Gauss Rifle

Gauss Rifles are hand-held weapons utilizing electromagnetic coils to propel metal slugs at extremely high velocities.

While in Fallout 2 the Gauss Rifle uses the Small Guns skill, it uses the Energy Weapons skill in Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas.

M72 Gauss Rifle


The M72 Gauss Rifle is a weapon of German design. It uses 2mm EC magazines containing both batteries and ammunition. In 2241, it was often used by Enclave soldiers.

Scoped Gauss Rifle


The Scoped Gauss Rifle is an advanced sniper rifle used during the invasion of Alaska. Unlike the M72, this gun requires the user to load in the Microfusion cells needed to magnetize each preloaded 2mm round contained in the magazine attached to the side of the weapon.

Enhanced Gauss Rifle
An enhanced version of the M72 model.

Beta Gauss Rifle


The Beta Gauss Rifle is a beta version of the Scoped Gauss Rifle that uses the model of a laser rifle and features a five round magazine. It only does about 25% of the damage of the final version, but has a 100% knock-down chance. It is only obtainable through console commands.

Behind the scenes
"The Fallout Gauss weapons are a reference to the scientific unit used to measure magnetic fields, named for German mathematician Karl Friedrich Gauss. The Fallout Gauss weapons fire their projectiles using magnetic induction."

WRONG. Gauss Rifle is a reference for the Gauss Gun (aka Coilgun), which is an actual device used to propel metallic projectiles by accelerating them with magnetic coils. The Gauss Gun (and Gauss Rifle) are named after German scientist Carl Friedrich Gauss, who formulated mathematical descriptions of the magnetic effect used by magnetic accelerators.

Gallery
Karabin Gaussa M72