Utterly Mad

Image:
Source: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/g2GEtSN0PBQ/hqdefault.jpg
Intent: To create a cheap, but effective alternative to the S.I.R, and to supply humanity's bravest with the equipment necessary to take their place among the stars.
Development Thread: If Required
Manufacturer: Dragon Industries
Model: Maiman
Affiliation: The United Terra-Solus Armed Forces
Modularity: N/A
Production: Mass-Produced
Material: Steel, Calcium Silicate innards (Fire-resistance), Mirrors for amplification, Electrical components, Ytterbium doped fibre amplifier
 
Classification: Laser Rifle
Size: Hand-held
Status: Military
Length: 1.2 Meters
Weight: 7 Kg
Ammunition Type: Power Cell
Ammunition Capacity: 1200 seconds/40 shots=1 shot=30 seconds
Range: 375 Meters
Description:
The first product of Dragon Industries, the Maiman Rifle is named after the man who created the first laser prototype centuries ago. It is meant to act as a standard-issue weapon with a focus upon efficiency; both in cost, and in firepower. The Maiman is produced using non-trans-Newtonian materials in an attempt at cost-efficiency, though this does mean that it suffers slightly in durability when compared to products such as the S.I.R rifle. The Maiman makes up for this in several different ways.

First, and foremost, the laser beam launched by the Maiman rifle travels at the speed of light, and is thereby effectively impossible to evade provided that the shooter is trained. Secondly, the Maiman rifle suffers from absolutely zero recoil as its projectile is light itself, and thereby does not suffer from the usual issues of firing matter bullets. Third, the Ytterbium doped fibre amplifier which is used allows for industrial level cutting power from the rifle, allowing it to sear through pesky obstacles such as enemy armor or interfering walls.

Concerned buyers may be asking now: But Dragon Industries, how does the Maiman rifle work without being so over the top expensive that it would bankrupt our entire military and waste literally the whole budget just by existing?

Well customer, the Maiman rifle operates using Ytterbium doped fibre amplifiers which allow for the gain medium(Phosphate glasses doped with laser-active ions)/ (fancy terminology for the electrical transition from a higher to lower form of energy state) to be amplified. How? The gain medium is bounced back and forth between a series of internal mirrors, and are allowed to pass over the amplifiers several times. Pumping occurs from an electrical current (Which is provided by your handy dandy power pack!) and allows the gain medium to pick up some killing power over its several trips. After a few dozen of these trips, your laser is ready to do some serious damage, and is automatically transferred to a final mirror which diverts the amplified energy beam outwards through your barrel and directly into that scumbag who threatened humanities finest!

Sadly, lasers do require some time to build up the killing energy necessary to bring down our united foes, and that means that the device must be turned on before use. Energy will gradually be drained from the power pack, which means that the device only lasts something like twenty minutes before it is completely drained. Thankfully, due to some very clever engineering (We hooked a current strength detector to the power pack, and then wired that into the internal mirror control), the lasers will change color depending on how much ammunition is remaining, meaning that you're never caught off guard! For reference, here's a brief rhyme to help you remember!

"Blue means that I can shoot back too! Green means my power is almost through! Red means that my powerpack has nothing left to do!"

And that's it! The Maiman can be yours for the low, low price of eight-hundred Terran dollars! If that's not a deal, then I don't know what is!

And remember:

Already there in the second to last line.

It's 800 Terran Dollars.

So to make sure I'm understanding this right the weapon costs significantly less than the SIR counterpart and is just as good?

I've looked up a lot of the individual component prices, and have determined that they aren't really that expensive. A lot of the pricing probably comes from having someone actually put it together, but Dragon Industries itself is pretty good with the public helping out.

I rather assumed that the S.I.R is so ridiculously overpriced because Capitalism!, but that's kind of just my interpretation.