Gauss rifle

Gauss rifles are infantry fielded railguns that appear in Fallout 2, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 4, Fallout 76 Fallout Tactics and Fallout Extreme.

Background
The Gauss rifle is a coilgun, a type of projectile accelerator, which uses electromagnetic coils configured as a linear motor to accelerate ferromagnetic or conductive projectiles to extreme velocities. Though these weapons were historically suffering from a number of difficulties, focused on discharging the coils in sequence or providing enough power for the coils, these design issues were overcome by German scientists in the 21st century and entered limited service. This class of weapons is named in honor of the German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss, responsible for formulating the math underlying the magnetic acceleration principle of coilguns.

M72 Gauss rifle


Patterned after conventional rifles, the M72 has a seven stage electromagnetic accelerator mounted onto a standard frame. A classic stock and grip are provided to make handling easier. This design uses an auto-loading 2mm EC cartridge (carrying both the 2mm slugs and the battery necessary to power it) slid into the magazine well in front of the trigger group. The combination of German engineering and attention to detail make it a tremendously powerful weapon, with the slugs capable of piercing most targets at extreme ranges.

The rifle is a rare sight in the wasteland. Its use is restricted to the most technologically advanced organizations, such as the Enclave or select members of NCR law enforcement groups. Its little brother, the scaled-down PPK-12 Gauss pistol, is even more rare.

Chinese Gauss rifle


A supposed Chinese variation on the German design, the scoped Gauss rifle was originally deployed in the Sino-American War. Unlike the original weapon, it features eleven coilgun stages, resulting in a higher damage output. The weapon is larger and bulkier to accommodate the increased stress put on the weapon and uses a different feed system. While the standard 2mm EC magazines incorporate both slugs and ammunition, the Chinese Gauss rifle has to be loaded with ferromagnetic slugs separately, with microfusion cells loaded into the battery well in front of the trigger group. The cell is used to power the magnetic accelerator and fire the slug and has to be replaced after each shot.

The immense recoil generated by the weapon is mitigated somewhat by a long muzzle brake and a leather recoil pad. The bulk of the weapon also helps make it more manageable. However, the pay off is more than generous, as the sheer kinetic energy of the projectile creates a shockwave on impact, dealing additional damage to the target and potentially knocking them off balance. The sheer firepower of the weapon has resulted in the design being used by the American military against the Chinese, both in the form of captured units and a limited production run of reverse-engineered units.


 * For the unique Gauss rifle that appears in Fallout: New Vegas, see YCS/186
 * For the unique Gauss rifle that appears in Fallout Shelter, see Magnetron 4000

American Gauss rifle
A design half-way between the German battle rifle and the Chinese anti-materiel gun, this type of coilgun uses a series of high-powered capacitors and hypermagnetized coils to propel the projectile. The 2mm ferromagnetic slug exits the barrel at extreme velocity, enough to destroy anything in its path. These are fed from a top-mounted drum, sitting in front of a control panel that displays the current capacitor charge level via a pair of Nixie tubes. The custom-made grip and stock help manage the weapon's mass and recoil, though it's still quite front-heavy and exposed components make it prone to environmental damage.

Enhanced Gauss rifle


An enhanced model of the Gauss rifle, used in the war between the Brotherhood and the Cause.

Beta Gauss rifle


A beta version of the rifle, used to test it for Operation: Anchorage. It uses the laser rifle model, deals a quarter of the damage, but knocks targets down with 100% chance.

Behind the scenes
The weapon appears to be based on a Finnish anti-tank rifle, the 20mm Lahti L-39.