[BS] Lack of Fossil Fuel and Firearm Manufacturing

[copeab]

Originally Posted by Sorenant

Are automatic guns still a good idea if you can't mass produce ammo?

They aren't a good idea if you are using black powder, as they will foul quickly. Mechanical automatics (like a Gatling) is less of an issue as you can muscle the cam system through most fouling, although accuracy will still drop.

Troops are better off with manual repeaters (bolt or lever) with second-line troops getting breechloaders, at least until you have smokeless powder.

Sprinkly some magic on the issues real caseless ammo has and it might make manufacturing easier.

Two problems magic may not be able to help are cookoffs and extracting a dud in a self-loading or automatic weapon.

I'm really liking the idea of hexagonal rifles shooting caseless ammo, it's pretty wild.

If you don't want metallic cartridges, rocketball ammo (as used in the Volcanics) and paper cartridges (as used in needle-fire guns) are alternatives.