Development of 20mm and 30mm Plastic/Aluminum Cartridge Cases

Abstract

Basic feasibility was established for the 20mm and 30mm plastic/aluminum cartridge cases under this program. The case design consists of a plastic body joined mechanically to an aluminum base forming a composite assembly. Work on the 30mm case was limited to Mann barrel firings while the 20mm case was fired successfully in both a Mann barrel and the M61 automatic gun at a rate of 4300 rounds per minute. Test firings of the 20mm case in the M39 gun, however, were unsuccessful. The effort on the 20mm case progressed into a development program including high and low temperature firings in the M61. Satisfactory case performance has been established at the temperature extremes (160 F and -65 F) and at ambient temperatures with the case design being developed as far as possible within the scope of this contract. Various plastics materials filled with glass fibers were tested. Nylon 612/43 percent glass gave the best results.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 1972
Accession Number
AD0907828

Entities

People

  • Matthew G. Popik
  • Robert W. Schnepfe

Organizations

  • AAI Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Ammunition
  • Assembly
  • Cartridge Cases
  • Contracts
  • Fabrication
  • Low Temperature
  • Manufacturing
  • Materials
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Testing
  • Munitions
  • Tensile Strength
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Test Methods

Readers

  • Reinforced Composite Materials
  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • ballistics.