M3 Assault Weapon System

This is an assault rifle that has replaced the earleir M2 Assault Rfile and is currently being fielded by all SMDIoN forces.

In late YE 35, experiments were carried out on the platform with a new rifle round and found to be more effective. As a result, NAM began retrofitting all existing M2V platforms to accept the 6.8x43mm round for use with all branches of the SMDIoN.

However, field testing and combat reports indicated the firearm’s gas operated design tended to produce excess fouling within the gun, leading to reports of unreliability.

The rifle was redesigned from the ground up by the SMDIoN to issue troops a rifle that was exceptionally reliable as well as accurate by taking advantage of newly widespread manufacturing processes.

Keeping the existing 6.8 x 43mm NAM round, NAM took full advantage of the aforementioned manufacturing processes in the fields of hammer forging, advances in polygonal rifling, as well as advancements in the fields of metallurgy to create an extremely reliable rifle while keeping an acceptable degree of accuracy.

Initial factory tests exceeded expectations, and DMR, carbine, and pistol variants have gone into production.

Following active tests by military and law enforcement personnel, the M3 was modified to be rechambered in the new 11.5x43mm "Slugger" round, with the internal parts of new rifles beefed up to withstand the greater stresses of the new heavy round.

• Designer: Don John; Edmond Mcclintock and his crew (ammunition development)
• Manufacturer: NAM
• Nomenclature: Na-W3
• Name: “Three-Six,” IPG-M3AWS, M3AWS, M3 Rifle
• Type: Long Stroke Gas Piston Rifle
• Role: Assault Rifle/Designated Marksman Rifle/Carbine/Pistol
  • Max Length: 40 inch (DMR Variant)

35 inch (Rifle Variant) 29 inch (Carbine Variant) 20 inch (Pistol Variant)

• Min Length: 40 inch (DMR Variant)

26 inch (Rifle, stock closed) 20 inch (Carbine and Pistol)

• Barrel Length: 24 inch (DMR Variant)

17 inch (Rifle Variant) 10 inch (Carbine and Pistol Variant)

• Mass: 9.5 – 7.5 lbs, depending on Variant

Unlike the previous M2V Assault Rifle, the M3 AWS comes with rotary diopter iron sights and a rail system on top of the receiver and on the sides and bottom of the foregrip. This was a departure from the built in optics of the M2V due to a change in military doctrine that prioritized the usage of iron sights, as well as giving the user the ability to add on other types of optics. The M3 AWS can be fitted with red dot, holographic, prismatic, fixed power optics or variable power optics as the situation dictates it. The M3 AWS is a traditionally configured rifle with the magazine in front of the receiver, as opposed to a bullpup. The decision to stick with a traditional rifle design was to ensure that the already well-trained forces of the SMDIoN would not have to retrain for a new system. It is dark green and black with an folding stock.

• Muzzle Flash: A brief yellow flash with each discharge, only visible at night or within 50m during the day
• Retort: Loud, sharp bang without a silencer; Soft, low pop with the suppressor/silencer
  • Projectile/Beam Appearance: 11.5x43mm "Slugger"/Galactic Horizon 11.5x43mm Quake
• Effective Range 350m using 11.5x43mm "Slugger", 250m usingGalactic Horizon 11.5x43mm Quake
• Rate of Fire: 1800RPM (2 Round Burst) 600 rpm (Full Auto)
• Recoil: Heavy when used by a Nepleslian, minor when used by an ID-SOL. Negligible when used by a power-armored soldier. Noticeably more stout when using Galactic Horizon 11.5x43mm Quake.

The M3 AWS is constructed of high strength steel stamped into a receiver. This ensures a faster production time as well as the fact that stamped receivers are a bit more reliable and have less chances of having metal fatigue under heavy usage

The M3 AWS comes with a cold hammer forged barrel and polygonal rifling. Advantages of polygonal rifling include:

Providing a better gas seal around the projectile as polygonal bores tend to have a slightly smaller bore area, which translates into more efficient use of the combustion gases trapped behind the bullet, slightly more consistent muzzle velocities and slightly increased accuracy.

Less bullet deformation, resulting in reduced drag on the bullet when traveling through the barrel which helps to increase muzzle velocity.

Reduced buildup of copper or lead within the barrel which results in easier maintenance characteristics.

Less sensitive to stress concentration induced barrel failure.

Prolonged barrel life.

The firearm uses a newly developed firing method not employed in the past by any SMDIoN firearms.

Upon firing in a two shot burst, the gas tube, piston, and barrel as one piece move rearward along the firearm's longitudinal axis, acting upon the independent bolt carrier group. The rearward motion of the bolt carrier group is used by a mechanism in the firearm to automatically feed a round into the now rearward-moving barrel, reducing the time of the second round feeding into the barrel. The round is then fired as the barrel and piston group are moving rearward. As the group return to the original position, the next round is chambered into the firearm.

This gives the rifle a theoretical rate of fire at 1800 RPM in 2 shot burst mode, and ensures a very accurate 2-shot burst, as the recoil felt by the shooter is felt after the second round has left the barrel.

In fully-automatic fire, the mechanism is disabled and the firearm now relies on normal automatic firing mechanisms to fire at a rate of 600 rounds per minute.

Ammunition: 11.5x43mm "Slugger"/Galactic Horizon 11.5x43mm Quake¹⁾

• Average DR: Tier 2, Medium Anti-Personnel/Tier 3, Heavy Anti-Personnel²⁾; see article for details

• Safety: Ambidextrous switch on either side of the receiver, above the grip
• Fire Mode Selector: Part of the safety selector, set to two round bursts or full auto.
• Weapon Sight: Rotary diopter sights.
• Attachment Hard Points: Hard points are located on the top of the receiver. Hard points are also located on the sides and bottom of the foregrip.
• Capacity: 25 round box magazine; optional 50 round drum magazine available

Wipe and clean after every mission, taking care to scrub the barrel down and all moving parts.

• Holographic sight
• Red dot sight
• Fixed or Variable Power Optics
• 40mm Single-shot Grenade Launcher
• Fore grip
• 8in or 16in bayonet
• Flashlight
• Underslung Pump Action Shotgun (4 rounds)
• Two Point Sling
• Three Point Sling
• 50 round drum magazine

• All M3s are shipped with cleaning kit and suppressor/silencer.

• M3: 350 DA, Now Available for Commercial Sales
• Replaceable Parts and Components:
• Underslung 40mm Grenade Launcher: 150 DA
• Underslung Shotgun: 100 DA
• 8 or 16in Bayonet: 50 DA
• Flashlight: 10 DA
• Suppressor: 100 DA
• Ammunition: Can be requested from any SMDIoN armory, 50 Rounds for 15 DA.
• 30 Round Box Magazine: 30 DA
• 50 round drum magazine: 200 DA

This page was originally created on 2013/12/25 22:28 by Koenig808 Submission Thread