.30 M2 AP dissected

[917601]

I had some idle time, soooo....I got busy to see what made the M2 AP round tick.....harder job than I thought but after some hours trying figured out how to get it all apart without damaging to much. Notice the boat tail shaped hardened steel penetrator has a small plastic cone at its needle point lathe turned tip. The finished one looks great as I cut it at the forward part of the cannelure and is hardly noticeable when assembled, most do not realize it pulls apart easily for inspection....and no I do not have a lathe but used hand tools to get the job done.

 

[Spaceinvader]

I have a sectioned .50 API that I did with the same idea, cut in half and comes apart to show the steel core. I will be sending you a PM as well!

 

[REDHAT6]

Just a FYI: My dad in the 1950's while stationed overseas use to remove the steel core from .30 and .50 AP rounds and use them for center punches. They worked real well.

 

[AE501]

I used to do the same with 2pr Mk 1 SVAP cores. I found that if I did not strike them centrally with the hammer,
the edges cracked up and were very sharp. The Mk 1s became available due to mazak corrosion when the whole sheath turned to dust.

 

[copdoc]

M2 AP cores do make good center punches. I bored a 3/8" piece of 1018 same diameter as core, heated steel red hot and drove the core in with a piece of soft steel. The core will not shatter in the bar stock. Lathe helps to make one but you could do it without.