Chinese Showcase Handheld Gauss Machine Gun with a Firing Rate Five Times Higher than AK-47
An article in a Chinese scientific journal on military technologies discussed the development of a rapid-fire handheld Gauss weapon. In it, scientists were able to implement the idea of a capacitor-free power system for the mass accelerator for the first time, significantly increasing the rate of fire. Capacitors require a relatively long time to accumulate energy for each shot, which limited the firing rate. Without them, the weapon can fire up to 3000 rounds per minute, five times the capability of the AK-47.
The world's first serial handheld Gauss gun, the GR-1 ANVIL by the American company Arcflash Labs, introduced four years ago, can fire 100 rounds per minute at half power. It takes about 3 seconds to charge 8 high-voltage electrolytic capacitors. Chinese scientists abandoned this scheme, directing power to the coils directly from a lithium battery. With this setup, an early prototype demonstrated a firing rate of 277 rounds per minute, with the potential to reach 3000 rounds per minute.
The implemented design in the device connects each subsequent coil in the weapon's barrel 2 mm before the projectile enters it and cuts off power after it moves 35 mm away from the coil. The position of the disc-shaped projectiles is determined by sensors. The projectiles do not touch the weapon's walls, which is a significant advantage of Gauss guns over railguns. The shots are silent, and the power of the shot can be adjusted over a wide range. The weapon began development in 2023 as a non-lethal means for riot control.
The muzzle energy of the prototype is not reported. It is claimed that the projectile speed can reach up to 86 m/s. With a firing rate of 3000 rounds per minute, the weapon can serve as a means of suppressing enemy forces. The main drawbacks of the device are considered to be relatively low firing accuracy and a long battery charging time, reaching up to one hour.
An article in a Chinese scientific journal on military technologies discussed the development of a rapid-fire handheld Gauss weapon. In it, scientists were able to implement the idea of a capacitor-free power system for the mass accelerator for the first time, significantly increasing the rate of fire. Capacitors require a relatively long time to accumulate energy for each shot, which limited the firing rate. Without them, the weapon can fire up to 3000 rounds per minute, five times the capability of the AK-47.
The world's first serial handheld Gauss gun, the GR-1 ANVIL by the American company Arcflash Labs, introduced four years ago, can fire 100 rounds per minute at half power. It takes about 3 seconds to charge 8 high-voltage electrolytic capacitors. Chinese scientists abandoned this scheme, directing power to the coils directly from a lithium battery. With this setup, an early prototype demonstrated a firing rate of 277 rounds per minute, with the potential to reach 3000 rounds per minute.
The implemented design in the device connects each subsequent coil in the weapon's barrel 2 mm before the projectile enters it and cuts off power after it moves 35 mm away from the coil. The position of the disc-shaped projectiles is determined by sensors. The projectiles do not touch the weapon's walls, which is a significant advantage of Gauss guns over railguns. The shots are silent, and the power of the shot can be adjusted over a wide range. The weapon began development in 2023 as a non-lethal means for riot control.
The muzzle energy of the prototype is not reported. It is claimed that the projectile speed can reach up to 86 m/s. With a firing rate of 3000 rounds per minute, the weapon can serve as a means of suppressing enemy forces. The main drawbacks of the device are considered to be relatively low firing accuracy and a long battery charging time, reaching up to one hour.