Rifts Up Close: NG-57 Ion Blaster

By Tim Willard

Built by Northern Gun Weapons Consortium of Michigan, the NG-57 is a heavy pistol that has sold literally hundreds of thousands of units. This pistol can be found from the Colorado Baronies to the Shermarrian Kingdom, and has even been found in the hands of vampires.

The frame is made of sturdy hyper-alloy and features a magazine well within the pistol grip, fire selectors on both sides, and a removable trigger guard. While the pistol has no picatinny rail systems, an adapter can be used to mount a scope or illuminator on the top of the weapon.

The weapon fires a packet of positively charged ions by stripping electrons from air molecules injected into the chamber and using magnetic chamber pressure to "fire" the packet of ions toward a target. The impact of this ion "bolt" would cause the electrons in the outer shells of the targeted materials to violently strip away as the ions within the charge tried to balance their electron valence bands. This caused the struck material to slough off with a loud, explosive noise as the molecular stabilization failed. This proved particularly useful against molecularly bonded armor as the molecular bonds failed when the atomic structure became unstable.

Used against a soft target, this ion "bolt" has devastating effects as the energy transfer from the target to the ions in the bolt resulted in superheating of cells, causing them to explode. This effect was often called "disruption" when used on soft targets, and the damage profile was easily recognizable.

The pistol's chamber is fed by a small air injectors, which pressurizes the chamber with air in order to give the ionization circuitry something to ionize without resulting in a 2-magazine system. Early versions of the weapon used a combination energy/ammunition clip, with copper molecules suspended in a plastic matrix, as copper easily gave up its electrons in the outer valence bands, but this was replaced by the air injection system in 58 PA.

The grip is hard plastic overlaid with soft plastic handgrips that deform slightly to allow use by personnel wearing body armor, or when the naked hand is slick due to blood, water, oil, or other environmental hazards.

The pistol itself is a grayish/blue color, although many models are sold with chrome plating on it. The handgrips are black, and are fitted on the pistol grip like a sleeve, which must be removed in order to disassemble the pistol.

The ion pistol is incredibly rugged, and the weight is often seen as a tradeoff for a weapon that can survive a lack of maintenance, being submerged, being battered around, or whatever combat might throw at it.

Northern Gun has three factories that produce these weapons. One in Michigan, one at Fort El Dorado, AK, and one in the Colorado Barony of Harmony.

When the pistol was unvieled in 19 PA, there was talk of making it the standard issue pistol of the Coalition States, however the company refused to move the factory to the Burbs of Chi-Town (for "protection") and the deal eventually fell through.

The 19 PA version of the pistol has only a right handed fire selector switch and uses the two magazine insertion system, with the ammunition for the pistol costing 2,500 for 25 shots. However, the magazines were prone to heat expansion if the pistol had fired more than 2 dozen shots, which made them difficult at best to remove, or heat welded the clips to the magazine well in worst case.

In 31 PA the heat problem was beaten and the NG-57A was released. At this time "extended" magazines capable of 40 shots were released. The ionization circuitry was prone to failure after a few years of heavy release.

In 58 PA the weapon dropped the extra clip and moved to an air injection system. The initial run of injector system pistols had the problem of the injector misaligning and allowing a slight seepage of pressured air. If not repaired and realigned, the pistol would leak ionized gas and the shots fired from the weapon would be reduced in power. Fixing or repairing the injector took up to 20 minutes for trained personnel with the correct equipment, and could not be done otherwise. The weapon's payload dropped to 8 shots.

In 81 PA the pistol's injector failure problem was beaten, the payload raised to 10 shots, and the weapon was made easier to disassemble in the field. additionally a section below the front of the barrel was designed to hold the tools needed to recalibrate the air injector, 4 extra injectors, and a micro-diagnostic tool (the size of a thumbnail) that can be used to diagnose whether or not the air injector was properly aligned. Users found that the weapon's reliability had been increased by a massive factor. The biggest problem with the weapons was still weight, as the weapon is front heavy.

In 92 PA Northern Gun released the "Ladies Fifty-Seven", which is a stripped down NG-57, made with lighter alloys, with half the range and damage, but carefully balanced with an experimental recoil compensator system. Unfortunately, this weapon didn't sell at all.

The weapon cannot accept standard extended eclips as built, but reputable gunsmiths can add in locking pins so that the pistol can accept one (2,300 Cr/ 2 hours, +1 oz) as well as add in a conduit for hip-packs. (5,600 Cr/8 hours, +4 oz)

Weight: 5 lbs
Length: 8"
Caliber: 2.4 cm
Maximum Range: 250m (750 ft)
Maximum Effective Range: 175m (525 ft)
Typical Combat Range: <10m (<30 ft)
Magazine Capacity: 10 shots from a standard e-clip, 15 shots from an extended magazine, 122 shots from a belt pack.
Manufacturer's Cost: 3,300
Wholesale Cost: 6,200 Cr
Manufacturer's Recommended Price: 8,000 Cr
Black Market Price: 7,500 used, 9,000 Cr new
Wilderness Price: 5,500