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14.5mm BAM(whale)

kahu1

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
A locally developed loading for the 14.5mm x 115 Russian round.(standard round for comparison)
Developed for the conservation department as a humane killer of beached Whales.
The projectile is a heavy steel or brass slug.
The 'BAM' stands for Big Aquatic Mammal.

Cheers Bob
 

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Driving Band ?

Hi Bob do you happen to know what the projectile is made of/does it have a driving band in the neck or is a steel slug that gets fully rifled the same as the A.P.I. you show next to it ?
 
Yes, that is a very interesting cartridge... Is it loaded in NZ? What is the headstamp on the case?

I find it curious that NZ would use a Russian cartridge for this purpose....

What type of firearm is used... It would have to be pretty big and heavy to tame that type of recoil....

The cartridge designation is actually 14.5x114....
 
There are a couple of modern rifles available in 14.5x114 calibre; an East European one, and the South African Mechem NTW20 (which can be had with 14.5mm or 20mm barrels).

Or they might just have dug out a PTRS or PTRD anti-tank rifle from a museum...

Can't see them using a KPV though, much though I'd like to see one mounted on a civilian vehicle :biggrin:
 
Hi,
My understanding is its a PTRS rifle ,tripod mounted.

The rounds are locally assembled ,this ones head stamp is 3 *79*,Ulynavsk Machinery Plant 1979.(i just got my copy of 'Soviet Cannon' !)

Cheers Bob.
 
The 14.5 caliber was the smallest that would provide the necessary penetration in that much tissue. .50 BMG was the initial trial, but nothing loaded would provide the necessary penetration.
 
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