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45mm APFSDS projectiles.

SG500

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
I thought some of you would like to see these.
They're 45mm apfsds test projectiles. I understand although can't confirm this with any reference material that they were used in the development of full sized apfsds tank projectiles.
The darts range in length from 125mm to 200mm long.
Any further information would be of interest.
Dave.
 

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What nationality are these?

It would be interesting to see the gun they went with, and case (if they were actually made to be fired)?
 
Hi, yes me too, presumably just a test barrel of some sort.
I believe they are American.
Dave
 
Dave,

I'm bringing back an old one here. Was looking thru some threads and saw this. I can't confirm or deny that your examples are scaled down test items for a larger caliber system. I wonder though if they could be some of the experimental APFSDS series for the COMVAT rounds. I do not have data on them, but I know they went through several variations of the projectile design. My penetrater is about 260mm long, which is longer than any of yours. The round next to the COMVAT is a 30mm RARDEN APDS for size comparison. Yours are probably not COMVAT loadings, but I thought I would throw it out for consideration.

Bob
 

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Dave,

I'm bringing back an old one here. Was looking thru some threads and saw this. I can't confirm or deny that your examples are scaled down test items for a larger caliber system. I wonder though if they could be some of the experimental APFSDS series for the COMVAT rounds. I do not have data on them, but I know they went through several variations of the projectile design. My penetrater is about 260mm long, which is longer than any of yours. The round next to the COMVAT is a 30mm RARDEN APDS for size comparison. Yours are probably not COMVAT loadings, but I thought I would throw it out for consideration.

Bob

OO you've got me drooling over that one, I really do like CTA rounds, very nice indeed. The projectile is interesting, it looks a lot like the one in this thread that I may have in the wrong case.
http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/30mm-apfsds-gau-t55563.html?t=55563&highlight=30mm+apfsds
Dave.
 
They are similar in many ways. Not sure what the case type is for yours, but I agree that putting a discarding sabot in an aircraft cannon is a self-inflicted wound waiting to happen. I do know that the GAU-8 30mm catridge case was used as a test bed case for a variety of loadings that were not part of the GAU-8 aircraft gun program though, so you never know.
 
There's one listed on a popular American gun auction site now, just came up. I would put a link to it but I have this ill feeling that there's a rule against doing that on this forum. I post on many different forums and get the rules mixed up from one to another so someone pls remind me of this forum's rules on posting links to items for sale. I could not find it immediately..
 
What is COMVAT?
Combat Vehicle Armament Technology (US Army program name) deals with KE penetrators to be used in vehicles such as Bradley F.V. This study from 1990 has an interesting first few pages summarizing why DU is used vs. WA, and v/v, in various roles in the U.S. It mentions in passing, for instance, that in WA outperforms DU in the US Navy's PHALANX system, which I did not know prior to reading it here, I always thought the USN made the switch to WA because of environmental considerations.

link to this report in DTIC: http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA395913
 
I seem to remember a 45mm experimental cartridge that had projectiles like the ones shown at the beginning of this thread, that used cartridge cases that were 35mm with the shoulder blown out to 45mm.
 
I seem to remember a 45mm experimental cartridge that had projectiles like the ones shown at the beginning of this thread, that used cartridge cases that were 35mm with the shoulder blown out to 45mm.

Haz do you have any more information on the case you refer to? The attached photos show all of the 45mm apfsds variations I've come across.

Dave.

IMG_6011.jpgIMG_6013.jpgIMG_6012.jpg
 
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I have a case and one of the projectiles similar to those in your photos. I will take some pics.

Oddly enough, I got my case and projectile from the same guy that had the short German tank case with the large propellant tree encased inside it, that we discussed a few weeks back.
 
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I have a case and one of the projectiles similar to those in your photos. I will take some pics.

Oddly enough, I got my case and projectile from the same guy that had the short German tank case with the large propellant tree encased inside it, that we discussed a few weeks back.

Hazord did you get a chance to take any photos of your case and projectile?

Dave.
 
Does anyone know exactly how the 45mm COMVAT and the French 45mm CT round for the 45M911 were related? I understand that there was an exchange of information between the US and France, but I don't know who contributed what. The French round (the immediate predecessor to the Anglo-French 40CTA) had a combustible case I believe (it certainly wasn't metal) and measured 305mm long with a diameter of 65mm.
 
Does anyone know exactly how the 45mm COMVAT and the French 45mm CT round for the 45M911 were related? I understand that there was an exchange of information between the US and France, but I don't know who contributed what. The French round (the immediate predecessor to the Anglo-French 40CTA) had a combustible case I believe (it certainly wasn't metal) and measured 305mm long with a diameter of 65mm.

Tony, post 409 on this thread perhaps?
Dave.
http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/74168-The-Bombatorium/page41?highlight=bombatorium
 
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