The Effect of Slug Material on the Behavior of Small-Caliber Ammunition

Abstract

The drive to produce environmentally friendly "green" ammunition has shifted focus to alternate materials for the lead cores in small-arms ammunition. Candidate materials such as tungsten-nylon and tungsten-tin have been evaluated as possible replacements. This research is aimed at evaluating the response of the candidate materials as well as the current M855 "lead" round. Experiments were conducted on sheathed and unsheathed slug samples to determine their compressive response. It was found that each material exhibited a unique mechanical response. Finite-element simulations were generated to evaluate the relative response of each material during launch in a weapon with a linear rifling profile. Details of the experimental testing, generation of the models, and results of the analyses, as well as potential ramifications to bullet behavior, will be presented.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2006
Accession Number
ADA455868

Entities

People

  • Aristedes Yiournas
  • Joseph South
  • Michael Minnicino

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Laboratory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ammunition
  • Elements
  • Guns
  • Materials
  • Mechanical Properties
  • Mechanics
  • Military Research
  • Munitions
  • Projectiles
  • Radial Stress
  • Simulations
  • Small Arms
  • Small Arms Ammunition
  • Strain Gages
  • Tungsten
  • Weapons
  • Yield Strength

Readers

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  • ballistics.