# How much is to much?



## Rojack79 (Jan 12, 2016)

Hello. Simple question. How many weapons can a person carry? I ran some numbers through my brain and calculated that a heavily armed person if they wanted to they could carry around 6 if they realy wanted to. Now when it comes to ammo this could be a problem but lets asume ammo is not and issue.


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## Sam (Jan 13, 2016)

Sidearm, backup sidearm, rifle/machinegun.

Anything more than that, and you're loading yourself down with guns and ammo you don't need.

If your character cannot take down whatever target(s) he's going after with  two hundred rounds for the rifle/machinegun, and sixty rounds for each sidearm, he doesn't need more weapons. 

He needs to go to the range.


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## Bishop (Jan 13, 2016)

Much agreed. Even Rambo only ever had a max of three weapons at any given time. It's impractical to carry any more than that, because you're weighed down, your accuracy suffers, and you completely forgo reloading and just toss them aside, meaning it's incredibly wasteful (and kinda dumb).

My characters usually just have the two, primary and a secondary, though a few of them also carry knives for utility.


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## Rojack79 (Jan 13, 2016)

So 3 weapon max with enough ammo to lay waste to a small army. Got it. That works pretty well for the concept that i have in mind. So i have this idea about future weapons technology called M.A.S.S. or Multiple Armorment Swap out System. Its a piece of technology that allows a single soldier to carry any weapon he needs. Lets say he has an assult rifle but the mission hes on calls for a sniper rifle. With the M.A.S.S. technology alls he needs to do is swap out a few parts of his gun and he now has a sniper rifle. Now i have 2 more questions. Q.1 is there a single type of ammuniton that can be used for just about every kind of weapons system? S.M.G. Machinegun, sniper rifle, battle rifle, assult rifle, a form of universal ammunition.


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## Kevin (Jan 13, 2016)

A modern sniper round is highly specialized.


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## Sam (Jan 13, 2016)

Rojack79 said:


> So 3 weapon max with enough ammo to lay waste to a small army. Got it. That works pretty well for the concept that i have in mind. So i have this idea about future weapons technology called M.A.S.S. or Multiple Armorment Swap out System. Its a piece of technology that allows a single soldier to carry any weapon he needs. Lets say he has an assult rifle but the mission hes on calls for a sniper rifle. With the M.A.S.S. technology alls he needs to do is swap out a few parts of his gun and he now has a sniper rifle. Now i have 2 more questions. Q.1 is there a single type of ammuniton that can be used for just about every kind of weapons system? S.M.G. Machinegun, sniper rifle, battle rifle, assult rifle, a form of universal ammunition.



No, there's no such thing as universal ammo.  

Sniper rifles use a lot of ammunition types, including .308, .30-06, and .50 BMG. 

An SMG uses 9mm, 10mm, .and 45 ACP. 

Assault rifle uses 2.23, 5.56, and 7.62 NATO rounds. 

Machinegun (if you're talking about an M60 variant) uses M61 armor piercing, M62 tracer, and M80 ball.


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## Riis Marshall (Jan 13, 2016)

Hello Rojack

Os Doran, close protection security consultant, usually carries three: a Glock 17 and a second magazine, with the Glock under his belt in the middle of his back and the second magazine in his sock or this ensemble in a shoulder holster; a Gerber Mk II combat knife strapped to his leg, and a Silver Stag 3.5 inch fixed blade knife under his shirt collar at the back of his neck.

This usually works.

All the best with your writing.

Warmest regards
Riis


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## Stormcat (Jan 13, 2016)

Sam said:


> No, there's no such thing as universal ammo.
> 
> Sniper rifles use a lot of ammunition types, including .308, .30-06, and .50 BMG.
> 
> ...



Blades don't need reloading. 

Is this character a soldier or an assassin? There IS a difference!


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## Sam (Jan 13, 2016)

Blades also do sweet F all from anything past two yards, unless you're throwing them.


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## Bishop (Jan 13, 2016)

While there definitely are weapons in history that have served as "hybrids" in some ways, like machine pistols, and that weird pistol with a stock that James Bond uses as a sniper rifle (seriously what was up with that?), it'd be difficult to think of a situation where, say, a heavy machine gun could convert to a precision rifle. 

If we're talking future tech, you could make an argument for it--but if you went that way, I'd try to find a non-ballistic ammunition, like lasers or some such. Makes sense in my head, anyway, as that might just require some conversions of the internal structure that could be achieved by adding or removing external parts. Longer barrels, larger capacity battery, etc etc.


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## Stormcat (Jan 13, 2016)

Sam said:


> Blades also do sweet F all from anything past two yards, unless you're throwing them.



which is why I'm asking if the character is a soldier or an assassin.


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## kilroy214 (Jan 13, 2016)

Rojack79 said:


> Hello. Simple question. How many weapons can a person carry? I ran some numbers through my brain and calculated that a heavily armed person if they wanted to they could carry around 6 if they realy wanted to. Now when it comes to ammo this could be a problem but lets asume ammo is not and issue.



The short answer...as many as he can carry.


The realistic answer, it really depends on the job, but I think it's pretty much been answered above; main weapon, side arm, back up/holdout side arm. As for how much ammo to carry...well, that really depends on how good a shot the character is.
If he means business, they 'd probably carry a bandolier's worth of ammo for their main weapon (6 magazines worth of ammo, give or take)
Side arm would be loaded with about two spare mags of ammo. Back up weapon has what it can carry, no more. It's a last resort anyway, so no extra ammo for it.

As Bishop stated, there are hybrids as well, the ones I keep thinking of are pistols fitted with removable butt stocks, ie Berreta 93r(machine pistol), H&K VP70(selective fire aito pistol) Luger 08 variety (12 inch barrel and 32 round snail magazines available!)
I know those are all pistols masquerading as carbines, but you get the picture.


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## Rojack79 (Jan 13, 2016)

Stormcat said:


> Blades don't need reloading.
> Is this character a soldier or an assassin? There IS a difference!



He Is a futuristic knight. So he will be using both guns and blades.


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## Rojack79 (Jan 13, 2016)

Sam said:


> No, there's no such thing as universal ammo.
> 
> Sniper rifles use a lot of ammunition types, including .308, .30-06, and .50 BMG.
> 
> ...



Ok Thanks.


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## Rojack79 (Jan 13, 2016)

Bishop said:


> While there definitely are weapons in history that have served as "hybrids" in some ways, like machine pistols, and that weird pistol with a stock that James Bond uses as a sniper rifle (seriously what was up with that?), it'd be difficult to think of a situation where, say, a heavy machine gun could convert to a precision rifle.
> 
> If we're talking future tech, you could make an argument for it--but if you went that way, I'd try to find a non-ballistic ammunition, like lasers or some such. Makes sense in my head, anyway, as that might just require some conversions of the internal structure that could be achieved by adding or removing external parts. Longer barrels, larger capacity battery, etc etc.



That Just might work. I could even give him a plasma gun that can turn into a sword if he needs it. Now one more thing. Energy weapons would have no recoil correct?


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## Sam (Jan 13, 2016)

Every weapon has to generate enough kinetic force to impel a round, or beam of energy, down a barrel at tremendous speed. 

Ergo, every weapon has recoil.


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## kilroy214 (Jan 13, 2016)

If you are going to go futuristic there's nothing stopping you from making something up. As long as you make it seem reasonable, there's nothing wrong with your MC carrying a pistol with a collapsible stock, barrel extension, selective firing switch, hi-power scope that fires a standard projectile that the gun automatically adjusts (or the MC can manually input) the amount of propellant needed to make the shot, allowing his one pistol-sized firearm to be a pistol, smg, assault rifle, and sniper rifle all in one.


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## ppsage (Jan 13, 2016)

Recoil is caused by the acceleration of mass. Bullets transmit kinetic energy and are really heavy for the amount of energy they project. Photons are really light for the amount of light energy they project, but light energy isn't as damaging to matter like flesh. A laser gun would have theoretical recoil, but it would be exceedingly slight.


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## Rojack79 (Jan 13, 2016)

kilroy214 said:


> If you are going to go futuristic there's nothing stopping you from making something up. As long as you make it seem reasonable, there's nothing wrong with your MC carrying a pistol with a collapsible stock, barrel extension, selective firing switch, hi-power scope that fires a standard projectile that the gun automatically adjusts (or the MC can manually input) the amount of propellant needed to make the shot, allowing his one pistol-sized firearm to be a pistol, smg, assault rifle, and sniper rifle all in one.



Wow That sounds cool plus it would work.


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## Rojack79 (Jan 13, 2016)

ppsage said:


> Photons are really light for the amount of light energy they project, but light energy isn't as damaging to matter like flesh.



Really? Huh. I wander how much power a laser would need to destroy an advanced suit of powered armor?


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