Metal Storm Weapons

The Basic Metal Storm

When the old feeder was young, he thought the .45 ACP MAC-10 Ingram machine pistol was the cat's meow. Its 1200 RPM cyclic rate was impressive and the heavy telescoping bolt banished the muzzle-rise problem inherent in other machine pistols. It could be held on target for the 1.2 seconds it took to empty the 30 round magazine, the same configuration could also be had in .380 ACP MAC-11, and Mitch Werbell's nifty Sionics suppressor kept everyone guessing. What more could anyone want?

How about adjustable cyclic rates up to one million RPM? Perhaps the capacity to fire multiple calibers and loads from the same weapon? What if the system came in numerous configurations, from handguns to big vehicle or aircraft mounted hardware? How about if it could shoot the bad guys autonomously? Now that cat is really meowing. Such weapons are either available, or in development thanks to a goofy Australian inventor, J. Mike O'Dwyer and a company named Metal Storm.

The technology that Mr. O'Dwyer uses to attain the fantastic features of his weapons systems is, surprisingly, based on the ink jet printer. Click here to watch a fascinating video of how it is done. This technology can apparently be applied to any size or type of projectile.

Metal Storm Handgun

The handgun seems a but clunky for everyday carry, but the grenade launcher looks useful and is much cooler than the old M79 bloop tube. Mounted on an assault rifle, it makes a nifty multi-shot version of the M203. A lightweight carbon fiber model is described here.

Rifle Mounted Repeating Grenade Launcher (click)

The boxy versions pictured at the top of this post seem to be the type intended for aircraft in the ground attack mode. They shoot straight down, so the pilot doesn't need to point the aircraft at the ground when moving mud. Aiming is done by satellite designation, as the video depicts. Of course there won't be much of a civilian market for these big box super machine guns unless one could hook a few up to motion detectors to keep intruders out of the yard. But Metal Storm already offers Area Denial versions.

Metal Storm also produces what they call Unmanned Robotic Platforms and Asset/Perimeter Protection systems. I would be interested in seeing if these could be mounted in a pickup truck bed to create a mean technical. Better yet, used to replace the old .50 BMG in a slick conversion like the Ibistek Viper for that suburban look.

Robot Creepy Crawly with Big Metal Storm Gun

I don't know who is buying these weapons systems, but the company just this month secured a 20 million dollar equity line of credit from a UK investor. Global Emerging Markets (GEM) Global Yield Fund wants to help "commercialize" Metal Storm technology. Sounds like a mutual fund. Hmm?

So what if there is no sound suppressor available for the Metal Storm family of weapons. With this kind of firepower, who cares if anyone can hear you?
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More cool Metal Storm videos.
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Hat Tip: Dad Bones
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Now, for something you might actually enjoy: I Like Guns by Steve Lee. Via Duane Lester, the All American Blogger.