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from the Who's-afraid-of-the-big-bad-bomb? dept.
Armor-Piercing Bullet Turned to Dust When Fired at Composite Metal Foam
Essentially a metal sponge consisting of hollow metal beads within solid metal, composite metal foam (CMF) generally retains some physical properties of its base materials. While its defining characteristic is ultra-high porosity, CMF boasts 5 to 6 times greater strength as well as over 7 times higher energy absorption than previously developed metal foams. Typically created by melting aluminum around hollow metal spheres, it is impressively 70% lighter than sheet metal and 80 times more energy absorbent than steel.
The foam is claimed to be non-toxic, resistant to radiation, fire and heat resistant.
Youtube video (13 seconds) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWmFu-_54fI
Related video (2:30) demonstrates automotive and other applications https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uE_f9rXLlk
Slightly different coverage at https://newatlas.com/metal-foam-bullets/42731/
Another Youtube video, demonstrating an explosion - https://youtu.be/yMVEQh5Akcc
(Score: 3, Interesting) by driverless on Tuesday April 10 2018, @11:52PM (10 children)
Anyone know what the gun/round is? Breitbart (ugh) claims it's a "7.62 x 63 millimeter M2 armor piercing projectile" but shows a photo of a pistol firing it, I doubt that's chambered for 30-06.
I'd also hate to find out what happens when you start breathing in a mixture of aluminiumm, lead, copper, and whatever else may be in there, dust.
Having said that, it is pretty cool...
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday April 11 2018, @02:27AM (4 children)
I had some problems with that "armor piercing" bit as well. The first thing I heard about this made the claim that the armor had stopped a round from an M2 30 caliber machine gun. But, I thought that a Ma Deuce was fifty caliber. The video may or may not be related to the headline claim, or the claim that I heard on the radio.
Regardless of which rounds were tested, or when, or where, or which of them were captured in slow motion video - the claims are pretty spectacular. The video tends to lend credence to the claims, even if the video shows a small caliber pistol round being fired.
Of course, it must be remembered that the guy who is hit with a high energy projectile isn't going to be feeling real good. No matter how indirectly, he still has to absorb that energy just to stay on his feet. He's still going to have purple splotches and aching ribs, assuming he's hit in the chest. And, unless they can make transparent armor, the head is still exposed.
The more mundane uses of this armor are still interesting. The video of this stuff behind a car bumper is very interesting!
(Score: 2) by driverless on Wednesday April 11 2018, @02:58AM (3 children)
M2 in this case refers to a WWII-vintage 30-06 cartridge. I'm assuming this is some standardised armour test round, since they talk about "National Institute of Justice standards".
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 11 2018, @07:36AM (2 children)
Maybe, instead, it was a Youtube stunt, where the guy holds a thick book in front of hisself, and his girlfriend and baby momma blows him to kingdom come and pushing up the daisies, pining for the fiords, not understanding physics. So, Desert Eagle, .357? Or the .44 Mag? Do they make one in .50 cal? Custom Pistola Cartridges for the Insane ammosexuals? There has got to be a website! (Seriously, I am sorry for their kids! The deserved better parents.)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 11 2018, @08:05PM (1 child)
Tell us the truth behind your ammophobia. Was it a girl you loved? Did she come out as an ammosexual? Was it too much for you to accept? And then you found her fursuit! Love can be so cruel, alas.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 12 2018, @02:01AM
Yeah, but the 30-06 is not really a WWII era round, the '06 refers to 1906, which is a few years before WWI. It is a change from the standard denomination of black powder cartridge rounds, which usually followed a caliber-grains of powder-grains of projective naming convention. Something like the .45-70 started out this way, the .45-70-500, also known as . 45-70 Government, which was developed at the U.S. Army's Springfield Armory for use in the Springfield Model 1873, which is known to collectors as the "trapdoor Springfield", a converted muzzleloader. Ah, for the days when an assault weapon was a breech-loading single shot! Of course, didn't work out so well for the US Calvary at Little Bighorn.
What worries me is that so many ammosexuals seem to be very ignorant about guns, and just seem to "support" them to piss off people who are more sane and intelligent than they are, much the way they vote for Trump, as kind of a "fuck you!" to the world in revenge for them having been born so incapable of erudition.
In any case, I find the Sharps .45-90, or even the .45-120-550 to be a better round, in the rather smallish .45 caliber. Normally, .54 is the smallest bore I will fire.
(Score: 2) by Snotnose on Wednesday April 11 2018, @02:38AM (4 children)
Think I'd rather breath that dust for a few seconds than deal with a hole in my chest.
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by driverless on Wednesday April 11 2018, @02:51AM (3 children)
Although this is going to sound pretty cynical and callous, I think a lot of people would rather have a hole in someone else's chest than the whole squad later die of lung cancer or lead-based CNS disorders from breathing assorted metal/heavy metal dust.
(Score: 2) by Nerdfest on Wednesday April 11 2018, @03:01AM (1 child)
Then perhaps dust masks? Many troops already wear face coverings anyway.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 11 2018, @07:51AM
How will we be able to tell the good guys from the terrorists? ^.^
(Score: 2) by Snotnose on Wednesday April 11 2018, @01:21PM
If your tactics are resulting in that much dust then methinks your tactics suck.
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.