See the New ‘Intelligent’ Rifle That Claims to Give You a Perfect Shot Every Time

The Blaze ^ | Nov. 30, 2012 | Liz Klimas

[Free ThinkerNY]

A new Texas-based company is developing a shooting system that could turn even the least skilled marksmen into a sniper-quality shooter.

TrackingPoint calls its system the “world’s first precision guided firearm.”

President Jason Schauble explained in a YouTube demonstration of the technology that what the company did is “put jet fighter lock-and-launch technology into a firing system.”

The system uses a conventional gun and ammunition, but combines them with a Intelligent Digital Tracking Scope and a guided trigger. The technology doesn’t let you fire until the shot is spot on.

“You don’t have to be an experienced shooter,” Schauble said in the video. “You can come and pick this up and within minutes be able to master the tag-track-exact technology that allows you to get on target.”

Here’s how it works:

1. Tag your desired target. 2. Bring the scope’s “firing solution” back onto the tag you’ve established. 3. Squeeze the trigger. Only when the firing solution and the tag are aligned will the gun shoot.

[backwoods-engineer]

Bull.

It is dependent on the shooter to line up the sights with the indicated firing solution. This still requires marksmanship skills.

[Secret Agent Man]

you need to still be able to fire if desired, even if you’re not exactly on target. this isn’t an aircraft.

[1rudeboy]

"Gaia it's hot," he muttered.
"Thirty-one Celsius," said the gun. It gave him a wired feeling.

The Star Fraction. MacLeod, Ken. 1995.

[Mr. Lucky]

...and this system calculates windage how?

[skinkinthegrass]

how long does the batteries last...self-generating energy cell.

[1rudeboy]

Effed-up the quotation, sorry. Buy the book, anyway.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Stephen Hunter had this figured out in 2009.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I,_Sniper

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Fun idea, but way to complicated for anything other than the range or shooting prairie dogs.

Or sniping.

[American in Israel]

I think I might just revert to doing the first tag with a 5.56 indicator unit by properly manipulating the tag unit, once called a trigger.

When you see the red mist, you know your tag was “dead” on.

One more multi million dollar military industrial complex solution to a non problem.

[PMAS]

*

[Phlyer]

It is dependent on the shooter to line up the sights with the indicated firing solution.

Yes, which the article clearly states. You designate (tag) and when you return the sights to the tagged point, the gun fires.

This still requires marksmanship skills.

Yes, but not the ones about trigger control, breath control, firing between heartbeats, and so on. All that is required (and it's a lot) is to be able to estimate and dial in correct offsets for windage, plus have a good computation set for the rifle and load.

Frankly, I think compensating correctly for windage is enough of a problem that this won't be worthwhile. After all, it's not a fighter plane. If you can afford $20K for a rifle, then you'd be better off using that time for practical shooting drills in the real world. In a range environment, trigger control, etc. can dominate accuracy. But in the real world - at any meaningful range - understanding windage will overwhelm those issues.

The one good thing this system has is a range finder, which is the other major variable once basic rifle skills are in hand. I think you can get that data for a lot less than $20K, even aside from being able to estimate it without a lot of toys.

[Kevmo]

The EXACTO program is far more promising.

Research laser-guided bullets can be precise to find the target but ...
This laser-guided bullet 4 inches long (about 10.16 cm), point 50 caliber ... for the
development of this laser-guided bullets It is EXACTO part of the project, ...

http://www.9abc.net/index.php/archives/73798 - Cached - SimilarSandia National Laboratories | Danger Room | Wired.com
Video: Self-Guided Bullet Spots, Steers and Nails Its Target (UPDATED) ... In
2008, they scored a $14.5 million contract as part of Darpa’s “Exacto” program, ...

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/tag/sandia-national-laboratories/ - Cached - SimilarAttack the System » Rj
In 2008, they scored a $14.5 million contract as part of Darpa’s “Exacto” program,
which sought to ... Each self-guided bullet is around four inches in length.

http://www.attackthesystem.com/author/rjweapon/ - Cached - Similar

[Secret Agent Man]

well the military gives a range finder to their snipers. it’s called a “spotter”....

[mnehring]

1. Tag your desired target. 2. Bring the scope’s “firing solution” back onto the tag you’ve established. 3. Squeeze the trigger. Only when the firing solution and the tag are aligned will the gun shoot...

So you have to be skilled enough to get your 'tag' on target, but it assumes you aren't skilled enough to hold your scope on target? Interesting concept but it seems it drowns the shooter in the process. Maybe for military applications, but then again, I have a feeling most will be screaming for their traditional scopes and firing systems back.

[bunkerhill7]

good thing the govt is sending lotsa domestic target drones for beta testing this rifle sight..

[Joe 6-pack]

"...and this system calculates windage how?"

I didn't read the full article, but my guess is that it uses something akin to the ballistic computer in an Abrams tank. The thing at the back of the turret that looks like a periscope is actually a crosswind sensor...

...it reads the speed and direction of the wind at the firing position and extrapolates that all the way to the target in calculating a ballistic solution. Of course it's not perfect, but it is better than nothing, and is, as they say, "good enough for government work."

[jackmercer]

With a nicely crowned bull barrel, proper breathing, maintaining a consistent eye relief and after months of fine-tuning my own match reloads, I’d have to say that 90+ percent of my error is in my trigger pull. If this thing eliminates that, then sign me up....but at the current 15 to 20k per rifle I think I will just stick with more trigger time. Lot more fun that way anyhow.

[RIghtwardHo]

LeeLoo multipass?

[absolootezer0]

The one good thing this system has is a range finder, which is the other major variable once basic rifle skills are in hand. I think you can get that data for a lot less than $20K, even aside from being able to estimate it without a lot of toys.

burris makes a scope with built in laser range finder for about $700.