While many within Geekdom may disagree with the weapons chosen by SciFiPulse to be among the most influential and well-loved in science fiction history. The weapons spoken of in this three-part article have been broken down into three categories. This article begins with ten of the most influential and well-loved side arms & rifles.
This will be followed with Part II, which will feature ten of the most spectacular swords in science fiction history. And finally, part III will focus on a miscellaneous category for ten other amazing sci-fi weapons that do not easily fit into any one category.
Regardless of whether this article has left out any important and influential weapons in science fiction history, few can deny the power and awe which the following weapons have had over both fans who have loved them, and the adversaries who have stood against them.
Top Ten SciFi Side Arms & Rifles:
1. Battlestar Galactica Warrior’s Blaster:
The primary sidearm for all Colonial Warriors is the powerful Colonial Blaster. This handheld futuristic weapon is capable of firing combustive blasts of Plasma energy, which can burn through most material. The Warrior’s Blaster is second only to a Viper’s turbo lasers and is feared throughout the twelve colonies for its wide blast range and fearsome power in the hands of the highly-skilled, freedom-loving and capable Colonial Warriors.
2. Colonial Marine M41A Pulse Rifle:
The main weapon for a marine rifleman as seen in ‘Aliens’, which fires 10x24mm, explosive tip, caseless, light armor-piercing rounds loaded into a 99-round magazine. The Pulse rifle also has an LED readout on the rifle’s right side, indicating the number of rounds left in the magazine. The Pulse rifle also has an underslung, pump-action, 4 shot, 30mm grenade launcher as well as a telescoping stock. This weapon is ideal for dealing with localized xenomorph infestations as well as for home starship defense.
3. Planet of the Apes Gorilla Carbine:
The Gorilla carbine is a lightweight, easy to use.30 caliber semi-automatic ape carbine that was a standard firearm for all Ape forces during the first Great Human Hunt. The ape carbine was also used throughout the Holy Mutant cleansing along the perimeter of the Forbidden Zone, as well as to generally keep the Lawgivers peace.
4. Star Trek Federation Phaser:
Phasers are the standard issue weapon within Starfleet, classified as particle weapons and fire nadion particles, which can be downright deadly. Phaser beams can be set to stun, heat, or kill, and are capable of disintegrating living creatures. A phaser beam can be focused into a tight beam or can be widened to impact a large area.
There are three types of Starfleet-issue personnel phasers: The type-1 phaser was small and could be concealed easily. The type-2 phaser is larger and hand-held, with a longer hand or a pistol grip, depending on the model. A type-3 phaser is also known as a phaser rifle, with various model types generally used for combat and large scale danger scenarios as they are capable of laying down heavier barrages of suppressive fire.
5. Han Solo’s DL-44 Blaster:
Solo’s blaster is one of the most iconic handguns in all of sci-fi. It’s a blunt-force weapon, something more fitting for the scruffy-looking, nerf herding smuggler variety than for the farm boy with bourgeoning Jedi Knight tendencies. Han Solo even keeps this blaster thigh holstered, gunslinger style, for quickdraws on unsavory scum and villains, just in case he wasn’t enough of a fracking badass. With an adjustable scope, extendable stock, and higher-than-average firing range, the DL-44 is the galaxy’s most underestimated hand canon. (Just ask Greedo).
6. Hellboy’s “Samaritan”:
Acquired by Hellboy in the 1950s, Hellboy named it “Samaritan”, because it puts all manner of monster and otherworldly bad guys out of their misery, with a muzzle blast said to be so powerful that it could break a normal man’s arm. Interestingly, the gun is said to be forged out of a combination of Irish church bells, various mystic metals and blessed silver. And the wooden handles are even said to have been carved out of wood from the very cross Jesus Christ was crucified on. While the weapon only holds four rounds, these rounds are created by Hellboy himself, using holy water, garlic cloves and white oak shavings for bullets he likes to call, “The Works”.
7. Buck Rogers XZ-31 Rocket Pistol:
With its sleek shape and distinctive lines, this powerful weapon allowed Buck Rogers to save the future after 492 years of suspended animation. The XZ-31 Rocket Pistol produced a unique “ZAP” sound when firing and when turned against an enemy of Earth, it fired explosive rockets rather than primitive bullets. Each round was easily as effective as a hand grenade and this ‘Ray Gun’ was the precursor to all other laser guns that would follow.
8. Deadshot’s Wrist Machine Guns:
Deadshot’s wrist guns are a set of customized wrist-mounted Glock 19 pistols which are wrist-mounted, gauntlet like firearm which is the equivalent of submachine guns in terms of firepower. These mounted guns have one of the planet’s interchangeable barrels, which allow for a quick recharge of his firearm.
Aided by special Reflex Optics built into his headgear, Deadshot can fire multiple specialized rounds at high rates of speed, with all except his caped enemies running in fear. This along with Deadshot’s uncanny ability to never miss (unless he wants to), makes this pair of wrist assault machine pistols a clear winner in most Terran firefights.
9. Star-Lord’s Elemental Quad Blasters:
As the leader of the cosmically renowned Guardians of the Galaxy, Star-Lord uses two identical side-arms known as Elemental Quad Blasters to help keep peace and reward-based stability throughout the galaxy. Each Quad Blaster is a special meta-pistol capable of projecting one of the four known elements (air, earth, fire, and water), into concentrated bursts of elemental energy that really pack a punch in most space battles.
10. Chewbacca’s Bowcaster:
Following in the Wookie tradition of handcrafting individual weapons, Chewbacca built his own Bowcaster sometime prior to the Battle of Kashyyyk. This powerful bowcaster makes use of a standard E-11 Imperial blaster rifle’s power pack for easy recharge. The most prevalent difference between Chewbacca’s Wookie inspired laser-bow and a more traditional Wookie laser-bows seen on his home planet of Kashyyyk, would be Chewbacca’s built-in automatic cocking firing system, rather than a manual one seen in most Wookie laser-bows.
This now iconic weapon is easily recognizable throughout the galaxy and fires destructive metal quarrels surrounded by plasma energy, which almost always result in precise and devastating explosive impacts.
Chewbacca’s Bowcaster also blends modern technology with traditional materials, such as a hand-woven kshyyy-vine made strap and bandolier, which carries Chewbacca’s 19 handcrafted ammo cases, each capable of holding three energy quarrels. Interestingly, while other non-Wookies have fired Chewbacca’s Bowcaster, none can fire it as effectively as Chewbacca, as a Wookie’s strength is practically required to fire this laser canon comfortably, let alone with Chewbacca-like precision.
Well that does it for Part I of the galaxy’s Top 30 sci-fi weapons, but please feel free to send us your thoughts on other great sci-fi sidearms and rifles so we can update this list, which clearly is not a complete assessment of the best and most loved, not to mention deadliest weapons within science fiction.
EXCELSIOR!!!
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