35mm APFSDS-T ROUND - New Acquired, Requesting Any Info

[apfsds]

Thrilled to have just added this stunning, 35mm APFSDS-T, inert, round to my large bore DS collection. I have never seen a 35mm APFSDS-T round that incorporates a wasp waisted sabot assembly. My copy of, "Jane's Ammunition," does not list any information on this specimen. It was filled with rice and small shot pellets and the projectile is factory crimped to the case. When I removed the primer (difficult) and all the filling, I could see the fin assembly intact. Guessing this may have been an experimental or Trade Show specimen? If anyone has any info, I'd be super grateful. I am thinking of sectioning it.

Jason

 

[SG500]

very nice!!

 

[Tony Williams]

This is a pic of the Rheinmetall APFSDS-T PMD343, from their official handout.

 

[apfsds]

Thanks so much for the awesome reference photo, Tony! Thats a beauty. My guess is that the one I just added is most likely experimental? Not sure who made it, but it has hand engraved ( # and A, B, C, D) on the inside of the wind scoop on each sabot petal. I usually see this on experimentals. I always thought that these engraving were to help with recovery and future study after being range fired?

Now I gotta find a, Rheinmetall example LOL

Jason

 

[apfsds]

Tony,

Question, Do all APFSDS-T cannon rounds incorporate a plastic withheld over the protruding sub-projectile dart, like the Rheinmetall example you shared? The one I recently added does not have that part and I was wondering if it was missing or if some of these smaller APFSDS rounds do not have this feature? None of the larger tank fired APFSDS specimens that I have or have seen in, JANE'S incorporate this type of windscreen.

Jason

 

[Nabob]

The ones loaded automaticaly do have a way to lead the round into the chamber.
Bob

 

[jestertoo]

That is very nice! I have the 35mm APDS round, but would have bought the APDSFS round in a heartbeat.

 

[Tony Williams]

Do all APFSDS-T cannon rounds incorporate a plastic withheld over the protruding sub-projectile dart, like the Rheinmetall example you shared?

All of the auto cannon APFSDS ones in my collection have a plastic nose cap, but my collection is not comprehensive.

 

[SG500]

Tony,

Question, Do all APFSDS-T cannon rounds incorporate a plastic withheld over the protruding sub-projectile dart, like the Rheinmetall example you shared? .

Jason

Jason I've got a load of variations without caps that never would have had caps, that said many are expt. 25mm, Colt 26mm, a couple of American 30mm one with ceramic petals, numerous 35,40,45mm, 40mm CTA, 45mm CTA, 50mm supershot to name a few.
Dave.

 

[Tony Williams]

I suspect that many APFSDS would first have been made without nose caps, because the key issue to get right was the sabot design and its separation from the flight projectile, work done in manually-loaded test barrels. The nose cap was a relatively simple addition, there to smooth the feeding of the round into the chamber in a high-rate-of-fire gun. So a lot of experimental rounds would never have got as far as being fitted with nose caps.

Dave, I don't think Cased Telescoped rounds really count in this, they come into a separate category. And the 50mm Supershot was intended to have a nose cap (albeit a very blunt one) as shown below:

 

[apfsds]

EXCELLENT INFO on the nose caps, everyone! Thank you all so much. Now they make sense to me. Grateful for the quality information .

Jason
PS: Has anyone seen a 35mm with this type of wasp waisted sabot assembly?

 

[apfsds]

If you get the time, can you post a picture of your 35 APDS

J

 

[apfsds]

Prepping the round to be sectioned and removed the projectile from the case. It was factory crimped and not easy LOL

Anyhow, I figured that I would share a few pics. Sure has a large width to length ratio with a thick dart. Interesting that it has a 6 bladed fin assembly

Jason

 

[SG500]

Nice projectile Jason.

The 35mm apfsds is one of those I've always struggled to get hold of. Attached a few pics from bottom to top:

A 3 petal sabot
A 250mm long dart (including fin length) with 5 blade fin. Tungsten steel dart
A 176mm long dart (including fin length) with 6 blade fin. Steel dart
A complete 35mm projectile 120mm length (including fin length) with 6 blade fin and 4 petal sabot. Tungsten steel dart.
Dave.

 

[apfsds]

WOW! Thanks for those pics, Dave! Incredible specimens! Its really cool seeing another 35 with a wasp waisted sabot assembly as well and all of them have 6 fins! Incredibly interesting and awesome photos! I wonder if if their is some stabilization physics principle that makes 6 fins more beneficial then 4 with larger bore specimens? All of the tactical tank fired APFSDS-T rounds in my collection have a 6 finned tail stabilizer and the most of the 30mm and smaller rounds in my collection are 4.


Jason

 

[apfsds]

Finally, sectioned this round.

Jason

 

[greif]

Some time ago I took these pictures at the Wehrtechnische Studiensammlung Koblenz, Germany.

 

[apfsds]

Wow! Spectacular cutaways! Thank you so much for posting these pics! Beautiful!

Jason

 

[Eric-Lee]

Hi apfsds, Thank you so much for your useful picture. I just wonder if you have the dimension or weight info about this 35mm apdfsd-t round penetrator?