Author Topic: Calculating guns' effective power  (Read 556 times)

Offline moot

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Calculating guns' effective power
« on: April 13, 2009, 05:43:44 PM »
Is the formula that Tony Williams uses to calculate power valid for large calibers like 50mm?   As seen on this page, it works like this:
Damage = projectile weight (kg) * muzzle velocity (m/s) * (1 + (projectile weight's explosive % ÷ 10 ))
I guessed the last one because that's what it seems to be (ignore the black one, it's wrong from a typo):


This formula leads to table 1 on that same page of Williams', where that power value's divided by 10 and rounded up, giving e.g. the .303 and MG17, MG151/20 and Hispano, NS37 and MK103 power values of 1 and 1, 16 and 20, and 106 and 99 respectively.  If we apply this same method to the 50mm BK5 projectile that's 1530g with 335g explosive content and 835 m/s muzzle speed (as per this page), it gives a power of roughly 280.

That seems a bit large, and somehow a linear addition of (1+HE%) as coefficient to kinetic power doesn't seem natural.
« Last Edit: April 13, 2009, 05:45:46 PM by moot »
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Offline Lusche

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Re: Calculating guns' effective power
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2009, 06:23:11 PM »
Just a note: the muzzle velocity of 835 m/s is for the AP round. The HE round will probably be faster, possibly around 870 m/s
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Offline moot

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Re: Calculating guns' effective power
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2009, 06:30:51 PM »
Yep, I've seen a bit over 900 mps too.  I'm just curious if the HE factor's scaling is correct..

The page I linked has more details just above that table. oops.. I'd found it linked to directly and never saw those upper paragraphs.
Quote
For projectiles with a chemical content, we increase this by the weight fraction of explosive or incendiary material, times ten. This chosen ratio is based on a study of many practical examples of gun and ammunition testing, and we will see below that it at least approximately corresponds with the known results of ammunition testing.
:rolleyes:
« Last Edit: April 13, 2009, 06:39:38 PM by moot »
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Offline Ghosth

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Re: Calculating guns' effective power
« Reply #3 on: April 15, 2009, 08:39:35 AM »
30mm Mk103 was a fairly low powered (ballisticly) round compared to the n37, which I think the data shows.
Actually I'm surprised that their isn't a bigger spread between the 30mm and the 37mm. Also is the N37 data for AP or HE? or a combination of both?

What you didn't list (and neither did Williams site) was the 75mm in the B25H, I think that would give you a better framework for looking at the 50mm.

I'd be willing to bet that the 75mm would score well above the 50mm and probably in the 300 mark.


Offline Masherbrum

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Re: Calculating guns' effective power
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2009, 08:54:15 AM »
Gimme .303's anyday. 
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