Full-auto Gauss Gun Demo

[zacbol]

I thought this was interesting, even if the projectiles seem to not be traveling that fast.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWeJsaCiGQ0

[DocGKR]

It is essentially a friggin electric nail gun...

[Corlissimo]

I wonder if that laptop was properly calibrated to demonstrate actual ballistic performance, or if they "fudged" it a little so we'd get to see that awesome over penetration though its LCD panel?


~ Typos brought to you by my lazyness & in attention to detail.

[zacbol]

It is essentially a friggin electric nail gun...
Well, to be fair I don't think a nailgun typically uses electromagnetism to propel the nail. Obviously, it's not a 'gun' in the sense of being an effective self-defense tool, but I still thought it was kind of interesting. I don't think he did anything that other hobbyists haven't, other than amping it up by destroying a laptop.

And Corlissimo, I wouldn't doubt it was 'fudged' a bit.

[ToddG]

I think the technology is fascinating and bringing it to man-portable weapons is possibly the next leap in projectile weapons. Just think of the potential in terms of the ammunition alone: all bullets, no case or powder or primer. Ammunition would be cheaper to produce. Weapons/magazines would hold significantly greater capacity at significantly reduced weight. There's no powder to get contaminated, no primer to fail. Manufacturer QC problems would be limited to dimensional errors of the projectile itself because there is nothing being "built." Bullets could be longer and narrower without compromising case size or action size, bringing both external and terminal ballistic advantages. Limiting projectiles to sub-sonic speeds (probably as a user-defined option) would negate the need for hearing protection.

The weapon itself has far fewer moving parts so there are less things to break down and fewer things to wear over time. Maintenance would likewise be simplified. Without a reciprocating mass, recoil would change substantially. For example, it would be easy to design a pistol that delivered all recoil force straight back into the hand instead of over the top of it via rapidly cycling steel slide. It would have all the advantages of a revolver in a FUT but with the power and capacity and shootability of a semiauto.

I realize there are severe technical challenges that stand in the way -- power supply probably chief among them -- but it's still pretty incredible to me.

[fuse]

Can't believe he did all that indoors. The glass, and especially the cake.






That's how you get ants

[JFK]

...all bullets, no case or powder or primer. Ammunition would be cheaper to produce. Weapons/magazines would hold significantly greater capacity at significantly reduced weight. There's no powder to get contaminated, no primer to fail. Manufacturer QC problems would be limited to dimensional errors of the projectile itself because there is nothing being "built." Bullets could be longer and narrower without compromising case size or action size, bringing both external and terminal ballistic advantages. Limiting projectiles to sub-sonic speeds (probably as a user-defined option) would negate the need for hearing protection.


Keep it down or they will start to ban electricity.... for the children...

[LHS]

The cake is a lie!!!

[Sadmin]

http://ibankcoin.com/flyblog/files/2013/01/OGRE.jpg

[Mr_White]

I think the technology is fascinating and bringing it to man-portable weapons is possibly the next leap in projectile weapons. Just think of the potential in terms of the ammunition alone: all bullets, no case or powder or primer. Ammunition would be cheaper to produce. Weapons/magazines would hold significantly greater capacity at significantly reduced weight. There's no powder to get contaminated, no primer to fail. Manufacturer QC problems would be limited to dimensional errors of the projectile itself because there is nothing being "built." Bullets could be longer and narrower without compromising case size or action size, bringing both external and terminal ballistic advantages. Limiting projectiles to sub-sonic speeds (probably as a user-defined option) would negate the need for hearing protection.

The weapon itself has far fewer moving parts so there are less things to break down and fewer things to wear over time. Maintenance would likewise be simplified. Without a reciprocating mass, recoil would change substantially. For example, it would be easy to design a pistol that delivered all recoil force straight back into the hand instead of over the top of it via rapidly cycling steel slide. It would have all the advantages of a revolver in a FUT but with the power and capacity and shootability of a semiauto.

I realize there are severe technical challenges that stand in the way -- power supply probably chief among them -- but it's still pretty incredible to me.

Absolutely. Vid is rudimentary, but completely awesome.

[Clyde from Carolina]

What Todd said.

I know people way smarter than me have been working on this stuff for a long time, but this IS THE WAY of the future beyond gun powder. It's like Tesla, man.

I sent it as a link to a buddy b/c one of our high school buddies was a future-centric engineer type who is probably already working on this kind of technology at a secret gub'mint lab as we speak...;)

[Chuck Haggard]

I always thought I'd see the day a tank would be packing a rail gun, which kinda sorta works in a similar manner, except those get into the tens of thousands of FPS.

Homey needs to invest in some flechettes, his "bullets" are keyholing.

[LHS]

I always thought I'd see the day a tank would be packing a rail gun, which kinda sorta works in a similar manner, except those get into the tens of thousands of FPS.

Homey needs to invest in some flechettes, his "bullets" are keyholing.

I wonder if there's any way to impart spin with the electromagnets in lieu of rifling?

[Chuck Haggard]

I wonder if there's any way to impart spin with the electromagnets in lieu of rifling?

I suppose there would be if you could program the magnets to fire just right and had them arraigned to do so.

Fins seems stupid simpler though.

[Corlissimo]

I suppose there would be if you could program the magnets to fire just right and had them arraigned to do so.

Fins seems stupid simpler though.

Agreed that fins would be simpler.

I would think that there would need to be some type of difference in magnetic potential built into the projectiles radially in order to impart spin via the magnetic coils. Then again, I'm just a gun-totin' wannabe redneck. :D


What about just using weight bias? Something as simple as hollowing out the rear 1/2 to 2/3 of the projectile, similar to the construction if air gun pellets with a slightly flared skirt on them. That might even be simpler than fins since it maintains a symmetrical profile and is easier to produce.


Typos brought to you by my DROID... and my apathy.

[Al T.]

No real reason to spin. The 120mm cannon on the M1 Abrams is a smoothbore.

From my reading, the amount of electricity stored and required is the big issue.

[BLR]

Spinning the bullets - couldn't be easier. Could operate just like an AC motor. Radially orient the coils with the "twist" you want, then build the projectiles with in-bedded but opposed true magnets (simple iron would work).

The technology itself - this reminds me of fuel cells. Fuel cells have been 3-5yrs out....for the last 50yrs. Major, as in truly revolutionary, strides must be made in power supplies to make this happen. Or rail guns. Which are a monumental disappointment when discharged in the atmosphere. Remember drag goes up with the square of velocity.

Still, good on them. Looks like a cool toy.

[da6dspanburg]

I sent it as a link to a buddy b/c one of our high school buddies was a future-centric engineer type who is probably already working on this kind of technology at a secret gub'mint lab as we speak...;)

It's a gub'mint lab, but it's not a secret....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzVfF_YHkOU

[littlejerry]

No real reason to spin. The 120mm cannon on the M1 Abrams is a smoothbore.

From my reading, the amount of electricity stored and required is the big issue.

Our battery technology sucks. It's leaps and bounds beyond what we had in the 90s, but it still sucks. Gunpowder has the same benefit that fossil fuels have: energy density. There is a huge amount of energy by volume and weight released during the chemical reaction.

Batteries are getting better but they are still heavy, still slow to charge, and still limited on discharge rate.

[BWT]

Agreed that fins would be simpler.

I would think that there would need to be some type of difference in magnetic potential built into the projectiles radially in order to impart spin via the magnetic coils. Then again, I'm just a gun-totin' wannabe redneck. :D


What about just using weight bias? Something as simple as hollowing out the rear 1/2 to 2/3 of the projectile, similar to the construction if air gun pellets with a slightly flared skirt on them. That might even be simpler than fins since it maintains a symmetrical profile and is easier to produce.

Typos brought to you by my DROID... and my apathy.

Some problems with that is ballistics are the same, a light bullet will be pushed around by wind a lot regardless of launching mechanism.

Also, I'd think you'd want a solid metal projectile to aid in the propelling of the bullet. Maybe a 5.45 style projectile with the mass towards the base, a stronger tapering to the tip.

ETA: Perhaps you could do smaller projectiles but put an insert of a more conductive metal into the base.

ETA 2: I think quite honestly, the best way to charge the gun would remain the same. I think the charge and projectiles would both be best localized in a magazine. Rather than a single battery if it goes down (or shot) your hosed. Maybe we could use I think a chemical reaction to generate the electricity necessary to fire the weapon, if batteries still suck for energy storage.

I'm thinking insert the mag, reaction happens maybe on board the charge to the gun, (or maybe house the energy in the magazine) and fire.

I like this stuff.

[Tamara]

I always thought I'd see the day a tank would be packing a rail gun...

That tank will still probably have a pintle-mounted Ma Deuce. :D

[Corlissimo]

ETA 2: I think quite honestly, the best way to charge the gun would remain the same. I think the charge and projectiles would both be best localized in a magazine. Rather than a single battery if it goes down (or shot) your hosed. Maybe we could use I think a chemical reaction to generate the electricity necessary to fire the weapon, if batteries still suck for energy storage.

I'm thinking insert the mag, reaction happens maybe on board the charge to the gun, (or maybe house the energy in the magazine) and fire.

I like this stuff.

Hmmm... How much power do ya think it'll need Doc?

http://youtu.be/I5cYgRnfFDA



~ Typos brought to you by my lazyness & in attention to detail.

[BWT]

Hmmm... How much power do ya think it'll need Doc?

http://youtu.be/I5cYgRnfFDA



~ Typos brought to you by my lazyness & in attention to detail.

This is all theoretical for me. I don't know what it'd take to accomplish this design, simply that I think it'd be a better design.

ETA: I've only got an Associates, I do have a distant uncle who has a Dr. in Electrical engineering.

I'd say it'd be interesting to find out the weight of those bullets being shot by the gauss rifle.

ETA 2: My uncle doesn't qualify me, as a side note, wasn't trying to imply it did.

[Corlissimo]

This is all theoretical for me. I don't know what it'd take to accomplish this design, simply that I think it'd be a better design.

ETA: I've only got an Associates, I do have a distant uncle who has a Dr. in Electrical engineering.

I'd say it'd be interesting to find out the weight of those bullets being shot by the gauss rifle.

ETA 2: My uncle doesn't qualify me, as a side note, wasn't trying to imply it did.


Totally track where you were coming from man. I was just being my usual smart-alecky (sp?) self* and that old Back to the Future clip popped into my head since there was talk of power requirements and such. I just couldn't think of a smart-ass way to incorporate the use of nuclear power mentioned in the clip. :)


ETA: * See my signature for my views on, and practice of, sarcasm. :P

[Al T.]

I'd say it'd be interesting to find out the weight of those bullets being shot by the gauss rifle*.

One of the prime advantages of the electro-magnetic propulsion of projectiles was the anticipated extreme velocities. In the tank world, in the mid '80's, the casually tossed around number was 25,000 FPS. The idea was that a 2lb chunk of nylon at that velocity would bast apart a main battle tank like a 5.56 hitting a toilet bowl.

Hard to recall that was 25 years ago and now (apparently) only the Navy is looking at rail guns for ships...



* gun - no lands and groves... :)

[the Schwartz]

This is all theoretical for me. I don't know what it'd take to accomplish this design, simply that I think it'd be a better design.

ETA: I've only got an Associates, I do have a distant uncle who has a Dr. in Electrical engineering.

I'd say it'd be interesting to find out the weight of those bullets being shot by the gauss rifle.

ETA 2: My uncle doesn't qualify me, as a side note, wasn't trying to imply it did.

According to their website

http://www.deltaveng.com/gauss-machine-gun/

their contraption fires its projectile at 42.03 ms-1 or 137.89 fts-1 with a muzzle KE of 10.78J (that's about 7.951 fpe)

Solving e = 1/2mv2 for "m" gives a projectile weight of about 188.35 grains or 12.20 grams.

[Chuck Haggard]

That tank will still probably have a pintle-mounted Ma Deuce. :D

I certainly hope so.