Posted on 01/14/2013 8:44:13 AM PST by billorites
It all goes back to "Top Gun." In the heads-up display on Maverick's Tomcat, you can see a computer compensate for human aim with precision laser guidance and careful calculations. How long before that technology made its way to to a conventional hunting rifle? It's here now, with a price tag of $17,000 to $21,000.
We came to Las Vegas the first week of January, the way we always do, for the Consumer Electronics Show. The vast trade show features over 3,300 exhibitors, and covers 1.9 million square feet. But there are no shooting ranges at CES. To check out TrackingPoint, we had to drive out to the hills outside of tow
As someone who not only isn't a marksman but pretty much avoids guns altogether, I approached the TrackingPoint rifle a bit gingerly. However, when the company's president, Jason Schauble, walked me through it, I realized that as long as I paid attention (and observed the basic safety rules of firearms), I would be able to hit that target without trouble. Not 15 minutes later, I did — at a distance of nearly seven football fields.
How does it work? A laser rangefinder identifies the target, and tells the gun where to aim to hit it, given conditions such as humidity, wind, and the typical ballistic drop you'd expect from a bullet shot from a gun at such a distance.
You pick your target by dropping a pin on it using the camcorder-like zoom lens. When you want to shoot that target, you line up crosshairs inside the scope with the pin you dropped. The weirdest thing is, when you squeeze the trigger, it doesn't fire. You have to squeeze the trigger and line up the crosshairs with your mark. When you do, the gun goes boom, and the target takes a bullet.
No matter where you are on the gun debate, the technology used is an impressive system. The rifle will be available soon from TrackingPoint. Watch the video above for the whole story.
Ars Technica has a quite detailed article plus some amusing comments as well.
Just access an ap on your cellphone to fire at and hit your selected target ~ even around corners.
I hate Aim Bots.
Well what is this dufus doing at the SHOT show, much less reporting on the SHOT show?
Now if Halo and Battlefield will incorporate this type of aimbot on their sniper guns...I may win a few rounds :-)
Can’t miss Ping.
I especially like his little “the gun goes boom” comment. Obviously a lifetime NRA member.
He was the closest thing his entire news organization has to a gun lover...
Still a valid question, why is he reporting on a gun?
Apparently NBC News think that is a perfect pre-qualification for the rest of us, the dummies er general public.
Speaking of NBC News, do they even know any real ‘gun expert’ in their staff, and what the difference is.
Mount the gun on a UAV quadrotor, and you have an aerial remote sniper.
81 mm mortar rounds, just get it close...
Phased plasma rifle in a 40 watt range?
That’s a fail on your part. It’s CES, and he’s a technology and science writer. That’s who I’d send to the Consumer Electronics Show.
There's no way the Gubmint would take a chance on this falling into the hands of a sufficiently 'motivated' or insane citizen.
***one way to do it ~ on the other hand, returning to the original Chinese idea ~ little rockets***
They tried that with the Gyrojet firearms back about 45 years ago.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyrojet
>>> Futuristic rifle turns novice into sharpshooter
IF ONLY I can get my hands on a mini gun ..... and don’t have to worry about the ammo
I don’t have to worry about being a sharpshooter.
Just what you see, pal.
Just what you see, bub.
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