Universal Squad Firearm
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TCN | |
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Type | Modular weapon system |
Place of origin | Zacapican |
Service history | |
In service | 1966 - Present |
Used by | Zacapine Armed Forces |
Production history | |
Designer | Yoxen Tzacol NTT 64 |
Designed | 1966 |
Manufacturer | Cuauhquetztia |
Produced | 1966 - Present |
No. built | Approx. 4 million |
Specifications | |
Weight | LMG: 11.68 lb (5.30 kg) FMG: 10.31 lb (4.68 kg) Carbine: 7.90 lb (3.58 kg) Rifle: 7.75 lb (3.52 kg) |
Length | LMG, Rifle: 40.25 in (1,022 mm) Carbine: 36.68 in (931.7 mm) stock extended / 26.60 in (675.6 mm) stock collapsed FMG: 30.38 in (771.7 mm) |
Barrel length | LMG, FMG, Rifle: 20 in (508.0 mm) Carbine: 15.7 in (398.8 mm) |
Cartridge | 7.65×33mm Ahuatetz 7.65x53mm Hueiyac |
Action | Gas-operated rotating bolt system |
Rate of fire | LMG, FMG: 700–1,000 rounds/min Rifle, Carbine: 700–900 rounds/min |
Muzzle velocity | LMG, FMG, Rifle: 3,250 ft/s (991 m/s) Carbine: 3,050 ft/s (929.6 m/s) |
Effective firing range | 200–1,000 m |
Maximum firing range | 2,650 m |
Feed system | LMG, FMG: Disintegrating ammunition belt Rifle, Carbine: 20- or 30-round detachable box magazine LMG: 75-, 100-, 150-round drum magazine |
Sights | Iron sights |
The Universal Squad Firearm (𐐓𐑊𐐯𐐿𐐨𐐿𐐨𐑆𐐻𐑊𐐨 𐐝𐐯𐑌𐐻𐐯𐐿𐐭𐐸𐐻𐑊𐐨 𐐤𐐬𐐸𐐶𐐨𐐷𐐰𐑌𐐷𐐬, Tlequiquiztli Centecuhtli Nohuiyanyo, TCN) is a modular weapon system capable of being configured as an automatic rifle, a carbine, and a light machine gun or squad automatic weapon. It can also serve as a vehicle mounted weapon. This gives the weapon system its name, as its design allows the same central firearm components to be used in every weapon employed by a typical infantry squad. It is the main service weapon of the Zacapine Armed Forces in the assault rifle, carbine, and light machine gun roles. The rifle and carbine configurations fire the intermediate 7.65×33mm Ahuatetz "short" cartridge, while the machine gun configurations use the 7.65x53mm Hueiyac "long" rifle cartridge. An export version of the system, the Octacatl Nanauhtetl Tepozmatatl (Four-system Bullet-caster) weapon system, is chambered in the non-proprietary 7.62x51mm.
The purpose of the level of modularity seen in the TCN system was to greatly reduce the long term manufacturing and maintenance costs that came from outfitting nearly the entire Zacapine military with a single family of firearms, as most parts would be entirely interchangeable across the infantry weapons which various configurations of the TCN could become. This logistical consideration was the primary motive behind the initiative to design and produce the TCN system. Converting TCN weapons from one configuration to another in the field was never seriously considered as a design objective and would never be implemented, with a particular configurations being assembled in the factory or in the military armories. A sniper rifle version of the TCN was considered but ultimately rejected due to the unique design requirements for such a high precision, low rate-of-fire type of firearm interfering with the needs of the other configurations of the TCN, as well as the relatively small number of sniper rifles needed by the military.