Pulse rifle

[der bastler 0]

I'm working on a Colt M41a Pulse Rifle (that kick-ass-weapon from the movie "Aliens"). Well, because I don't own a copy of Oxygen, I'm preparing the sounds, icons and config.cpp. A suitable model will be provided by Inkubus (Resident Evil Mod, http://www.ofp-re.de).

For testing procedures, I'm using the M16+M203 as temporary weapon model. All's functioning perfectly, but...

...the M41aPR-AI-soldiers hesitate to use their weapons! When they run into an enemy, they are -in most cases- shot down because they need very long to return a single shot!  

Any solutions for this nasty little problem?

[Ex-RoNiN 0]

Since the Pulse rifle is in essence an M16+M203, can you not just take a normal grenadier and leave the .CPP alone apart from the values for "strength" of the bullets and grenades?

[Major Fubar 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Ex-RoNiN @ Aug. 24 2002,15:06)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Since the Pulse rifle is in essence an M16+M203, can you not just take a normal grenadier and leave the .CPP alone apart from the values for "strength" of the bullets and grenades?<span id='postcolor'>

No, the 10mm pulse rifle would do significantly more damage than an M16.

P.S. Where do you get the "colt" partof the rifle from...AFAIK colt is never mentioned in the Aliens series...

[peeps 0]

yeah its just M41A Pulse Rifle. i have a model of it because i released one that replaced halflifes mp5 a while back. The pulse rifle would not do that much more dammage then the M16 but it does have a faster firing rate, has 100round cartridges and has full auto mode. Its probably closer to the AK74 with grenade launcher

[der bastler 0]

Well, some sources on the internet call it a colt, others don't. *?*

A basic description can be found here.

My version holds 95 rounds per clip (to prevent jamming), fires 900 rounds per minute and has got three modes: single, 5-round-burst and full auto.

The burst mode was included this evening (needed some sound re-engineering) and seems to solve my problem! In single mode, the soldiers need very long for one shot and they never switch to full auto(?). Very foolish in close combat...

New question concerning the sounds:

What is the exact meaning of the numbers in the sound array?

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">sound[] = {"mysound.wav",1,1};<span id='postcolor'>

I think, the first number is the amplification (unit: db? simple amplitude ratio?), but what does the second mean?

[Major Fubar 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (peeps @ Aug. 24 2002,18:18)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">yeah its just M41A Pulse Rifle. i have a model of it because i released one that replaced halflifes mp5 a while back. The pulse rifle would not do that much more dammage then the M16 but it does have a faster firing rate, has 100round cartridges and has full auto mode. Its probably closer to the AK74 with grenade launcher<span id='postcolor'>

I really think it would do more damage...I mean, the technology is a few hundred years ahead of the M16, and it is mentioned in the movie that it fires "explosive tipped" rounds.

Just think what firearms were like 200 years ago (black powder, single shot), and compare them to the assault rifles of today...

[Aculaud 0]

Why not just take an M16/M203 and make its second fire rate full auto instead of three round burst, and then give it all the new stuff your making for it?

[Eviscerator 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">About the M41-A Pulse Rifle:

Most fans will agree that one thing that set the 1986 movie ALIENS apart from so many other Science-Fiction movies is the realistic and believable designs of the USCM equipment. They were such that it would not have been surprising to see them in footage of the Gulf War. Although few of these designs made it through the movie in more than cameo spots, the M41-A Pulse Rifle played a prominent role. Carried by the United States Colonial Marines that figured so prominently in the movie, the M41-A almost became a character itself. Many of the movie's plot points turned on it, from the Marines' inability to defend themselves for fear of damaging the reactor to the revelation that Burke is worse than the ALIENS. Quite possibly the most recognizable and best known Science-Fiction movie gun of all time, the M41-A Pulse Rifle has left it's mark on the collectors' market.

The original prop was first designed by James Cameron, and then modified and built by Simon Atherton and crew at Bapty & Co. Cameron's original design called for a Heckler & Koch MP5 as the base gun, but it was decided that the MP5 did not have enough of a muzzle flash to have the appropriate impact on screen. The final prop was comprised of parts from the Auto-Ordnance Thompson M1A1, Franchi SpA SPAS-12, and Remington M870. The Thompson formed the main gun of the Pulse Rifle, while the M870 formed the basis for the grenade launcher. A reversed SPAS-12 shroud and cut-down foregrip were used to create the outer covering for the grenade launcher (a design change suggested by Simon). From there, several custom made parts were added to finish the prop, including a longer barrel for the Thompson, an end plate for the grenade launcher, rails for the Thompson barrel, the overall fairing, and the infamous ammo counter. For some enlightening diagrams of how the base firearms were put together to form the Pulse Rifle, see the Pulse Rifle Construction page on Harry Harris' Aliens Collection & Archive. You can also find an image of the original Bapty construction design and some close-up photos of the stunt version at ALIENS Archive.

For the movie, the M41-A Pulse Rifle was produced in several versions. The "Stunt" version, for background and stunt work, was a solid rubber casting of the finished rifle. The "Hero" version, for close-up and firing shots, was a functional replica that fired blanks. There was also a "Superhero" version, created with a working grenade launcher. Most of the props seen in the film are of the "Stunt" version, recognizable by the two circles on the base of the clip. The "Hero" version featured an 8-hole barrel guard with a round indent to the rear. The "Dual Practical" version featured a 10-hole barrel guard with a square indent to the rear. The "Dual Practical" is the only version still in existence at Bapty.

According to the movie, standard ammunition for the M41-A Pulse Rifle is 10mm caseless light armor-piercing rounds. When brass can be seen and heard falling from the Pulse Rifles in several scenes it is a blooper caused by practical concerns. It would have been impossible for Bapty to produce a prop based on a caseless weapon system. At the time the only caseless weapon was the 4.7mm H&K G11, which was undergoing trial by the Bundeswhewr (West German Army). Although the weapon performed well, it was deemed to be too radical, and with many Western armies having adopted new 5.56 rifles at the time, H&K discontinued the G11 project. Also covering up the ejection port of the M1A1 would have caused problems with the operation of the weapon, and Simon Atherton stated that space for an ejection port is a priority on such a prop, so as to prevent any possible accidents occuring.

It is commonly believed that the clip capacity was 95, although movie lore has revealed it to be 100. The clip is only loaded to 95 to avoid possible jams. The standard grenade used is the M40, although the M38 is also shown briefly and referred to as a M40. More information about the M41-A's ammunition has been revealed and added in Derrick Baena's Pulse Rifle Manual as well as Lee Brimmicombe-Wood's ALIENS Colonial Marines Technical Manual (ASIN: 0061053430).

The M41-A was seen briefly again at the end of ALIEN3, this time painted solid black, possibly as a Special Operations variant. The one seen in ALIEN3 is the only surviving original Pulse Rifle prop from ALIENS. All others were torn down, "struck", into their component firearms after shooting completed. As a point of interest, the surviving dual unit was also used in publicity photos for the PC computer title 'Sin', and a calender featuring a rather attractive, dark haired young lady cradling said weapon was given out free with some UK PC games magazines in late 1999.

The M41-A also made an ignominious appearance on the cover of the novel Jettison by Donnamaie E. White (ISBN: 0967782805). This is not an ALIENS novel, but appears to simply be a case of using a convenient prop. The Pulse Rifle shown on the cover has been painted primer gray, and upon close inspection, the outer housing for the grenade launcher is empty (the M870 is not present inside it). The origins of this Pulse Rifle are not currently known.

The current trend among M41-A Pulse Rifle replica builders and collectors is AirSoft. With the popularity of Saving Private Ryan, Tokyo Marui decided to produce an AEG AirSoft replica of the Thompson M1A1. Since this replica had not been previously available in AirSoft, it's release has caused an explosion of interest in the obvious modification. If you are interested in building such a replica, Tokyo Marui makes an AEG Thompson M1A1 as well as a spring-powered SPAS-12. Maruzen makes a gas-powered Remington M870 replicas which actually cycles shells as they are spent. If you do not have the time or skills to build it yourself, Monsters in Motion offers a finished AirSoft M41-A Pulse Rifle that combines these replicas for $3000.

There are several companies and individuals offering replicas of the M41-A Pulse Rifle listed in the Replicas portion of this site. There are also several companies and individuals offering replicas of items related to the M41-A Pulse Rifle listed in the Accessories portion of this site.

<span id='postcolor'>

i dont think it has anything at all to do with colt

[Major Fubar 0]

I think some people get the M41A and the M4 carbine confused...

[der bastler 0]

Here's another link, calling it a Colt. There are also versions of a Colt M41a Pulse Rifle for Q3, UT, HL/CS.

Well, I think that Colt-problem can be fixed by deleting four letters in the readme-file.

[Ludovico Technique 0]

If you want a safe bet on who makes the pulse rifle then Weyland Yutani would have to be it. They are the universal company of the Aliens universe, and it's very likely that they would make pretty much everything.

The ammo was 10mm explosive tipped caseless, standard light armour piercing. My guess is that although it would be more powerful the armour available would compensate for this, in the spin off books the armour worn is said to be Spidersilk, which is seriously tough, if difficult to come by in the modern age.

I don't see much point in an aliens mod though. There's a huge amount of stuff needed from shoulder lamps (easily done) to self targeting smart guns and motion trackers (not easily done). Why go to all that much trouble when AvP2 does them all much better? Not saying that AvP2 is a better game per se, but it's engine was designed to implement the equipment and characters from the movies whereas OFP was not.

[ravendk 25]

the movie M41A1 is infact a Thomson M1 and a Spas 12 shotgun.... (just to say it) and the max load is 99 (100 if you lock n load and THEN puts a single one in the mag)

[Speeeedy 0]

does any one have that picture of the lady with the gun there talking about?

[UKSubmariner 0]

According to the USCM technical manual, it was a Armat M41A.....

Interstingly enough it as asolutely shedloads of grenade types too...