On Thu, Jul 9, 2015 at 8:37 PM, Tim <tim@little-possums.net> wrote:

On Thu, Jul 09, 2015 at 03:49:55AM -0400, Richard Aiken wrote:
> But you can't use that "wasted" energy to propell a non-collapsing saboted
> round. This is because such a "much simpler" round will fragment inside a
> non-tapering barrel when subjected to the same level of exploding force
> that a collapsing round in a tapered bore experiences.

Okay, now you're just mnaking shit up, and I'm finished with this
discussion.

<shrug>

I'll admit that I can't find any data to back up my claim above, probably because it's been so long since the (presumed) studies were done that said data hasn't been deemed worthy of uploading to the internet.

But it is a fact that during WWII the Germans were well aware of both techniques. They used discarding sabot ["treibspiegel" or "thrust mirror"] rounds to increase the upper range limits of their flak guns, while simultaneously using the tapered bore principle to create an extremely lightweight (505 lbs) yet very effective antitank cannon.

If the discarding sabot method worked just as well for both applications, then why didn't they use it that way?

Richard Aiken

"Never insult anyone by accident." Robert A. Heinlein

"A word to the wise ain't necessary -- it's the stupid ones that need the advice." - Bill Cosby

"We know a little about a lot of things; just enough to make us dangerous." Dean Winchester