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Description
As the second decade of the Infrastructural Age went on, the central committee was aware of the affairs going on to the west in regards to small arms. In addition to flintlock rifles, percussion cap weapons, revolvers and breech loading firearms were appearing and increasing in number. There were serious concerns about enemy forces with superior numbers. As such from 27 IA to 28IA the Central Committee began work on a series of Prototype Weapons for evaluation. Of sixteen prototypes, this one was deemed to be the most effective.

The weapon was, like the Type-3R before it bolt action. However, unlike the Type-3R was a fully capable repeater using a detachable magazine containing ten rounds of ammunition. In addition, a new category of ammunition was devised. While the 11mm cartridge was proven effective in the single shot Type-3R, it was deemed too hard to control for repeaters in trials. This led to the introduction of a new caliber: Infrastructural 7.5x60mm. This new long spike round was still quite capable of inflicting grievous wounds, especially with the development of a new generation of propellents which were about three times as powerful as black powder and did less to foul the barrel of the weapon (as well as the air around the barrel, much to the pleasure of the trial crews). In trials, it was possible to get off as many as 30 aimed shots per minute.

However, in 28IA there was no particular pressing need for the new weapon while numerous projects were being pursued towards the construction of ships and the various aspects of Infrastructure required to produce and maintain this new fleet. The fact that it is considerably more complex than it's predecessor further complicated matters. It was only in late 33IA that it was decided that production would begin and Arsenal-5 was retooled to manufacture the Type-4R as well as it's ammunition (which also involved the creation of a new chemical processing plant for propellents) with the first weapons being delivered in January, 34IA. Weapons were being assembled at a rate of 200 weapons a month. Plans were initially laid out for a gradual transition to the new Repeating weapon over the next ten to twelve years, phasing out the older single shot weapons. The onset of the Escort War accelerated production, but even so the amount of these new rifles produced was limited, both due to the complexity of the weapons themselves as well as spare parts and the production bottleneck in nitrocellulose. As the need for new rifles increased as the army was rapidly expanded, the Type-3R was reinvigorated as it and its ammunition could be much more easily mass produced. Over the course of the Escort War, the Type-4R would remain in the hands of an elite few.

Description
As the second decade of the Infrastructural Age went on, the central committee was aware of the affairs going on to the west in regards to small arms. In addition to flintlock rifles, percussion cap weapons, revolvers and breech loading firearms were appearing and increasing in number. There were serious concerns about enemy forces with superior numbers. As such from 27 IA to 28IA the Central Committee began work on a series of Prototype Weapons for evaluation. Of sixteen prototypes, this one was deemed to be the most effective.

The weapon was, like the Type-3R before it bolt action. However, unlike the Type-3R was a fully capable repeater using a detachable magazine containing ten rounds of ammunition. In addition, a new category of ammunition was devised. While the 11mm cartridge was proven effective in the single shot Type-3R, it was deemed too hard to control for repeaters in trials. This led to the introduction of a new caliber: Infrastructural 7.5x60mm. This new long spike round was still quite capable of inflicting grievous wounds, especially with the development of a new generation of propellents which were about three times as powerful as black powder and did less to foul the barrel of the weapon (as well as the air around the barrel, much to the pleasure of the trial crews). In trials, it was possible to get off as many as 30 aimed shots per minute.

However, in 28IA there was no particular pressing need for the new weapon while numerous projects were being pursued towards the construction of ships and the various aspects of Infrastructure required to produce and maintain this new fleet. The fact that it is considerably more complex than it's predecessor further complicated matters. It was only in late 33IA that it was decided that production would begin and Arsenal-5 was retooled to manufacture the Type-4R as well as it's ammunition (which also involved the creation of a new chemical processing plant for propellents) with the first weapons being delivered in January, 34IA. Weapons were being assembled at a rate of 200 weapons a month. Plans were initially laid out for a gradual transition to the new Repeating weapon over the next ten to twelve years, phasing out the older single shot weapons. The onset of the Escort War accelerated production, but even so the amount of these new rifles produced was limited, both due to the complexity of the weapons themselves as well as spare parts and the production bottleneck in nitrocellulose. As the need for new rifles increased as the army was rapidly expanded, the Type-3R was reinvigorated as it and its ammunition could be much more easily mass produced. Over the course of the Escort War, the Type-4R would remain in the hands of an elite few.