7.62-MM Primer/Propellant Interface Study.
Abstract
An engineering study was conducted on the 7.62 mm ball cartridge, M80, to determine the cause of a recurring delayed propellant ignition and to identify possible causes of action to correct the problem. An investigation was conducted in 1993 by the Small Caliber Ammunition branch to address problems being encountered by the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP) in meeting the specification for tetracene used in the manufacture of small caliber primers. As part of this investigation, pressure-time curves were recorded for 7.62-mm ammunition using M34 primers containing various batches of tetracene. Examination of these curves brought to light an unusual phenomenon in the standard 7.62-mm M8O ball ammunition (fig. 1). While the M62 tracer ammunition exhibited pressure-time curves that were essentially classical in shape, M8O ball ammunition consistently produced curves with substantial ignition delays on the order of 0.3 to 0.4 ms (fig. 2). This occurs even though both cartridges use the same primer and a comparable weight of the same propellant.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA341390
Entities
People
- Mahmoud D. Ahmad
Organizations
- United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center