patrickt66
New member
I've heard the term "Rail-Gun" thrown around a few times on this board and on tv and in at least one movie but I have no idea what it is. Can someone enlighten me?
What The Heck Is A "Rail-Gun"?
- Thread starter patrickt66
- Start date
Rail guns use two parallel charged rails which are, usually, forced together beginning from the rear and moving towards the front. As the rails come together, an electromagnetic field forces the projectile lying between the rails to accelerate. Benefits are extremely high acceleration for a given mass (more so than with chemical explosions since you aren't limited by the burn rate of powder, or the gas expansion limits). Problems are the massive power supply and the fact that many rail guns are one-shot deals.
A preferred system is the coil gun, which involves similar principles but a different operating mechanism. The barrel consists of a conducting coil, parts of which are charged in sequence. Because not all of the coil is charged at the same time, the power requirements are much lower. And, because the coil is not being forced together to generate the charge, it's reusable. The Brits were supposed to be working on a tank version years ago.
A Gauss rifle can be either system, since all it implies is that the weapon uses magnetic fields.
A preferred system is the coil gun, which involves similar principles but a different operating mechanism. The barrel consists of a conducting coil, parts of which are charged in sequence. Because not all of the coil is charged at the same time, the power requirements are much lower. And, because the coil is not being forced together to generate the charge, it's reusable. The Brits were supposed to be working on a tank version years ago.
A Gauss rifle can be either system, since all it implies is that the weapon uses magnetic fields.
they are also called Mass Drivers:
http://www.permanent.com/massdriv.htm
http://www.permanent.com/massdriv.htm
hollow point
New member
Oh, you mean _that_ rail gun!!
And here I thought we were talking about "railroad" guns! You know, the ones that can launch a 7.8 ton projectile 25 miles.
-JHP
http://perso.infonie.fr/palpatine/Page13/page13.htm
And here I thought we were talking about "railroad" guns! You know, the ones that can launch a 7.8 ton projectile 25 miles.
-JHPhttp://perso.infonie.fr/palpatine/Page13/page13.htm
And in the Benchrest world, in Unlimited class, you'll see stuff like...
http://benchrest.com/bryantcustom/gulf.htm
Some very nice pictures can be seen at that link.
These rifles are "set 'em and forget 'em." They recoil along a set path, and are pushed forward to return to battery, and the point of impact won't change. The shooter's only worries are developing a good load and watching the wind. Groups are typically 10 shots, and you've gotta average about a quarter inch to win...
http://benchrest.com/bryantcustom/gulf.htm
Some very nice pictures can be seen at that link.
These rifles are "set 'em and forget 'em." They recoil along a set path, and are pushed forward to return to battery, and the point of impact won't change. The shooter's only worries are developing a good load and watching the wind. Groups are typically 10 shots, and you've gotta average about a quarter inch to win...
FireForged
New member
I took a lot of lives and many hidden passages to find the RAIL GUN in Quake2. Now I kick but!!!!!
The joys of being a pack rat.
Mai 1918 issue of La Science et la Vie (sorta French Popular Science)has a chapter on "rail gun", Les Canons Electro-Magnetiques. Patent description and drawings. Tube with solenoid coils stacked along it, dynamo for juice, commutator for coil timing and capacitor bank for jolt and buffering. Roughly a stack of doughnuts on a piece of pipe. Coil timing regulated so that as soon as projectile is drawn into a coil, that coil is de-energized and the supsequent coil is energized, thus drawing the projectile through the tube at ever increasing velocity.
And that was 93 years ago........even before me.
Sam
Mai 1918 issue of La Science et la Vie (sorta French Popular Science)has a chapter on "rail gun", Les Canons Electro-Magnetiques. Patent description and drawings. Tube with solenoid coils stacked along it, dynamo for juice, commutator for coil timing and capacitor bank for jolt and buffering. Roughly a stack of doughnuts on a piece of pipe. Coil timing regulated so that as soon as projectile is drawn into a coil, that coil is de-energized and the supsequent coil is energized, thus drawing the projectile through the tube at ever increasing velocity.
And that was 93 years ago........even before me.
Sam
Blue Duck357
New member
So what kind of velocities are we talking about here?
Just curious, Blue Duck
Just curious, Blue Duck
Dave Finfrock
New member
Depends. Last time I read anything about this subject, they were talking 5000mps with a 1lbs projectile. I'll leave the kinetic energy figures up to you.
Badger Arms
New member
Velocity is theoretically limited only by the amount of energy we put into the equation. You are limited by friction if it is a 'true' rail gun.
A rail gun, by definition, consists of two rails placed close together. A conducting projectile is placed between the two. A charge is passed from one rail to the other through the projectile. I believe that the concept relies on the fact that electricity will try to find the shortest route. As a result, the projectile will be drawn towards the front to make the circuit shorter. Physical contact is required, I think, and the rails should wear out quickly if that is true. In theory, multiple projectiles can be lined up behind the first and fed nearly as quickly as the muzzle velocity of the one before it.
Back to reality. Rail guns are being touted as a way of placing payloads in orbit cheaply. Since only the payload leaves the ground, tremendous savings can be realized.
In terms of small arms, significant advances in power storage and superconductors will be required.
A rail gun, by definition, consists of two rails placed close together. A conducting projectile is placed between the two. A charge is passed from one rail to the other through the projectile. I believe that the concept relies on the fact that electricity will try to find the shortest route. As a result, the projectile will be drawn towards the front to make the circuit shorter. Physical contact is required, I think, and the rails should wear out quickly if that is true. In theory, multiple projectiles can be lined up behind the first and fed nearly as quickly as the muzzle velocity of the one before it.
Back to reality. Rail guns are being touted as a way of placing payloads in orbit cheaply. Since only the payload leaves the ground, tremendous savings can be realized.
In terms of small arms, significant advances in power storage and superconductors will be required.
George Hill
Staff Alumnus
I read in a military paper the talk of a Tank's main gun shooting its Sabot round 1 Kilometer a sec, and that a Tank with a Rail Gun would shoot its round 11 Kilometers a second. That is a tremendous increase in range, speed and penetration. Tank's armor would be moot against that kind of gun.
Danger Dave
New member
Lots of things will be outdated if they ever get these things up close to their theoretical potential. If they can launch a sattellite in orbit, they can launch a missile to the other side of the world, fire projectiles at opposing sattelites, anti-missile technology, etc. - and all without the big, detectible launch signature. In other words, you can forget missile defenses, because there won't be any warning.
That should help you sleep tonight...
That should help you sleep tonight...
Following up on the last post, that is actually being considered. The idea is to use a magnetic accelarator or mass driver (a series of rings laid out across a line a klick or so long) to launch satellites into orbit, or to launch warheads in suborbital paths. Although the launching vector is fixed due to the nature of the launcher, you could strap a guidance/booster package on the satellite/warhead and send it where you want.
As for max velocity, I think that the friction limit in an atmosphere is 6,000 meters per second. Of course, plasma technology (using a plasma field to regulate air flow around the nose of the vehicle) could increase this.
[Edited by buzz_knox on 01-05-2001 at 01:53 PM]
As for max velocity, I think that the friction limit in an atmosphere is 6,000 meters per second. Of course, plasma technology (using a plasma field to regulate air flow around the nose of the vehicle) could increase this.
[Edited by buzz_knox on 01-05-2001 at 01:53 PM]
And the media claims all of us "gun nuts" to be stupid hillbillies that are only concerned about changing the oil in their pickup trucks every 3k miles.
I am impressed w/ some of the sci-fi knowledge on the rail gun. Thx fellas.
Did I read this right that velocity is basically only limited by mass and friction? So theoretically, it would be possible to drive a 150 grain .30 cal bullet at velocities of over 6,000 7,000 even 10,000 fps right?
Holy smokes!! talk about a flat shooter it would be like point and click up to a few miles range!!!
I am impressed w/ some of the sci-fi knowledge on the rail gun. Thx fellas.
Did I read this right that velocity is basically only limited by mass and friction? So theoretically, it would be possible to drive a 150 grain .30 cal bullet at velocities of over 6,000 7,000 even 10,000 fps right?
Holy smokes!! talk about a flat shooter it would be like point and click up to a few miles range!!!
Rokchukrslave
New member
WHEW!
And now for the answer I hope he was looking for.
There are two types of "rail guns". One is like the benchrest rifle Bogie stated above, and the other is a rifle that is built on an aluminum "rail" or "chassis". The best example I can think of is the Accuracy International rifles and their drop in stocks for the Remington 700's. Hope this helps, I am lost with the other answers.
And now for the answer I hope he was looking for.
There are two types of "rail guns". One is like the benchrest rifle Bogie stated above, and the other is a rifle that is built on an aluminum "rail" or "chassis". The best example I can think of is the Accuracy International rifles and their drop in stocks for the Remington 700's. Hope this helps, I am lost with the other answers.