DU Back Slap Round

[Weasel]

Hi,
I found this picture on a twitter feed and wanted to know if anyone could give me some more info on it. The only info given is...
"30mm DU penetrator. Was a test of a "back-slap" theory. Never produced in volume" i have not heard of "back slap" before,



Best regards Weasel.

 

[US-Subs]

Looks closer to 57mm than 30mm. I've never heard of backslap either.

 

[SG500]

Looks like its a bit bigger than 30mm...........or the person holding it has a very small hand. Or is it just the penetrator inside that is 30mm?

Dave.

 

[Weasel]

Hi US Subs, Dave
Yes I agree it does look more like 57mm I wonder if he was referring to the DU core. A different style of construction from what i have seen before, I wonder what sort of sabot or jacket was around this piece.
Best Weasel.

 

[US-Subs]

There seems to be no obvious way for a sabot to lock on, and the piece itself does not look strong enough to act as a penetrator by itself. No means of stabilization, so it is not likely to be a carrier by itself - 30mm is also an extremely large core size for DU. Seems to be a well made piece so not likely a fake - unusual.

 

[EOD]

It might be "real" but we should find out if it is meant to be ammo.

 

[HAZORD]

The color of the metal does not look like DU or Tungsten.

 

[Weasel]

I have managed to find out with more info on the way that it was a China Lake project that never performed as it should and was dropped in favor of a new design, it was a Navy anti ship round, it apparently sat in a plastic sabot.
I will up date when I get some more info.
Best Weasel.

 

[Falcon]

If it was DU, surely it wouldn't be a good idea to hold it in your hand as in the photo?

 

[EOD]

The problem of DU is it's heavy metal nature (and sowith being highly poisonous when vaporized or abosrbed as micro particles) and not radiation as so many people do think for some reason.

 

[Falcon]

I knew DU wasn't particularly radioactive. However, I'm sure I had read before that it was still chemically toxic and that handling unprotected DU was not recommended.

 

[Snufkin]

If it was DU, surely it wouldn't be a good idea to hold it in your hand as in the photo?

It's fine as a solid chunk - U is toxic as small particulate (aerosol) - a rare condition to encounter - but more so as Uranium Oxide dust when burned, which is usually the case after penetrators have greeted armour.

 

[EOD]

I knew DU wasn't particularly radioactive. However, I'm sure I had read before that it was still chemically toxic and that handling unprotected DU was not recommended.

US military directives say DU shrapnel with size 10mm and smaller can remain in the body.

 

[weberoed]

I have 2 - 25mm DU (and 2 tungsten) projectiles intact. And when I have put a meter to them you can hardly tell the difference between them and normal background. When we loaded them at GD-OTS everyone wore a film badge and unless they put the badge in their pocket with a couple projectile bodies no one ever got a high enough reading to be of concern. Of course we found out 2 of the people who put the badges next to a projectile for extended periods of time were doing it to get a workmans compensation case going.

 

[AMMOTECHXT]

I handled a few hundred APFSDS DU shot in the Middle East after the first Gulf war - we had no dosimeters but as I understood it the projectiles were safe enough to handle, and of course I kept the handling to the minimum. Bear in mind that the ammo is designed to be stored in racks in tanks and therefore in very close proximity to the crew for long periods of time. As has been said they were only likely to be dangerous once fired and in particulate form. Anyone know what happened to Iraqi AFVs etc in the post-war clear-ups, with regard to those clearing up having to wear PPE? I was with a party that visited the Mutla Gap about two months after the end of hostilities and the place was still awash with wreckage - I looked but didn't touch. I remember back in Saudi seeing inside a box containing fired DU. Those of us who were curious enough to want to see inside made sure we never inhaled ... a bit like Bill Clinton with a slightly less toxic substance.