The World's First Smart Rifle

Taking top honors in the category of Yo That's Crazy and Moderately Disturbing but I Guess It Was Gonna Happen Sometime: TrackingPoint's PGF. Precision. Guided. Firearm. It's fighter-jet-style, lock-and-launch technology stuffed into a rifle system. It's a no-fail, long-distance weapon that even a novice shooter can use to hit targets up to 1,200 yards away.

TrackingPoint's 3 models of PGF employ what they have named the XactSystem. From within each rifle's electronic scope, Xact automatically accounts for distance, gravity, wind speed, humidity, the rotation of the Earth, and other variables that commonly affect whether or not a bullet hits its target, and accumulate to decrease the odds of it happening when the shooter is farther away. The scope allows users to "tag" their target prior to taking a shot by locking a red dot within its crosshairs. Exactly like Maverick and Iceman did to those MiGs in Top Gun. In fact, a TrackPoint firearm won't fire at all--even if its safety is off and trigger pulled--unless the target has been tagged.

This type of repeatable performance and accuracy is what makes the XactSystem fairly easy for any level of shooter to use. And although TrackPoint developed its firearms for game hunters, this type of repeatable performance and accuracy is also what makes the XactSystem somewhat concerning to anyone who considers what else someone might opt to use it for.

TrackingPoint will attempt to control their rifles' misuse and passage into inappropriate hands with password protected aiming modes, and background checks on all potential clients, each of whom must apply and receive approval through TrackingPoint's Website to purchase a model. The rifles will also be somewhat cost-prohibitive, starting at $22,500, or the cost of about 336 pounds of American Kobe beef tenderloins, or the cost of about 22,500 Bacon Cheddar McChicken sandwiches.

Oh, and one more thing: PGFs have apps for smart devices that interact with embedded wifi servers to upload real-time or recorded images. In other words you could, like, maybe inadvertently see one of your Facebook friends in the midst taking down an antelope. The FPS video game aesthetic of the rifle's interface probably will not deter enthusiasts, or even mildly curious parties, from trying the apps and sharing their exploits either.

TrackPoint's PGFs come in XS1 (bolt-action, .338 Lapua Magnum Surgeon XL action), XS2 (bolt-action, .300 Winchester Magnum Surgeon action), and XS3 (bolt-action, .300 Winchester Magnum Surgeon action) models. They vary in size and range from biggest and longest, with a 27" barrel length and 1,200 yard strike distance, to compact and still pretty dang long, with a 22" barrel and 1,000 yard strike distance. The smart rifles "virtually eliminate shooter error" in aim, trigger pull, environmental inputs, and range miscalculation. Each package includes: an integrated networked tracking scope, guided trigger, and tag button Pelican 3300 hard case; 3 batteries and chargers; 200 rounds of XactShot ammo; instructions; a cleaning kit; an iPad Mini loaded with the TrackingPoint App and ShotView App; and HUD communications.