At one time, a device such as a Gauss rifle was widely used among science fiction writers and computer game developers. It is often used by the invincible heroes of novels, and it is she who is usually the most powerful weapon in computer games. However, in reality, the Gauss rifle practically did not find application in the modern world, and this is mainly due to the features of its design.
The fact is that the basis of the action of such a rifle is the principle of acceleration of mass based on a traveling magnetic field. To do this, use a solenoid in which to place the rifle barrel, and it must be made of a dielectric. Shells, however, a Gauss rifle uses only those made of ferromagnet. Thus, when a current is applied to the solenoid, a magnetic field appears in it , which attracts the projectile inward. In this case, the impulse must be very powerful and short-term (in order to "disperse" the projectile to maximum speed and at the same time not to brake it inside the solenoid).
This principle of action gives the model advantages that are not available for many other types of small arms. It does not require shells, has a small recoil, which is equal to the momentum of the projectile, has a great potential for silent shooting (in the presence of sufficiently streamlined shells, the initial speed of which will not exceed the speed of sound). At the same time, such a rifle makes it possible to fire practically in any conditions (as they say, even in outer space).
And, of course, many "craftsmen" appreciate the fact that a Gauss rifle with their own hands at home can very well be assembled virtually "out of nothing."
However, some design features and operating principles that are characteristic of a product such as a Gauss rifle also have negative sides. The most important of them is low efficiency, which uses from 1 to 10 percent of the energy transferred by the capacitor to the solenoid. Moreover, multiple attempts to correct this drawback did not bring significant results, but only increased the efficiency of the model to 27%. All other shortcomings that the Gauss rifle has are derived precisely from the small efficiency. The rifle requires a large amount of energy for efficient operation, it also has a bulky appearance, large dimensions and weight, and the reloading process is quite lengthy.
It turns out that the shortcomings of such a type of weapon as a Gauss rifle overlap most of its advantages. Perhaps with the invention of superconductors, which can be classified as high-temperature, and the advent of compact and powerful power sources, these weapons will again attract the attention of scientists and the military. Although most practitioners believe that by this time other types of weapons will exist, far superior to the Gauss rifle.
The only area of application of this type of weapon, cost-effective already in our time, is space programs. The governments of most space powers planned to use the Gauss rifle for installation on space shuttles or satellites.