"The Weapons of Science Fiction: The M590 Exo-Assault" Topic

… Rifle from SPACE: Above and Beyond

"Packed in seemingly every military science fiction work are futuristic firearms and some, like the Colonial Marines M41A1 Pulse Rifle has become an icon of sci-fi weaponry…then there are others that never get their day in the limelight. One of those military sci-fi weapons is the United States standard issue endo/exo assault rifle of the 2060's: the M590. Featured in the legendary 1990's FOX one-season TV show Space: Above and Beyond (SAAB), the M590 was never given the fandom of Decker's blaster or the Macleod's Katana, but it made an impression on me and on others in the Military SF community. In this installment of The Weapons of Science Fiction, we shall be diving into the SAAB M590 exo-assault rifle and finally giving its due.

As depicted in the show, the M590 exo-assault rifle is the primary rifle of the US Marine Corps and the US Army for use in all exo-planetary environments and conditions that the US Armed Forces find themselves during off-world combat and peacekeeping operations. This magazine-fed, air-cooled kinetic energy weapon fires a cased 5mm to 7mm projectile of various ammunition types depending on the conditions and enemy target types. Designed by AeroTech Corporation, the M590 has been the official standard assault rifle for off-world operations with the increased off-planet colonization expansion after the A.I. Rebellion.

Due to the design specification by the Defense Department for soldiers and marines needing to use their M590s will in combat environmental suit that feature padded gloves, the trigger is rather unique and not similar to any combat rifle before. The "trigger bar" is often depressed by four fingers instead of the traditional single due to the gloves worn with the rifle stabilized by the thumb loop grip and the forward grip. Given issues with safety and the bulkiness of the current issue gloves, the trigger was set with more force to fire the weapon. In some models, the forward assembly grip has been replaced by a single shot, slide-opening 40mm grenade launcher for increased offensive capability…"

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Amicalement
Armand

The issue of triggers one wepaosn meant to be used in space has been addressed infrequently in SF; The only standout example I can think of off the top of my head is in A Bertram Chandler's "Bring Back Yeastrday" where the hero, a down -and-out spacer subcontracted for an investigation on an airless moon colony by a detective agency requests a particular model of pistol over a athe fisrt offered . . . Precisely because the trigger gauard is large enough to accomodate a suit glove finger.

Always wonderd about the trigger on that weapon when I watche dteh series; It makes a lot of sense.

Amusingly, this has been addressed by military firearms designers since the 1940's with a really simple device – they place a long folding trigger bar in the trigger group. When wearing gloves or mittens the soldier simply folds it down from the stowed position (up with the safety & selector) so it sits parallel to the trigger but outside the guard where it activates the sear by various means. When not needed its folded up out of the way and is disconnected from the firing group so it can't snag and accidentally fire.

"Air cooled" will cause a problem in vacuum environments.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

"Air cooled" will cause a problem in vacuum environments.

True, although it being absolute zero means that some heat-radiating fins should be more than effective at bleeding off heat, wouldn't they?

If they were fighting on an airless world at the same distance as the Earth from the Sun, the surface temperature would be pretty much the same (at least on the daylight side). Thermal radiation is the least efficient way of removing thermal energy from a hot body. Increasing the surface area using fins would help, but even in a PC the heat sink on a CPU uses a fan to allow for forced convection (as does the "radiator" on a car engine). Without convection the weapon would rapidly overheat and jam. Hence water cooled jackets on HMGs.

That trigger is a serious design flaw and should have a large enough trigger guard to allow the gloved hand to be kept off the trigger and allow it to be inserted when ready to fire. Any accidental stumble or something startling them could cause them to reflexively grasp the weapon more tightly and activate the trigger. There are current day assault rifles are designed with trigger guards that provide enough room to insert a gloved finger. Otherwise, the trigger finger is kept outside the trigger guard to avoid accidently discharging the weapon and possibly injuring ones self or team member.