Reload

[FluidFire]

Reload.

 

 

This modification to Fallout New Vegas is designed to complement the existing game and greatly expand on the centerfire rifle and pistol reloading process. Over 50 new reloading recipes and ammunition types are included, five new calibers of ammunition, and 14 variants of weapons are

included. NPC's have been tweaked to stock reloading supplies. The reloading mechanics in game have been altered and refined to provide a more "realistic" experience at the reloading bench.

 

I have been creating ammunition in the real world for nearly 20 years, as a federally licensed ammunition manufacturer. I have taken great effort to ensure that the abstracted reloading process in this mod is as comprehensive as an electronic game will allow.

 

Disclaimer: This being said, the gunpowder system is still abstracted (there are dozens and dozens of different types of powder in the real world, each with different burn characteristics). As such, the reloading "data" contained in this mod is incomplete in that YOU don't know what actual real world

powder I based the powder weights off of. So don't go putting bullets together in real life, kiddies... without FIRST obtaining a copy of a reloading manual such as "Sierra's Fifth Edition of Rifle and Handgun Reloading Data."

 

I hope this mod might help spur the new generation of wastelanders to the realization that yes, you too, can take pleasure fabricating your own ammunition in your own home.

 

Also, I elected NOT to allow meltdown or conversion of brass. (I know people will be saddened by this..) In the real world, brass casings are perhaps the most difficult things to fabricate and are EXCEPTIONALLY tight toleranced. Starting with a little brass "plug", a series of heavy

machines extrude, punch, and work that little slug to form the brass casing. Putting a brass manufacturing process in to the game is beyond the scope of this mod - you really need heavy equipment. This being said, "Wildcat" rounds are possible in a future expansion, as most of those are created by fireforming and/or trimming stock factory brass to new dimensions.

 

Copper jackets, on the other hand, can be made at home with a swaging die, and filled with spooled lead wire, on a hydraulic press. So I don't feel bad about allowing FMJ or JHP rounds to be created, although even that's a stretch... people make copper jackets out of pennies in their garages.

 

Anyway that's enough of a lesson for now... Keep your powder dry. :)

 

-FluidFire

 

 

Summary:

 

To make use of new calibers I elected to 'rechamber' stock weapons. I have zero modelling capability - but I welcome derivative works off of this mod so long as credit is given. Please contact me for new calibers you may need for your weapons and I will include them.

 

In this mod you will find 338 Lapua Magnum sniper rifles, full auto 7.62 NATO weapons, and 45 caliber submachineguns. The models used are stock - just as Glocks and AR-15's can come in many different calibers in the real world, so do the weapons in the Mojave wasteland.

 

Additionally high-powered rifles like the 50 BMG antimateriel rifle have been properly scaled up based on real-world kenetic energy figures.

 

I put this as a warning because NPC's *can and will* use these weapons in firefights, which will be decidedly more lethal (to you and them both) as by and large the new weapons, particularly rifles, are more powerful. This may (perhaps) unbalance the game against critters you may encounter. To this, I say, "they should learn to carry a gun." Cazadors and deathclaws will still rip you to shreds. But, now you have a fighting chance.

 

Effort has been taken to attempt to retain a balance with costs, weights, and so on. Certain reloading components and weapons are restricted to a higher character level and may not appear in the game until past level 10. Also, weapon, bullet, and case weights are all now somewhat more realistic, meaning you can't just tote around a ton of material for free and must be even more selective about what you carry with you.

 

 

WARNING:

 

This New Vegas mod is designed to be a complement to hardcore mode and handles reloading in a more realistic fashion than the stock game. There is a learning curve, but not a severe one. Reloading components are much more common at vendors with this mod, allowing you to actually make ammunition that you want to make.

 

 

Repair Skill Changes:

 

Repair skill has been standardized in recipes. The same skill and techniques are used for rifle, handgun assembly and disassembly.

 

Dissassemble (breakdown) ammunition (ANY): Repair 25

Create pistol ammunition: Repair 25

Create rifle ammunition: Repair 35

Create 50BMG ammunition: Repair 45

Create "Match" ammunition: Repair 50

"Smelt" bullets: Repair 20

"Cast" Lead bullets: Repair 25

"Cast" Jacketed bullets: Repair 35

"Cast" AP bullets: Repair 45

"Cast" Match bullets: Repair 50

"Cast" incendiary bullets: Explosives 50

 

Creating Ammunition:

 

Reloading recipes require "Reloading Dies" before they will show up. Reloading dies can be bought from most merchants, and as with most ammunition and weaponry, there are five "tiers".

 

IMPORTANT: YOU CAN NOT CREATE AMMUNITION WITHOUT RELOADING DIES.

 

Most reloading dies are cheap. Some, such as 50BMG and 40mm, are more expensive. Reloading dies are considered to contain three purposes - dies allow loading ammunition, casts allow creating bullets for that caliber from lead and/or scrap metal, and collet pullers allow dissasembly of loaded ammunition of that caliber.

 

Two reloading dies are multipurpose, just as they are in the real world. 357 Magnum reloading dies may be used to create 357 AND 38 special ammunition. 10mm reloading dies may be used to create 40 S&W ammunition.

 

Reloading recipes require four components to create: Powder, primers, bullets, and shell casings. The frequency and quantity of reloading components has been increased at vendors (previously it was exceptionally rare to see ANY reloading components).

 

Gunpowder jars are now sold in 1 pound lots. Each pound contains 7000 grains (grain is a unit of measure which is 1/7000th of a pound). All ammunition recipes have been reworked to use REAL WORLD powder capacities. There was a marked increase in the powder quantities in reloading recipes, but since powder is sold in lots 35 times the size they were previously, this shouldn't present a big issue. Yes, you can load over 1,000 9mm rounds out of 1 pound of powder in the game, just as you could in real life.

 

Primers are sold in packs of 100 (just as they are in the real world). The cost has scaled with the quantity, in the interest of keeping some balance.

 

Bullets are sold in packs of 100 at vendors. There are several types of bullets for each caliber. Bullets replace the generic "lead" requirement for reloading. You can smelt down bullets with a Smelter (new item), and create NEW bullets with the appropriate reloading die set.

 

Unloaded bullets have weight in the game! They weigh precisely what they do in the real world! So a 180 grain .308 projectile will weigh .0257 pounds in Fallout.

 

NOTE: When you buy powder, primers, or bullets from a vendor, you must drop them on the ground and pick them up to break them open!

 

 

Breaking Ammunition Down:

 

"Breakdown" recipes require one of two items to show up - the appropriate set of reloading dies (for the collet puller contained in them) or a "Universal Bullet Puller". This is an equippable item that weighs .25 lbs. In the real world, universal bullet pullers resemble a hammer. You unscrew one

end, insert a loaded cartridge in to a collet on one end, screw the cap back on, and smack the hammer HARD on a concrete surface. After a few good whacks, inertia pulls the bullet from the casing without damaging any components. The bullet and powder can be poured from the inside of the

hammer and re-used, and the shell casing is undamaged.

 

The reason you need to equip the universal bullet puller is there are a LOT of breakdown recipes in this mod, so if you aren't breaking down ammunition it will reduce clutter on the reloading bench. This is also the reason for "reloading dies" - it reduces the clutter while crafting, and adds a little touch of realism all at once!

 

All ammo breakdown recipes have been modified so that you have to actually HAVE the ammunition type in question for it to show up. So your reloading sessions won't be cluttered up with "Breakdown xxx". You'll only SEE them if you have the ammo that it breaks down, AND have the reloading dies,

OR you have the universal bullet puller.

 

PS: The Universal Bullet puller shows up on the weapon tab. You CAN hit things with it but it won't do much damage!

 

Melting Scrap Metal:

 

Scrap metal, such as wheel weights, can be melted down at a campfire using the Smelting Pot. Each pound of scrap metal will yield 200 lead.

 

Melting Bullets:

 

To melt bullets, you need a campfire, a smelting pot, and... bullets! You can melt down any of the new bullets to lead, then, with the proper reloading dies, reform them in to new bullets of a different caliber.

 

 

Creating Bullets:

 

Reloading dies in this mod are assumed to come with the bullet forming dies required for casting. Swaging copper jackets and forming tungsten penetrators is implied in the formula, which is why casting jacketed bullets and armor piercing projectiles is more difficult. Match bullets require special skills for measuring the concentricity of the formed projectile, and require even higher skill.

 

With lead, and the appropriate set of reloading dies, you can create all of the new bullet types. You can pull bullets from loaded ammo with a reloading die set or Universal bullet puller, then smelt bullets down with the Smelter (all of which are found at vendors).

 

You still need to complete the appropriate quests, have the appropriate perk, and/or find recipes to unlock the special recipes contained in the stock game.

 

Please note that the act of casting bullets requires a heat source - and can be done at your nearest campfire. (You cannot cast bullets at the reloading bench, having open sources of flame near gunpowder and primers is bad for your health...)

 

NoTE: I plan on adding a "copper" component in the future. For now, all you need is lead.

 

Lead is set to use 10 grain increments. Thus 1 lead = 10 grains, so to cast a 115 grain 9mm FMJ projectile you need 12 lead. (I round up since you always need to do a little trimming on the cast bullets.)

 

Some bullets are shared between different calibers. Here's a breakdown of what dies you need to cast bullets of each diameter:

 

Dia Used In Dies

.224 5.56 NATO Reloading Dies, 5.56 NATO

 

.308 7.62 NATO Reloading Dies, 7.62NATO

30-06 or Reloading Dies, 30-06

300 Win Mag > 200Gr requires 300 Win Mag dies.

 

.355 9mm Reloading Dies, 9mm

 

.357 357Mag, 38 Spl Reloading Dies, 357 Magnum

 

.400 40 S&W, 10mm Reloading Dies, 10mm

 

.429 44 Magnum Reloading Dies, 44 Magnum

 

.451 45 ACP Reloading Dies, 45ACP

 

.458 45-70 Govt Reloading Dies, 45-70

 

.510 50BMG Reloading Dies, 50 BMG

 

 

Basic formulas:

 

Scrap Metal + Smelter = Lead (Requires campfire)

Bullets + Smelter = Lead (Requires campfire)

Smelter + Reloading Dies = Bullets (Requires Campfire)

 

Bullet Puller + Loaded Ammo = Bullets, Powder, Primers,

Casing

Reloading Dies + Loaded Ammo = Bullets, Powder, Primers,

Casing

 

Reloading Dies + Case, Powder, Primer, Bullets = Loaded Ammo

 

 

Tips on controlling the # of Recipes that you have to scroll through:

 

1. Only carry the reloading dies for the ammo you use often.

2. Leave the dies you don't use somewhere safe.

3. Equip the Universal Bullet Puller to show breakdown recipes on demand.

 

 

New Items:

 

Smelting Pot (detailed above)

Universal Bullet Puller (detailed above)

Primer, Magnum Rifle

Box, Primers, Magnum Rifle

Powder, Small Rifle

Powder, Large Rifle

Powder, Magnum Rifle

Powder, 50 BMG

+ 1 lb. jars for each powder type (7000, cost 50-100)

 

 

Caliber Renaming:

 

5.56mm -> 5.56 NATO

308 -> 7.62 NATO

50MG -> 50 BMG

 

 

New Calibers:

 

A reloading mod wouldn't be all that good without a few new

calibers to play with. These calibers were added and

alternate chamberings were made for them on the stock

Fallout guns.

 

* 40 S&W

* 45 ACP

* 30-06

* 300 Win Mag

* 338 Lapua

 

In terms of relative cartridge power, centerfire cartridges

line up like this (stock calibers weren't modified except

for new loads):

 

>>Weakest

5mm

9mm

40 S&W

45 ACP

10mm

38 Special

357 Magnum

44 Magnum

5.56 NATO

45-70

7.62 NATO

*300 Win Mag

*338 Lapua

50 BMG

>>Strongest

 

 

New Guns:

 

These were cloned from existing Fallout weapons and "rechambered". Costs were adjusted based on gut feeling. Rate of fire is slower on more powerful cartridges.

 

 

 

Name Caliber Remarks Capacity

Sniper Rifle (7.62NATO) 7.62 NATO [renamed] 10

Sniper rifle (30-06) 30-06 [scoped] 10

Sniper Rifle (300 Mag) 300 Win Mag [scoped] 5

Sniper Rifle (338 Mag) 338 Lapua Mag[scoped] 5

 

Hunting Rifle (7.62NATO)7.62 NATO [renamed] 5

Hunting Rifle (30-06) 30-06 5

Hunting Rifle (300 Win) 300 Win Mag 3

 

Revolver (357) 357 Magnum [renamed] 6

 

Handgun (9mm) 9mm [renamed] 17

Handgun (40 S&W) 40S&W 15

Handgun (45 ACP) 45ACP 12

Handgun (10mm) 10mm 12

 

Submachinegun (9mm) 9mm [renamed] 30

Submachinegun (40S&W) 40 S&W 30

Submachinegun (10mm) 10mm [renamed] 30

Submachinegun (45 ACP) 45 ACP 25

 

Light Machinegun 5.56 NATO [renamed] 100

Heavy Machinegun 7.62 NATO 100

 

Service Rifle (5.56 NATO) 5.56 NATO [renamed] 30

Service Rifle (7.62 NATO) 7.62 NATO 20

 

Marskman Rifle (5.56 NATO) 5.56 NATO [renamed] 30

Marskman Rifle (7.62 NATO) 7.62 NATO 20

 

Assault Carbine (5mm) 5mm [renamed] 30

Assault Carbine (5.56 NATO) 5.56 NATO 30

Assault Carbine (7.62 NATO) 7.62 NATO 20

 

 

NPC's:

 

NPC's can use the above weapons, and will shoot the living hell out of you with them. Be prepared, firefights will be harder.

 

 

Shotguns:

 

Haven't got around to tweaking them yet. (Don't use them much myself)

 

 

Frag Grenades, Missiles, etc:

 

I released an experimental 40mm mod on 10/29/2010 on NewVegasNexus. I imagine at some point I'll get around to incorporating some of the ideas in to this mod.

 

 

 

Annoying Realism Fixes:

 

In addition to adding new "chamberings" of common wasteland weapon models, changes were made to ammunition capacity on weapons to correct them to real world specs. The following weapons were renamed to identify them more clearly against the new versions added to this mod:

 

 

Marksman Carbine -> Marksman Rifle (5.56 NATO)

* Magazine capacity increased to 30

 

Service Rifle -> Assault Rifle (5.56 NATO)

* Attack anim changed to increase ROF to match

marksman rifle

* Skill requirement raised to 50 (for sight wobble)

 

Anti Materiel Rifle

* Damage scaled up to make "room" for 30-06, 300

Win, 338 Lapua

* Factual Note: 50 BMG has about 12,000 ft/lb of

force, while

308 has about 2800. So if you scale the sniper

rifle up the 50 should be

at 265 damage. Which is where it's at now.

 

 

NPC Mods:

 

Weapons start appearing on NPC's *no earlier* than these levels. Logic on NPC templates dictates when certain NPC's get what weapon package, but this is an enforced MINIMUM on the weapon packages themselves - these weapons WILL NOT spawn on NPC's until the PC levels indicated below.

 

Handgun (40S&W) level 1

Handgun (45 ACP) level 1

Submachinegun (40S&W) level 3

Submachinegun (45ACP) level 3

Assault Rifles (5.56 NATO) level 3

Hunting Rifle (30-06) level 4

Assault Rifles (7.62 NATO) level 5

Marksman Rifles (7.62 NATO) level 5

Sniper rifle (30-06) level 6

Service Rifles (7.62 NATO) level 5

Hunting Rifle (300 Win) level 7

Sniper Rifle (300 Mag) level 8

Sniper Rifle (338 Mag) level 10

Heavy Machinegun (7.62 NATO) level 15

 

 

 

Sniper Rifle Damage:

 

308: 62 (stock)

30-06: 80

300 Win: 110

338 Lapua: 160

50 BMG: 265 (scaled from Sniper Rifle using actual

kinetic energy figs)

 

 

Pistol / Submachinegun damage:

 

The damage values for 40 S&W and 45 ACP pistols and submachine guns are between 9mm and 10mm. It goes 9mm -> 40 S&W -> 45 ACP -> 10MM.

 

 

Vendors:

 

 

All vendors that deal in projectile weapons now stock some amount of reloading supplies, and they receive resupplies about every 3 days of game time. Some vendors will carry more supplies than other. All vendors that carry reloading component supplies will also carry reloading dies, bullet puller, and smelting pot. However, the more rare supplies are only available at select vendors!

 

 

 

GAME NOTES:

 

*** THE NEW LARGER CALIBER ASSAULT RIFLES HIT **HARD** and are usable by all NPC's which have that weapon kit. Be prepared for tougher firefights!

 

*** Bethesda scaled damage down as weapons get more powerful. All rifles are now scaled proprotionally to actual kinetic energy values. This means that the 50BMG rifle is absolutely, positively lethal. Both for you, and for NPC's shooting *AT* you! You've been warned.

 

 

Ammo Types Added:

 

9mm (FMJ)

9mm (JHP)

9mm (Lead, 115gr)

9mm (Lead, 130gr)

40S&W (FMJ)

40S&W (JFP)

40S&W (Lead, 165gr)

40S&W (Lead, 180gr)

10mm (FMJ)

10mm (JFP)

10mm (Lead, 165 gr)

10mm (Lead, 180 gr)

45 ACP (FMJ)

45 ACP (JHP)

45 ACP (Lead, 185gr)

45 ACP (Lead, 230gr)

357 Mag (FMJ)

357 Mag (JHP)

357 mag (SP, 125gr)

357 Mag (SWC, 158gr)

38 Special (SP, 125gr)

38 Special (SWC, 158gr)

44 Mag (JFN)

44 Mag (HP)

44 Mag (Lead, 220 gr)

44 Mag (Lead, 240 gr)

5.56 NATO (FMJ)

5.56 NATO (JHP)

5.56 NATO (AP)

5.56 NATO (Match)

7.62 NATO (FMJ)

7.62 NATO (JHP)

7.62 NATO (AP)

7.62 NATO (Match)

30-06 (FMJ)

30-06 (JHP)

30-06 (AP)

30-06 (Match)

300 Win Mag (FMJ)

300 Win Mag (AP)

300 Win Mag (JHP)

300 Win Mag (Match)

338 Lapua Mag (HPBT, 250gr)

338 Lapua Mag (HPBT, 300gr)

45-70 Govt (FN, 300gr)

45-70 Govt (HP, 300gr)

50BMG (FMJ, 700gr)

50BMG (AP, 708gr)

50BMG (API, 649gr)

50BMG (AMAX, 750gr)

 

Projectiles Added:

 

Bullet .355 FMJ 115gr

Bullet .355 JHP 115gr

Bullet .355 Lead 115gr

Bullet .355 Lead 130gr

Bullet .400 FMJ 165gr

Bullet .400 JFP 165gr

Bullet .400 Lead 165gr

Bullet .400 Lead 180gr

Bullet .451 FMJ 185gr

Bullet .451 JHP 185gr

Bullet .451 Lead 185gr

Bullet .451 Lead 230gr

Bullet .357 FMJ 125gr

Bullet .357 JHP 125gr

Bullet .357 SP 125gr

Bullet .357 SWC 158gr

Bullet .429 JFN 240gr

Bullet .429 HP 210gr

Bullet .429 Lead 220gr

Bullet .429 Lead 240gr

Bullet .224 FMJ 55gr

Bullet .224 JHP 62gr

Bullet .224 SS109 62gr

Bullet .224 HPBT 77gr

Bullet .308 FMJ 168gr

Bullet .308 JHP 168gr

Bullet .308 AP 168gr

Bullet .308 HPBT 180gr

Bullet .308 HPBT 220gr

Bullet .338 HPBT 250gr

Bullet .338 HPBT 300gr

Bullet .458 FN 300gr

Bullet .458 FN 300gr

Bullet .510 FMJ 700gr

Bullet .510 AP 708gr

Bullet .510 API 649gr

Bullet .510 AMAX 750gr

 

Bulk Bullet Packs (available at select vendors):

 

NOTE: all QTY100 except 50BMG, which is QTY10

 

Box, Bullet .355 FMJ 115gr

Box, Bullet .355 JHP 115gr

Box, Bullet .355 Lead 115gr

Box, Bullet .355 Lead 130gr

Box, Bullet .400 FMJ 165gr

Box, Bullet .400 JFP 165gr

Box, Bullet .400 Lead 165gr

Box, Bullet .400 Lead 180gr

Box, Bullet .451 FMJ 185gr

Box, Bullet .451 JHP 185gr

Box, Bullet .451 Lead 185gr

Box, Bullet .451 Lead 230gr

Box, Bullet .357 FMJ 125gr

Box, Bullet .357 JHP 125gr

Box, Bullet .357 SP 125gr

Box, Bullet .357 SWC 158gr

Box, Bullet .429 JFN 240gr

Box, Bullet .429 HP 210gr

Box, Bullet .429 Lead 220gr

Box, Bullet .429 Lead 240gr

Box, Bullet .224 FMJ 55gr

Box, Bullet .224 JHP 62gr

Box, Bullet .224 SS109 62gr

Box, Bullet .224 HPBT 77gr

Box, Bullet .308 FMJ 168gr

Box, Bullet .308 JHP 168gr

Box, Bullet .308 AP 168gr

Box, Bullet .308 HPBT 180gr

Box, Bullet .308 HPBT 220gr

Box, Bullet .338 HPBT 250gr

Box, Bullet .338 HPBT 300gr

Box, Bullet .458 FN 300gr

Box, Bullet .458 FN 300gr

Box, Bullet .510 FMJ 700gr

Box, Bullet .510 AP 708gr

Box, Bullet .510 API 649gr

Box, Bullet .510 AMAX 750gr

 

 

Credits: Sierra Rifle and Handgun Reloading Data Edition 5

for real-world reloading recipes.