OK, reading further down on the post, rather than just looking at the pretty pictures:
Well, several pages into the application, I find a second reference to “high velocity.” This time the term is used to describe speeds in excess of 2,500 fps. This velocity definitely seems much more reasonable. I’d have to say the first figure listed was a typo.
Well, given that 25,000 fps with a 1:14 twist results in a rotation speed of 1.75 million RPM, and there’s no projectile known that would withstand the centripetal force – Ergo: typo. 2,500fps is not beyond the realm of possibility.
Well, given that 25,000 fps with a 1:14 twist results in a rotation speed of 1.75 million RPM, and there’s no projectile known that would withstand the centripetal force – Ergo: typo. 2,500fps is not beyond the realm of possibility.
Kevin shows why engineers generally have pretty good bullshit detectors on matters like this. I was thinking of the chamber pressures you’d need to generate that kind of energy in a projectile, and the material limits steel. But Kevin’s finding is a lot more fun.
This has me wondering, if you could make a chamber and barrel that could actually take the pressures required, and had the right explosive material capable of delivering that kind of energy …
with a standard lead projectile, what would that look like in whatever room you fired it in? With that kind of energy, would the projectile itself become a grenade, or some kind of plasma jet shower, the minute it left your hypothetical ideal chamber and barrel? Would it be like a plasma jet spreading out like a shotgun effect as the projectile came apart?
I don’t know the answer, but I suspect it would be spectacular. Epic damage to whatever room or vessel you released this in.
The fastest conventional rounds known to man run about 5000fps out of a rifle and are limited to the propellant. Remember that conventional gun powders have a limit to how fast they can expand. Maximum expansion rates are about 5800fps for the fastest powders and the bullet cannot travel faster than it is pushed. Now 2500fps with a light sub-caliber sabot round from a necked-down .460 S&W is completely possible. Some say the Romans fell because they did not understand or utilize the zero as a place holder, now idiot engineers just say you’re off by a factor of ten. Either way somebody is off by a factor of ten.
May 17th, 2012 at 1:18 pm
Because RACE GUN!
May 17th, 2012 at 1:31 pm
25,000 FPS from a revolver???
Uh… What about the barrel-cylinder gap???
May 17th, 2012 at 1:45 pm
Isn’t that darn near half escape velocity for the Earth?
May 17th, 2012 at 2:08 pm
It’s over half, according to wikipedia and google’s conversion tools.
Escape velocity is a touch over 36,000 fps
May 17th, 2012 at 2:35 pm
At that velocity the rate of twist would be almost a straight line. Jack
May 17th, 2012 at 2:57 pm
25K fps / 17,000 mph is orbital velocity in low Earth orbit…..
May 17th, 2012 at 3:18 pm
Since burning gunpowder expands at about 5000 fps what do they plan to use as a propellent?
May 17th, 2012 at 3:31 pm
Err… no… this has to be a stunt or some sort. This is beyond the capabilities of conventional firearms.
May 17th, 2012 at 3:34 pm
OK, reading further down on the post, rather than just looking at the pretty pictures:
Well, several pages into the application, I find a second reference to “high velocity.” This time the term is used to describe speeds in excess of 2,500 fps. This velocity definitely seems much more reasonable. I’d have to say the first figure listed was a typo.
2,500 is believable.
May 17th, 2012 at 4:12 pm
Clearly it’s for taking out impending meteor strikes.
May 17th, 2012 at 4:55 pm
Well, given that 25,000 fps with a 1:14 twist results in a rotation speed of 1.75 million RPM, and there’s no projectile known that would withstand the centripetal force – Ergo: typo. 2,500fps is not beyond the realm of possibility.
And still haulin’ ass.
May 17th, 2012 at 6:43 pm
The Governor, in 5.56 Magnum.
May 17th, 2012 at 11:55 pm
Well, given that 25,000 fps with a 1:14 twist results in a rotation speed of 1.75 million RPM, and there’s no projectile known that would withstand the centripetal force – Ergo: typo. 2,500fps is not beyond the realm of possibility.
Kevin shows why engineers generally have pretty good bullshit detectors on matters like this. I was thinking of the chamber pressures you’d need to generate that kind of energy in a projectile, and the material limits steel. But Kevin’s finding is a lot more fun.
This has me wondering, if you could make a chamber and barrel that could actually take the pressures required, and had the right explosive material capable of delivering that kind of energy …
with a standard lead projectile, what would that look like in whatever room you fired it in? With that kind of energy, would the projectile itself become a grenade, or some kind of plasma jet shower, the minute it left your hypothetical ideal chamber and barrel? Would it be like a plasma jet spreading out like a shotgun effect as the projectile came apart?
I don’t know the answer, but I suspect it would be spectacular. Epic damage to whatever room or vessel you released this in.
May 18th, 2012 at 3:32 am
The fastest conventional rounds known to man run about 5000fps out of a rifle and are limited to the propellant. Remember that conventional gun powders have a limit to how fast they can expand. Maximum expansion rates are about 5800fps for the fastest powders and the bullet cannot travel faster than it is pushed. Now 2500fps with a light sub-caliber sabot round from a necked-down .460 S&W is completely possible. Some say the Romans fell because they did not understand or utilize the zero as a place holder, now idiot engineers just say you’re off by a factor of ten. Either way somebody is off by a factor of ten.