Standard Rifle
With the initial success of the standard rifle's predecessor at 0 PD, the demand across Meplaes increased dramatically. As such, the Steelgate Guns & Shells Manufacturing company was established under the Steelgate Council. They were assigned to job of making a rifle to be used by armed forces across Meplaes.
The standard rifle is the eventual design the Steelgate Guns & Shells Manufacturing company settled on as the most robust and easy to produce design. Provided a rifle is cleaned and refilled regularly, the parts should outlast the wielder by at least a decade.
Mechanics & Inner Workings
A small boiler at the back of the gun is heated through a magical element (do not touch the boiler, lest you burn your hands). This boiler generates steam and is to be refilled from a canteen or otherwise at least once a day. When refilling, make sure the bar along the side fills to the indicated level. Do not fill the rifle further than this bar!
Upon a pull of the trigger, a vent is released and a jet of steam is launched into the back of a loaded bullet. In a split second this will reach a critical pressure, activating the Cartridge and causing the bullet to be propelled at 865 m/s from the end of the rifle. The pattern worked into the barrel will lend spin to the cartridge, stabilizing its flight.
When the trigger pulled, a slider moves over the magazine to prevent the next bullet from being placed in the chamber. When the trigger is released, the barrier moves aside and allows the spring in the magazine to move into the chamber. The bolt along the side of the barrel is then to be pulled back in order to align the cartridge with the steamvent.
The cartridges are loaded in through the bottom of the rifle by means of a magazine.
The relative output on the rifle needs to be calibrated monthly, to guarantee consistent results. This is due to slack on the vent. This can be done by turning the wheel on the side of the gun and firing a testing round, a special weight with standard shape and weight. If the test round falls out of the end of the barrel, but only just, the gun is calibrated correctly.
A notch at the top of the boiler assists in aiming and a wooden brace at the back of the gun helps surpress the experienced recoil.
Once per year a mechanic is to inspect the weapon thoroughly to guarantee proper function.
Manufacturing process
The barrel, boiler and structural elements can each be manufactured seperately. These are then delivered to assembly plants. Here the boiler receives then vent and the attached trigger mechanism, cast from an aluminium alloy. When the boiler and trigger are finished, the structural elements are put in place. Finally, the barrel is pressed in place and screwed tight with a bolt.
Significance
The primary weapon used by the Meplaes Union
Item type
Weapon, Ranged
Manufacturer
Related Technologies
Rarity
Common, monopolized for military use.
Weight
8 lb
Dimensions
1100 mm
Base Price
50 gp
Raw materials & Components
The barrel is made of simple steel. The boiler is made of a brass alloy. The heating element is a piece of magic infused quartz. The structural elements of the rifle are made of oakwood harvested from the Ancewood.
Tools
Simple carver's tools suffice for making the structural elements of the rifle. The barrel is to be cast before being machined in a steamdriven mill. The rifling is then added using a specialized machine by an expert. The brass alloy boiler is also simply cast. The quartz is enchanted by novices in the Steelgate Mage Tower. The vent is a delicate piece of machinery that requires several components to be carefully assembled.
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