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[OM] Re: [OT] Aircraft ammunition pictures

Subject: [OM] Re: [OT] Aircraft ammunition pictures
From: Chris Barker <imagopus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 6 Jan 2001 13:38:12 +0100
Olaf, for the sake of being specific and cautious I'd refer to those items that are not loaded in cartridges as projectiles rather than bullets. To the best of my knowledge (as a longtime shooter and reloader of my own ammunition) the term bullet refers only to small arms projectiles - 50 caliber or less - that are known to be non-explosive. A projectile *could* be considered explosive or frangible.

"Round" is the normal term for any size of military weapon. I agree with your distinction of course.

Regarding whether any of this ordnance is live or dangerous, from what I've seen, projectiles of 20mm or less are generally non-explosive or non-frangible.

Not true I'm afraid. These 20mm are rounds from an aircraft's gun, probably an F16 since the F15s were AD only in that part of Europe, and the standard war fit for air-to-surface is a mix of HE and AP. He AP is normally kinetically piercing, the HE is a little bomb. However, it was unlikely that much, if any, of the rounds fired on this very small range (in US terms) was HE. I don't recall there ever being an HE target since we normally had to travel to another range to have fun with our HE strafe (and fun it was!).

Primers and powders in unfired casings are another matter. Small arms ammunition of 50 caliber or less have proven quite safe and stable over many decades. At worst they simply won't fire even when you want them to. But I don't know about the larger cartrdiges. Linked ammunition like some of the samples you've photographed typically contain non-explosive projectiles - but, again, I'm not certain about your samples. Even many non-explosive rounds contain tracers spaced apart at least every few rounds.

You're right to imply that care is needed.

Chris
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Chris Barker
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