The continuing exploration of new worlds and a growing frontier creates a demand for improved small-unit weapons and personal weaponry. While Austrin-Ontis Unlimited has led the way in arms dealing, it hasn't been the only corporation making money by selling weapons. The rich diversity of 26th-century killing instruments includes render, quantum, mass, stutter, and laser energy weapons; the conventional slug-thrower continues to evolve with large-bore charge firearms such as the 25mm sabot cannon.

For almost two centuries, the handgun of choice has been the 9mm charge pistol, or simply 'the nine: Concealable, reliable, and relatively cheap, the nine has produced many variants in style, ammunition, and environmental adaptations. It's a police-force staple and remains a standard holdout for military and paramilitary forces. Similarly, the 11mm charge rifle is standard equipment for the infantry of most stellar nations.

But the dependence on slugthrowing weapons is slowly fading. While sometimes less reliable, energy weapons can deliver crippling force with great accuracy. In addition, personal armor doesn't effectively counter the strong energy weapons. The laser pistol and mass pistol are replacing the 9mm and 11mm charge pistols, respectively. Quantum rifles may someday lead to the disappearance of charge rifles on the high-tech battlefield. Mass pistols and mass rifles offer enormous firepower. For riot suppression and nonlethal combat, stutter guns are superior to rubber bullets or gel rounds.

The needs of the new era have produced scientific advances in a new generation of close-range weapons for specialized needs. Explorers and ship assault units favor gravmaces, power cesti, and chainswords. Stun and pulse batons are common among planetary police and security forces.

Despite the proliferation of arms technologies, most civilized governments, including all stellar nations except Austrin-Ontis, explicitly demand permits for owning firearms. Carrying a concealed weapon is a felony. Ali firearms and most melee weapons are included. Most citizens of Old Space spend their lives without even considering the purchase of a handgun. Fewer than 1% of the citizens of old Space (excepting Austrins) own one.

On the Verge, where Gravity Age weapons were once rare, the reappearance of the stellar nations led to an immediate explosion of arms trafficking. Today, advanced weaponry is at least as prevalent in the Verge as in the Stellar Ring. Most local governments can't control the trade of firearms as the stellar nations do, and, given the dangers of the frontier, they wouldn't want to. The proliferation of arms has been augmented by the governments' weakness, coupled with the natural desire for self-protection on the frontier and the tensions produced by hostile political groups living side by side. Polls indicate that almost one in every four Vergers owns a firearm. The arms business remains in the top five industries on the frontier.