SJG 253 Posted February 15, 2019 http://www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/sidearmenergy.php Will we see the day when traditional firearms that use "bullets" as projectiles become obsolete and commercially available energy weapons that serve as sidearms replace them? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
10X 3,296 Posted February 15, 2019 This may as well be the electric car thread, repeated. It all comes down to a suitable power source, and you can't fit enough amperage into a hand-held pistol with today's technology. Right now, nothing matches the energy density of a dozen or so grains of smokeless powder. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke 5,504 Posted February 15, 2019 5 hours ago, 10X said: This may as well be the electric car thread, repeated. It all comes down to a suitable power source, and you can't fit enough amperage into a hand-held pistol with today's technology. Right now, nothing matches the energy density of a dozen or so grains of smokeless powder. I wonder what the Wright brothers would say.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
10X 3,296 Posted February 15, 2019 20 minutes ago, Zeke said: I wonder what the Wright brothers would say.... Maybe something like: "Look at that, 116 years later and there still isn't anything more practical than fossil fuel for aircraft propulsion." 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke 5,504 Posted February 15, 2019 1 hour ago, 10X said: Maybe something like: "Look at that, 116 years later and there still isn't anything more practical than fossil fuel for aircraft propulsion." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_aircraft bamb! Thot bomb Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handyman 5,682 Posted February 17, 2019 On 2/15/2019 at 4:06 PM, Zeke said: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_aircraft bamb! Thot bomb From the article: Power cablesEdit An electrical power cable may be connected to a ground-based supply, such as an electric generator. At low altitudes this can avoid carrying heavy batteries and was used by the experimental Petróczy-Kármán-Žurovec PKZ-1 observation helicopter of 1917. However such a craft must remain tethered to a ground facility, and the higher it flies, the heavier the weight of cable it must lift with it. That's one big cable you'll need to get from EWR to Orlando. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke 5,504 Posted February 17, 2019 58 minutes ago, Handyman said: From the article: Power cablesEdit An electrical power cable may be connected to a ground-based supply, such as an electric generator. At low altitudes this can avoid carrying heavy batteries and was used by the experimental Petróczy-Kármán-Žurovec PKZ-1 observation helicopter of 1917. However such a craft must remain tethered to a ground facility, and the higher it flies, the heavier the weight of cable it must lift with it. That's one big cable you'll need to get from EWR to Orlando. Assault capacity extension chord Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
raz-0 1,259 Posted February 18, 2019 On 2/15/2019 at 9:03 AM, 10X said: This may as well be the electric car thread, repeated. It all comes down to a suitable power source, and you can't fit enough amperage into a hand-held pistol with today's technology. Right now, nothing matches the energy density of a dozen or so grains of smokeless powder. I will go beyond that. Here are some issues. 1) Anything laser related has the problem of being able to blind everyone who looks at the laser firing. This is problematic in terms of finding a manufacturer, or the public use of such a thing. 2) Anything that zaps you that is no more efficient than powder driving a projectile, and has an energy storage footprint no worse than a current firearm will have batteries that will have to basically be capable of discharging energy like an explosive. Exploding batteries are generally considered not a good thing. You will need something incredibly efficient, or to somehow power it via small explosive charges. This is where things like electrolasers come in to the picture. The laser bit which sucks just has to ionize the air a bit. Then you zap the target with electricity directed over the ionized air path. You don't have to burn a hole through things instantly and you don't have to impart the energy of a projectile to smash through things. It aint there, may never get there, but of the various options it looks to me like the least tough nut to crack. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SW9racer 262 Posted February 18, 2019 If you mount the laser on a shark, you can power it from their nervous systems electrical impulses 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites