SM Stinger

SM Stinger
SM Stinger with and without attachements.
Type	Personal Defense Weapon.
Place of origin	The Empire of Common Territories
Service history
In service	2010 - Present.
Used by	TECT Armed Forces.
Production history
Designer	Wolf Armaments.
Designed	2001 - 2010.
Manufacturer	Wolf Armaments.
Unit cost	$900 NSD.
Produced	2010 - Present.
No. built	N/A.
Variants	SM Stinger FN 5.7×28mm CV, HK 4.6×30mm CV, and SM-S.
Specifications
Weight	2.36 kg.
Length	581.96 mm fully extended.
Barrel length	220 mm.
Cartridge	6.28×28 mm WA CTA.
Action	Gas-operated, short stroke piston, rotating bolt.
Rate of fire	Up to 950 rounds/min.
Muzzle velocity	810 m/s.
Effective firing range	200 m.
Maximum firing range	500 m.
Feed system	Detachable box magazine: 20 rounds. 30 rounds (standard). 45 rounds (extended magazine). 100 rounds (drum magazine).
Sights	Iron, various laser and scope options.

The SM Stinger or Sub-Machine Stinger is a personal defense weapon designed and manufactured by Wolf Armaments. It is a Gas-operated, short stroke piston, rotating bolt firearm that fires the 6.28×28 mm WA CTA. Stinger was named after the potent venom rich weapon of many creatures, a natural weapon for many creatures packing a small but potent punch. Entering production in 2010, the Stinger quickly replaced older sub-machine guns such as the MP5 and even newer PDWs like the MP7. Second generation of the Stinger released in 2020 feature newer improvements to the ergonomics of the platform and general improvements requested by customers over the past ten years.

Wolf Armaments began designing the Stinger as early as 2001 using the MP7 as a model for for its own system. While intended to totally replace sub-machine guns in services around the world, the Stinger would be suitable as a service's sub-machine gun as well. Although a PDW in design, most customers are confused because of the "Sub-Machine" title. Said title is used within Wolf Armaments to describe subpar lenghted automatic weapons, meaning traditional sub-machine guns, some short barreled rifles and machine guns, automatic pistols, and obviously personal defense weapons typically fall into this category. Within the TECT Armed Forces, the SM Stinger is labeled the "MP-Stinger" or "Machine Pistol Stinger" for example. SAAB's CBJ-MS was another weapon system Wolf Armaments based the Stinger on. SAAB's line of ammunition would also play a large role in Wolf Armaments' development pistol cartridges.

Within the TECT Armed Forces, the SM Stinger has become widely beloved by almost every service branch with the most notable being the Royal Guardsmen who often utilize the SM Stinger in their domestic activities. Other branches have utilized the Stinger to arm rear-deployed soldiers or soldiers not intended for frontline service with special operations units being the exception as they sometimes use the SM Stinger for close quarters operations; pilots within the Imperial Army still keep SM Stingers as back-up weapons in case their aircraft goes down. Other domestic users of the SM Stinger include Imperial police agencies within the Ministry of Justice, Tactical Assault Teams from local to Imperial units, and many local police forces have Stingers in service even as a squad car's heavy armament. Internationally the SM Stinger has earned favor among many foreign services with over sixty million guns sold since 2010. Among the most notable of international users is the Imperion Coalition who's Foreign Legion utilizes SM Stingers during low-risk, domestic activities inside member nations.

Design

A diagram of a Roller-delayed blowback system.

The SM Stinger was designed throughout the 2000s and introduced into service at the start of the new decade in 2010. As a compact weapon system, it was designed with the purpose of close-quarters combat (CQB) and to have capable engagements up to around two hundred meters away. Lightweight yet weighted where it counts, the Stinger combines high quality aluminum, steel, and hard impact resistant polymer to create a perfectly balanced, highly durable firearm.

Starting from the tip to butt, the SM Stinger's barrel is a stainless steel rifled barrel. The specific steel alloy was chosen over cheaper steel for their much longer life expectancy, greater accuracy, and easier cleaning. The rifling is much smoother, reducing the chance of fouling. Combined with the salt bath, the Stinger has an exceptional lifespan and undeniable reliability in the field. Lastly, the barrel is lined with chrome for added barrel longevity. Using a threaded barrel, the SM Stinger can easily mount a suppressor or different muzzle brakes customers may wish to swap to. Polygonal rifling and a maintained barrel thickness provides a superior gas seal around the bullet, which increases muzzle velocity and efficiency, and gives the Stinger easier maintenance. Stinger's fewer body parts and gas system parts allow for quick cleaning and repair of the weapon. SM Stingers come in three firing modes: Semi-Automatic, three-round burst, and fully automatic. Controls for safey/firing mode are located next to the trigger guard along with the magazine release button. The Stinger's charging handle is a folding handle system located near the front of the system similar to MP5 and other Heckler & Koch weapons. Although similar, the Stinger's charging handle is a universal ambidextrous design. Similar to AR platforms, the Stinger's bolt is pulled back and locked into place when when out of ammo, or requires charging to load the first round. During normal operation, the last round of a magazine will lock the bolt open after it is fired as to ready the next magazine; that action will slide the handle backwards and will extend it automatically once it hits the end of the group. To release the locking mechanism the operater closes the handle forward (typically with a flat-handed slap), returning the handle back to its folded postion and sliding both it and the bolt forward. While the last round will always lock the bolt open, the operator can manually unfold/fold the handle to cycle the weapon at any time. The other side of the mechanism features an attachment nub and guard when not in use, allowing the the operator to mount the handle to whichever side of the weapon they prefer. Additionally, the fire control, mag realease, and bolt locking switch are ambidextrous as well.

Designed with a Roller-delayed blowback, closed bolt system, the SM Stinger shoots off a round and the force of the ignition shoots back the hammer and replaces the bullet quickly. The additional buffering and recoil control ergonomics help absorb recoil when firing the weapon, greatly reducing the force felt by the shooter. Fully extended the SM Stinger is just shy of six hundred millimeters while its barrel takes up most of the firearm's actual two hundred and eighty millimeter length. Two rail systems can be found on the SM Stinger for use in mounting sights and other basic attachments. One rail system is located along the top of the weapon and the other is under the barrel section, ending before the trigger guard; these rails allow for a variety of optics and attachments that improve an operator's ability to engage targets. The overall body of the Stinger is made of high-strength nylon-based long-fiber reinforced polymer and high-tensile strength steel/aluminium parts; overall, this material choice reduces weight and adds durability while leveling out weight distribution in key areas. A top and bottom rail system allows users to equip attachments, sights, and grips in configurations they wish to have. To reduce friction, combat corrosion, and fatigue, there is a layer of iron oxide over the weapon. This is achieved with each component part being quenched in a salt bath, polished, and then quenched once more, creating a layer of iron oxide that protects the steel components.

Variants

SM-S Stinger comparison with and without attachments.

While there are at least four different primary variants to the SM Stinger, these variants are simple cartridge and carrier group part changes. Thus they are simply different cartridge using variants. SM Stinger's main secondary variant is the SM-S Stinger. SM-S Stinger is suppressed variant of the SM Stinger which utilizes an integral sound suppressor featuring easy detachablity and lightweight bolt carrier group. Several improvements including over-the-beach (OTB) capability have made the SM-S a favored weapon system for special forces and security personnel within both private and public fields of work.

Simunition Conversion

Conversion kits are available for all models of the SM Stinger; they include a bolt carrier (partly colored blue to distinguish it), blank-firing adapter for firing blanks, and an upper receiver colored blue to distinguish it for its practice use. The standard kit will also include a laser transmitter for laser combat systems to use; such systems would include individual soldiers carrying small laser receivers scattered over their bodies, which detect when the soldier has been illuminated by a firearm's laser. Each laser transmitter would be set to mimic the effective range and potential damage of the weapon on which it is used. Depending on how complex the laser combat system is, trainers can retrieve immediate results and statistics compiled by the system; such examples include readings that give medics a digital readout to determine which first aid method to practice and probability readouts. Using the conversion kit, the SM Stinger can seamlessly integrate into these laser combat systems.