M41A Pulse Rifle
The Pulse Rifle is a 10mm pulse-action air-cooled automatic assault rifle and is the basic combat rifle for the Colonial Marine Corp. The standard version has an over/under configuration with a 30mm pump-action grenade launcher.
Lightweight and rugged, the M41A is constructed from ultra-light alloy metal stampings. The outer case is made of titanium aluminide alloy and many internal components are molded from high-impact, temperature resistant plastics. It has a standard layout with a spring loaded retractable stock allowing for use as a shortened carbine or full-length rifle. A 3x powered CCD television scope can be to the carrying handle for long range accuracy and low-light conditions.
The M41A fires the M309 10mm X 24 rounds, which comprises a 210 grain bullet embedded in a rectangular caseless propellant block. The propellant content is small but highly efficient, creating muzzle velocities near 840 meters per second. The steel-jacketed bullet has an explosive tip with impact fusing preset during manufacture; the round is designed to penetrate body armor and explode just after impact to inflict lethal internal damage. The standard M41A magazine holds 99 rounds in a “U” bend conveyor, which feeds the rounds mechanically into the rotating breech mechanism; however, normally the clips are filled to 95% capacity to reduce the tendency to jam.
The M41A uses electronic pulses to fire, controlled directly from the trigger. The internal mechanism, including the rotating breech, is mounted on free-floating rails within a carbon-fiber jacket. This assembly is recoil dampened to reduce muzzle climb during burst and full automatic firing. Using a thumb selector, the rifle can be switched to single-shot, 4 round burst, or full auto. A manual cocking device is located on the upper receiver. An LED display is placed below the receiver to show the remaining rounds in the clip; it can be dimmed for night operations. Electrical power is supplied via a lithium battery located in the carrying handle; the battery is good for 10,000 rounds and can be recharged either from a rifle rack or a portable power clip.
The integrated 30mm grenade launcher has a 4 round internal magazine which is filled by hand-loading individual grenades into the mechanism. Pump action is used to load grenades into the breech and cock the firing mechanism. Firing is accomplished via a trigger positioned in front of the rifle's magazine housing, which is also used as a hand grip when firing grenades.
The most commonly used grenade is the M40 High Explosive Fragmentation round, marked by a red cap. It has an effective range of 400 meters and an accurate range of 180 meters. The warhead is a notched steel wire wrapped around a filler of high explosive. When it explodes, more than 300 fragments are spread over a casualty radius of 5 meters. The M40 can also be used as a hand grenade by flipping off its plastic cap and twisting the nose cap clockwise; this gives a 5-second delay before the grenade explodes. If the nose cap is struck or depressed, the grenade will go off immediately.