Sanok Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 I recently got into an argument with a guy I know about the armor-penetrating power of the .50 caliber MG. I told him, that in WW II, it could penetrate about 15mm or so. The guy I know, a policeman, said he fired one and penetrated three inches of steel. He didn't elaborate on when and where he did this. I told him he fired a weapon sixty years advanced from the war, but he said that didn't make any difference, because it is the same round. I also told him there is a difference between regular industrial steel and steel specifically made to be armor plating for an AFV. He left unconvinced. Is there documentaion I can use to show this guy? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John D Salt Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 Originally posted by Sanok: I recently got into an argument with a guy I know about the armor-penetrating power of the .50 caliber MG. I told him, that in WW II, it could penetrate about 15mm or so. The guy I know, a policeman, said he fired one and penetrated three inches of steel. He didn't elaborate on when and where he did this. I told him he fired a weapon sixty years advanced from the war, but he said that didn't make any difference, because it is the same round. I also told him there is a difference between regular industrial steel and steel specifically made to be armor plating for an AFV. He left unconvinced. Is there documentaion I can use to show this guy? If he doesn't know the difference between mild steel and armour steel, can you even be confident that he can read? All the best, John. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallybob Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 3/4 inch of armored steel plate at 800 Meters. M2 HB ground mount .50 Cal Browning SLAP (Armor Piercing Ammo) 1988 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanok Posted July 3, 2004 Author Share Posted July 3, 2004 Originally posted by Wallybob: 3/4 inch of armored steel plate at 800 Meters. M2 HB ground mount .50 Cal Browning SLAP (Armor Piercing Ammo) 1988 I'm not sure what you mean by this. Is this from documentation I can show the guy I know? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingknives Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 OPFOR world wide equipment guide or one of the US army field manuals. US Field Manuals 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingknives Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 .50 cal HMG 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanok Posted July 3, 2004 Author Share Posted July 3, 2004 Originally posted by flamingknives: .50 cal HMG Thanks for the responses. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddball_E8 Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 was SLAP ammom even available during WWII? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingknives Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 No. AFAICT, it's not even common for M2s now. It's primarily an anti-materiel round for the .50 cal sniper rifles. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holman Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 OK, here's the simplest possible .50 Cal question, but it's one that has always bugged me: What is the function of that giant coat hanger that hangs beneath the barrel? Is it just a handle for carrying the barrel, and perhaps for managing it when it's hot? Or is it for drying the gunner's wet socks? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Harmes Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 The coat hanger is "to carry barrel, and to remove the barrel from the receiver". I'm sure it would make a great sock rack too! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slappy Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 Same function as the handle on your frying pan and just about as necessary. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 Originally posted by Slappy: Same function as the handle on your frying pan and just about as necessary. Far more necessary, I should think. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altraum Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 Some nations have SLAP or similiar rounds as standard. Makes the weapon more efficient... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dd77 Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 If there's one thing I know in terms of HMGs, its the m2 .50. I was in the 6th MT in the marines and we trained on the .50 all the time. If he's still convinced a .50 bmg can go through 3 inches of armor, let him know that the US military would gladly pay top dollar to learn such secrets 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CombinedArms Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 Various questions apropos this discussion: Could someone elaborate on the difference between armor-steel and regular steel? How much armor-steel could a .50 of WWII era actually penetrate? Are they modeled with reasonable accuracy in CM? Why are the CM .50 ammo loads so low?...I know the rounds are big, but wouldn't they be fired in very short bursts? The .50 ammo is usually gone before you know it in the midst of a long battle. Should .50's perhaps be kept on short cover arcs and saved for vehicle targets? Any help with any of these questions would be much appreciated.... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingknives Posted July 6, 2004 Share Posted July 6, 2004 I recall one of the forum members who's served mentioning that if you fire a .50cal in very short bursts then it has a tendancy to jam. Armour steel is tempered, improving it's material properties. Ordinary steel is what is called mild steel, which is softer and more ductile. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rleete Posted July 6, 2004 Share Posted July 6, 2004 flamingknives, that reply is not nearly technical enough. It is also far too short, and written without one single obscure word/term, making it likely to be fully understood. For shame. Go back to your Rexford Guide to Posts, and re-read the chapter on armo(u)r plate. Then, if your head hasn't imploded (or you've fallen asleep), try again. We'll be waiting. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.