Simple - and serious - question - why is anything other than a handgun, shotgun or rifle needed?

[chknltl]

35. Because they are cool. (not snark, i promiss)

This is an alien hand weapon from the video game series HALO. I added the specs here because there are those who read this who are unfamiliar with this (and some who are) who would want this 'gun' for the 'cool-factor' alone. I have a point to make, I will make it after the specs stuff.



Model Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher

Type Munitions Launcher

Technical

Needler (Halo: Combat Evolved) Length: 66.8 cm (26.29 in.) Width: 20 cm (7.87 in.) Height: 60 cm (23.62 in.) Needler (Halo 3) Length (o/a): 57.8 cm (22.75 in.) Length (barrel): 16.25 cm (6.4 in.) Weight (empty): 3.74 kg (8.25 lbs) Weight (loaded): 4.3 kg (9.5 lbs)

Damage Per Hit

Variable - Low to Instant Kill

Magazine Size

Halo Combat Evolved: 20 needles Halo 2: 30 needles Halo 3: 19 needles Halo: Reach: 24 needles Halo 4: 18 needles

Maximum Ammunition

100 needles (Halo: Combat Evolved) 120 needles (Halo 2) Dual-wielding: 240 needles 95 (Halo 3) 96 (Halo: Reach)

Fire Mode Automatic

Ammunition Type Crystalline Explosive Projectiles

Operation Unknown

Rate of Fire 8.5 rnds/sec (Halo 3)

Muzzle Velocity 54 m/s (177 f/s)

Accuracy High (Homing)

Range Short-Medium Range

So that is a Covenant Needeler, ranked one of the top ten guns of all time in a video game and by far my gun of choice against those who sought to snuff out my HALO characters.

At some point in our future, a handgun such as this might be designed created and marketed. But today that tech is far and away beyond what our science can create. Such a weapon is useless for target practice, the needles tend to bounce off solid surfaces. I suppose one could hunt with the thing, if one was interested in bringing back hamburger, you see when enough of those needles penetrate flesh, they react with each other in a nasty explosion. From prey to hamburger just like that! Home defense would not be such a good thing either as the detonation is one that requires a moment to build. Many a HALO player learned that the hard way when their victims took that moment to close the gap between them before exploding-doubling up on the hamburger. So why on earth would anyone want one of these things? One reason and one reason only: because they are cool!

If we could use Carl Sagan's Ship Of The Imagination, and go to a replica of the America we have today, exactly the same but with one exception: Tomorrow Colt firearms will be releasing the Covenant Needler and ammo for sale. Hundreds if not thousands would fly off the shelf within a few months. Why? Because they are cool, no other real reason. Do you suppose the NRA would step in the way here? Laughable, they would be the last to step on MY Second Amendment right! What about the government? At best they would want Colt to change out the automatic fire feature, turning it into a single pull single shot weapon. You could still pull the trigger fast enough to send enough needles downrange to make hamburger.
So if the market wants it, and basically it gets the blessing of the NRA and their bought and paid for government, their is no-one out there to prevent the Needler from hitting the shelves.

Let me make my point here, as of right now, on this good Earth, there has not been a single accidental maiming, not a single victim, not a murder nor even a stray needle puncture from a Covenant Needler. Obviously because one doesn't exist. But there are those reading this right now, who would love to have one and the ammo that goes with it. Why? Because they are cool.
And because they are cool, there will be accidents and homicides and all the same horror we face today from other types of handguns. How often I ask YOU, have we suffered these tragedies, because of COOL.