the top for precise targeting at long ranges. The sight has multiple different views, such as night vision or thermal. It also has the ability to act like a holo cam and take pictures for transmission back to HQ which might be useful for recon troopers. Integrated into each sight is also a laser designator/range finder which could pinpoint targets for destruction or call out the range for heavier units.

To keep production costs down, these rifles would be manufactured with readily available and proven parts, only assembled differently. With Stellar Enterprises acquisition of Atgar Spacedefense, warehouses full of laser parts are now available to it at much cheaper prices. This allows for cheaper construction costs and in turn cheaper weapons for sale.

In addition a power feed connection socket has been integrated into the weapon system allowing for a larger backpack style powerpack to be utilized in powered the weapon. The backpack could also be used to recharge the weapons power back. Any other power generation system could be used as well, such as those found on ground vehicles.

Each battery pack as designed with an overload switch. Once activated, the whole pack could turn into an explosive charge used for making a whole in a wall or as a high powered grenade if needed.
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A IC-18 version will also be offered. This will be a shorter Carbine for close quarters fighting. The weapon will have somewhat reduced range and accuracy, but in close quarters, such as house to house fighting, that wouldn't matter too much.
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With this line of weapons various rifle launched grenades will be offered. These grenades will be designed to be fit over the magnetic acceleration barrel and could be fired off with a single round. Their range will be limited, but still much greater than a hand tossed grenade. Versions will consist of HE, Armor Piercing, thermobaric, and flares to name a few.